Reading with pinyin, and learning to read without it
Pinyin above every character is a gift at LV 1 and a crutch by LV 4. Ember lets you take it away one text at a time.
In Ember's reader, pinyin sits in small type above each word — zhōumò de zǎoshang over 周末的早上. At the start, that is exactly what you need: you can read a whole story on your first day.
The crutch problem
Your eyes are lazy. If the pinyin is there, you will read the pinyin, and the characters stay a blur underneath. Many learners discover this the hard way when they meet their first menu or street sign without it.
One toggle
The Pinyin button at the top of every text turns the readings off. Try it on a text you have already read once: the story is familiar, so the only new work is recognising the characters. When you stall on a word, tap it — the reading is one touch away, and the word goes into your deck.
A simple routine
- Read a new text with pinyin on.
- Save the words you did not know.
- Read it again tomorrow with pinyin off.
Somewhere around the middle of the ladder you will notice you have stopped turning it back on.