Language Proficiency Training Libraries for Chinese Learners

★ Free practice materials help intermediate and advanced learners build real-world Chinese listening, reading and speaking skills. Chinese Proficiency Lab offers authentic Chinese audio and reading materials organized by difficulty, with comprehension questions, answer keys, English translations and speaking prompts. It is especially useful for learners who want more challenging, structured practice beyond ordinary lessons or textbooks. The site also includes grammar help, learning strategies, proficiency assessments, preparation for the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT), used by U.S. military and government language professionals, and the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI), a test of speaking ability.

★ Extensive intermediate and advanced reading and listening lessons built around authentic materials. GLOSS (Global Language Online Support System) is a free Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center collection for independent learners, with Mandarin lessons organized by proficiency level, modality, topic, subtopic, and competence. Lessons combine authentic source material with structured activities and may include feedback, glossaries, translations, audio, quizzes, downloadable materials, and Anki decks.

★ Practice with authentic audio, video, and reading materials created for native speakers. Lectia is a completely free, ad-free language learning app from the National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland with Chinese lessons that build comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar through real-world materials. Lessons include transcripts and translations, cultural and vocabulary notes, text tracking, a glossary, proficiency tests, and the option to download materials for offline study. Learn more on their website. Available on Android and iOS. Note: The Android app was last updated in October 2025, while the iOS version has not been updated since August 2022.

★ Practice real-world Mandarin through contemporary topics at three progressive proficiency levels. Mandarin Ladder uses authentic and adapted Chinese materials covering subjects such as society, technology, culture, economics, government policy and international affairs. Each topic combines listening, reading, vocabulary and speaking practice at upper-beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, with approximate Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) proficiency ratings. Three topics are available without an account, and a free account unlocks all topics and Early Access materials.

★ Free proficiency-focused lessons and assessments use authentic reading, listening, and video materials for serious intermediate and advanced practice. NFLC e-Learning Portal from the University of Maryland’s National Foreign Language Center offers a large searchable collection of Mandarin materials, including language-learning objects, video lessons, thematic units, mini assessments, and assessment objects designed for proficiency-test preparation. Resources can be filtered by ILR/ACTFL level, modality, topic, type, and learning objective, and users can bookmark materials for later study.