Mandarin is a language that is very popular in the world. It might come as a surprise to many, but did you know that Mandarin, aside from English, is the most spoken language in the entire world? There are many benefits to learning Chinese Mandarin, which is why so many parents want their kids to learn this language from a very young age. Even adults pick up Mandarin and learn it. Knowledge of the Mandarin language opens up many opportunities for a person personally and professionally. One of the main reasons why Mandarin is growing in popularity is because China has a major influence in global markets. There are many Chinese companies that have extended their branches all over the world and have made this language important to other countries and businesses.
There are so many great reasons to learn Chinese! If you’re thinking about it, now is the perfect time to start, and you’ve come to the right place. Unlike many other languages out there, Mandarin is known to be a complicated language to learn and master. Although this language can be self-taught, you will have a better chance of learning and sticking to mastering Mandarin if you have a tutor to help you. This article will look at hiring a Mandarin teacher or tutor and what you can expect from the process.
3 Things to Look Out for When Choosing a Chinese Teacher
Mandarin is known as one of the most challenging languages to learn, especially for English speakers. For you to learn Mandarin successfully, you will need to get a teacher or tutor who can help you. This is not to say that it is not possible to learn Mandarin by yourself. It actually is. However, since this is an extremely difficult language, students are highly encouraged to hire a tutor to help them in their journey.
Not every tutor fits every student. Every one of us has our own way of learning and understanding things. In order for you to have the best success and ensure compatibility with your tutors, you should consider a few factors, which we have listed below. With these, you can successfully find a tutor that suits your learning capabilities, ensuring a smooth and fun journey in learning Mandarin.
Experience and Qualifications
One of the first things you should look at when picking a tutor is their experience and qualifications. By looking at these, you will have a rough idea of what the tutor is capable of. A more qualified and experienced tutor will almost mean a higher tutoring fee, but it also means that the tutor is equipped to teach you and will be able to guide you comfortably and efficiently.
Goals
The second factor you should have listed down is your goals. Why learn Mandarin? Is it because you are going to China for the holidays? Or are you migrating to a Chinese-speaking country? Are you learning Mandarin so that you can advance your career? Knowing these will help you find the kind of tutor you need. If you just want to know how to speak, the type of tutor you should be looking for is someone who teaches Mandarin as a second language. If you are someone who is looking for help in your Mandarin class in school, then you should be looking for someone who has had formal education in Mandarin. Knowing your goals for learning this language will steer you in the right direction when it comes to picking the right tutor.
Patience
An important factor when it comes to picking a Mandarin teacher is to find someone who is patient and emphasises with their students. This might be a bit difficult to do so as you might only experience a tutor's teaching style when you sign up for their classes. This is why sites like Superprof are very valuable to students. In our platform, Superprof, tutors tend to give their first lessons for free. This is specifically so that students and tutors can try out their first lesson and see if it is a fit before committing. You should try the tutors on our site, and we are sure you will find someone with the necessary skills, attitude, and qualifications to help you on your journey to learn Mandarin.
Cost of Mandarin Lessons in Singapore
Mandarin lessons vary in price and mainly depend on a few factors. One such factor is location. There are certain areas in Singapore where classes tend to be pricier than the rest. It is always important to do your research properly before committing to classes. Another factor that will impact the pricing of Mandarin classes is the tutor and their experience and qualifications. The more experienced and qualified a tutor is, the more expensive their classes will be. But rest assured, the price you pay will be well worth the cost. Another factor that affects the price of Mandarin lessons in Singapore is whether you are having classes face-to-face or online. Online classes generally tend to be cheaper than face-to-face lessons. Tutors that travel to your home also tend to be pricier as you must account for their time and cost travelling to your place.
You should also consider whether you would like to take a per-hour lesson or register for an entire course. Mandarin courses in Singapore start at SGD 500 and go up to SGD 1,000. Individual tutors, on the other hand, charge as low as SGD 20 per hour. It all depends on your requirements and needs.
Ways to Maintain Momentum in Chinese Learning
As you already know, Mandarin is a very hard language to learn and master. Just like every aspect of our lives, we need to keep moving forward. This might be difficult, and some might find learning Mandarin challenging. Therefore, it is important for us to ensure that we are motivated throughout the journey. Here are some tips to keep yourself motivated as you learn Mandarin.
Watch Chinese Movies and Listen to Chinese Songs
One of the best and most fun things you can do when learning a language is to watch movies and listen to songs in that native language. This includes mandarin. All of us enjoy music and watching movies. This is a universal thing that is common. In order to improve your listening and speaking skills, spend some time watching movies and listening to music in Mandarin. We are sure you will be able to practise the language while having fun.
Talk to Your Tutor
If you start finding your classes and Mandarin lessons boring and tedious, communicate with your tutor. A good tutor spends time planning their lesson plan according to their students and will appreciate the feedback. All of us learn differently. If you want to achieve the most in your Mandarin lessons, make sure to communicate properly with your tutor. There are so many things your tutor will be able to incorporate into their lesson to keep it fun and light.
Find Friends Who Speak the Language
When you start learning a new language, you will often find yourself in a situation where you will not have much opportunity to use what you have learnt. One way to help you in this part is to find yourself friends who speak Mandarin. This enables you to practice speaking the language with them. It can be daunting at first, but eventually, you will find that doing so will help you learn the language faster while building your confidence simultaneously. Another thing you can do is join societies and do activities that will enable you to speak Mandarin more.
Get Help Online to Improve Your Chinese Language Skills
There are many resources to help you learn and supplement your Mandarin language lessons. One site we continually recommend is YouTube. YouTube is a video-sharing platform with over 4 billion videos on different topics and interests, including Mandarin. There are many videos that you can watch that can help explain Mandarin and help you understand it better. Many people have actually benefited from watching videos on YouTube. There are videos on learning not only Mandarin but also English, Spanish, Hindi, Tamil, and many other languages.
Another website that you should visit is The Chairman’s Bao. This website is specifically for those who want to learn Chinese. This website stands out above the rest because of its interesting content and extensive collection. They have over 9,000 lessons and over 200,000 users worldwide.
Superprof is an online platform that connects students with tutors from all over the world. If you are looking for a tutor to help you learn Mandarin, you should head over to our site and begin your search. Our tutors are qualified, experienced and verified, so you can rest assured that you are getting the best in your journey of learning Mandarin. One of the best things about Superprof that we have mentioned previously is its flexibility. You get to choose the tutor you want, and we even provide the first lesson for free, so you get a feel for the tutor and how they run their classes before you decide. You also get to discuss the medium, time, and day you would like to have your classes with the tutor, which can be changed according to your schedule and the tutor’s. Flexibility is something that we are proud to provide to both our tutors as well as students.
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