LF: Hangzhou, Late evening Courses?

[LaoLiang]

Hi Guys,

It's time to study more seriously, as this self-study while working full time isn't progressing at the rate I'd like it to. So, would appreciate any suggestions for schools or tutors you might have.

Requirements:

Location: Hangzhou downtown

Available time: Mon to Fri after 19:30

Content: Intermediate+, 100% Chinese immersion (no other foreign language to be used, as a rule), Speaking and Reading (Writing with a computer only).

Teacher: undergrad or current student and upwards.

Accent/Dialect: preferably NE China.

Cost: reasonable accordingly to local pay standards.

Language exchange: No.

Also a recommendation for a local forum for students/teachers in Hangzhou might be of use as well.

UPDATE: June 12th. Still looking.

Thanks,

Liang

[lilongyue]

I live and study Chinese in Hangzhou, but in a university. I don't know much about the private language schools that teach Chinese. I don't think you're going to find any that match your requirements exactly, for example writing only on computer, or only Chinese being used in class (although in Zhejiang University there is only Chinese spoken in classes after the second semester).

[LaoLiang]

Lilongyue, thanks for replying; perhaps I wasn't too clear about the writing part. I'm not looking to study how to write HanZi by hand, as it will consume almost all of my time and energy. If I know how to read, with the use of pinyin or other input methods I can write with a computer. So, if the class does not teach writing at all that's just fine. Additionally, one on one is also acceptable.

[lilongyue]

No prob.

perhaps I wasn't too clear about the writing part. I'm not looking to study how to write HanZi by hand, as it will consume almost all of my time and energy. If I know how to read, with the use of pinyin or other input methods I can write with a computer.

I figured that was what you meant, but I can't imagine a class that won't expect you to write by hand. There will undoubtedly be exercises like dictation, "complete the sentences" or "write sentences based on the example" that will require writing. Writing characters by hand is the bane of most foreigners who study Chinese. If you find a highly customizable class then you might be able to skip it, or you could just attend a class that requires it and not do it.

Although it is time consuming, I'd really recommend that you learn how to write by hand. In my opinion, it's one of those things like tones, if you don't learn it properly from the get-go, then it will come back and bite you in the a** later. If you are serious about learning Chinese, that means you'll probably need to learn 2,000 - 3,000 characters. Although there are threads on this forum about alternate ways of memorizing characters, the best method I've found it repetition, writing them out over and over again. It really fixes them in your memory. Having the characters clearly etched into your mind has other fringe benefits as well, like begin able to remember one "shi" from another, or all those characters that are very similar and only differ by one small stroke. But like I said, this is just my approach. It really depends on why you want to learn Chinese (just to go shopping, chat with girls, or or be able to read a newspaper or a book in Chinese, to work in a Chinese business, etc.).

[LaoLiang]

lilongyue, re: writing characters by hand. My requirement is the result of spending over a year studying full time Chinese including how to write characters by hand. For me, learning how to write characters took most of my time and effort. These days, I use the computer to write all my documents, emails etc. be it in Chinese, English and any other language. In other words, the "boom for the buck" is simply not worth it. No doubt this is a compromise, and it would be best to learn how to write by hand, however at the end of the day it's not practical to the point that if I keep spending time and effort on it, my overall Chinese skills would amount to nothing.

[lilongyue]

If you have a year of full-time study under your belt, then I guess it doesn't matter. But you'll probably have a hard time convincing a school that you don't need to continue writing by hand, ha-ha! Good luck.

[adrianlondon]

I agree that writing chinese characters really slows down learning. I studied one semester at BNU and writing (lovely 8am tingxie's) took up lots of time.

However, thinking back, I'm not sure if I would be able to recognise so many characters if I hadn't learnt (and now mostly forgotten unfortunately, as I don't practice at all) to write them in the first place.

[LaoLiang]

June 12th. Still looking, let me know.

[kylemchan]

I'm going to Hangzhou tomorrow to study at a Language school for the summer. There are several schools in Hangzhou that offer very flexible classes. Although I'm not doing one on one classes, I'm sure they could help you out. My classes will be in the morning, but I believe there are evening classes.

I start classes on Monday and will let you know the quality of the teaching and things like that if you'd like. Here's the link: http://www.mandacenter.com/index.php?id=programs

But like I said, I don't really know anything about the school as I haven't started.

[LaoLiang]

kylemchan, thanks but it seems that they are charging for 7.5 hours a week, more than the local average salary for a full 40 hours a week. As I'm looking for Chinese only (no need for English) there's no need for such high tuition.