Setting Up Students for Success from Day 1

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.