Silk Mandarin's Online Chinese Course

Before joining Silk Mandarin, I had studied up to HSK3 but had stopped for quite a while, so I felt a bit lost and unsure if I was ready to continue with HSK4. Luckily, I felt truly supported and motivated by the academy and my teacher, and even though my Chinese was a bit rusty, they encouraged me to join the HSK4 class — and it turned out to be the best decision! Thanks to the online resources and my teacher’s infinite patience, I quickly caught up with my classmates and learned an incredible amount of Chinese in just a few months. The atmosphere at the academy is super friendly, my classmates are lovely, and the group dynamic really helps everyone stay motivated. I also love the hybrid format — when I couldn’t attend in person, I could join online and follow the class in real time, seeing my teacher, the classroom, and the whiteboard through the computer as if I were there. I also took some individual, tailor-made lessons that helped me strengthen my level even more. I’ve improved more than ever and, most importantly, I’ve regained my motivation and confidence to keep learning Chinese!

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.

I've had a great experience with Silk Mandarin. I've been with them for about a year have felt really well supported throughout the whole challenge of learning Chinese. Would highly recommend this service to anyone looking to learn Mandarin!