Learn Mandarin in China — My Notes From 2 Semesters tagged: , , , , ,

Learn Mandarin in China — My Notes From 2 Semesters

Posted by Mike in Languages

A little over 1 year ago, I made my way out to China for, among other reasons, to learn Mandarin in China. One year later my Mandarin is now slightly conversational with regard to speaking, listening, and reading and non-existent with regard to writing (even my English writing is chicken scratch). I can’t say that I am overly impressed with my abilities at this point, but I do see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that, some day, I will be fluent in this language. I just need a bit of time and patience…

How to Learn Mandarin in China (If You Follow My Path)

In January of 2010 I sent in my application to Jiao Tong University to learn Mandarin in China (Shanghai, to be specific). When I signed up, I didn’t know what to expect — what I would learn, how capable I would be, how long I would stay. 1 year later and I’m still at the same school. With this experience, I figure I am slightly experienced enough to give a good overview of the Program.

Jiao Tong University Mandarin Program Notes

  • Cost is roughly $1500 USD / semester
  • Books are roughly $15 / semester
  • Learning consists of reading, speaking, listening and writing (although writing isn’t manditory)
  • Location is in XuJiaHui area and is in the middle of downtown Shanghai
  • There is a large population of western, Asian and hispanic students
  • Your education level will largely depend on how dedicated you are to learning the language — if you are disciplined enough to study at home, you will learn quickly. However, there are A LOT of distractions when you get out to China.
  • Asian students tend to pick up the language much faster than the western students. Much of this is due to them having a better grasp of the hanzi characters. Part of it is due to a more dedicated study style. Part of it is due to less-than-intelligent people such as myself bringing the statistics for western people down :).
  • You don’t HAVE to learn how to write the language. I don’t know how to write more than 5 characters (and this is being generous). However, I can read characters decently. I still pass the tests and get to go on to the next levels.
  • If you start at the very beginning level, you will find that a lot of your classmates will simply stop attending classes by the end of the semester. The first semester tends to weed out those who are dedicated and those who aren’t. Unfortunately, not many Americans make it to level II.
  • For those attending Jiao Tong, I would recommend that you live near the campus or live off of Metro Line 10 (there is a direct stop that takes you to Jiao Tong University’s XuJiaHui campus).
  • Classes are 3 hours a day (with a 20 minute break in between the two classes). These classes will either be in the morning (from 8:30 – 11:50 AM) or in the afternoon (starting at 1:10 – 4:30 PM).
  • In the normal beginning classes, there are three classes that you take — reading, speaking, and listening. Out of 10 classes, you will have 4 reading classes (6 hours), 4 speaking classes (6 hours) and 2 listening classes (3 hours) per week.

If you make the decision to learn Mandarin in China, and specifically in Shanghai, I would highly recommend Jiao Tong University. I’ve also heard good things about Fudan University and Tonji University, but Jiao Tong tends to be the most noted university for foreigners looking to learn Mandarin in Shanghai.

Other Ways to Learn Mandarin in China (Besides Going to Class)

Learn Mandarin in China

While there are other ways to learn Mandarin in China, it will be much more difficult to dedicate yourself to studies without taking “full-time” classes. You can consider getting Pimsleur CDs (see my Pimsleur Mandarin Review) or you can get a private tutor, but I find that part-time students never really grasp the language beyond the very basic level. To learn mandarin, you really need to engulf

yourself in the language. Here are some other ideas:

  • Get a job that requires you to speak Mandarin. The more you are forced to speak it, the better you will get.
  • Get a Manarin book and a language partner and meet to study every day. You can find language partners on various websites who are happy to meet you for free in exchange for some English talk. This can be a great way to learn the language from a dedicated tutor while offering value in return (your English abilities).
  • Get a Chinese girlfriend/boyfriend who doesn’t speak much English. I can’t say that I’ve gone down this path, but I’ve heard from others who have had great success in learning the language using this method. If you aren’t learning the language for yourself, you might as well learn it for someone else.

Hopefully some of these tips will help you make your decision on how to learn Mandarin in China if you are moving to China. Understand that, unless you dedicate yourself, leaning Chinese will not be automatic. A lot of students run into the trap of thinking that going to class is all they need to learn the language. Stay dedicated and stay patient. It will come in time.

Did you learn Mandarin in China? Do you have any other unique ideas to learning the language? Please share your story in the comments below…