ChAT aims to address a major obstacle faced by learners of Chinese - mastery of the tonal system, by the principled application of audio technologies developed in the Dublin Institute of Technology. This problem is not adequately addressed by current courses.The materials produced will be playable in a web-based Virtual Learning Environment. The technologies adopted will allow for the development of a new, learner-oriented pedagogy with flexible delivery and new types of exercises not available using current materials.A dedicated player will be developed which will allow audio assets to be slowed, without tonal distortion, so that learners can better cope with the 4 tones of Mandarin Chinese, imitate frequently-used phrases and gradually speed up their spoken production until natural speeds are attained.The consortium will produce and test learning and exercise materials to supplemental popular course materials such as Conversational Chinese 301. Aided by state-of-the-art technologies, learners can practise spoken Chinese at their own pace and cut learning time.The aim of ChAT is to make the learning experience enjoyable and effective and more efficient, given that it can take as much as 5 times as long to reach a basic ability in Chinese as in other non-tonal languages (according to the US Foreign Service Institute).The materials and exercises produced by ChAT will be informed by a thorough appraisal of learning difficulties faced by western learners of Chinese and based on the teaching experience of key Confucius Institute staff participating in the project.A survey carried out by the project will assess the influence of 4 major languages spoken in the EU and evolve strategies to minimise their effects on learner spoken production.Internal and external evaluation of learning materials by regulatory bodies will ensure maximum linguistic benefit to the rapidly growing number of EU citizens wishing to visit or engage in trade with Chinese speaking communities.