The LTL Teachers

The teachers the jewel in the LTL crown it’s that simple. We take huge pride in our teachers in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengde. They are the best in the business and we know this because we only employ the best at LTL Mandarin School.

That is why LTL Mandarin School has such a strict recruitment process in place for teaching staff. All LTL teachers must have a Bachelor’s or a Master’s Degree in ‘Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language’ (对外汉语). During this four year course they learn how the Chinese language works, how to teach it to foreigners, and learn more about their own culture. They are also required to pass English language exams and do work experience placements.

Prior to starting at LTL our teachers also have to complete at least two years of teaching experience at another school. They will then be interviewed and do demonstration lessons before signing the contract.

Experienced – Over a Decade

LTL Mandarin School have been going strong for over a decade now and we have helped over 3,000 China enthusiasts learn more about the Chinese language and experience the country’s unique culture.

Our centres in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengde have always been built on a solid foundation of trust. Our students from around the world trust and allow us to organise all aspects of their program, and support them throughout their time in China. It’s important that parents trust us to ensure the safety of their children; and our network of Chinese homestay families trust us to arrange for students to live in their homes.

We are very proud to have built up that trust over many years of hard work. For us, there is nothing more important than justifying and upholding that trust in the years to come.

Central Location

Our two schools in Beijing and Shanghai are perfectly located to make your life going to and from school so much easier.

LTL Mandarin School Shanghai is located in the heart of Shanghai’s Former French Concession. From our 9th floor windows we can see Shanghai’s famous tree-lined streets with their shikumen architecture and the glossy, modern skyline of Pudong beyond.

LTL Beijing is based right in the heart of the Central Business District just a five minute walk from Dawanglu Metro Station which is accessible on two lines. There are plenty of eateries, foreign and local a stones throw from the school. You also have easy access to bars, a gym facility and even a swimming pool at our Beijing centre.

24/7 Support

For many, the idea of living and studying in China is a daunting one, especially if this will be your first visit to China. Before your arrival, your Student Advisor will be on hand to help you prepare for the trip and answer any concerns you may have. They’ll also be around the school during office hours for day-to-day queries once you’ve arrived (such as where to find the best dumplings!)

We also offer a number of extra add-on services that many newcomers find helpful in the first few weeks, while they adjust to life in China.

All LTL students are covered by our 24/7 emergency support guarantee – we sincerely hope you won’t need it, but should you need emergency help whilst living in China, we’ll only be a phone call away.

Join the LTL Community

LTL Mandarin School is so much more than a learning facility. Whether you stay short-term or long-term, we hope our school will become a ‘home away from home’ during your time in China. Our students mean everything to us and the bonds created between student and staff, teacher and student, homestay and student are strong and this is something we are hugely proud of. Many students will end up forging lifelong friendships with the people they meet in China.

That’s because although our students come from diverse backgrounds and speak different mother tongues, all are united by a common aim – learning more about China and Mandarin Chinese.

We also organise a weekly social calendar so that new students quickly feel part of the community. Everyone at the school meets to eat lunch together every day and there are a variety of LTL social events throughout the week – from Wednesday Night Social Dinners to weekend day trips. We have a lot of fun and LTL and we know you will as well.

Immersion in China

The real key to learning Mandarin fast and effectively isn’t just students learning when they’re in class. It’s about continuing to use the language outside of the classroom too. Whether you’re a beginner or already advanced, applying what you’ve learned to real-life situations will reinforce your learning, and also motivate you to learn more!

There are a number of ways we can help you immerse yourself into Chinese culture and language as soon as you set foot in China. For example, the majority of our students stay with a local Chinese Homestay family. If there’s a sport or activity you’re keen to get involved with while you’re here, let us know, and we’ll help you to organise it. Put into practice what you learn in the classroom and apply it.

For those who want to take the immersion experience to the next level, there’s also our Immersion China program, in which you’ll spend half of your program in the rural city of Chengde – where you really will be surrounded by the Chinese language 24/7!

Accredited

Don’t just take our word for it – various organisations have recognised LTL Mandarin School as a top-quality provider of Chinese language programs.

LTL Mandarin School is a fully-accredited member of the International Association of Language Centres (IALC), the world’s first and oldest association of private language schools. This means we operate the school based on the IALC Code of Ethics and are subject to regular inspections.

The Chinese Government has recognises LTL Mandarin School as an ‘Accredited Provider of Cultural Programs’ and also an official exam center for the HSK Chinese Proficiency exams.

Contact us for more information on taking a HSK exam at LTL Mandarin School

The German Ministry of Education has certified LTL Mandarin School as a provider of ‘Educational Holiday Trips’ (Bildungsurlaub)

The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (Högskoleverket/CSN) has recognised LTL Mandarin School as an accredited “Education Provider”

If you’re German or Swedish you may be eligible for time off work or a scholarship for your chosen LTL program. Contact us for more details.

LTL class credits are recognised by universities around the world, including Michigan State University.

For information on how to receive university credits for your LTL course, please contact us.

Diversity

We pride ourselves on hosting students from all four corners of the planet. Whether you are from Holland or Haiti, the Vatican or Venezuela, the chances are we’ve had a student from your country before! As our pie chart shows, there is no dominant nation of students at LTL which we are very proud of.

English is the main spoken language in and around the school, expect for Chinese of course! That said, you’ll hear a whole host of different languages being spoken and the great thing about our environment is everyone has the same passion. Learning languages and sharing language experiences.

We even have students becoming the closest of friends even if they cannot communicate with each other at all. After weeks of studying Chinese together, you’ll get an English speaker and a Russian speaker communicating in solely Chinese. In our opinion this is just beautiful! If you don’t believe, we can put you in touch with these students!!

Easy Sign-up

STEP 1: GET ADVICE FROM OUR STAFF

Ask an LTL Student Advisor if you need more information on any of our Chinese programs. The more you tell us about yourself and your Chinese study goals, the better we can advise you. Simply send an email with your query to [email protected]

STEP 2: CHOOSE YOUR CHINESE PROGRAM

Tell us which program you want to sign up for, on which dates, and whether you require accommodation or other services. We’ll send you a full quotation which clearly shows all the relevant details and the final cost in your preferred currency. Whether it be group or individual, shared apartment or homestay, we will help guide you through the whole process.

STEP 3: RESERVE YOUR CHINESE COURSE

Pay 30% of the full program fee in order to confirm your booking with LTL Mandarin School. Your place on the program is now reserved for you, and we will start preparing for your arrival.

STEP 4: PREPARE FOR CHINA

Fill out the online registration form with further details of your learning goals and dietary and accommodation preferences. If you require visa support, we will also send you all the necessary documents needed for your application.

Roughly two weeks before arrival, you’ll receive a pack including your class timetable, contact information and a pre-arrival guide. Now would also be a good time to join our online student group (via WeChat which we will inform you of) so you can meet future classmates!

STEP 5: ARRIVE IN CHINA!

Your adventure is about to begin and it’s one you’ll never forget.

Become Fluent

Great teachers, a strong curriculum, immersive homestays, 24/7 support, a fun social community and so forth are all important. However they are all just tools to achieve what is our most important aim: to get our students to Chinese language fluency. The myth that you need to be a phd level super-brain, studying Mandarin for years to achieve fluency unfortunately is still widely spread, sometimes even among Chinese language teaching professionals themselves. LTL was founded to get rid of this unfounded myth.

Of course when you study in a class with 20 other people, do not speak Mandarin after class and do not follow a structured curriculum it can take many years to learn Mandarin. However that doesn’t mean Chinese is difficult – it just means that most people learn it the wrong way.We are here to proof the that becoming fluent is far from a miracle of super natural learning abilities, but simply the result of good teaching, immersion and a well-structured program.

Homestays speed up your learning speed. The Chinese complete immersion program gets a complete beginner to HSK 5 – and sometimes 6 – within a year. Small classes and professional teachers achieve fast progress. There is no magic to this, but it is a simple application of sound language teaching principles. And the results show. LTL students start speaking Mandarin in their homestays from the first week. Our students have a 98% HSK exam pass rate and win Chinese language competitions.

Chinese language fluency is absolutely achievable and with the right program should take a beginner no longer than a year to reach.Whether you come for just a few weeks, months or a whole year, forget about all the bells and whistles, in the end LTL is just about one thing: to get you to become fluent in Chinese as fast as possible.