Mandarin language center Taiwan

[Guest]

Hey everyone!

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this question but I will give it a go!

I am planning to study at a Mandarin language center next summer (2020) in Taiwan, Taipei. I am looking for programs that last for 3 months during the summer period (beginning of June to late August approx.). I am wondering if anyone have any recommendations? From other forums online I gather National Chengchi University, Chinese Language Division Language Center (CLD) National Taiwan University and National Taiwan Normal University (MTC) are good. Which of these would you recommend or if you have any other recommendations?

For reference I have studied Mandarin for a year now full-time and will continue to study till next summer. So I am looking for more advanced classes (and connected to unis of course).

I'd appreciate any input!

[ganbei]

Are you also considering other cities in Taiwan? Taichung has less English speakers, and you are more likely to practice speaking Chinese. There are three popular choices here, Feng Chia University, Tunghai university and Providence university. The living cost is also cheaper than Taipei, so you'd be able to get a better apartment in Taichung. 加油！希望一切順利！

[ChTTay]

I was surprised by the people

of Taipei’s English level. Pretty much everyone under 30, in almost all service industry occupations, spoke English very well. It seemed like a difficult place to learn Chinese unless you’re speaking to older people all the time. 

 

I went to buy a SIM card and we started off in Chinese but the guy in the phone shop then switched to heavily American accented English. He’d studied in the US for his degree. Pretty much every cafe and larger restaurant had English speaking staff. 

 

Ganbei’s recommendation above might be a good one for you!

 

Taiwan is so small anyway you can travel anywhere easily, even for a weekend trip 

[TOrtuga]

@ChTTay  I live in Taipei and all I heard from old people is Taiwanese, never mandarin lol

[ChTTay]

I more meant “older” than “old” per se. Also, to each other I’d expect it. If you speak to them how do they reply though?

 

I found older folk mostly just spoke to me in Mandarin. Younger ones would switch to English mostly. That’s in Taipei.

 

i was just a tourist though 

[zhouhaochen]

First: full disclosure, I work for LTL Mandarin School!

 

@Viktor10

LTL opened a new school in Taiwan, offers three months courses during the summer period, offer homestays, small groups and 1on1 classes. So if you are interested, have a look at http://www.ltl-taiwan.com/

 

As you probably will be at a very advanced level after two years of full time study, I personally would recommend 1on1 classes as with higher levels studying I found studying in a group quite challenging as the higher you go the more different levels are. Some students might be incredibly good at newspaper reading but struggle with day to day conversations or the other way round. My advanced classes at uni back then consisted mainly of Japanese and Korean students and they were infinitely better at Chinese characters than me, but I was much better in spoken Mandarin than most of them. That meant that I was not challenged during most speaking exercises but had no chance the moment it got to 听写 or any kind of exam. Same goes when you mix people who studied Mandarin in and outside China, as they usually have very different learning experiences.

I had the feeling most of my class mates had the same problem, either the same as me or the other way round where they found any reading exercise boring, but didnt get the attention and time they needed during speaking classes. Once I switched to 1on1 my progress became a lot faster.