What language have you always wanted to learn and why?
Fan: I have never studied abroad before and if I had to study another foreign language I think I would want it to be Korean, in addition to my English. There are a lot of similarities between Chinese and Korean so I think it would be easier to learn because Korean students tend to speak Chinese very well so perhaps it would work the other way for Chinese people! It would also be good to have insight into another culture that originated in China but has developed differently.
How have you changed and grown since working for your current company?
Fan: Since working for That’s Mandarin I think I have become more patient, as with the beginner students you have to take your time and help them to understand before you move on to new topics and vocabulary.
I think I have also become more confident, as you have to speak in front of students all the time and they depend on you to be confident in what you are teaching so they have the confidence to speak and try out their Mandarin. I am now more confident in my teaching ability as I see my students learning. I think I am also more dedicated to my work, as I enjoy teaching so much.
What unique qualities does you company possess?
Fan: Well we have a very unique teaching methodology which helps our students to learn more quickly and effectively than they might do elsewhere. We teach them to link words together through Story-Telling, which helps them to remember the words, especially the more difficult ones, and improves their ability to hold a conversation when they apply their Mandarin to their daily lives.
We also focus more on speaking and it is the teacher that takes the notes, so the student can focus on improving their spoken Mandarin but they are still able to remember all the new vocabulary at the end and study it as the teacher has their notes ready for them.
What country have you always wanted to visit?
Fan: I think England is definitely somewhere I would like to visit. I mainly have British students at That’s Mandarin and all of them seem to have a special sense of humor that I have been curious about for a long time! They don’t always seem to be humorous on purpose but I have found that they are always kind and generally very optimistic people. This is one of the reasons I really want to visit England- to discover more about them and their culture!