Chinese Language Program: Intensive or Elementary

[allansy8]

Hello good people!

I am interested in learning Mandarin at BLCU or UIBE.

Here is my situation:

• I have learned Mandarin since I was a child studying Elementary and High School in the Philippines but I have not used it or practice it and therefore, I do not have confidence in my knowledge and ability to speak Mandarin. Although I know the basics in Chinese like numbers, we, I, you, them, bye-bye, how are you, how much, etc.
  
• I have no issues regarding tuition fee, housing and other expenses. My only concern is the quality of education and the learning experience I will get from these schools. Where will I get the best learning out of these 2 schools?
  
• I really want to learn Mandarin also because we have a retail business and our suppliers are all from China.
  
• I am considering UIBE because there are less foreigners in this school compare to BLCU, therefore, I will be forced to speak Mandarin and interact with Chinese people.
  

Which do you think should I take? The Elementary Chinese Program or the Intensive Chinese Program.

Thanks! Looking forward to your reply.

[Angelina]

I am considering UIBE because there are less foreigners in this school compare to BLCU, therefore, I will be forced to speak Mandarin and interact with Chinese people.

It doesn't have to be this way. You can always talk to the other foreigners in Mandarin if you want to. You can also socialize with Chinese people.

[陳德聰]

I honestly would avoid other foreigners, even ones with passable Mandarin in some cases. I've noticed a really strange trend in foreigner-only classes where one student essentially makes up a term or usage, and then because nobody else knows it is wrong it gets picked up by a large group of people and for whatever reason I don't see anyone correcting them.

I can't even count the number of times my friends have told me their "发表" (presumably they mean 报告) is due in the coming weeks, or for some reason that they don't understand this "文章" (they mean 句子) or that "单语" (字、词、词语). Curiously, a lot of them seem to creep over from Japanese or Korean, but when the Germans and Americans in your class start consistently using the wrong words too it can make you feel like the only sane person in a sea of crazy.

[allansy8]

I have also read in other forums and blogs that because BLCU has so many foreign students, you tend to just speak English. I guess it really depends on the person.

But back to the topic, what do you think is better to take? Intensive Chinese Language Program or the Elementary. I already have a background on some basics because I used to attend school where they teach Mandarin, also I have attended a class every Saturday for 4 months teaching Mandarin and also I have attended a private tutor every Sunday for 3 months. I just really have no other person to practice it with and a class or tutorial of once a week is not enough so I have no confidence in speaking and remember little on the things I learned before.

Because I am afraid that by going with the Elementary program, I might be placed on the zero experience and have to go over again the basics like the grammar, pinyin, sentence structure, etc. when I have already learned that at least 3x here in the Philippines.

Thanks for the help.

[Ruben von Zwack]

Hello Allansy,

if you have learnt the basics in the past, and right now they are just just buried in your memory, so you can't use them actively right now, then personally I would go for the advanced programme. The elementary might bore you to death, and moreover, be a waste of time and money. Don't you think you can find a way to revive your Mandarin already beforehand, so you can jump into the advanced programme with more confidence?

[Angelina]

I don't understand what you want to say. At BLCU, you don't have to choose the Intensive Program if you want to study intermediate or advanced level Chinese. I started from Elementary Chinese at College of Advanced Chinese Training, BLCU.

You can start from a higher level at the same College at BLCU.

http://www.blcu.edu.cn/lxsc/en/Colleges.asp

[allansy8]

Angelina, I just want other's opinion regarding taking Elementary vs Intensive given that I have previous knowledge on Mandarin. Just not being used at all.

Ruben, thanks for your opinion. That is what I am afraid of, I might re-learn all those basic stuff which might bore me and also a waste of time and money.

Before taking the intensive training, I will be sure to open my previous books on Mandarin.

Thanks! I decided to go with UIBE's Chinese Language Intensive Program.

[Ruben von Zwack]

I took a year Mandarin classes at Uni, but then, after another year of complete inactivity, couldn't speak one sentence, let alone ask for the time or write a simple sentence.

I kept telling myself I should go through my text book again, but I dreaded that awful book (and the boredom it would bring) so much that I forever procrastinated it.

Finally I decided to just right jump in from where I had left, into a more advanced level. I felt like my head was under water during the first or 2 weeks, but then it was ok. I found you can go from "I don't understand one freakin' word" to "this level is just interesting" very fast, if you have to

[ChTTay]

I think you mean to say Intensive or "Normal / regular" paced classes, right? Elementary is the level (like Beginner, advanced etc) and Intensive is the amount of time you spend learning. You can have an elementary intensive class and an elementary regular class.

If you go to one of these Universities they will all likely have some kind of placement test. At Tsinghua here are 7 different levels of class. Once you've done the test you can usually try the level they have put you in before you commit. You usually have a say in this as well, i doubt they would force you to go through an absolute beginner class again if you've already studied. Regardless if you might have forgotten a lot of it. It will come back to you ince you start learning.

As for doing a normal paced class or an intensive one. It depends how long you want to study. If you just have six or eight weeks then i'd say go for an intensive course. Of you want to stay for a whole semester or two or three then i'd for for the regular speed classes.

Glad you made your choice though! I woukd have gone for BLCU personally

[allansy8]

Sorry for the wrong terminology. You are right. It should have been Intensive or Regular.

I do have 1 semester and I plan to study the Intensive Language Program of UIBE.

Thanks for your help.

[ChTTay]

What made you choose the program at UIBE?

I had a friend who studied there, then at Tsinghua with me.