That's Mandarin Chinese Language School Reviews

Chinese language is hard to master, but the teachers at this school have proved to be very skilled in showing that even though it may be hard there are many ways to approach it.

The program is much better than many of the other programs I have encountered. The online platform offered is a precious resource for reviewing your work after class.

I had the chance of taking an Intensive Course at That's Mandarin. The School offered me 6 hours of classes per day that fully met my needs. I really enjoyed the one-on-one lessons with nice, helpful and experienced teachers. They applied various methods of teaching (listenings, videos, recordings), so I never got bored.

All in all I think the course proved to be extremely effective for me. I learned alot of useful vocabulary. I revised grammar, I gained more confidence when speaking Chinese and I immersed myself in Chinese culture. It was a priceless experience and I hope I will come back to That's Mandarin one day.

I came to China unable to speak any Mandarin. I have been studying at That's Mandarin for the last 5 months and I have noticed such a big improvement. Not only have I learnt alot, I am also able to retain it and use it in my day to day life.

What I like best about this school is their teaching method. It is very interactive and uses real life scenarios to help you remember useful vocab. The teachers are great and really helpful. I found pronounciation to be the hardest part of learning Mandarin. However both my teachers were great at finding clever methods to help me pronounce the different tones correctly.

I have really enjoyed learning Mandarin and plan on continuing with That's Mandarin when I am back in China.

Hi, I am not sure if I am doing this review properly, but I was asked by Molly to write down my experience at the school so far. So, here it is.
When I first came to school, I could not speak any Mandarin, I though the language was very difficult and that I will never be able to learn. I had difficulties in life in Beijing because of that. then, I applied for the beginner's course (1 month - 20 classes) and I had a free trial class as well. I did not use That's Mandarin accommodation as I live in Beijing in my own apartment, so I did not know how to rate accommodation and social scene questions. But, I can tell about the course. I was very pleased with my teacher. She was very patient with me, very knowledgeable, very friendly and ready to explain any communication needs that I had. For example, after only a couple of weeks in her class, I was able to go to the pharmacy all by myself and buy hydrogen peroxide, and I asked the pharmacist all in Mandarin and she was able to understand me. This is all because my Mandarin teacher explained exactly how to use the words I already knew and new words that she introduced. Another example, the same went on with me going to the cell phone service provider and asking for a new telephone number and internet. My teacher trained me how to make this conversation, and I went there and they understood what I wanted. So, my pronunciation also improved, not just vocabulary.
I am also very pleased with the fact that the teacher provides the printed version of the lesson in Chinese characters, pinyin, English, so I can review it at home and use it in every day activities. This is so helpful, because I can make my little portfolio and then combine what I learned from these lessons. Also, these printouts are all dated, so I can remind myself better and use the printouts according to the dates. This is very convenient.
The atmosphere in the school is very friendly and welcoming. Offering tea is such a great idea, and the large lobby space where I could always relax after work and eat a snack before the class.
I like this school and will sing up for the next level course after this one finishes next week.

Before I came to Shanghai, I was really concerned about two things - the school and the accommodation. Both have not only met my expectations but have exceeded them as well! After my Skype trial class, my teacher suggested I enrol in the one-on-one classes (as I already speak basic Mandarin). Best decision I made! I have very much enjoyed my classes （I only have 2 weeks left and I already know I will miss my classes, other students that I have gotten to know over the last 1.5 months and of course, the teachers. The teachers at That's Mandarin are friendly, patient and dedicated to teaching Mandarin in an informal environment. Emphasis is placed on student participation, as opposed to sitting in a classroom, listening to the teacher talk. The school environment is very friendly and casual - you walk in to the school and you just feel so at ease - the happy and friendly atmosphere of the school certainly made learning fun and coming every day for 4 hours each day not so daunting as I first thought!

The apartment the school arranged for me is amazing - looks exactly like the photos on their website. The apartment is located about 40 minutes away from the school - but don't be put off by the time - the Shanghai Metro system is efficient and reliable - so it's actually not that far! In any case, my daily commute has given me the opportunity to explore new areas, shopping centres, restaurants and cafes! All I can say is you will not be disappointed by the apartment!

Finally, I have made many new friends through That's Mandarin - most of us have now in fact become travel buddies!

I would highly recommend That's Mandarin to anyone who is keen to learn Mandarin in a friendly and fun environment and meet like-minded people.

After the group class at That's Mandarin I was very satisfied. The teachers are very young and energetic and take the time to make sure you really understand the material. Classes move fast and the course work is challenging. The apartment that they provide for you is very nice, close to the metro and lots of shops and restaurants. The social events are a great way to meet people and make new friends. I have really enjoyed my experience so far and would highly recommend it.

My experience with That's Mandarin has turned out better than I could have hoped! The staff are all very helpful and employ and excellent teaching method, and give you the tools necessary to go out and start using your Mandarin skills straightaway. I've learnt a lot in the short time that I've been here, and am very excited about going to Beijing for a further two months of tuition. I did the Intensive 1-1 Course, with 4 or 6 hours a day depending, and can totally recommend it as it's entirely focused on you and your needs, thereby giving you maximum exposure and attention during your lessons. On top of that, the school has been extremely accomodating to my needs and is based in a great location with only a short subway trip to the centre of town!

One the accomodation side, I definitely recommend the Rock and Wood Hostel in Changning District, which is where I've been staying this whole month. It's really well run and I'm very happy with my room, which comes at a very reasonable price. Just a short trip down Line 2 on the Metro from JingAn Temple.

As its name implies, the intensive course requires hard and consistent work if you want to get the most out of it. regular home work brings its rewards. But the weekends are without classes so there is plenty of time to explore the city. The interaction with the teachers is open and friendly so you will also learn a lot about daily life in China and discover the intricacies of Chinese culture. You will come away greatly enriched.

Thanks to That's mandarin and to the teachers, though I didn't know much chinese, after two weeks I was able to ask my way, take a taxi... It was a real linguistic experience that made me progress though I still have much to learn. Thanks to the teachers! The accommodation was very comfortable and not far from the school. It was a good experience!

My program at That’s Mandarin was quite unique. I’m in university in London studying Chinese and business, and this summer I decided to come and try to get a step ahead for next year. I gave a copy of my textbook for next year to my teachers, and they divided the content between them. I have one teacher for vocabulary, one for grammar, and one for general speaking practice.

This was my second time studying with That’s Mandarin. Last year I took a two week course, and what appealed to me was their ability to tailor a class to my time and my needs within a very short period of time.

I had previously spent time studying at a Chinese university, and I really prefer the personal aspect of class at That’s Mandarin. In university, you might get the chance to speak for just five minutes out of two hours of class, but here, you speak almost constantly throughout the lesson. The teachers are very funny, really good at teaching, and especially good at constructing clever and effective ways for you to remember words and characters. This works very well with my learning style, much more so than just being taught out of a textbook.