The following study materials are what I have been using with my students. I think they are the most effective Chinese learning products on the market in their specific categories.
Comprehensive Chinese Textbook (listening, speaking, reading and writing)
| Integrated Chinese Level 1 Part 1 |
Integrated Chinese Level 1 Part 2 |
Integrated Chinese Level 2 Part 1 |
Integrated Chinese Level 2 Part 2 |
 
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Chinese Characters
What's easy to say is not necessarily what's easy to read and write in Chinese. I have always believed that speaking/listening and reading/writing should be two independent and separate processes. I highly recommend the following books because they show the concept behind each character's evolution, from its historical origin to its current form. This will help you build a solid foundation to learn Chinese characters.
| The Most Common Chinese Radicals |
Rapid Literacy In Chinese |
Beginner’s Chinese script |
 
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Chinese Grammar
Claudia Ross's "Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar" and its grammar exercise book "Schaum's Outline of Chinese Grammar" are THE Chinese grammar books you should own.
| Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar |
Schaum's Outline of Chinese Grammar |
 
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Chinese Listening Comprehension
"Ultimate Chinese - Beginner-Intermediate" includes a book and 8 CDs. The advantages of this set are the CDs and its method of using only pinyin to teach Chinese. The CDs are an ideal resource for intermediate level students when practicing their listening comprehension. The book contains the transcripts of the CDs written in pinyin. The disadvantages of this set are that it lacks organization and tries to cram too much content into one lesson; however, I recommend it for listening comprehension.
Dictionary
This is one of the best beginner-to-intermediate level Chinese-English dictionaries on the market.
Comprehensive Reference Book
The author of the book, Albert Wolfe, is a veteran Chinese learner. In this book, he gives lots of practical advice on various aspects of learning Chinese, including pronunciation, grammar, and cultural tips.
Chinese Culture
Books
The following three books are my personal favorite regarding Chinese culture and modern Chinese history. Mr. China a Memoir is a fun read and you'll get a vivid and quite accurate picture of modern China through interesting and funny stories. One Billion Customer examines many high-level business cases and is a good read for business people. The new edition of Encountering the Chinese just came out and many points in the book are quite spot-on. It gives you a deep insight into the way Chinese people think and behave. Anyway, I love them all and I can't wait to hear what you think.
| Mr. China: A Memior |
One Billion Customer |
Encountering the Chinese |
 
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Movies
The movie To Live is my all time favorite. If you haven't watched it, please pick-up a copy. As one Amazon reviewer says, “To Live is a vivid reflection of the tumultuous period of China.” You can't miss it.
Online Resources for the textbook "Integrated Chinese"
Audio resources and exercises for "Integrated Chinese" textbook
Flashcard games and exercises for "Integrated Chinese" textbook
Pinyin
Pinyin Chart
Chinese learning materials
www.chinese-forums.com - Great resources for Chinese language learners and people who are interested in Chinese culture or living in China
www.csulb.edu/~txie/online.htm -A comprehensive collection of Chinese learning online resources
Chinese Culture
http://www.danwei.org -A comprehensive and updated collection of current Chinese social and cultural news
Young and restless in China-A PBS documentary on the young generation of modern China
Other
Download google pinyin input system
