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    Mandarin Course : Expectation vs Reality

    As the world’s largest developing country, China’s international status is becoming more and more important. Not only Asian countries, but also major countries in Europe, America, the Middle East, and the Australian government are encouraging students to learn Chinese. Chinese-speaking talents are preferred at various countries, especially at the international airports and public places where Chinese consumers has become the main attraction; Chinese signage are also obviously displayed at these places. In such a global trend, the craze for learning Chinese has long been becoming a norm. There is no doubt that for many people whose native language is not Chinese but if they can speak fluent Chinese, it is of great significance to their career development. However, Chinese is not an easy language to learn. Generally speaking, a student whose mother tongue is English needs to study at least two thousand hours to reach at the proficiency level, and this also depends on each individual’s circumstances. When there is interruption to the learning schedule, then the learning time will be correspondingly lengthened. The reason is that the language needs to have certain conditions for continuous practice and to remember so that it is not being forgotten while learning, especially as a second language.

    In addition to the social need and looking for jobs, many foreigners are attracted by China’s rich and colorful history and human culture. However, whatever the reasons that urge them to start learning Chinese, they will find out in the end that at any stage of learning Chinese, if they want to achieve fluency, they need a mature Chinese language environment to achieve this goal. The problem is that it is difficult for many people to really move to China and live for a few years to learn Chinese. There is often a huge gap between ideals and reality. The problem facing overseas Chinese teachers and students is how to master the language in an immature or non-Chinese language environment.
    Unless one is a language genius, ordinary people who want to overcome this will have to depend to a large extent on the teaching quality of the Chinese teacher; to see if the teacher can use diversified teaching methods in the classroom to reduce the learning pressure of students; effectively promote the classroom atmosphere and effectively encourage students to communicate in Chinese. Also, regards to how to review the exercises and so on. In addition, the teacher should also tailor a study plan that suits the students’ different situations. Basically, students at different stages of junior high school and high school should have different learning plans.
    Fortunately, Singapore is a predominantly Chinese country, and Chinese is the second official language. This learning environment is very suitable for junior and intermediate students. In recent years, as Chinese companies continue to set up bases in Singapore, Chinese talents also flow to Singapore in the past decades and this is good news for students learning advanced Chinese.
    Whether you just begin to learn Chinese or a student who has been studying for a period of time, you must have discovered that learning Chinese will bring you a lot of fun and also great help in life and work. What I want to say is that we are in an era when the knowledge economy has exploded, it is different from the old age that relies on physical strength and industry; it pays more important to the mastery of multiple skills by individuals. As an important language skill, Chinese may need longer time to master in contrast to other languages. Comparing with the ever-changing computer technology, learning Chinese is actually a kind of self-investment that will be rewarded once and for all.
    Writen by Mandarin Plus—Mandarin School In Singapore

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      testimonials

      My daughter took lessons here. The teacher is very professional to teach my daughter even though she is 8 years old.
      She learned a lot of vocabulary and expression.
      Thank you.😄

      Inwook Kim ( Alice’s mother)

      Mandarin Plus is a good school to learn Mandarin in Singapore, they were very accommodating to my needs was eager to make arrangements for a timing suitable for my schedule.
      Ms Wang is a very nice teacher, she is very patient and will adjust to the student’s capacity making sure we learn Chinese smoothly.

      The teacher elaborated every word/ the composition of the word such that you understand why the word’s meaning is such. The teacher is very detailed in explaining which is good for beginner mandarin learners.

       

      Very well structured. Good method of teaching and lot of revision , overall a very good option to start learning Chinese. The teacher was very friendly and helpful and encouraging. The group class meant that we could ask questions to each other and have conversations.

      Satish Krishnamurthy

      I am very pleased with the private group online Mandarin course; the course was well structured and the teacher, Ms Wang Cheng ensured that the lesson pace was well suited for the students. The usage of new vocabulary and grammar in sentence formation allowed me to familiarise and understand the language better. Ms Wang also provided us with additional resources to aid our learning. Will recommend this course to anyone looking to speak and read basic Mandarin.

      Varshah Gunasagar

      I Just finished HSK 1 & HSK 2 private lessons , started back in August with Selina Lǎoshī. I had a great experience & value, & willing to learn more next year. She was very patient & kind, always flexible in her timing, & professional. Thank you 🙂

      Thoroughly pleased with the value I received from my time learning at Mandarin Plus. Apart from the regular curriculum, my teacher was also very willing and able to guide me in tailoring a specific pitch that I had to prepare for a business presentation which boosted my confidence tremendously. Even my colleagues were surprised by the marked improvement of my Mandarin level. Overall, very happy with Mandarin Plus.

      Kevin Ling

      I finished one course of 2-people group lessons and signed up for more. Even with circuit breaker, we still do weekly Zoom tuition and the quality of the class is just as high.

      Laoshi is great in that she tailors each lesson to our levels and picks vocabulary she thinks is most useful for us instead of just relying on the textbook. We have short oral presentations every week and she also provides us with extra language videos or links to supplement our learning.

      Jilian Fu

       

      I have been learning at Mandarin Plus for 5 months at classroom tuitions and online tuitions. Both are conducted by Ms.Selina effectively especially for oral practice. She is very patient and kind as well as professional. I really enjoy learning Chinese now.

      Yasukoo Lee

       

      I started my online Mandarin classes in April2020. I found my weekly 2 hour HSK 1 zoom classes very effective. There were 3 students and our teacher Ms. Wang Cheng created a learning atmosphere that engaged and challenged us. It motivated me to learn to write the Chinese characters as well.
      The CB period pushed us to zoom classes and I have really enjoyed them. The big plus is I can do them from the comfort of my home and do not have to waste time travelling back and forth to class.
      Deon Joseph

      Very satisfied with my learning experience. Staff are very responsive and transparent with rates and terms. Private class teaching method was very flexible. Our professor taught extra vocabulary so that we could immediately apply it to the workplace and business context. School is easily accessible cos of CBD location. Greatly recommend for foreigners who want to learn and improve Chinese.

      Martin Verdejo

      Selina was recommended to me by one of my friend whose son had been enjoying taking lessons with her for a few years and was very satisfied with the level he had achieved. My children are French and respectively 16 and 13 year-old. They have been learning Chinese in school as a 2nd language and needed extra-teaching hours to improve their speaking and writing skills.
      My son used to say that he hated Chinese language and was really unhappy to have to learn it. However, since he has started with Selina, slightly more than a year ago, his level has not only improved substantially but now also finds Chinese interesting and do not complain anymore before going to class.
      His school Chinese teacher was impressed by his progression and participation in class.
      I really recommend Selina; She is an excellent Chinese tutor.

      Veronique Viardot-Foucault