A web-based multimedia Putonghua course has been launched by the City University (CityU) for primary and secondary school students.
The course is the direct application of CityU's groundbreaking computer-aided Putonghua self-learning software, which uses tone graph technology to enhance a learner's pronunciation.
The course and the software were developed by Sze Mei, a lecturer at the department of Chinese, translation and linguistics.
The tonic graph software enables learners to compare their spoken Putonghua with that of their teacher by studying visual tone graphs displayed on a screen.
The graphs present a visual rendition of spoken Putonghua, allowing students and teachers to compare their tones.
The software is the first of its kind used in learning the language in Chinese-speaking communities.
'The tone graphs help explain pronunciation problems experienced by students,' said Ms Sze, a veteran Putonghua teacher.