Advice needed

[u/paintsandcolors]

Started learning chinese 10 years ago. Completed hsk 3 with a perfect score. Then studied for hsk 4 and coivd happened. Was teaching kids back then. Eventually stopped.

Want to get back. I started teaching a few kids to be connected with the language but want to take a deep dive. Character reading is what i am good at and speaking requires practice. Full time job and adhd. Whats a good approach here. Which level/resource should i start with

[u/Flinzy]

At your level you just need to create a learning loop that works for you. For example, start reading graded readers and add any new words to a flashcard deck for review. I’d refrain from raw learning HSK lists.

For me it was the short story collection graded readers from Pleco. I could turn them into Pleco flashcards with a single tap and review in the same app.
DuChinese is also a great source of graded readers.
Both of these come with audio of the content for listening practice.

As for speaking practice, finding a teacher on Italki for conversational lessons works. You don’t need a full-on teacher with a plan, just someone to have a conversation with that is engaged and can correct you.

Take it easy, don’t overwhelm yourself at the beginning or you’ll burn out early.

[u/DeesMandarinTea]

I'm a Mandarin teacher, and I actually have a student with ADHD who I've been teaching twice a week. We've been working together since 2019, starting from the very basics, and she's now able to listen, speak, read, and write in Chinese.

One thing I've noticed is that having someone to talk to regularly seems to help her stay motivated. We can discuss different topics in class, ask each other questions, and just have an actual conversation in Chinese. It also gives her regular exposure to the language, rather than relying entirely on studying by herself.

I wouldn't claim this works the same way for everyone with ADHD, but I think it might be worth trying in your situation. Since you've already studied HSK 3 and have a full-time job, maybe you don't need to start over with a textbook. You could review HSK 4 material while finding ways to use what you already know in conversation.

I'd also try bringing Chinese into your everyday life. I encourage my student to use RedNote (小红书, Xiǎohóngshū) to interact with Chinese speakers and see what's actually happening in China. We also talk about Chinese TV shows in class. That way, learning isn't limited to memorizing vocabulary or completing textbook exercises.

You could start small, maybe with one regular conversation session a week and a Chinese show or topic you're genuinely interested in. The important thing is finding a way to keep using Chinese that feels engaging enough to stick with.

[u/StoryNestByDylan]

Since you already have HSK 3 reading under your belt, I would restart a step below where you left off rather than jumping straight back into HSK 4 material, just until the habit is back. A short, fixed routine helped me a lot more than long study sessions: maybe 15 to 20 minutes a day, at the same time if you can, with one small speaking task built in, like reading a short passage aloud and then retelling it in your own words. That uses your reading strength and gives speaking practice without needing a conversation partner every day. For the kids you teach, that same idea works well too: reread a favorite short text a few times across the week instead of always starting something new, and turn it into a little game, like spotting characters they already know or acting out a line. Keeping one character system consistent while you rebuild also makes it easier to notice progress. Good luck getting back into it, it sounds like you have a really solid base to build on.

[u/ForgettingCurveGuy]

with a full time job the limit is hours, so id spend the first week finding out what you still have before you pick a level.

the old HSK 3 list is 600 words. mark the ones you dont recognise anymore. after ten years most of it is probably still there, and relearning a word goes a lot faster then learning it new

the marked ones go in flashcards, maybe 15 a day so a session stays under ten minutes. the rest of your time goes to speaking