Official outlines win over blog summaries. Treat this page as an onboarding scaffold, not a guarantee that every center’s paper matches a public PDF word-for-word.
The daily loop (use every study day)
Block
Time
What to do
Warm listen
5 min
Replay yesterday’s short clip once cold, once with transcript
Vocab in sentences
12–20 min
6–10 new items inside example lines, not orphan lists
Task practice
10–15 min
One “can-do” mini-task (greet, ask name, say numbers/time…)
Output
5 min
Write or say 3 original sentences using today’s words
Tiny review
5 min
Revisit 8–12 older cards / lines; mark weak tones
Skip the drama-subtitle binge. Short, clear, classroom-style audio beats binge watching for Level 1 stamina. For a longer listening habit after week 2, see HSK1 Listening 30-day.
Week 1 task list (foundation)
Theme goal: survive greetings, self-intro, numbers, time, and simple classroom language.
Days 1–2 — Greetings + identity
Learn: hello / goodbye / thanks / sorry + “What’s your name?” / “My name is…”
Listen: one short dialogue twice cold, once shadowing
Output: introduce yourself in 2–3 sentences
Tone check: record yourself once; compare to model audio
Days 3–4 — Numbers + time
Learn: 1–100 (or at least 1–20 solid) + asking/telling time
Task: read three clock/time lines closed-book
Output: say what time you study Mandarin today
Review: Day 1–2 greetings without peeking
Days 5–6 — People + simple questions
Learn: family/basic people words + yes/no and who/what/where starters
Task: answer five yes/no questions from lesson audio or text
Output: three sentences about one person
Light mock: 8–10 mixed listening items from free lessons
Day 7 — Repair only (optional rest)
No new vocab dump
Re-do the weakest Day 1–6 block
One closed-book self-intro + one time sentence
Week 1 success signal: You can greet, introduce yourself, handle basic numbers/time, and finish a short free-lesson exercise without freezing.
Week 2 task list (expand toward New HSK L1 density)
New HSK Level 1 is denser than classic HSK1. Week 2 adds depth on the same themes — more verbs, more daily-life items, more task language — instead of switching to a random second word list.
Task: role-play ordering or asking price (even alone — both sides)
Listening: one shop/food clip; write 3 keywords you heard
Review: numbers (prices love numbers)
Days 10–11 — Place + daily routine
Learn: school/home/basic places + go / come / study / work
Task: describe your study routine in 4 sentences
Output: map 8 words onto a tiny daily timeline
Tone repair: pick 5 words you keep missing; drill only those
Days 12–13 — Integrated mini-tasks
Combine: greeting + intro + one routine + one food/place sentence
Closed-book: complete one full free Lesson 1–2 style exercise set
Listening: two short clips; summarize each in English, then one Chinese sentence
Vocab: skim your deck — archive confusions; re-learn in a fresh sentence
Day 14 — Checkpoint (not a full mock)
Cold listen: catch gist of a short beginner dialogue
Speak: 30–45 second self-intro without reading
Read: short textbook lines with pinyin support as needed
Decide next 2 weeks: New HSK L1 depth, or current-HSK1 drills if your center is HSK1-only
Week 2 success signal: You can run a tiny conversation loop (greet → intro → one daily fact → simple ask) and finish free Lesson 1–2 practice without quitting mid-set.
How this maps to free lessons 1–2
Treat ACA free first lessons as your task gym, not background noise:
Do the lesson exercise closed-book once.
Replay only the lines you missed.
Write three original sentences from that lesson’s words.
This two-week onboarding targets New HSK / HSK 3.0 Level 1 density. If your center still runs classic HSK1 (~150 words), use the shorter path in the HSK1 Study Plan and the 150 vs 300 vocab checklist.
How much time do I need each day?
Plan for 30–60 minutes, 5–6 days per week. Light pace is about 30–40 minutes; Standard is closer to 60. Keep the same daily loop even if you shorten a block.
Do I need to buy a membership to follow this?
No. Use free beginner lessons as your task gym and email magic-link login only if you want progress saved. Membership can wait until checkout is ready and you decide later.
Disclaimer
Exam formats, outlines, and center schedules change. Confirm with your organizer. This onboarding plan is study guidance, not an official Hanban/Chinese Testing International document and not a guaranteed pass score.
