A Journey to Confident Chinese

Starting Point

Mia had taken some Chinese lessons a few years ago but had forgotten much of what she learned. She lacked confidence in both sentence structure and speaking, and she had never studied Chinese characters before, which posed a barrier to advancing further. Her goals were clear:

• Improve speaking confidence.
  
• Build a solid grammar foundation.
  
• Learn useful business vocabulary to open up career opportunities.

Teaching Approach

We began by focusing on daily conversations to rebuild her fluency and boost confidence. Each lesson also included a small set of frequently used business words, keeping the learning both practical and challenging. At this stage, we relied on pinyin exercises, allowing Mia to focus on grammar and speaking without the added pressure of characters.

Once her foundation became stronger, we gradually introduced Chinese characters in a structured, enjoyable way:

• 20 characters per lesson to steadily build recognition.
  
• The HSK3 textbook as our reading resource, chosen for its repetition and accessible practice.
  
• Activities that helped Mia see the connections between characters, making them easier to understand and remember.

This approach transformed her attitude. She is no longer afraid of learning characters and has even rediscovered her interest and enjoyment in studying them.

Results

Mia now speaks with greater confidence and accuracy, actively uses new business vocabulary, and can read simple texts with understanding. Most importantly, she has overcome the fear of learning characters and is motivated to continue.

Her testimonial speaks volumes:

1. “I have been a student of Shelley’s for the last 3 years! My speaking, reading and writing ability has surpassed all expectations I had for myself when I began learning Chinese. I have had a few teachers in the past – but I can confidently say Shelley provides:

   – Incredible lesson structure, clear and easy to follow.

   – Fun and engaging conversations.

   – challenging exercises and homework.

   – Fantastic translation explanation and guidance.

   Shelley is an outstanding teacher, and person who I trust to provide me with the best education possible. Thank you very much Shelley.”

Continued Plan

Our current goal is to help Mia recognise at least 600 characters by the end of the year, while steadily improving her speaking fluency and comprehension. By balancing listening, speaking, and reading, and adjusting the learning order to match her needs, we help Mia to learn Chinese effectively and with confidence.