Chinese Programs in Shanghai&Suzhou with Silk Mandarin

Name: Chinese Programs in Shanghai&Suzhou with Silk Mandarin
Brand: Silk Mandarin Language School
SKU: 202270
Rating: 4.92 (261 reviews)

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4.92 Rating

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Location

China
- Shanghai

Length

2 weeks

Language

Chinese

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Program Details

Immersion Level

Intensive Standard

Class Size

Private Lessons Small Class (1-7) Medium Class (8-15)

Weekly Classroom Hours

Housing

Apartment Host Family Hostel Hotel

Pricing

Starting Price

830

Price Details

1 orientation + 32 Face2face classes
1 Course Instruction video
7 Pinyin videos
41 self-study videos for preview and review
12 extensive listening videos
12 bonus videos+12 recap videos
HSK 1 Standard Course Textbook & audios
HSK 1 Standard Course Workbook & audios & answers
2 pinyin quizzes
12 self-study quizzes
15 units and 5 combo Quizlet
Midterm Quiz
Final Exam
12 new words Handouts
12 character worksheets(downloadable)
4 vocabulary&grammar review checklist handout
Listening text pinyin version of
HSK 1 Standard Course Workbook
vocabulary&character flashcards

What's Included

Some Activities Classes Wifi

What's Not Included

Accommodation Airfare Airport Transfers Meals Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: Apr 09, 2024

Last Reviewed: Jun 15, 2025

Wish List

35 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Intensive Program: With 6 lessons a day you will feel immersed in Chinese language and culture. Listening, speaking, reading and writing, and will all be taught in a balanced way. It aims at acquiring the highest level of Conversational Chinese. The focus of the lessons will be on daily life and this, combined with the use of games and pair/group work, will give an optimal learning environment and a full Chinese experience.

Part-time Program: The part-time courses are the perfect solution for those people that have a busy agenda. Part-time 4 and 2 are both top choices of people that work during the day or that prefer to study Chinese in a less intensive way. With part-time 4 and 2 you also have the possibility to choose to have class on weekdays or weekends.

Our Private Chinese Lessons account for the utmost flexible and personalised lessons. With our 1-on-1 course your class is tailored to your personal schedule and needs, focusing on topics of your choice.

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Video and Photos

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Program Highlights

Full immersion in Chinese language and culture.
Full time teachers native to China and bilingual.
Slow Motion Technique to teach you Chinese with just one rule.
2 in 1 curriculum to teach you Conversational Chinese and to prepare you to pass the HSK exam.
Group Class Starting Dates in 2025: Jan 13th, Feb 17th, Mar 10th, Apr 14th, May 12th, Jun 23rd, Jul 14th, Aug 11th, Sep 8th, Oct 13th, Nov 10th, Dec 8th

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Program Reviews

4.92 Rating

based on 261 reviews

Leave a Review

Rating Spread Language

5 rating 91.95%
4 rating 8.05%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Instruction 4.95
Support 4.95
Fun 4.85
Housing 4.75
Value 4.65

Good for Students

Showing 153 - 160 of 261 reviews

I’ve been living in China for 2 years and finally decided to take my Chinese instruction seriously. I searched different classes and tutors in Shanghai, but was thrilled to find Silk Mandarin! I knew from my first interaction that I had chosen the best program available. Silvia quickly responded to my online inquiry and offered information about Silk Mandarin’s methodology, class structure, course options and more. During my trial lesson and assessment, I felt understood and encouraged... they listened carefully to my personal goals and helped to develop a plan for me to achieve them. I was paired with Amelie Laoshi and instantly felt at ease in her classroom. She is very good at what she does, using humor and multi-modal techniques that support my learning. The visual aids like the Hanzi cards, “Magic Pen” for auditory feedback, PPT’s and physical cues make learning engaging and motivating. Amelie’s patience is to be commended... carefully reviewing lesson content and homework so I can optimize my time and reach my goals. Amelie also shared a variety of additional tools, like online classes and an APP that make it possible to continue learning beyond my scheduled class. I can’t say enough about the people I’ve met! For the first time in years, I’m completing what I started... it’s all due to Silk Mandarin.

What would you improve about this program?

I work at night, so I attend daytime classes. Currently, I am working 1:1 with Amelie Laoshi. At times, I wish I had a peer in class.

Before I came to Shanghai, I started researching Chinese schools
for my next language adventure. With such a competitive environment, it can be
hard to find the right one for you. But SILK MANDARIN really stood up amongst
the rest. Everything from the first email contact, visa, learning materials and
classes was perfect. I started as a total beginner with group classes and my
teacher LEXIE was amazing. Very well explained grammar, together with Chinese characters
labyrinth, conversations and listening.. and the level of my Chinese skyrocketed.
Chinese language can be very hard but the right teacher makes you want to study
and learn new things every day. More importantly, you see the progress! I’m thankful
for all the patience with me and I highly recommend to everyone!

Thanks to silk mandarin I could achieved a HSK 3 level in 6 months using their amazing "slow motion" technique from the very beginning. I started my classes only knowing 你好 and 再见, but now I can read more than 600 characters and have a conversation with Chinese people on the street.

I hardly recommend you take their part time course which is only twice a week but you learn a lot and super fast. The teachers are really good. I had the opportunity to be Christina's, Ting Ting and David student and I cannot complain at all.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

皮蛋 (pídàn) - thousands year old eggs. Really disgusting for foreigners haha.

I fully recommend the Silk Mandarin School. I have found my teacher Jiamian to be extremely professional, patient and kind. As a busy business person with frequent international travel I have limited time to study. Jiamian Laoshi has maximized the efficiency of our learning time with frequent reviews and consolidation. Lessons have always been interesting and fun. The school has good on-line class room tools which have made it possible for me to continue to study when away from Shanghai.
So overall I recommend the Silk Mandarin School to all students including busy expats such as myself.

I studied Chinese on and off over the span of nearly 10 years in both University and private tutoring environments, but I never was able to fully connect with traditional course tracks and teachers. Frustrated with my language level and growth after having lived in China for years, I was referred a few months ago to Silk Mandarin by a friend and have found this to be a truly unique school from day one.

My teacher Jasmine developed an approach and schedule tailored to what I need, even going beyond the HSK curriculum to include custom valuable segments relevant to my career needs. I have learned faster than I expected, and more importantly I am perpetually more and more motivated by the progress and results.

I had always written off learning characters as I thought they were too daunting to learn comprehensively given my busy schedule, and instead prioritized conversational skills and pinyin. Silk Mandarin, however, has a way of teaching characters that makes it feel easy and logical, and it has completely changed how quickly I can learn comprehend and retain information.

The school is in a great central location too, comfortable, and after moving to the new classrooms on the 16th floor the environment got even better. Positive vibes, I highly recommend.

Silk Mandarin is a great language school. The teachers are extremely skilled at bringing mandarin to life for students, helping them understand the stories behind the characters and the logic behind the language. Silk Mandarin get the balance right between having fun in the classroom and also making sure each student makes progress in their mandarin learning. The school provides group, one to one and online classes which is great if you travel and want to keep your mandarin skills up. I would highly recommend Silk Mandarin to anyone thinking of studying Mandarin.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

I would be more diligent in learning Chinese Characters right from the start. Its not too hard and you can take it step by step.

Silk Mandarin offers comprehensive Mandarin classes with exceptional teachers, learning material and good facilities. The school is located in the heart of Shanghai near the Jingan Temple. l Yanqin was my teacher. She is professional, friendly and knowledgable not only about teaching Mandarin but also Chinese culture and history. I completed a two week course and before my pronounciation was not good however after two weeks I have greatly improved it. I really enjoyed her classes and I definitely reccomend Silk Mandarin to all.

Silk Mandarin's teachers makes the anxiety of learning a stressful language and transforms it with their personality to ease the pressure. The teacher have the patience to break down complicated words to help students learn/grown, while their enthusiasm helps to keep us motivated. The flexibility to utilize the facilities, as well as, the online platform makes it easier to navigate classes during a business work schedule. I would highly recommend Silk Mandarin and my teacher Lis to anyone! They are very accommodating and can help create a program that works for your schedule.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Interview

Why did you choose this program?

When I arrived in Suzhou for work I wanted to expand on my Chinese reading, writing, speaking and listening. To that end, I needed a school which would be willing to go beyond simple conversational lessons and be willing to help me with my reading and writing as well. In addition, because I was working, I required an institution capable of working around my busy schedule. During my first visit to their facilities I was very impressed by the professionalism of Silk Mandarin’s staff and the quality of their instructional materials. I knew that it was the right place to achieve my goals.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Since I was already living and working in Suzhou I thought there weren’t many things I needed my school to set up for me. However, my program still assisted me with many things to facilitate my language learning. My school provided textbooks and workbooks, as well as access to their library of graded readers. Most conveniently, when the time came, they arraigned for me to take the HSK test appropriate to my level and handled the shipping and reception of my official scores. I was responsible for helping to select a class and homework schedule which worked for both me and my teacher.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Do not allow setbacks to become disasters! Learning any language is difficult and learning a language with a completely different writing system is doubly so. I personally had many situations where poor pronunciation or imperfect use of grammar led to a misunderstanding in my daily life in China. This can lead to a decrease in your motivation to learn and a decrease in your practice time. Fortunately I had a great teacher who worked hard to reignite my passion for Chinese and this kept my motivation from fading away. The only way to fail at learning a language is by giving up!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

The average day or week in this program varies based on the needs and situation of the student. For my part I attended an individual class three times a week for two hours before heading off to my workplace. Students with a less hectic schedule can opt for longer group classes and can take advantage of the many recreational and cultural events that the school organises for weekends and holidays. Still, no matter your schedule, there are always opportunities to interact with staff and other students as part of the Silk Mandarin community.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear in going abroad was that I would not be accepted into a community and that I would fail in my language learning goals. My language program and the welcoming people of China helped me overcome these fears. I always felt like I was part of a learning community among my fellow students and my accommodating teachers. When you have people you can ask questions to and bounce ideas off of the day to day difficulties of living abroad become much more manageable. My fear of failure was further mollified as I saw my conversations with locals become more fluid and comprehensible. Over time I started to view interacting in Chinese not as a frightening prospect, but as a fun and helpful way to test knowledge and learn new ways of communicating.

How did this program accommodate your unique learning style and language goals?

Silk Mandarin was extremely focused on my goals from the outset: when I explained that I wanted to pass HSK tests within a certain timeframe they immediately started working out a study plan to get me where I wanted to be when I wanted to be there. As my unique weaknesses and strengths started to become apparent my teacher adjusted our activities in class. For example in order to address my low HSK listening scores much more time was spent on listening practice. What’s more, as time went on and my priorities shifted my teacher was willing and able to help me with new goals and ambitions. A good example of this is when I wanted to become more proficient in writing Chinese characters from memory and so my teacher assigned and even graded additional writing practice on top of the program’s standard workbook homework. The flexibility and individual care I received is perhaps what I found most impressive about Silk Mandarin’s program.

Barney Goatley

2019 Alum

Daniel T

2019 Alum

Jacob Johnson

2019 Alum

Felix Wendlandt

Luke Nestler

2019 Alum

Daniel de Smeth

2017 Alum

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

What is your favorite travel memory?

The most memorable trip I made was to Florence, Italy.

We went to the bookstore that day and then went to Michelangelo Square in the afternoon. At 3 or 4 pm, there were not many people in the square. In the evening, when the sun was about to go down, people gradually grew. On the stairs, on the square, in the cafe, on the path, the crowd was full of people, and everyone was waiting for the sunset. The sunset slowly became very red, slowly falling, and everyone was cheering and hugging happily at the last moment when they were completely gone.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

My current company has allowed me to grow a lot, and my colleagues and boss have helped me a lot. I will meet regularly to solve my problems in time when I encounter difficulties. Especially in the teaching process, no matter new or old colleagues, I will be enthusiastic to help me. Thank you very much for my company.

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What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

One of the best stories I have ever heard was from my student Jackson. We were in class one day, and he was very happy to tell me that his Chinese friend was not good at school, German friends didn’t speak Chinese, and they couldn’t communicate, but after he and I learned Chinese, he could help them communicate He felt very happy and thanked me.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I will choose the content related to teaching because I think such projects will be very helpful to my teaching and help me become more familiar with the teaching content so that my class will be smoother and more confident. I will also choose some projects made from teaching materials so that I can make my thinking logic clearer and have a sufficient understanding of the teaching content.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

What makes my school unique is that the atmosphere of the whole school is very kind and the learning atmosphere is strong. Each teacher is dedicated and dedicated to education, and the leaders also get along well, and everything is communicating effectively. The educational philosophy of our school is very advanced, making it easier for students to learn Chinese.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I think the biggest success factor for a company is that the hearts of the entire team are together and work together to make the school better. If the team works well, the company will grow better. There is a saying in China: Three Zhuge Liang top one Zhuge Liang.

Hannah Ma

Chinese Teacher

Wang Yali

Chinese Teacher

David Wang

Teacher, Product Manager

Jasmine Zhou

Teaching supervisor

Giacomo Verde

Digital Marketing Executive

Location

Location:

Shanghai

Currency:

Chinese Yuan

Weather:

Jan-Mar

57 F / 36 F

Apr-Jun

82 F / 54 F

Jul-Sep

90 F / 72 F

Oct-Dec

73 F / 41 F

Airports:

Shanghai Pudong International

( PVG )

Shanghai Hongqiao International

( SHA )

Shanghai, fondly known as the Oriental Paris, is the largest commercial hub in mainland China. This country blends eastern and western cultures and will bring out different sides depending where you are from.

About Silk Mandarin Language School

We at Silk Mandarin believe that understanding each other’s language and culture unites people. It is our mission to teach Mandarin and Chinese culture to all who have an interest in it, whatever their ambition, background or age, and wherever they are. Since we opened our doors early 2015, our ground-breaking Slow Motion Technique has proven to be...