js6426 220 Posted June 5, 2017 Report Share Posted June 5, 2017 Hey guys, In a couple of weeks my first semester at HIT will be over, and I was just wondering if anybody had any experiences with tutors in Harbin? I know I can probably find out plenty at HIT, but I live off campus and most of the students are Thai, Korean and Russian (I am English), and so I thought I would ask on here too, just in case. Does anybody know what I should expect to pay as an hourly rate for a tutor? Anybody have any personal recommendations? Really I would only be looking for one or two hours a week, mainly for conversational skills and correcting the things I am getting wrong. I think just going out and talking to people is going to be the best use of my time, but also recognize that without the correction a tutor could offer me I will get myself into bad habits. I don't want to do any of the summer type programs and start the next semester exhausted, but I don't want to waste my holiday and forget everything I have learnt so far. I also feel a tutor would be cool as it would allow me more freedom to learn things I am interested in, rather than how tired Wang Lao Shi gets as he tries to follow the kids up the mountain! Any info is greatly appreciated! Jonny Quote Link to post Share on other sites
happy_hyaena 159 Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 iTalki has some very cheap tutors. If you buy a package you can get down to 5 usd an hour to talk to an informal tutor. You can always pay more if you want a more teacher with a more professional background. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
js6426 220 Posted June 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Excellent, thank you! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
happy_hyaena 159 Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 I've used iTalki before with at least 4 different tutors. They all work really well, provide you have internet and a microphone! Also, my personal advice is to download the MP3 Skype Recorder software and Audacity. The MP3 Skype Recorder will basically automatically record and store any Skype dialogue from the moment you connect, spearating your microphone and the other person's microphone into left and right tracks. You can then use Audacity to for example remove your own voice and truncate way the unnecessary silences in your tutor's voice track. A good tutor will also make sure to send you words and stuff over Skype; store these 生词 together with the audio files amd study on those. There's an iTalki article that explain these things better but I don't have the time to find it right now.. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
abcdefg 4,574 Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 It may be more formal than what you are seeking, but several of us here have used 1 to 1 Mandarin Workshop. They provide experienced professional teachers. Their usual plan is pretty intensive, but they might be willing to provide less hours as well. Would not hurt to ask. Last time I heard, the rate was 100 Yuan per hour. https://www.chinese-forums.com/forums/topic/24933-1to1-mandarin-workshop-harbin/ http://www.1to1mandarinworkshop.com/ Quote Really I would only be looking for one or two hours a week, mainly for conversational skills and correcting the things I am getting wrong. Not sure that is realistic. It takes a few minutes to say hello, settle in, get started, and then say good-bye when class is over. Time goes fast when it is one to one. I would suggest planning on a minimum of two hours twice a week for best results. (Might be different if you are doing it over the Internet instead of face to face. I don't have any experience with that.) 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
js6426 220 Posted June 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Thanks guys! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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