Like its predecessor, the second edition of Fundamental Written Chinese places importance on a clear, systematic, and graduated introduction to written Mandarin. The authors continue the tradition of separating the teaching of written and oral skills, leaving the instruction of vocabulary and grammar exclusively to Fundamental Spoken Chinese, also in its second edition. The lessons in the two textbooks, however, are keyed to each other in terms of vocabulary and grammar, so they may be used simultaneously, or the parallel written skills may be introduced at a later time.
The bilingual teacher's manual provides detailed instructions on the underlying principles behind the design of the exercises in Fundamental Written Chinese and how best to use them to reinforce students' written proficiency. These Core Pedagogical Instructions are followed by explanations on the purpose of the exercises in each chapter. Audio, exercise model answers, and other resources for Fundamental Written Chinese may be accessed at www.fundamentalchinese.com.