Reflection
My name is Silvia and I am a Mandarin Chinese. I enjoy teaching students of all ages and abilities from five-year-old children to eighty-year-old grandparents. In the education sector, technology has been a great enabler, both in terms of making learning more personalized and as well as making quality education more accessible and affordable. The use of mobile apps such as HelloChinese have really helped and boosted my students’ self-confidence in practicing the language.As an instructor of Chinese as a foreign language, I try to search for tools that can facilitate my students' language acquisition. I learnt Chinese the traditional way, memorizing, constantly writing characters until my hands were hurt. Learning can be fun and technology facilitates it. The use of apps changes the students’ attitude towards learning, boosting their speed and performance.
EVA'S
WORDS
While researching about this app, I realized that there was limited information about HelloChinese. My objectives is to provide a detailed review of what the app does, its potential and its contribution towards language learning. As an EVA, I strongly recommend HelloChinese as an additional resource to learn Mandarin Chinese. The app is accessible and ads free. However, one of the “pre-requirements” is being able to have a mobile device. Considering that since 2015 to 2019 the number of mobile phones user has increased from 4.15 to 4.78 billions, accessibility on apps would not be an issue as previous years.Language learning via mobile devices contributes to education. Game-based learning and educational apps are two markets that are growing at a fast pace. HelloChinese belongs within these two markets. It is a free game-based app with the potential to foster users' language skills. As China has become one of the world’s largest economy. As its influences increases, the need of learning the language has also been in demand. There has not been a well known resource or tool that foreigners can use. Being one of the most downloaded apps to learn Mandarin Chinese, there is still a huge market opportunity that has not been exploited.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
HelloChinese has the potencial but it not perfect yet. Below are some aspects that need to be to improve the app and investors can consider before deciding:
- No one-to-one feature, or live sessions with Chinese speakers. However, Premium+ users can contact them with Chinese language relater questions.
- HelloChinese can consider investing in marketing to promote their product.
- Free version suitable for beginners. Premium+ can be suitable for intermediate level students.
- Add material for advanced level learners.
- Could reinforce Chinese character writing.
- “Offline feature”. Lessons can be pre-downloaded and can later be used without internet connection.
- One of the most downloaded apps for learning Mandarin Chinese