This series features: * separate listening/speaking and reading/writing volumes * detailed teacher activity and planning manuals * communicative, task-based, interactive classroom activities * proficiency-based orientation * focuses on the learner * includes both forms of the Chinese character * presents real-life, graded tasks in various contexts * students develop their own strategies to express meaning * already adopted by many secondary schools and college level programs listening and speaking development in Hanyu Pinyin; illustrated with exercises; insightful cultural notes