Mandarin House’s Mandarin Teachers

Name: Tian Shaoyun (田少韵)
Hometown: Shanghai (上海)
Started Teaching: 2005

What’s your name?

Hi there. My English name is David. My Chinese name is Tian Shaoyun 田少韵.

What is the meaning of your Chinese name?

My Chinese name means Youth aroma.

How long have you been working in Mandarin House?

I’ve been working in Mandarin House for 8 months.

Why did you join Mandarin House?

Mandarin House is definitely the best Mandarin School in Shanghai.

What do love about teaching Mandarin?

For me the best thing about being a Mandarin teacher is that you get to meet lots of different people and help students from all over the world.

What study tips would you give to learners of Mandarin?

I would like to give three study tips to learners of Mandarin:

1.Mandarin pronunciation especially the four tones is very important in the beginning. The tones can be difficult to master but it is worth spending time on them.
2.Be confident when learning Chinese Characters. They are probably very different from the alphabet in your mother language, but we have lots of good ideas to make you learn Chinese Characters efficiently.
3.In order to study Chinese well, study like a Chinese person. Hard work is a key part of Chinese culture.

What do you think makes a good Mandarin teacher?

Communication is a key element in teaching. Everyone has his own personality, way of studying and requirements. So understand your students will be a key part of being a successful teacher.

Do you have a question for David? Then ask us here.