I’m looking for recommendations for the best mandarin tutors in Taipei for 1:1 classes. They should have several years of teaching experience and be nearly fluent in English. No limit on the hourly rate. Thanks!
Edit: Please don’t recommend language centers since those typically don’t have the most experienced teachers and aren’t the best option for 1:1 classes.
What’s your level of Mandarin, your goals, and your situation?
I do adult group classes and also provide 1-on-1 learning by request. I have a Ph.D in teaching Mandarin, have been teaching Mandarin for many years, and have trained Mandarin teachers all over the world since 2011. I’m also a qualified simultaneous interpreter (second MA from Fujen’s Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation Studies in Hsinchuang) and rate ACTFL “Superior” in Mandarin on the SOPI. I teach Mandarin based on comprehensible input and SLA research (I actually wrote the book on it) and I’m more than “nearly fluent” in English…lol. My translations for meaning are exact and my grammatical explanations are both correct and understandable to a native English speaker. (I also have experience with a number of other languages in terms of grammar parallels and explanations.)
Lesson focus is on the highest-frequency words in the language plus specifics selected based on the student’s interest or needs. (This is custom, not “Integrated Happy Practical Audio-Visual Chinese Dialogues”.)
I take beginners and intermediates. One-on-one is NT$2000 an hour with payment through Paypal or the Post Office. Eight hours of (group) class and you’re reading, discussing and understanding (in characters, no memorization beforehand) a 300+ word long story in Chinese. I’m happy to put you in touch with current students if you need references.
I’m sure others will have other suggestions, particularly if you wish to do face-to-face rather than virtual classes (I’m located in the US). But I know of no one else in Taiwan teaching Mandarin with an actual non-traditional method (everyone claims to have their own great method, but Comprehensible Input, which is quite well-known, is not “my” method, though I have made a few original contributions to CI Mandarin teaching.)
It really all depends on what your needs are. I’m sure you can find someone. Eliminating language centers is IMO both a good move from a student perspective and a good thing from the teacher’s point of view (the “cut” the teacher gets at a language center is usually laughable compared to the price of the class).
Thanks @ironlady for your response. So I am currently at an intermediate level with a vocabulary of probably ~700 words. I find HSK-4 textbooks to be at the right level for me.
As far as classes go, I would prefer in person classes but I’m also okay with online classes. My goal is to learn Mandarin the way it’s used in Taiwan and achieve fluency in reading/speaking/listening for 99% of activities that locals need to do here from time to time - it can be filling a form out in the hospital or reading a news article in chinese or chatting with a friend about politics.