PinYin phonetic system was created in 1958, since then Chinese study method switched to PinYin method.
PinYin Chinese study method has following characters:
1. Learn PinYin first; 2. Learn pronouncing by PinYin, learn speaking before writing & reading; 3. Using PinYin to carry meaning; 4. Use PinYin to input Chinese words.
PinYin Chinese study method has been used worldwide for 60+ years, millions of foreign learners used PinYin to learn Chinese, most of them, found pronunciation is difficult, specially 4 tones is hard to learn, many of them learn Chinese for years, but still can't write and read Chinese.
The 3 main reasons are:
If a foreign student can't pronounce PinYin 4-tone sequences, then the student has no correct serial reference of the 4 tones, and the student can't compare, distinguish, identify, nor remember the tones.
Without knowing the correct serial reference of the 4 tones, when given a PinYin and tone number, like "luo2", the student can't find the right sound.
Without knowing the correct serial reference of 4 tones, when given the sound of a word, the student can't compare and tell the index (tone number) of the sound.
Therefore, learning PinYin requires the student to pronounce PinYin 4-tone sequences well first. Otherwise, learning PinYin tones is very difficult, if not impossible. It's like using a spoon to eat noodles, just waste time.
PinYin standard 4-tone sequences are not nature sound sequences. It was defined by people to become the national standard. Foreign students need learn to pronounce these sound sequences to meet these man-made standards.
In addition, PinYin letters are the same as English letters. Foreigners always read PinYin with English sounds and tones, and it's difficult to change.
Chinese kids learn PinYin at primary school after 5 years old, they can speak Chinese fluently. At that time, they can learn PinYin and 4-tone sequences easily. They are using Chinese sound to learn PinYin, not another way around, using PinYin to learn pronunciation.
So, starting from PinYin to learn Chinese is a wrong way.
Foreign students should learn Chinese speaking directly first, like Chinese children do, and then learn PinYin and 4-tone sequences later on.
1. Starting from PinYin to learn Chinese, foreign students usually consider PinYin as the Chinese language and are reluctant to learn Chinese words.
2. In many textbooks, PinYin appears above the Chinese words, so students pay more attention to the PinYin.
Because of these, starting from PinYin blocks the learning way of Chinese reading and writing. As a result, most foreign students cannot read and write Chinese, even after a long-time study.
PinYin input method processes the sounds' information but does not process word components and structural information. Therefore, the PinYin input method does not help learners to practice and memorize Chinese writing.
If learners do not regularly refresh or practice word writing, they will gradually forget word's composing and structural information.
So, if learners want to learn Chinese reading and writing, using components input method can help a lot. They should not use PinYin as the daily input method.
PinYin Chinese method is an indirect study method, it is U-turn from classic direct study method. Actually, it is PinYin method that makes Chinese hard to learn.