Intensive winter Chinese course in China

[touky]

Hi everyone,

I am a heritage speaker with about 2 1/2 months I would like to spend studying Chinese in China.

So far, it seems from the information I've read on these forums that study abroad programs tend to be overpriced and are not at a good pace for a serious learner. I'm hoping for 2 1/2 months of down and dirty, university-level studying (such as the Princeton in Beijing program, except in the winter). So I was hoping those would more experience could help me with these questions:

Are there *any* programs in China that anyone recommends? I think I would prefer major cities, like Beijing or Shanghai. (I've seen posts about the Taiwan Language Institute..)

If not, other than the logistics of housing/visa/etc, is it easy to just show up in a city, go to a university and find a tutor that will be flexible on start/end dates as well as being able to detail a solid curriculum for me?

Thanks!

[chen88]

what do you mean by "2 1/2 months in winter"? Most programs break for the Spring Festival. And the most hard-core programs are usually offered only in the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters because they cater to undergraduates.

As a general rule, the strongest language programs are the ones most serious about their language pledges. Here are some programs well-known for their intensity and their results. The ones in Beijing are focused on undergraduates and graduate students; the ones in Taiwan are for undergraduates to adults and professionals. The ones in Taiwan have winter sessions. However, I am not sure if they will let you sign up for just one quarter or if you have to do an entire semester/academic year. You may wish to contact them.

Beijing:

Associated Colleges in China (ACC)

This program has Spring, Summer, and Fall sessions.

Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies (IUP)

This program has Spring, Summer, and Fall sessions.

Princeton in Beijing (PiB)

(You already mentioned this summer program)

Taiwan

Mandarin Training Center (MTC)

MTC has a quarter session that runs December – February.

International Chinese Language Program (ICLP)

ICLP has a winter session January – March

These programs all are traditionally language-intense and well-worth their costs. They are much more effective than private tutoring becuase they have carefully planned curriculums and often include program-written textbooks. They are all also big on individual instruction and small class sizes.

You might like to contact the programs and ask if they know of places offering intensive Mandarin training for the few months you are in China. These programs are headed by the leaders in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, and they are quite familiar with the other quality study abroad programs and centers in China.

Another option is Beijing Language and Culture University. They offer different study options, and the university is the leader in China for teaching Chinese to foreigners.

[cui ruide]

CET Janterm in Beijing? It's intense, for sure.

http://www.cetacademicprograms.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Link_ID=4567EB18-0EFF-11B0-30299342A0BAAD64

[touky]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your responses! I want to be there mid-September to December, so none of these programs fit. I will contact these programs and see if they know of any other programs that do fit within that timeframe.

If I can't find a program, is a private tutor the best way to go? If so, do I just show up, or should I try to arrange private tutoring through a university/other program like Taiwan Language Institute?

Thanks!

[paike]

cui ruide CET Janterm in Beijing? It's intense, for sure.

http://www.cetacademicprograms.com/i...299342A0BAAD64

This is to Cui Ruide or anyone with some firsthand experience about these types of programs. Are they worth the money? I've lived in China for four years and study Chinese occasionally. I just took the HSK and got a 6, missed the 7 because of a terrible Tiankong score, which is mainly some more route learning I need to do.

Would the insane pricetag of four to six thousand dollars for a 4 to 8 week program be worth it? I could hire a Chinese teacher from my university to come to my apartment for less than that and maybe simply hire them to be with me all day long for similar prices.

I would like to make the next step and really improve to where I can chat easily about the things I can read, which would mean I need to make all that passive knowledge become active (anyone know how to translate active and passive knowledge into Chinese?, I've asked dozens and not one good answer). Im wondering if these programs are what I need to do. I could work, save, and go for the winter or summer, or just continue one my slow going path.

Any and all advice welcome.

[chen88]

I went to one of those residential programs in Beijing, and it did wonders for my Chinese. However, I don’t know if it would be the best option for someone who is already living in China and has an HSK score of 6 and oral proficiency in Chinese. Most of the students at the residential intensive language programs are foreign undergraduates who start out with low Chinese levels and horrible tones, and you will be living and interacting with them for the duration of the program. (This goes for US-based intensive language institutes as well). That can be rather frustrating for students who are beyond that point.

I would suggest the Mandarin Training Center or the International Chinese Language Program in Taipei. Both of these programs are non-residential, and many of my college professors in China Studies attended them.

Another option might be directly enrolling in classes at Beijing Language and Culture University or a different school that specializes in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language.

The main advantage of the immersion programs is they arrange many opportunities for you to use what vocab and sentence patterns you are learning in different contexts, and then they give you feedback when you use things incorrectly. If you have a tutor who is able and willing to help you do that, then by all means save the money and go with him/her instead!

[paike]

chen88 I went to one of those residential programs in Beijing, and it did wonders for my Chinese. However, I don’t know if it would be the best option for someone who is already living in China and has an HSK score of 6 and oral proficiency in Chinese. Most of the students at the residential intensive language programs are foreign undergraduates who start out with low Chinese levels and horrible tones, and you will be living and interacting with them for the duration of the program. (This goes for US-based intensive language institutes as well). That can be rather frustrating for students who are beyond that point.

Hey thanks for the heads up. I love the idea of a language pledge, but when I look at many programs it seems like they only offer 15 hours of classes of week or so, for oddles of cash. They must be making hand over fist amounts of cash off trust funders or something. Ten thousand dollars a semester IN CHINA?

At Northeast University where I teach in Shenyang, one of the best place I can think of in NE China, Chinese classes are two thousand dollars a semester, which includes 20+ hours of classes each week, plus afternoon classes that specialize in HSK prep. The dorms are inexpensive as well. I get the classes and apartment for free as a teacher but I cant usually go gung-ho or anything because of my day job. Although I speak better than most any foreigners I've met and my listening is good I want to get really good, as in listen to business radio and understand, good.

I guess I'm still up in the air as to what to do. Maybe just plod along and study at a slow pace. I'm 28 already, but I dont much care for the fast pace of life back in the States anyway!!!

Hahaha