Program Reviews

As a Brazilian living in China, my initial goal was simple: gain independence and survive daily life. I chose Silk Mandarin after a lot of research. What really stood out to me was their "Blended Learning" course. The idea of combining self-paced online homework and videos with live, online lessons with a native teacher seemed like the perfect solution. It gave me the flexibility that I needed, plus the crucial human interaction for practice and correction.

Silk Mandarin has completely transformed my learning journey. The pre-lesson videos and homework prepare me perfectly, so when I join the live online class, I'm not lost; I'm ready to practice and engage. My teacher Sisi is fantastic—incredibly patient, professional, and skilled at creating a supportive environment where I'm not afraid to make mistakes.

I can feel my fluency improving with every lesson, both in my structured classes and in my daily interactions here in China.

Silk Mandarin is located in a beautiful building in the center of SIP Suzhou, it is close to many shops and the metro station, so it is exceptionally easy to access. I joined Silk Mandarin to complete my HSK 4 and also review my HSK 3 - I have discovered that my grammar is a little rusty, my teachers were only too happy to work with me at my pace, using their 'slow motion technique' and always gave me the most encouragement to do well. They did not pressure me if once or twice I forgot to do my homework, instead we worked on it in class.

When I got sick, they suspended my course so that I could get better and when eventually, I had to leave China, they gave me some time to settle back home before our online classes started.

I honestly think that Silk Mandarin are the best choice for anyone wishing to learn or review to improve their Chinese as the system they have set up is the best I have experienced. Not only that, the have this amazing 'blended learning' class system where you can review or revise the up and coming class online, Silk Mandarin have their own HSK videos online for you to review and learn from. Absolutely AMAZING!

Thave just finished HSK1 with Yanqin Laoshi who is really great and cooperative. The way she teaches and delivers the information is absolutely amazing. Through Chapters 1 to 15, she was very informative and took really good care of the way of teaching, doing homework, and even practicing the review. Through Chapters 1 to 15, she was very informative and took really good care of the way of teaching, doing homework, and even practicing the review. Through Chapters 1 to 15, she was very informative and took really good care of the way of teaching, doing homework, and even practicing the review.

I've been living in China for 1 year so far at the beginning I started to learn mandarin by my own and despite I do some progress I still have a lot of issues with the grammar. But with Silk Mandarin I really feel that my language skill have been improving a lot.

Before, was hard for me to build sentences despite I knew the vocabulary but now I can finally express myself and make more longer sentences.

Even if you are not located in Shanghai as I am I still recommend this course. But, I hope one day they can open more offices in others cities.

When I joined Silk Mandarin, I had already finished HSK3 but had taken a long break, so I wasn’t sure if I could keep up with HSK4. From the very beginning, my teacher and the team made me feel supported and confident to give it a try — and I’m so glad I did! The lessons are dynamic and well-structured, and thanks to the online resources and my teacher’s patience, I managed to catch up quickly and improve a lot in just a few months.

The atmosphere is super positive, everyone’s friendly, and the hybrid format is a real plus — I could join online when I couldn’t make it to class in person without missing a thing. The one-on-one lessons also helped me focus on what I personally needed to improve.

I’ve made huge progress and, most importantly, I’ve fallen back in love with learning Chinese!

I’ve been studying for over half a year now and am able to talk around me in my daily life. The main goal is achieve. Additionally I’ve been able to learn more about the culture, the food and other things which makes my everyday life even more interesting.

The teaching method is very interesting since after one course, they can select a teacher that match your preferred teaching style. The course also helps you build confidence in everyday talking which is great if you plan on living in Shanghai.

I can highly recommend Silk Mandarin! I first heard about the school through a friend who had an excellent experience there, and I’m so glad I followed her recommendation.

The quality of the learning materials is outstanding — everything is well-structured, clear, and makes studying Chinese both effective and enjoyable. The teachers and staff are extremely professional, patient, and truly dedicated to helping each student progress.

From the very first contact, the communication and support have been excellent. The team is not only knowledgeable but also genuinely kind and welcoming, creating a positive and motivating learning environment.

I have tried different Mandarin schools in Shanghai, and Silk Mandarin is by far the best one. Alina first helped me find the plan that best suited my needs and paired me up with an amazing teacher named Jane (Jane laoshi)! Laoshi Jane helped by going over some difficult concepts and didn’t try to rush me through the chapters, like some of the other schools do. Silk’s on-line platform, ClassIn, is easy to navigate and has several learning tools such as worksheets, videos, flash cards and quizzes. I highly recommend Silk to anyone, whether they like in China or are just here for a short time.

I wanted to re-learn Chinese after studying a bit years ago in high-school. Before Silk Mandarin I did self study with apps and text books. After 2 years, I had made good progress but felt like I needed more instruction as I entered the intermediate level. I'd been a fan of Silk Mandarin's social media for a while and decided to attend their adult summer camp program in Shanghai.

While I was there I reviewed my past studies to sort out any errors I had picked up during self study. This is a common problem with self study because you might not even realize that you misunderstand a concept. I also got to know Silk Mandarin's amazing staff and had so many memorable experiences. The challenge of navigating daily life in China also encouraged me to keep learning and improve faster.

After an amazing on campus experience I knew continuing with Silk Mandarin's Blended Learning Course was the right choice. It offered videos and digital content to further explain the textbook content, and time with a teacher. All of these features are important because they make learning Mandarin easier and more engaging.

The Blended Learning Course leverages Silk Mandarin's Slow Motion Technique, a technique that is simple but makes all grammar easier to learn. When paired with teachers who are knowledgeable and highly engaged with students, you feel like you are set up for success.

In just 30 hours my teacher guided me through HSK 3 with individualized lessons. Not only did we cover an entire level in what would have taken me 6 months alone. Since I don't get the opportunity to speak Mandarin in daily life, class time and teacher feedback is essential. My teacher also ensures that I get extra practice where I need it the most and relates the lessons to real life usage of the language points. I could spend years with apps or text books and still not grasp the nuances and real conversational uses of Mandarin.

After trying a wide variety of Mandarin language learning approaches, I can confidently say that Silk Mandarin's blended learning curriculum uniquely supports language learners of all ages and backgrounds. I always thought it would be nice to be able to speak a second language, but with the blended learning course my aspiration can be a reality.

I’m really happy with my experience at Silk Mandarin! From the start, Coco was so kind and helpful, making the whole process of getting started very easy and welcoming. The reception staff are also always friendly and ready to help you find your classroom, which makes everything run smoothly. My teacher, Jane Wu, has been absolutely wonderful — she makes learning Chinese feel approachable and not intimidating at all, even for a complete beginner like me. Her lessons are clear, engaging, and always encouraging. Thanks to her, I feel much more confident and motivated to continue my Chinese learning journey!