Best Program to Improve Spoken Mandarin in 5-6 months

[abuck]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a program/plan that can transition me to fluency (or at least get me closer to such). I would say I'm a low-level advanced student. I've taken a year of intensive beginning Chinese and a year of intermediate Chinese, including Business Chinese. I studied in Shanghai last spring with CIEE and lived with a Chinese roommate. I thought the Chinese roommate component was extremely helpful, and I'd go back to CIEE if the curriculum were right, but I'm graduating school so don't need credit and have no interest in area studies courses.

My main issue is that I understand much better than I can speak. I'm looking to use the 5-6 months before I start work (roughly January - May/June) to bring up my level of spoken Chinese as much as possible. I have infinite time in that 5-6 month period to devote to this pursuit. I loved Shanghai and prefer to stay in a big city, but would also consider heading somewhere else if it would be truly beneficial to my Chinese language learning.

What do you recommend?

Thanks!!

毕逸诗

Amy

[shanghaikai]

Since you're a girl, I suggest the "LCBF" program. For guys, it'd be the similar but more expensive "LCGF" program.

[zozzen]

it seems to me that everything you did is on the right track. how much can you understand chinese conversation now? how many hours do you speak chinese when you were in shanghai? when you dream at night, do you speak chinese too?

[muyongshi]

Just for clarification purpose is it "Look for Chinese Boyfriend" or "Love Chinese Boyfriend" or something else that I am not willing to try and conjure up?

[muyongshi]

I would recommend a private study program of some kind...where you can focus on speaking one on one with a teacher and then spend all your time in a place where you are sure there won't be English speakers and if you still run into them this thread contains some hints and other things about how to not speak English.

The major key is to spend every second with a good native speaker. Go hang out in groups where you get the multiple input, make sure you find ones that won't always ask for english lessons either.

I also highly endorse the said LCBF program....very well accredited!

[abuck]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!