Has anyone attended the TLI (Taipei Language Institute)? What is your opinion of the instructors and teaching methods. We are looking for more emphasis on conversation and pronounciation.
Was there for a while. I had 2 or 3 teahcers. Pretty boring, but I doubt you’ll find much better elsewhere withough being lucky.
Brian
I was there for about a month. It all depends on the teacher. I had great ones and couldn’t complain. The same goes for Shida or Wenhua. It’s all about the teacher…
Does TLI now really have group classes in Hokkien (“Taiwanese”)? When I asked at their old Xinyi site about four years ago, they said they only had one-to-one (i.e. expensive) classes in Hokkien. Also, do they have really advanced Mandarin classes or does one have to go to Shida for that?
“Advanced” Mandarin for these guys (well, including Shita, really), if you’re talking about a group class, usually means “newspaper reading”, which is not really advanced. 
I would be very surprised if you could get a truly advanced group class at any branch of any buxiban in Taiwan. Every time in the past I’ve succumbed to such desires, I’ve ended up in a one-on-one, usually at TLI or CLI (the one on Anho Road, not the former “Flag”). Once I managed a two-student class but I had to provide the second student – who lost interest leaving me with a slightly cheaper one-on-one (so that wasn’t so bad).
Group Taiwanese classes – I dunno. But I’d doubt it, if it’s anything beyond the beginning level. There just aren’t enough people taking classes who are at the same level. Same problem as with advanced Mandarin or, for that matter, any of the less-commonly-taught languages here.
If I do Mandarin I would want an advanced class, but beginners’ would be fine for me in Hokkien/“Taiwanese.”
I’ve been round five of the schools teaching Chinese (including TLI and the Catholic place in Zhongshan North Road) and got the same answer at each - One-on-one classes only if you want to learn Hokkien (Taiwanese). It works out about 4 times as expensive as your average Mandarin group class. So come on, folks - Anyone want to join me for a beginners’/near-beginners’ Hokkien class? Any school in Taibei, any time of day.