Program Reviews

I’ve been coming to China for work since 2007 but never had the chance to learn the language, which I felt ashamed of. Last year, I finally decided to start, first in Europe and now at Silk Mandarin. I chose the intensive course, and it’s truly boosting my learning!

Before arriving, Miss Mia provided excellent support, making everything clear and stress-free. The classes are challenging but fun, thanks to Evelyn LaoShi’s patience and teaching style. My only suggestion would be for the school to offer better support in finding accommodations, as securing a reasonable apartment in Suzhou was quite difficult.

I highly recommend Silk Mandarin!

I've chosen Silk Mandarin to start my Mandarin classes - visited other Mandarin academies in Shanghai as a trial but ended up here because of its curriculum and proactiveness in teaching. The teachers are very true to the ways of teaching and quick to respond to feedback. Also I needed someone who can give honest feedback and not be a soft teacher. I really wanted to enhance my speaking, and to do that basic tones for Mandarin was something i couldn't manage on my own. Jane Wu, my teacher, helped me from the start to sharpen the edges for my tones and speaking with repeated consultation. She is resilient and ever willing to help out on whatever roadblocks that there is in understanding the complicated nature of Mandarin language!

Before joining Silk Mandarin, I had tried learning Chinese on my own multiple times, but each attempt left me feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the language. Memorizing characters seemed daunting, and without a clear, structured approach, it quickly became discouraging. Pronunciation was another challenge. Some sounds felt impossible to master, and not getting the tones right was frustrating. Every time, it seemed like I wasn't making any real progress.

I discovered Silk Mandarin while searching for Chinese classes for my son. From the start, I could tell that Silk Mandarin was very serious about their approach, so I decided to take lessons for myself. Given my busy schedule balancing work and home life, I was initially concerned about committing to lessons. However, I really appreciated their flexibility. Silk Mandarin offers tailored plans to fit your needs and schedule, and having one-to-one online classes during my lunch break has been the perfect solution.

Consistency is essential when learning Chinese, and regular lessons with Jane have kept me on track. I began with HSK 2 and am now studying HSK 4, a progress I couldn't have achieved without Jane's support. She’s incredibly patient and always encouraging. Chinese grammar is quite different from Western languages, and I’m grateful that Jane is always available to clarify tricky grammar points.

I also like that lessons often incorporate cultural elements. Silk Mandarin regularly organizes cultural activities and shares cultural information in their WeChat.

I wholeheartedly recommend Silk Mandarin and their teachers. Their personalized approach and commitment to student success have made all the difference in my language learning journey.

I really enjoyed taking classes at Silk Mandarin. The staff were so welcoming and friendly and made me feel right at home. I think that their learning platform stands out from other schools I have been to. The grammar points are so well explained and easily understood. l also found the preview and review parts very helpful for my learning. My teacher Jane was absolutely wonderful and made the classes both educational and fun. I can highly recommend Silk Mandarin to anyone who wants to learn Mandarin.

I am pretty much what you would call a hopeless case when it comes to learning new languages, but SilkMandarin has challenged that notion. Their methodology and classes are distinctive from any other centres I've attended - structured, easy to follow, and fun. I find it quite easy to retain a lot of Mandarin words, something that I used to struggle with all the time prior, due to their unique but effective style of teaching. The staff are friendly and helpful, and Evelyn is an amazing teacher whose classes are fun and engaging, with a perfect balance of challenge and encouragement.

I’d recommend Silk Mandarin and Jane Wu laoshi to anyone interested in raising their Chinese level. Their units are structured well and focus on learning relevant information to living and communicating in China. Jane laoshi provides clear and direct feedback in the classroom, allowing you to walk out of class each time feeling like you are better with Chinese than when you entered. This Chinese language school offers great teachers, fun activities, and interactive lessons. It’s a welcoming place to learn and improve your skills.

I spent a lot of time visiting different language schools and taking a test lesson before making my decision. I admit that from looking at schools online, they all seemed the same and I felt like doing a test lesson was maybe a waste of time. But I was very wrong. I was surprised and amazed how different the 4 schools in Suzhou were structured, priced, and how they taught. I was so glad I took trial lessons. In the end, while Silk Mandarin was a little more expensive than other schools, the quality of their teachers, engagement of their staff, and offerings of cultural experiences outside of the classroom really won me over. I am 3 months into lessons now, and I am still so glad that I picked Silk Mandarin for my language school. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a language program.

Before joining Silk Mandarin I was learning Mandarin mostly through apps like Duolingo, as well as through daily conversations with Chinese-speaking people in my environment. Although my vocabulary progressed quite well this way, I noticed that in certain areas my grammar was still lacking.

I then found Silk Mandarin and took a trial lesson with teacher Sisi. I instantly found the teaching method very helpful and decided to start my Mandarin learning journey here. I began taking lessons with teacher Spencer (private one-to-one in-person course, 10-lesson Blended Learning), who is an extremely patient and motivating teacher.

Throughout the experience, I have noticed that the lessons have given me both the confidence and the ability to engage in daily conversations with whoever I meet. I am very satisfied with this experience, and will continue my Mandarin learning journey. I would gladly recommend Silk Mandarin to anyone looking to improve their Chinese language skills in a fun and engaging way!

Catherine is a really outstanding teacher. I see how she thoughtfully prepares every session, expanding the topics with meaningful and highly actual examples. It seems like she always brings up the exact saying or expression I need to know. What I learned is highly applicable. She also holds me accountable and I enjoy the homework. What I like most is that we can have very interesting, sometimes philosophical conversations, with her all the while keeping her eyes on my learning. I appreciate that she corrects me, even in the heaviest discussion.

I studied HSK2 and 3 with Silk Mandarin online from the US, then came to Shanghai in person for HSK4. I am currently taking HSK5 with them in Shanghai. They are a really great school, and my language skills have improved tremendously. I studied Mandarin previously at an American university and found that Silk's methods of teaching grammar are far better. The teachers are all really nice and encouraging. This is so helpful for a language course, as I can practice speaking without being afraid to make mistakes. The school also prepares students really well for taking the official HSK exams; I just passed HSK4 on my first try.

In addition, the experience abroad itself has been amazing. Silk set up housing for me, helped me get a Chinese visa and even picked me up at the airport. They've offered many fun cultural opportunities to meet with students from other language classes, including mahjong lessons, karaoke, and trips to hotpot restaurants.