Conversation Class for Chinese Speakers
We are the only language school in London that provides English conversation/oral classes catering specifically for the needs of Chinese (including both Mandarin and Cantonese) speakers
Information for students from Hong Kong – please click HERE
Information for students from Mainland China – please click HERE
- This class is open to ALL speakers of ALL Chinese languages. However, you may reap the most benefit from the class if you speak either Mandarin or Cantonese (or both!)
- Free Trial – The first lesson is on us – don’t worry, we hope we are what you have been looking for!
- Classes via Zoom, 2 hours per week. You will study from the comfort of your own home and communicate with your tutor and classmates via video chat (by using your phone or computer camera) and you will receive outstanding tuition
Do you often mistake ‘there have’ for ‘there is’? Are you sometimes perplexed as to why native English speakers give you a look of utter confusion when you add English-sounding words to conversations? Do people from the UK and US really say ‘hea’ and ‘chur’? Are you afraid of being accused of speaking the dreaded Chinglish?
Regardless of whether you’re about to take your public exams, planning to immigrate, or have lived in an English-speaking country for many years, this course is specifically tailored for those who speak the Chinese languages (yes, with an ‘s’!). The Chinese languages, the most preponderant of which (culturally speaking) being Mandarin and Cantonese, are very different from English. This is not helped by the fact that many Cantonese slang words are fashioned from both English and Cantonese elements, so that the resultant mix sounds, at best, ‘inchoate’. Saying ‘sor’ instead of ‘sorry’ to a native English speaker might only cause more issues than it solves.
This class focuses on two elements which underpin the foundation of conversation: (1) production; and (2) grammar. Production concerns pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, and so forth. A significant portion of the learning content is dedicated to pronunciation and intonation. This is rooted in that the Chinese languages are mostly tonal (i.e. changing the tone might entail changing the meaning/character), contrasting most Western European languages. In the General Conversation Class (regardless of the learner’s native language), you will engage in hands-on tasks which involve oral interactions with other learners, and learn more about English accents and colloquial expressions.
As Nelson Mandela once remarked, speaking one’s native language gets you right into their heart. This course is taught by staff who have lived in Asia before and understand the difficulties typically faced by Chinese speakers, as well as any cultural differences. Let us be your beacon on this challenging, yet immensely rewarding journey of language learning.
No textbook is required for this course. The instructor will provide you with all necessary materials.
Duration – 10 weeks, classes once a week
Study mode – virtual via Zoom, livestream learning
Lesson Time – 10:00 am GMT (6:00pm CST/HKT) to 12:00 pm GMT (8:00pm CST/HKT)
Next Intake/start dates 2024 (please choose one date for your course):
22 January 2024, 18 March, 20 May, 16 September, 18 November
Course Fee – £450
| Conversation Class for Chinese Speakers |
Call us +44 (0) 7484 014980 or email to info@waterlooacademy.co.uk
Location: The Foundry, 156 Blackfriars Rd, London SE1 8EN (Southwark Station (2-3 min walk) and Waterloo/Blackfriars Station (10 min walk))
Information for students from Hong Kong – please click HERE
Information for students from Mainland China – please click HERE
Lesson Content at a Glance
- Comparative Grammar – how is spoken grammar different in both English and standard Chinese? Is there a way round this labyrinthic maze? Is ‘no money no talk’ coherent with the language of Shelley and Byron?
2. Pronunciation – are there some Mandarin/Cantonese-specific sounds that, no matter how hard you try, you still can’t get rid of when speaking English? Do you often find yourself saying ‘de skai’ than ‘the sky’?
- Intonation and the ‘Native English’ Accent – If you’ve watched Audrey Hepburn’s scintillating performance in My Fair Lady, or Meryl Streep’s astounding rendition in The Iron Lady, you probably know that accent determines your social status. Do you often aspire talking confidently in international business meetings, and commanding respect from your colleagues? We are there to help.
- Cantonese/Mandarin Slang & How NOT to say them in English – Just imagine the look on your British friend’s face when you say ‘you un mmm un’ and ‘seven head’. Due to the deceiving English appearance of some Chinese slang expressions, learners often struggle with differentiating between ‘real’ English and ‘fake’ English. We are here to slay the Chinglish beast!
Information for students from Hong Kong – please click HERE
Information for students from Mainland China – please click HERE
Duration – 10 weeks, classes once a week
Study mode – virtual via Zoom, livestream learning
Lesson Time – 10:00 am GMT (6:00pm CST/HKT) to 12:00 pm GMT (8:00pm CST/HKT)
Next Intake/start dates 2024 (please choose one date for your course):
22 January 2024, 18 March, 20 May, 16 September, 18 November
Course Fee – £450
Call us +44 (0) 7484 014980 or email to info@waterlooacademy.co.uk
Location: The Foundry, 156 Blackfriars Rd, London SE1 8EN (Southwark Station (2-3 min walk) and Waterloo/Blackfriars Station (10 min walk))
We are the only language school in London that provides English conversation/oral classes catering specifically for the needs of Chinese (including both Mandarin and Cantonese) speakers
- This class is open to ALL speakers of ALL Chinese languages. However, you may reap the most benefit from the class if you speak either Mandarin or Cantonese (or both!)
- This class is open to ALL speakers of ALL Chinese languages. However, you may reap the most benefit from the class if you speak either Mandarin or Cantonese (or both!)
- Free Trial – The first lesson is on us – don’t worry, we hope we are what you have been looking for!
- Classes via Zoom, 2 hours per week.
Information for students from Hong Kong – please click HERE
Information for students from Mainland China – please click HERE
Duration – 10 weeks, classes once a week
Study mode – virtual via Zoom, livestream learning
Lesson Time – 10:00 am GMT (6:00pm CST/HKT) to 12:00 pm GMT (8:00pm CST/HKT)
Next Intake/start dates 2024 (please choose one date for your course):
22 January 2024, 18 March, 20 May, 16 September, 18 November
Course Fee – £450
Location: The Foundry, 156 Blackfriars Rd, London SE1 8EN (Southwark Station (2-3 min walk) and Waterloo/Blackfriars Station (10 min walk))
