Success with Chinese is structured in two separate but coordinated parts: Listening & Speaking and Reading & Writing. The lessons in Listening & Speaking are thematically coordinated with the lessons in Reading & Writing. This two-part structure gives teachers and independent learners considerable flexibility in designing the instruction and learning process:
For students who wish to learn only spoken Chinese, Listening & Speaking may be studied independently of Reading & Writing. For students who are learning or have already learned some spoken Chinese, Reading & Writing can be used as an independent course.
Students can learn Chinese by studying the two parts concurrently, but without having to use the same pace for Listening & Speaking as for Reading & Writing. It is recommended that students concentrate primarily on speaking and listening at first, while learning reading and writing at a slower pace.