Program Reviews

After visiting a few schools as well as attending one of them for 6 months when I first came to China 4 years ago, I feel that Silk Mandatin is possibly the best Chinese language school in Shanghai and Suzhou. At Silk Mandarin different learning tools are used to teach us including the "slow motion technique" and magical talking cards which work with a talking pen, real life situations to name but a few...
Last but not least is my fantastic teacher Lexie who is so patient and dedicated to giving us the best learning experience possible, she also has a great sense of humour which is important when learning a language. I feel very lucky to have her as my teacher!

It's a very great school that can definitely help you learn Chinese, either for survival or for passing the HSK exams. With their innovative teaching method of slow motion, Silk Road Mandarin are able to break down the language in very accessible chunks, for the novice and the advanced level student to learn from in tandem. The school also has a lot of extra activities for the students to take part in, whether this being open mic events or class outings, there is always something to keep the students busy.

Just completed HSK3 for Mandarin Chinese (equivalent to B1 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). After one year and a half in China, I can finally communicate with the locals thanks to Silk Mandarin Language Training Institute 😊 a great school with great people. Special thanks to Amelie Guo the best teacher that I've ever met. Now I already started HSK4 with Silk Mandarin (part time classes) and I'll take the HSK4 exam at the end of the course. I'm a little concerned about the exam but I already know that, with the preparation given by this school, I'll surely pass it!

Silk Mandarin has a very friendly and welcoming environment. The materials used in the lessons are well made and the teachers are fantastic. I feel that my Chinese has improved so much more through attending lessons at Silk Mandarin. They also organise separate events and activities outside of classes, which means you can meet other students and teachers from the school and practice your Chinese outside of the classroom. I really enjoy learning at Silk Mandarin and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to study Chinese.

Silk Mandarin classes have given me the opportunity to achieve the speaking fluency that I lacked before. Using Slow Motion Method I've come to understand the logic of the Chinese thinking. I've realised that Chinese is not only a set of grammar structures and characters but also a great communication tool. Moreover, they didn't just teach you the words but also the stories behind the characters to help you memorize. What's more important, now I'm sure it's the tool that I can use successfully. It feels awesome!
I highly recommend Silk Mandarin to all of you.

I started my course in Suzhou, China. It was 2019 and I chose one on one classes. The school offered lessons with experienced teachers in a landmark location (Dongfang Mall). Not only was it possible to daily arrange the classes according to my ever-changing schedule, but also all the teachers ware available and helpful during their off time. One can always message them while having some doubts about Chinese language and even ask about other Chinese culture-related stuff. They are always happy to help. The school provides their own books, and they allow you to practice listening too. You can always mention what your goal or troubling issues are, for example exam preparation, speaking, writing etc. This way you can customize your lessons. I chose to go with comprehensive HSK3 course where I asked my teacher to put particular attention to speaking and tones. I am very satisfied with the results. I think that my speaking improved significantly after one year. My teacher recommended me relevant Chinese movies and music apps to practice my listening and she asked me if there are specific things that I want to practice as well. Online classes during COVID-19 pandemic were organized proficiently too and it was even more easy to change and adjust it. One can cancel or reschedule lessons one day before and you can rarely be to late to change it. Emergencies were understood and it was possible to bend this one-day rule as well. Even lessons separated be different time zones were possible to be arranged. The school was recommended to me by my university friend and it is quite popular around foreign students in China and appreciated by them. As I have heard form them, small group classes are equally as good as one-on-one classes, and their teachers are available to students off-classes too. It is important to mention that teachers offer you access to various online sources, both organized by schoolteachers (e.g. quizlet) and otherwise (e.g. books to memorize Chinese characters by association). Useful information about how to use characters on daily life are provided by them as well. All teachers are native speakers, and they are well versed in informal speech used by Chinese teachers and you can always consult them about it. What I think is the most important asset of this school is that they use good presentations that use as little pinyin as possible (during HSH3). At the same time, it is to the point that you can understand everything clearly and small difficulties push you to learn more characters. They also prepare you for more difficult HSK4 classes. I would sincerely recommend this language classes for those who have busy schedule and seek to improve their level despite other personal obligations. Additionally, I want to recommend my teacher (Hailey) to you. She is great at explaining things and she can always make the classes funny. If you hesitate, you should go there, and they will offer you a lesson for free so that you can decide if you like it. At first, after the trial lesson, I was afraid that it would be to easy, but you can always adjust your level to talking to them. They have additional surveys/tests to examine your level too. Even if you have troubles with characters, they will know your real level after a few lessons well..

I'm now on Chinese HSK3 Level just after a bit more than one year in this language school. They offer various course plans. I opted for the one with small groupd. That was really fun. Now i'm preparing for Exam and will take some more private lessons in order to prepare effectively. Teachers are very nice and the school organizes some side activities such as open mic night, christmas party, etc..
The location is in jing an district very close to jing an temple. This is one of the most prestegious areas of shanghai.
But they also offer online teaching. Due to the 2020 pandemic parts of the course were delivered remotely with a cool teaching platform named ClassIn.

I really enjoyed the Tailored Chinese course at Silk Mandarin. My teacher helped me to prepare for the HSK5 exam. We practiced the skills I needed to approve. Everyone at the school was kind and helpful. I enjoyed going there.
My teacher took me to some nice places in Suzhou, she showed me some great places to eat local food. The school organized a lot of activities such as cooking, movie nights, competitions etc. I learned a lot about Chinese culture and society. I highly recommend SilkMandarin School.

My husband and I really enjoy our Silk Mandarin classes. It is nice to have a private teacher face to face who can help you with pronunciation and help support you learning this fascinating language. I like that we are able to learn at our own rhythm. Christina our teacher, has a fun and clear way of explaining things. She has a lot of patience and also teaches us about the culture here. It’s great! We definitely recommend Silk Mandarin to whoever would like to learn Mandarin in a fun, supportive way!

It is well-tailored and comprehensive course. Teachers are well-versed in their jobs and they are always patient. The atmosphere is great and there is a lot of laughing during learning process. Sadly, students cannot access PPT presentations, but the school provides other materials. All sources provided are high-quality too. I quite recommend it to those who want to tailor their lessons to their specific needs.

The school expands and it currently offers their courses outside of Shanghai too. They have their branch in Suzhou and this is where I embarked on this course. The teachers are every bit as qualified as those at Shanghai and they often the same as they travel from one city to the next.