Program Reviews

I had a week of intensive 1on1 course with Silk Mandarin.
Coming in with practically zero knowledge, I can read pinyin now, understand the tones and even can put together simple sentences.
They have a great set of learning materials with videos, audios, and quizzes, so you can self-study at home and get much more out of your course.
My teacher Jane was very knowledgeable, engaging and friendly, which made the classes really enjoyable.
The other teachers and school stuff are also very nice and friendly people, which creates a very good atmosphere.
Overall, definitely recommended!

I've enjoyed learning Chinese with Silk Mandarin, specifically Teacher YanQin. She is very engaging, supportive, patient, and clear when she teaches. I would highly recommend her.
I've also really liked the learning platform. I am using the blended learning package and I have found the videos for grammar and new vocabulary helpful as it allows me to review at my own pace. I also like the stories, quizzes, and practice questions that are available to complete. It allows me to solidify my understanding before and after a class.

Before studying at silk mandarin I was experiencing many difficulties regarding my sentence structure and my listening and speaking ability. My sentences were disorganised and misunderstood by others. I was able to read some basic texts, but unable to comprehend their meaning in real time.

Before my departure to Shanghai, I was frantically polling anyone I knew that had ties to China about in-person language schools. However, all the recommendations were either online-based or located outside of Shanghai. While reading online forums, the name ‘Silk Mandarin’ kept appearing. I emailed multiple Shanghai-based schools, but found that Silk Mandarin was by far the most responsive. After a quick online assessment of my current ability, they provided detailed study options.

The intensive HSK3 course really accelerated my learning journey. I found that every lesson logically built upon the previous one, and it teaches Mandarin in a modern and practical way, unlike many outdated textbooks.

They use many unique teaching methods and provide you with an established mandarin-speaking community that I otherwise may not have had in my short stay in Shanghai. Silk Mandarin organised my routine into intense-three hour classes in the morning, establishing a solid allocation of my day in which to routinely learn and practise mandarin. The small class sizes make it impossible to hide, encouraging all students to interact evenly with the content. I was especially impressed by the capability of my teacher, Jane Wu. She is patient, easy going, and shows genuine interest in your background. This creates many opportunities to practise speaking mandarin in a more natural way. Creating a great environment to learn Mandarin.

I’ll be the first to admit that I still have a long way to go on the road to fluency, but Silk Mandarin has helped to form a solid foundation which I can I build on.
I would be quick to recommend Silk Mandarin to any aspiring students.

I have had such a great experience learning Chinese at Silk Mandarin! I did a level 5 口语 one-on-one class online with Catherine. Going to class was always super fun, giving me time to practice the standard course in the textbook we used and time to have casual conversations to practice the language more naturally. Despite being online, the class felt very personal and engaging. I would recommend this course (and Teacher Catherine) to any Chinese learner that wants a super fun tailored experience!

I took both HSK 2 and HSK 3 with Jane 老师 at Silk Mandarin.

Jane 老师 was not only incredibly knowledgeable (always had an answer to any grammar question, and her English is impeccable which helped with explanations of concepts and accurate translations).

Upon starting HSK3 I didn’t believe Jane when she said I’d know hundreds of Characters in about 2 months time, but here I am, I just finished my HSK3 exam. Thank you @Jane老师 and @SilkMandarin!

What sold me on SilkMandarin vs other schools I’ve been to, is that Silk doesn’t waste your time. You get perfectly structured preparation and review materials so that you can focus on PRACTICAL APPLICATION during class rather than reading a textbook. This is what sets Silk apart from many other schools and/or studying with online HSK videos.

Jane老师 created such a productive and fun classroom environment that made class so enjoyable and always something to look forward to despite having a full work schedule. Sometimes I doubted my abilities to make it through the challenging parts, and if ai had studied alone I’m almost certain I would’ve given up. But Jane老师 helped me succeed by being compassionate, motivating and encouraging. Having such a skilled teacher is absolutely priceless!

And the icing on the cake: Besides the classes there is also optional group outings and activities. We played Mahjong, ate Hotpot and shared many fun coffee breaks together. Jane老师 and other teachers would always be there to assist with real-life application of the language.

Thank you @Jane老师 and @SilkMandarin for bringing me to HSK 3 level in such a short time and which so many meaningful and memorable moments on the way. 100% worth it, 100% recommended.

I am so happy that I found the Silk Mandarin Language School! I have been studying Chinese for almost two years in the United States. For two years I have attended two different Chinese language courses. I quickly became frustrated with my Chinese learning progress, because after several courses, I was still unable to put together simple sentences. Before finding Silk Mandarin, I was going to quit learning Chinese. It is a very difficult language to learn. Even though I knew over 500 hundred Chinese words and characters, I still could not communicate with my wife and her family members.

I was very hesitant to take courses at Silk Mandarin, because I’m located in the USA and the school is located in China. I was really worried that their courses would not fit into my schedule (because of the time difference). Also, I was really worried about not being able to keep up with the lessons and fellow students. I am so glad that I was wrong! After my first demo class, I knew that this was the right place for me. Their blended learning structure is amazing! I was able to jump right in and finally understand how to put together basic sentences and my grammar is 10 times better! My only regret is that I did not start my learning journey at Silk Mandarin first!

My teacher Yanqin is also amazing! She is a great teacher! Because of her, I am more confident in speaking Chinese. Anytime that I had a question or struggled in a particular area, she would take the time to help me until I was able to understand. I couldn’t be happier with Yanqin and the Silk Mandarin Team!

My experience with Silk Mandarin was excellent from the start.
I started speaking to Amy first and she really took the time to understand my goals, assess my skill level, and patiently answered all my questions.
I took the intensive HSK3 course with Jane, an experienced teacher who structured the lessons well and was able to explain complicated grammar structures in a way that was easy to understand (also, her English was great which helped). The best part about the classes was all the practical speaking and listening exercises which I think is what really propelled my learning and confidence in the language.
Jane knows the HSK curriculum so well - it really helped that she could pick the right level of words and grammar to incorporate into conversations and give us the best opportunities to practice.
The teachers and staff created a fun and engaging learning environment. Breaks were great for practicing what we had learned with other students and teachers, and we often went out for lunch together after class, which allowed us to experience more local culture and food.

Helpful tutors and staff. Insightful course suitable for beginner or intermediate level students. Really helpful when it comes to solving or helping problems outside academic work. Superb clarity of teaching to improve your Mandarin proficiency. Located in city center very convenient to go by public transport. Easily to find foods nearby with walkable environment. Once every month Silk Mandarin held events for students and staff to join. Worth the time and money well spent for studying Mandarin.

I am glad that our roads cross with Silk Mandarin. Our Jane was very friendly and helpful during our whole learning Journey. She is always patient and willing to help. I was trying to do self study before Silk Mandarin and some of the basic learning concepts were missing and Jane helped me to have better understanding of the language. They have online metarials supported by videos, You can do self study back home. Now it is time to learn Chinese charachters. It will be more challanging but I will succeed with the help of Silk Mandarin. Thanks a lot.

The 1-on-1 online lessons allowed for personalized learning and allowed me to fit lessons around my work schedule. I have lived in China for several years and wanted to improve my Mandarin skills. Silk Mandarin offered what I needed to suit my learning style. They provided a very good framework, PPTS and additional videos/handouts. All the resources they offer are very clear and easy to follow. The lessons build on previous knowledge and key words learnt for homework, which helps it flow smoothly, building effectively on vocabulary and grammar. The teachers are friendly and helpful and are great at explaining the grammar and vocab. My teacher is able to tailor lessons to target my specific skills and adapting the content to my proficiency level and speed. The interactive exercises and real-life conversation practice has greatly enhanced my learning.

I would recommend Silk Mandarin for anyone of any level wanting to learn and practice.