Author Archives: Weiwei Zhang

The Vowel Worm

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Weiwei Zhang

As a language learner myself, I often struggle with the unique sounds in different languages. Humans are culturally-bound language learners; this means we are able to hear and identify all human sounds when we were born, but we gradually lose … finish reading The Vowel Worm

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The Future of Note Taking

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Weiwei Zhang

We are taught to take notes in class, but note taking has changed dramatically over the past decade. Nowadays we see a variety of classroom note taking cultures—-some faculty encourage students to bring laptops to class and use it as a … finish reading The Future of Note Taking

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Code the Youtube URL for class use

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Weiwei Zhang

Before I knew this trick, I always felt I had to be the Youtube police for my class. Ideally I would play only the videos I intended to play, and turn down all the other requests from students (well, at least … finish reading Code the Youtube URL for class use

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Practice the Tones

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Weiwei Zhang

Using tones to distinguish lexical and grammatical meaning is not always an easy task for native speakers of non-tonal languages. When I taught Chinese many years ago, the tones were the biggest headache for my students. As adults, my students … finish reading Practice the Tones

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Welcome to the Language Lab!

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Weiwei Zhang

Welcome to the Language Lab—one of the best places on campus to study! We are located in the lower level of the Hauser Memorial Library, next to the Instructional Multimedia Center (IMC). The primary function of the Language Lab is to … finish reading Welcome to the Language Lab!

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LangMedia

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Weiwei Zhang

Recommended Resource: LangMedia Most language learners are familiar with the term “language proficiency.” Four components — listening, speaking, reading and writing — are measured when a learner’s language proficiency is being assessed. The measurement of world languages proficiency follows the guidelines … finish reading LangMedia

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Meetups and language learning

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Weiwei Zhang

Meetup is one of the websites that connect you with your neighbors. I have heard many students commenting on how they think having conversation partners or communities would help with their language acquisition, but they struggle to find people they … finish reading Meetups and language learning

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Some Russian online resources

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Weiwei Zhang

Here are a variety of online resources that may help you learn Russian.

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Learn Chinese with images

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Weiwei Zhang

All about Chinese is unique. It is so special that I found myself scrolling through the pages, looking at the pictures and the words as if it had taken me back to my own college days. It has its innocence, simplicity, … finish reading Learn Chinese with images

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French Grammar Central

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Weiwei Zhang

French Grammar Central is developed by Robert D. Peckham from University of Tennessee Martin. It is one of the most complete grammar study guides I have ever encountered.

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