You Can Learn Chinese

Jade grew up knowing she was half Chinese, but without the language, family connection, or cultural context to understand what that really meant. In this deeply personal episode, she shares what it was like growing up mixed race in a mostly white community, carrying questions of identity, belonging, and cultural disconnection from an early age.
Jade shares why learning Chinese became much more than a language goal. What began as a quiet lifelong pull eventually turned into something healing, empowering, and transformative during the pandemic, when she finally committed to learning Mandarin seriously. She describes how Chinese gave her a way to reconnect with herself, reshape her story, and discover a new sense of confidence.
Jade’s journey took her to Taiwan, where studying Mandarin brought both joyful breakthroughs and very real culture shock. From challenging start to the unexpected feeling of being seen as someone who might belong, Jade reflects on how language learning, identity, and personal growth became inseparable.
This is an honest and moving conversation about mixed identity, heritage learning, and the powerful role language can play in helping us become more fully ourselves.
Links from the episode:
LengLengCoolJade | Instagram

Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

Should you learn Chinese by reading children’s books? It’s a common recommendation, but is it actually a good idea?
In this episode, Jared and John unpack why kids’ books aren’t as “simple” as they seem. These books are written for native-speaking children who already have years of spoken fluency. They’re often read aloud by parents and packed with specialized vocabulary, proper nouns, literary language, and characters that learners rarely need early on. What looks beginner-friendly can quickly become frustrating and inefficient.
So why do people keep suggesting it? Usually because it worked for them—as native speakers. But second language acquisition research shows that learners benefit most from high-frequency vocabulary and carefully controlled input.
That’s where graded readers come in. Designed specifically for language learners, they limit vocabulary and characters while still telling engaging stories. The goal isn’t to learn Chinese like a child, it’s to build a strong foundation so you can eventually read whatever you want.
If you’ve ever struggled through a “simple” children’s book, this episode explains why, and what to read instead.
Links from the episode:
7 Mistakes about Extensive Reading (w/analysis of《好饿的毛毛虫》) | Mandarin Companion

Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

In this episode, Jared chats with Jack Mullinkosson, whose Chinese-learning journey runs from a Vice China documentary set… to living with a Chinese immigrant family in suburban California… to studying in Chengdu… and now biking from Chengdu to Hanoi.
Jack got started the way many learners do: by feeling left out. On set, surrounded by Chinese speakers, he noticed how differently the foreigners who spoke Mandarin were treated. Chinese looked like a superpower, and he wanted it.
With plenty of downtime during the shoot, Jack began studying characters and survival phrases, boosted by the classic “Your Chinese is so good!” encouragement (even when it wasn’t). That early confidence turned into a full-on obsession.
Then COVID hit, and Jack found a creative workaround. Back in the U.S., he made a flyer in Chinese offering to live with a Chinese family in exchange for helping their kids with English. The result: four months in a Rancho Cucamonga “McMansion” shared by multiple Chinese families, nightly Mandarin dinners, and a crash course in immigrant hustle and real-world language practice.
Along the way, Jack:
Read Mandarin Companion graded readers to build his foundation

Used shadowing to level up tones and pronunciation

Looked for chances to speak—even when it was inconvenient

Turned everyday errands into “Chinese missions”

After a few years in Brazil, where he learned Portuguese and became a remote software engineer, Jack returned to China with a new goal: connect Chinese to his career. He now makes videos in Chengdu, capturing spontaneous conversations with park shūshu fitness legends, friendly aunties selling plum wine, and locals who light up when a foreigner speaks Mandarin.
And one of the coolest payoffs? While traveling in Spain, Jack used Chinese to order food from a Chinese restaurant owner when neither of them shared English or Spanish.
Links from the episode:
Jack Mullinkosson | Instagram

Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

Struggling with listening comprehension in Chinese? You're not alone—and this episode is here to help. Jared Turner and John Pasden dive into practical, tech-powered strategies for sharpening your Chinese listening skills using AI transcription tools and other smart resources.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How to use AI tools to turn Chinese audio into transcripts you can study.
Why listening comprehension is often one of the hardest skills—and how to make it easier.
How to “train your ear” with slowed-down, AI-generated audio.
Ways to leverage native content such as TV shows, songs, podcasts, YouTube videos, and make them more accessible for learning.
The value of transcribing your own Chinese speaking to catch patterns, mistakes, and growth areas.
John and Jared walk you through real-world workflows, tools they’ve personally used, and the best types of media for improving listening. Whether you’re trying to understand a native podcast, follow along with a Chinese drama, or make sense of a street conversation you recorded, this episode gives you a clear roadmap for turning audio into insight and comprehension.
Listening doesn’t have to be your weak spot. With today’s tools, it can become your strength.
Links from the episode:
TurboScribe | AI transcription tool

Language Jones & Anki Hyper TTS | YouTube

"Duìbùqǐ Wǒ de Zhōngwén Bù Hǎo" | Sung by Transition on YouTube

“One Semester of Spanish - Love Song” | YouTube

Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

in this episode, Jared sits down with Alexander Brose, President & CEO of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada, to trace his remarkable journey learning Chinese and how it shaped his life and career in unexpected ways.
From his early years living in South Korea with his family, to choosing Mandarin over Cantonese at an international school in Hong Kong, Alex shares how Chinese gradually became part of his identity. He continued studying the language through high school and later majored in Asian Studies at Cornell University. A pivotal summer in Harbin with the CET immersion program further deepened both his language skills and cultural connection to China.
Alex’s path led him to build cross-cultural musical collaborations between China and the U.S., eventually becoming the founding Executive Director of the Tianjin Juilliard School. He reflects on how speaking Chinese created unique professional opportunities, opened doors to deep cultural understanding, and enabled him to be at the forefront of classical music education in China.
Throughout the episode, Alex offers thoughtful reflections on the value of immersion, the challenges of maintaining language confidence, and the power of music as a bridge between cultures.
Links from the episode:
Alexander Brose | Royal Conservatory of Music (Canada)

Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

CET Academic Programs

From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China | IMDB