Mandarin is one of the most difficult languages to learn, and with that as a driving point, Speed Mandarin app was born. With support from MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) via the Creative Industry Development Fund, 18-year old Gloson Teh, and his mother Grace Khoong, a children brain development researcher, created this app to help non-native speakers learn the language. Speed Mandarin is an unconventional and fun way to effectively learn Mandarin, and with videos, reference and quiz materials incorporated in the app, learning mandarin is made easier, especially with the in-app quirky characters.
In the app, each stroke in the Mandarin character is illustrated as a pictogram. This allows easy identification, and with each Mandarin pronounciation compared to an English word, it is easier to learn how to pronounce. The app also features catchy songs, and each word is repeated in an insane number of times to make it stick in your head. All these are presented in HD video quality, pretty much akin to your usual HD YouTube videos. These videos are streamed and not stored in your phone to save storage space and app download size.
In each module, the characters that are chosen were picked and chosen according to the frequency of usage. So instead of learning every single character from the start, you will be taught what is most useful in daily life first.
Speed Mandarin app is available for free, together with the first three units/syllabus. After that, you are charged depending on which subscription package you prefer; whether RM49 monthly, RM99 every three months, or RM299 yearly. Currently, the app covers the core modules which consists of basic conversational mandarin. The core modules is of 22 units altogether, giving you a chance to learn 50 Mandarin characters.
Speed Mandarin is now available for download from Google Play Store and Apple App Store, and detailed information can be found at Speed Mandarin website.
