Testimonials

Vyada Vongphachanh

The Search- After arriving here in Beijing , I tested different language schools and different group classes for about a month. But I quickly realised I was wasting more than half the time in class because I couldn’t get the teacher to focus on what I wanted. Suddenly the cheaper price of group classes seemed rather expensive. Now the clock was ticking. I had three months left to pick up as much oral Chinese as possible before starting my job.

Then I ran into That’s Mandarin’s ad. After my trial lesson, I realized that my vocabulary was embarrassingly limited or totally useless in everyday life. I knew I had to build it up and increase my confidence immediately. That’s Mandarin has let me do just that.

The Economics- With That’s Mandarin, you learn more per dollar or RMB spent. Don’t be fooled by prices alone. What are you actually learning in your class? How much speaking time are you getting? How much control do you have? With one-to-one lessons, the focus is on you and you are learning and improving 100% of the time.

The Results- That’s Mandarin’s stories are interesting, fun and easy to learn from. I’m amazed at the end of each lesson how much new vocab I have picked up. Now instead of taking my pocket Chinese dictionary with me around town, I grab my notebook from That’s Mandarin’s lessons — the new words are immediately applicable to everyday life. A few days ago my notebook came in handy as I flipped through the pages looking for the perfect words to spar with the cab driver. He really got a kick out of it!

Since leaving Beijing, I have continued my classes with That’s Mandarin using Skype. I have the exact same teachers as I had in Beijing and pay roughly the same per hour. I am really happy with the results and it’s my pleasure to recommend the services and teaching method of That’s Mandarin.

Tom Philips

I’m a working professional who’s been trying to learn Mandarin for ages, but finds the language difficult to grasp and use – especially in spoken form. So most of all, I wanted a program that will allow me to apply what I learned in the classroom to everyday situations.

I found the approach used by That’s Mandarin to be fun, refreshing, but most importantly, effective. Having had experience with different Mandarin courses and teachers over the years, I would highly recommend That’s Mandarin’s course.

Their unique approach to teaching Mandarin focuses on vocabulary and sentence structures that are frequently used and applicable to every life situations. The result is a higher retention rate for new words for his course as compared to that for the university course that I attended at the same time. In fact, as things progressed, I reduced the number of courses at the university. I chose instead to focus my effort and remaining time in Beijing on attending my classes at That’s Mandarin.

Stephanie Parry

I feel like each teacher gives a lot of thought to my specific needs. The teaching methods are very thorough and involve a lot of different media, not just one text book.

Sebastian Malouf

When I went to China I had 5 weeks and 1 goal – to get a sound basis in the Mandarin language. I can say that without a doubt it was the dynamic personality of Xu-laoshi from That’s Mandarin that allowed me to surpass my goals. My only regret is not finding her sooner. I feel cheated that I wasted so much time with other tutors.

Xu-laoshi’s teaching method is unique. Instead of a course book she uses a series of carefully selected stories which serve to introduce new vocabulary and recycle the old. She used her knowledge of both Mandarin and English, as well as her wit, to weave together a coherent and truly useful series of lessons. I not only learned many vocabulary items, but also how to use them in different contexts. The greatest thing about lessons with Xu-laoshi was that everything I learned became immediately accessible. Over 80% of things I learnt I actually used in real situations within 2-3 days.

The amount of energy that Xu-laoshi has and freely gives in her lessons is inspiring. I left the classroom literally buzzing with excitement at what I could now do, and actively looking for opportunities to use it. She gave me enough confidence in my abilities to get out there and actually do it. Not only that, but I was absolutely confident that the language she had supplied me with was relevant, and importantly, colloquial – no pompous “How do you do?”. In fact, she actively discouraged me from using some of the ‘old-fashioned’ language that I had been taught just 2 weeks previously.

As a language teacher myself, it was truly inspiring to be taught be someone who not only obviously loves what she does, but is also very, very good at it. I can only hope that I am half as effective and imaginative a teacher as Xu-laoshi.

Nick Clarke

What That’s Mandarin lacks in veneer it more than makes up for with second to none teaching, passion to improve your language ability and stimulating course materials. Forget boring and repetitive grammar drills; look forward to cautionary tales that captivate your imagination yet make this seemingly impossible language conquerable!

After studying Chinese at a nearby University for a semester, and doing so like a geek, I wasn’t happy with my progress — especially with my speaking skills. I was about to give up completely, so I can’t thank the teachers enough for rescuing me! And the staff too — freshly made coffee every time I walked in the door was a great incentive!

That’s Mandarin is a great place to learn. The stigma attached to a private school that says private schools aren’t recognized like a famous university is nonsensical. Go to a big fancy University and get a certificate. Go to That’s Mandarin and get another language. What are you really here for?

Melanie Parsons-Gao

From my first lesson with that’s Mandarin they had me hooked with their stories. It was like 1,001 Arabian Nights – I had to keep going back to class to find out what happened to the old lady and the famous doctor, or the beautiful girl and that guy in the sports car…!

Studying Chinese with That’s Mandarin is like that, they’ll keep you entertained while they teach you. They’ll listen patiently in the early days as you massacre their mother tongue, but before you know it you’ll be putting together decent sentences and even intelligible stories. And thanks to the fact that they are incredibly patient and picky about your pronunciation, people will actually understand you when you go outside of the classroom and try to communicate. Interesting and interested, That’s Mandarin is, by far, the best language training institution I’ve ever had. Highly recommended.

Kristen Ip

That’s Mandarin makes the learning experience enjoyable since it is more conversational based rather than constant book learning.

The school’s story method and repetition has helped expand my vocabulary. I really enjoy the enthusiasm of the language instructors and the comfort of the classrooms. In addition, the conversational style of teaching helps improve my Mandarin quickly. The best way toimprove is to speak and not worry about making mistakes. That’s Mandarin is great at forcing you to speak up and learn practical conversation from experience.

Karen Cua-Lin

At That’s Mandarin you get great teachers, a highly effective teaching method and lessons personalised to your particular needs – all in a comfortable learning environment.

I’ve been taking classes at That’s Mandarin for 3 months now. I go Mondays to Fridays for 4 hours. It’s been a great experience. I highly recommend for the following reasons -

* Great teachers – professional, energetic, inspiring, dedicated, and fun
* Unique, highly effective teaching method – during class, I watch shows in Chinese and re-tell them, read and translate articles, meanwhile the teacher types new words that I come across that day; outside class, I review the list of new words, write the story I’ve learned that day, and listen to an mp3 of my teacher reading the new words and using them in sentences
* Personalized lessons – no books; learning based on shows and articles carefully selected to suit my interest and needs
* Good learning environment – free coffee in the morning, clean nice classrooms in good locations

Joseph Pellicano

I thought that motivating myself to study Chinese would be a great deal of work, and I feel like if I were in a generic university program, it would have been. However at That’s Mandarin it’s not the case at all. Every class is fresh and engaging, and each class builds on the foundation of the last. I’ve NEVER had a boring class.

I arrived in China with plans already made to study at one of Beijing’s well-known universities for at least two semesters. I arrived early to become more accustomed with Beijing before classes began. After meeting people who had studied at this particular university, and learning more about the programs that they offered, it started to appeal to me less and less. The environment at the university did not sound as conducive to effectively learning Chinese as I had previously imagined. Having invested a substantial amount of time and money in coming to China, I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision on where I chose to study.

With less than five days before my program’s start, I started to search for other options. I found That’s Mandarin while searching online, and I immediately got the impression of a professional atmosphere with a different approach to learning Chinese than I had ever been exposed to. I took a trial lesson with Xiao Chao, and knew that the school was right for me. I signed up for a full semester immediately.

One month in, I was amazed at how quickly my ability to communicate grew. It felt great to see my comprehension and understanding of the language improve with every class. I went from being afraid to speak Chinese in the first class to conversing with my professors and others in Chinese outside of class in an unbelievably short amount of time. Recently I have even succeeded in surprising both my native Chinese and foreign friends (those who speak Chinese) with how well I am able to converse.

I have the teachers at That’s Mandarin to thank for my rapid improvement. I truly enjoy studying Chinese and look forward to my classes there everyday. The teachers at That’s Mandarin have created one of the best learning environments I have ever had the privilege to learn in.

Ian McGraw

In between my BA at Stanford University and my Ph.D. at MIT, I came to China to get a solid foundation in the Chinese language. I thought that I was capable of teaching myself Chinese as I had done with other subjects in the past. I even had the advantage of having quite a few bilingual friends who were willing to help me out. After two months of self-study, however, I realized my progress was depressingly slow. I needed help.

Thus, I contacted That’s Mandarin. It was definitely the best decision. Their methods are truly innovative. I can still remember the first lesson when Guo-laoshi explained to me the beauty of the Chinese language by constructing a vocabulary list of interconnected words. For example, if I were given the word wai4guo2ren2 (meaning foreigner), he would also explain the meanings of wai4bian1 (outside), guo2jia1 (country), ren2 (person). They created a web of interrelated words to study, making memorization quicker and easier.

As my Chinese improved, That’s Mandarin ‘s methods adapted. After four months my vocabulary was over three thousand words and I was able to improvise full stories during class. Outside of the classroom I found myself able to hold steady conversations and follow much of the rapid-fire dialog of a Chinese television show. I also began to break free of the canned-examples of the text books and started reading characters in the form of signs, subtitles, and even comic books.

From the very first day I met them, I knew they were the right teachers for me. Their energy matched my enthusiasm for learning, and their methods are created from the very core of what makes Chinese such a wonderful language. Thus, if you are a serious student of Chinese or would like to become one, I whole heartedly recommend you learn with That’s Mandarin

Henrick Hassel

Zhong-laoshi at That’s Mandarin has been my Chinese teacher over the last six months, and during this time she has helped me tremendously in speeding up the progress of my Chinese language studies.

She is extremely dedicated to what she does, she teaches with great passion and she is very well structured in her work. Her enthusiasm makes every class a great experience. Moreover, Zhong-laoshi’s modern teaching methods are far more effective than the traditional techniques (such as repitition and memorisation) which are found at other schools teaching foreigners Chinese.

When studying a language, a culture and a society so different from the one I grew up with it has been invaluable to have a mentor explaining all the things that can not be learned by studying textbooks or listening to language tapes. Zhong-laoshi thus helped me gain a deeper insight into 21st century China and aspects of Chinese society which I would never have learned about in a traditional university environment.

I feel that I am now experiencing new-found progress with my studies. I give Zhong-laoshi my very sincere recommendations!

Harvard University

The combination of interning in a Chinese language environment and taking classes at That’s Mandarin was a great one. I was able to use phrases I learned in class in real-life, Chinese language situations, and learn useful phrases and words from my teachers for use the next day at work. Being able to immediately and directly apply my Chinese gave me confidence in my speaking abilities, and demonstrated to myself and to my colleagues just how rapidly my Chinese was improving! I highly recommend That’s Mandarin’s work-study program to those who are serious students of Chinese language and who want to build a career in China.

Gregory Guest

After studying at a famous Chinese university for three semesters, you may think that my Mandarin was pretty good. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Then, during my fourth semester of study, I met Xiaochao at That’s Mandarin. Wow, what a difference that made!

Xiaochao is not just a teacher, but rather he is an innovator when it comes to knowing how to connect with his students and ensuring their rapid progress. Xiaochao has developed his own teaching materials that really hone in the key vocabulary and sentence structures that you need to be successful in communicating modern Chinese. If you have ever studied from university textbooks, I am sure you relate with my frustration about how `academic` they can be. Not to mention what a waste of time it is to be in a classroom surrounded by 10 to 25 other foreign students, whose mistakes confuse you and leave you unable to develop an ear for the correct pronunciation.

Thanks to Xiaochao’s instruction and devotion, the level of fluency I reached helped me get a dream job at home in South Carolina that puts me in close contact with Chinese leaders, diplomats, and business executives. Xiaochao helped me to impress famous Chinese CEOs, government officials and most recently one of China’s vice premiers. I really can’t recommend That’s Mandarin enough.

Clare Sierawski

I was becoming increasingly frustrated and disillusioned after months of unproductive Chinese study, when a friend suggested I try That’s Mandarin.

It’s now 10 months later and I still look forward to each lesson! The unique communicative teaching style, and the way in which classes are flexibly tailored to my needs, makes learning at this school both enjoyable and effective. Not only has my ability to understand Chinese steadily grown, but my confidence in using the language has also improved remarkably.

At That’s Mandarin I learn the language as it’s really used in China today, and the consistent support and encouragement given in lessons makes all the difference! They are transforming this monoglot Brit into a confident Chinese speaker, and for that reason I wholeheartedly recommend That’s Mandarin!

Christopher Wilton-Steer

I wanted to come to China and learn Chinese so I applied for a course at a famous Beijing University. However, the university teaching style — with 25 students per class, monotonous repeating of vocabulary, bored teachers, out-dated words and sayings — left me disillusioned. Before the course had ended, I was already looking elsewhere.

I then found That’s Mandarin. I took the free trial lesson and after just 30 minutes I decided that this was exactly what I needed. Just that one lesson taught me more than a whole week did at the university.

This is no exaggeration, because 1-to-1 teaching is all about you. The teachers really get the most out of the class time. Moreover, constantly using the language means you not only learn more but also retain more.

When you start a course, a story is devised. It is rigid in the sense that it has a beginning and an end, but it also flexible in that you can influence it and thus be creative and play with the language. That is really important for improving retention. Within a few weeks I was having conversations and discussions about things I imagined would be months away.

I think the most important thing about learning any language is confidence and That’s Mandarin gives you that “out of the classroom” confidence to go out and speak Chinese.

The dedication my teachers had in my Chinese language education dramatically increased my motivation to learn. I got the sense that they actually cared. For less than it would cost to go to one of the universities and endure the conditions mentioned above, at That’s Mandarin I received great service and an absorbing, creative and productive language education.

Charlie Gordon

I looked forward to going to school for my classes and did not dread another boring class of slightly impractical language in university.

I wanted to study Chinese for pleasure due to my general interest in Chinese culture, and also to reconnect with my Chinese heritage. Having googled for schools in Beijing, I found That’s Mandarin. I really enjoyed the practical, communicative approach of That’s Mandarin and the friendliness of everyone at the school. I would absolutely recommend That’s Mandarin to anyone. After studying Chinese in University, I did not have a grasp of very basic, everyday vocabulary. That’s Mandarin teaches practical, everyday language that I wanted and needed to learn to be able to communicate and interact with others in Chinese. All the teachers are not only very professional and serious about what they do, but they are very friendly, warm and encouraging of students which leads to a very nice atmosphere for students to learn in. I looked forward to going to school for my classes and did not dread another boring class of slightly impractical language in university. No boring, grammar-oriented academic language!

Chantal Brill

I wish I had always known about this school and not wasted money on any other institution.

I have to say That’s Mandarin is absolutely the BEST SCHOOL I have ever experienced with learning mandarin. The teachers are fantastic, and teaching is entirely designed around the student and what they want to learn. This is entirely opposite to my experience of studying mandarin at university in China and in the UK. I would recommend this school to anyone and everyone I meet and when I study mandarin again, in the future, it will be with That’s Mandarin and no other school.

Benny Ho

At That’s Mandarin you do 80% of the talking, and in doing quickly develop the ability to express yourself

As a Chinese-American employed as a management consultant here in China, I experienced first-hand the hurdles that my lack of Chinese fluency presented when working with clients. China, and the Chinese language, is layered with depth. Understanding the language goes beyond just words and sentences – it requires reading between the lines. That’s Mandarin helped me find those lines

When I set out to learn Chinese, I had only a 2-month window, and over that short period of time, I needed a school that offered differentiation, created value, and delivered immediate impact.

That’s Mandarin utilizes a distinctive teaching method to help you learn from your own words. There is no textbook. You do 80% of the talking, and in doing so, develop a vocabulary of your own – words that not only help you explain yourself, but express yourself. For me, I had two main goals: 1) I needed to conduct fluid business presentations, and 2) I needed to understand the language, including modern cultural meanings and regional accents. That’s Mandarin helped me tailor a learning plan featuring both mock presentations and listening comprehension drills via news and business video clips. The teachers were concise and thorough. In the short two months I had available, the school helped me make great strides towards both goals. Not only can I communicate in Chinese, I can also think in Chinese.

However, That’s Mandarin is a school where your gain is only as great as the effort you put in. Since there is no textbook, there are no defined lessons or chapters to mark your progress. Yet at the same time, you are able to shape how and what you learn. Be prepared to work hard.

Augustus Robinson

That’s Mandarin offers a well organized and convenient way of improving one’s Chinese, particularly through the one on one tuition not available in larger classrooms.

I most liked the fact that I can tailor the individual classes to suit my individual needs. The ability to speak freely for a long time on any topic in Chinese has given me a lot more confidence in using the language outside of class. In larger classes there is not that same opportunity.

Alexandra Rosenberg

I have studied Mandarin in several different schools and universities, however none of these programs practiced the amazing teaching techniques and methods that are offered at That’s Mandarin. （This is best used as a description of why you method is so good）

The time I spent studying the Chinese language at That’s Mandarin was the best Chinese learning experience that I have ever had. Since I was a young child, I have studied Mandarin in several different schools and universities, however none of these programs practiced the amazing teaching techniques and methods that are offered at That’s Mandarin.

That’s Mandarin utilizes a unique teaching system of truly connecting the student and teacher. In the one-on-one sessions, my teacher and I would converse in a comfortable learning environment.

Whenever I did not recognize a word, my teacher typed it onto a list which at the end of class was printed out and given to me to file and review.

Additionally, That’s Mandarin employs the technique of watching Chinese television shows. When watching the television shows, my teacher would frequently pause the show and have me describe what had just occurred, which also gave me the opportunity to learn new words which were again added to the typed list. Finally, my teacher assigned me various articles and stories that I translated from English to Chinese. We would discuss my translations so that I was able to learn

not only new words but also the differences in English and Chinese grammar. The wonderful environment and the teaching methods used by That’s Mandarin truly gave me the confidence and knowledge to improve and perfect my Chinese speaking abilities.

AJ Warner

The classes were personalised to my language goals.

I wanted to learn Chinese for work purposes, and at the Beijing Expat Fair I found out about That’s Mandarin. I studied at the school for 3 months and found the classes were always interesting, the teachers enthusiastic and it was all set in a great atmosphere in which to learn. I particularly liked how the classes were personalised to my language goals. I have already recommended That’s Mandarin to others wanting to study Chinese in Beijing.