Easy Steps to Chinese adopts a new approach to teaching Chinese as a foreign language. It is designed for both primary and secondary school students who are taking Chinese exams, such as GCSE/IGCSE/AS (U.K.), SAT II/AP (U.S.A.), IB Chinese Language B Standard Level, or for those students who are starting to learn Chinese on their own. Easy Steps to Chinese has three stages: Stage 1 – Books 1 and 2; Stage 2 – Books 3, 4, 5 and 6; and Stage 3 – Books 7 and 8. After completing this series, the students will acquire a vocabulary of approximately 1,600 Chinese characters, and develop confidence in using Chinese to communicate either orally or in written forms.

 The series includes: ·Textbook ·Workbook ·Teacher’s Book ·Picture flashcards ·Word cards 

The topics for each stage are: 

Stage 1: Books 1-2·Numbers·Personal identification·Parts of the body·Colours and clothing·Food and drinks·Daily routines·Schooling·Hobbies·Life at home·Means of transport·Daily articles·Weather 

Stage 2: Books 3-6·Appearance·People and occupations·School facilities·Weather and holidays·Pets·Personality·School events·Food and sickness·Accidents·Shopping and travelling·Neighbourhood·Festivals and celebrations 

Stage 3: Books 7-8·Community·Work experience·Environment·Customs and traditions· Technology and communication·Diet and healthy life-style·Special occasions·Leisure and travelling·Education and employment·Law and order·Current issues·World issues 

The features of this series: ★task-based learning ★a wide variety of texts ★practical tasks and activities ★up-to-date topics relevant to young people ★carefully pacing for gradual progress ★clearly focused aims ★regular consolidation ★both simplified and traditional script in the vocabulary list ★a fun and effective approach ★attractive page designs

Yamin Ma, B.A. in English Language and Literature, and M.A. in Education, is currently a Chinese teacher in Island School, Hong Kong. Ma has gained years of experience in teaching Chinese as a foreign language and she actively keeps up with the trends of AP Chinese Test in U.S. and the IB Chinese Test in Europe. Her research covers English language teaching, Chinese language teaching and educational psychology. She has read and published a number of papers in international conferences.