Frequently Asked Questions About Master Mandarin

General Questions

What, another Mandarin Summer Camp?

Far from it. We started with the basic belief that many Chinese language learning methodologies were suspect and needed to be challenged and that there was a better way to teach therefore the outcomes of our teaching could be significantly improved over the more common methods of "sit, say and repeat" that are traditionally found in Chinese schools.

What is different about MasterMandarin vs. other summer camp programs in China?

Have you ever noticed that most summer camps sound more like travelogues than serious language programs? Have you noticed that the cultural activities don't quite seem to fit the language being taught with the limited time with teachers during class times?


Master Mandarin has been created to provide simply the best Chinese language instruction available with dedicated teachers for the entire day both in and out of class. Yes, students will travel but will go to places less crowded with English speakers creating more opportunities to use the language learned at Master Mandarin. But our main emphasis is to immerse students in Chinese culture and language. We are located in Changchun, Jilin Province, PRC, which is known throughout China as speaking the purest form of Putonghua or Mandarin.

Where are your classes held?

Some programs boast, "Our classes are held at a famous university…" Don't be fooled, it is not the school location that is important; it is the teacher who teaches the class that's important. All of our teachers are university graduates who are involved in language teaching as a profession. Classes will be held at Changchun Perfect English Training School (PE) where we have all the resources needed to support formal classes. In our Street Smarts™ program, classes will take place outside of PE in shops, restaurants, shopping malls, parks and wherever else we may choose to go.

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How long does one lesson last in a class?

Mornings begin with Tai Chi at 8:00 am followed by classroom sessions from 9:00 am until noon with appropriately timed breaks. The afternoon sessions are from 1:30 until 4:30 PM during which students are involved in elective studies which may be cooking or Chinese watercolor painting or calligraphy or traditional musical instruments or much more. These electives are chosen by the student and last for at least one week. In some cases, a student may choose to stay with this elective for even two or more weeks. Extended elective study engages the student in content courses that result in a more rapid language learning experience. Contextualize language learning especially in areas of interest to the student is proven to increase fluency. These electives are taught by professional artists, chefs and others who have attained a respected position in their craft in Changchun.

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Is this class all work and no play?

Absolutely not! We know that when students are relaxed and having fun, they are learning. That is why we embrace an environment of experiential learning. Some classes are held in the formal setting of a classroom while others are held at shops, in restaurants and on the streets of Changchun and other cities where functional Putonghua is spoken, all the while practicing and using the language that students have learned.

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Do you teach reading and writing?

While our classes are clearly focused on listening and speaking, higher level classes will be taught varying amounts of reading, writing and grammar. This is certainly true in our advanced classes. However, clearly our primary focus is to involve students in the community where they will learn to communicate verbally.

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When do MasterMandarin courses start?

MasterMandarin classes will start on June 27, 2011 and finish on July 31, 2011

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How will I be assigned to a class and level?

Every student will be assessed prior to being assigned to a class. Because our class sizes are small, you will continuously receive special attention from the teacher in regular classes, during your elective class time, on local field trips and during the two trips scheduled to Inner Mongolia and Shandong Province.

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Tell me a little more about these trips.

The first trip is to Inner Mongolia to see the Naadam festival from July 11 – 13. We will travel by bus using the bus time as a classroom to discuss the geography and countryside of Northeast China and to practice conversations with each other. The second trip, by train, will be to Shandong Province to visit ancient towns and villages (including Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius) that have remained virtually the same for several hundred years. Each trip is designed to introduce students to unique parts of China and Chinese culture and encourage the student to use more and more of their learned Mandarin.

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Who is MasterMandarin?

Master Mandarin is a division of Changchun Perfect English Training School, a registered Trinity College London examination center, which is recognized as the premier English school in Changchun. Using many of the techniques that have been incorporated into our current teaching methodologies, Master Mandarin is building on those successful years of excellence.

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What age students can participate in Master Mandarin?

Our focus is on middle school, high school and university students. However, we have accommodations for younger students who have a real desire to learn Mandarin and/or adults who have a need to speak Mandarin for business and relationship purposes.

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What can I do in my free time?

First, look at the schedule of classes and activities and you will see that there is ample free time in the evenings and during most weekends. Much of your free time will be with your host family who will want you to experience many of their favorite local places including Nan Hu Park and Jing Yue Tan, a lake and entertainment area which includes the largest man-made forest in Asia. There are museums and local cultural activities, shopping excursions and other activities that will enhance your cultural appreciation of China while you improve your Mandarin.

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Where will I live while I study at MasterMandarin?

Perfect English teaches approximately 1,000 students at our Main school and our four branches plus we teach to more than 7,000 public school students. Many parents have offered their homes for foreign students who study here in Changchun. Foreign students will be paired with carefully selected Chinese families with children of the same gender and age. Breakfast and dinner is included with the families. Lunches and meals during out-of-town travel will be provided by Master Mandarin.

What will I learn if I am a beginning student?

Our beginning class is designed for students with no or limited Chinese language experience. We will focus on listening and speaking skills with some character recognition for very simple reading and writing. Upon completion of the beginning course students will be able to:

  • greet and respond to greetings
  • introduce themselves giving personal information
  • identify and name simple items
  • indicate the position of people and objects
  • simply describe people, animals, objects and places
  • state simple facts
  • inform about possessions
  • ask very simple questions about personal details
  • buy items in shops

More importantly, students will have the unique advantage of living with a Chinese family and be able to understand and respect the similarities and differences of Chinese culture. Students who return after one year's study may be placed in the beginning class year two but the depth of language will be significantly increased with more broad topics covered. These will include:

  • describe daily routines and times
  • give dates
  • express ability and inability
  • give very simple directions and locations
  • describe current activities of real people or those in pictures
  • describe states in the past
  • ask simple questions about everyday life.

Lexis Expansion The student will be able to demonstrate the ability to understand and use vocabulary related to: food, jobs, places in the local area, place of study, home life, weather, free time, times and dates, ordinal numbers up to 31st for dates.

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What will I learn if I am an intermediate student?

This course is designed for students with 2 or more years of prior Chinese language learning. The class will focus on listening and speaking skills with a greater involvement in reading and writing. During the listening and speaking sections we will focus on vocabulary expansion and be able to talk about professions, hobbies, directions and weather, common idioms and describe past experiences. They will also use thematic knowledge and skills to exchange personal information such as their interests in sports, hobbies and daily activities. They will learn what connects people from China and around the world. Students will improve communication skills through role-playing, lab work, and real-life exercises.

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What will I learn if I am an advanced student?

This course is designed for students with 2-3 years of prior Chinese language learning experience in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The focus will be on listening and speaking, expanding vocabulary and understanding Chinese culture. Students will be able to conduct conversations on general topics in a comparatively fluent manner and pace using the proper social conventions. Upon completion of the course, student will be able to express their personal backgrounds and needs and conduct conversations in routine tasks, such as giving a house or neighborhood tour. Topics will cover the role that geomancy (feng shui) plays in balancing harmony between people and the environment, learning and describing the physical layout of a home and furniture, and negotiating rental housing. Writing exercises will use complicated sentence structure.

Students with 3+ years of prior Chinese language experience will continue study of Chinese through student centered activities and guided communications, in both writing and speaking, with the goal of providing a total immersion experience. The main topics include contemporary family life, the evolution of the Chinese family, community living and more. With a focus on reading and writing, students will learn to use advanced sentence structure and idiomatic expressions in writing exercises. Furthermore, the course will explore Sino-American cultural differences and analyze the dynamic role of language in culture with the purpose of raising cross-cultural awareness while developing proficiency in the target language.

 

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Do you have a specific teaching methodology that you follow?

Aristotle said, "For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them." Most Chinese schools focus on rote learning as their primary methodology in teaching Mandarin. This is to be expected since this style of learning is the most common style of teaching in Chinese schools, i.e., "sit, say and repeat". "Experience is the best teacher" We firmly believe that experiential education, or that process that occurs between a teacher and student that combines direct experience with the learning environment and content, is the most effective way to learn something that will last. It is a methodology in which teachers purposefully engage with students in direct experience and focused reflection in order to develop skills, in our case, functional Mandarin. "Street Smarts™" uses appropriate, organized learning activities occurring in the shops and restaurants and on the streets where 'survival' depends on the command of at least some spoken Mandarin. We also employ the concept of cooperative learning in order to support the diverse learning styles and needs within a group. We also encourage students to journal their experiences on a daily basis so they become aware of their responsibilities and activities as a mechanism of personal feedback in the process of learning.

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How will I know if I am learning well?

Quizzes and tests will be carried out now and then to test the progress made by students. At the end of the program, an examination will be administered. Participants will receive official certificates including official transcripts at the end of the program.

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What happens once I land in Changchun?

Master Mandarin will provide free airport arrival-pick-up service for program participants. Our staff will meet you at the arrival gate after you get your luggage and take you to Perfect English where you will meet your host family and they will take you to their home. You need to provide us with correct flight information – flight number / flight date at Changchun International Airport at least two (2) weeks before your arrival. To make sure the transition is smooth, you will be provided with a special Master Mandarin contact number before you come to China in case of last minute changes.

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How can I make calls back home to let people know I arrived safely?

Master Mandarin will provide you with an International calling card so you can contact family members. We can also help you get a SIM for your unlocked mobile phone or even help you buy a "local phone" (very inexpensive) for you to talk with your host family and classmates.

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What is the cost of the Master Mandarin Program?

The tuition for the complete Master Mandarin program is $4,995.00 USD. There is a non-refundable Registration Fee of $300.00 plus a 10% deposit of $495.00 that must be submitted with the Registration Form. Once these fees are received, you are officially registered in the Master Mandarin Program. You must pay the balance of $4,200.00 by 1 June 2011. To see our Refund Policy, please go to Master Mandarin's Terms and Conditions.

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How do I register?

First, fill in the Registration Form and email it to info@mastermandarin.net. We will then email you a complete Registration Pak with a more detailed Registration form, fee schedule and instructions on how and where to transfer the fees. We will also provide you with program updates, arrival information, host family information and other pertinent information prior to your arrival.

What Is Included in the Program Fee?

  • Tuition
  • Certificate and transcripts
  • Accommodation including all meals
  • All Master Mandarin classes and instruction
  • All activities and electives (there will be additional charges for art materials and supplies, purchased musical instruments and the like.)
  • Airport arrival and pick-up
  • Program related transportation (bus to local attractions)
  • Orientation package
  • Master Mandarin tee shirt
  • Map of Changchun and China
  • Compact Chinese-English and English-Chinese dictionary
  • Map of downtown area of Changchun
  • Notebook for vocabulary and journal notes (you may want to bring your notebook computer)
  • 24-hour/7-day Master Mandarin emergency contact numbers
  • Mailing address in both English & Chinese
  • Survival information, just like we provide to PE teachers
  • Orientation at Perfect English and the surrounding area
  • Bank account set-up if needed
  • Money exchange assistance
  • Assistance with pre or post program travel arrangements
  • 24-hours/7-days emergency support
  • On-site ongoing assistance from Master Mandarin
  • Out-of-town travel including transportation, lodging and meals
  • You will need money for your local purchases, gifts, entertainment, etc. However, keep in mind that China is very inexpensive compared with western countries so you need not bring a lot of cash.

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Questions About Visa

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Which type of visa should I apply?

Master Mandarin suggests all international students to apply for "L visa" (tourist visa) or if you are a business person who will stay for an extended time you may want to apply for a "F visa" (business visitor visa) in your own country before entering China. "L Visa" is usually valid from 30 to 90 days. The "L Visa" is the easiest, and fastest to obtain. "F Visa" is usually valid from 60 to 180 days. Students can extend their visa when they are in China. To avoid misunderstanding, students should NOT mention studying Chinese when they apply for a tourist or visitor visa. This may cause confusion with the Visa Officer at the Embassy or Consulate who might think you are applying for a Student Visa.

If you have any questions concerning courses, locations, accommodation or payment, please email info@mastermandarin.net If you want to register for the course, please go to the Registration Form 2011

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