NihaoCafe features abundant self-study exercises. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
More than 25 million people in the world are currently learning Mandarin, and the cumulative number of people learning Mandarin in the world is close to 200 million, according to a 2021 report by China’s Ministry of Education.
In 2021, Mandarin officially became the official language of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, elevating the role of Mandarin in international exchanges.
Inspired by the ongoing Mandarin learning craze fueled by China’s economic growth, That’s Mandarin, a Mandarinlanguage school, looks to expand its business to more cities of the world.
The school also promises learning Mandarin with them is both easy and fun.
Arguably one of China’s longest-standing Mandarin-language schools, That’s Mandarin was founded in 2005 and has since taught more than 50,000 students from over 100 countries around the world, according to Wan Xin, the school’s operations director.
Wan, who joined the school in 2008, has witnessed the school growing from five classrooms in Beijing to becoming a leader in the Chinese-language education industry, boasting three locations in Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou, each of which employs some 60 teachers.
A screenshot of a class review on NihaoCafe. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Incorporating technology into the school’s Mandarin-language programs in the past decade is one of the key drivers of its remarkable growth as well as what distinguishes the school from its competitors, said the operations director.
The school’s online platform NihaoCafe, first put into use in 201o, epitomizes such efforts.
A responsive website that looks good on all devices, NihaoCafe features copious online materials, such as videos, articles, comic stories, exercises, and whiteboards. The platform is also where all classes, online and offline, are held without using Skype or Zoom.
“If you miss a class, they have a great app that allows you to always study even on the go. This combination is extremely unique,” reads an online review by Bianca Teti, a student with That’s Mandarin in Beijing.
Peter Willis, a Serbian living in Beijing who has studied Mandarin with the school for three years, also spoke highly of the platform. “With a very good user-friendly interface, NihaoCafe contains everything a student needs to test and practice their language skills. It is very useful in class as well and teachers are using it to support their lessons,” he told the China Daily website.
Thanks to their consistent efforts to optimize its digital platform, That’s Mandarin has stayed afloat during the pandemic and has remained unscathed.
The textbook at That’s Mandarin is an HSK-graded TV series produced in 2020 that sheds light on contemporary Chinese life. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
“When in-person classes were cancelled, NihaoCafe made the transition to online classes quite smooth. Our students were able to keep studying with us, and there were also new students signing up for our online programs in 2020,” Wan said.
To help students learn fast and communicate confidently in Chinese, several tried-and-true techniques such as Mandarin link words and storytelling are adopted in That’s Mandarin’s classrooms.
For students who learn Mandarin from scratch, their textbook is not a paper one, either, but an HSK-graded TV series of 192 episodes spanning four seasons that shed light on contemporary Chinese life. Filmed by the school in 2020, the series ended up being an interactive story with over 70 characters, in 40 different locations across Beijing and Shanghai.
“This helps students have a clear picture of contemporary Chinese lifestyle, language, and culture, and develop the necessary skills to navigate modern China. So what they learn during class can be readily used in their daily conversations,” said the school’s operations director.
“I’m fluent enough to have no trouble in day-to-day communication,” said Willis, who has passed the HSK 4 test. “Having a teacher who comes from an urban environment also helped me learn a lot of slang that may not be in official textbooks and therefore equipped me to be able to discuss current trends and topics,” he added.
A screenshot of a child having a one-on-one Mandarin class on NihaoCafe. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Apart from the courses that are tailored to align with HSK levels, That’s Mandarin also helps customize courses that enable students to focus on specific areas of interest, and where they want to progress most.
“For example, we have students who are diplomats, businesspeople, and social media influencers, and they can be taught Chinese closely related to their jobs,” Wan explained.
It is not only adult learners who can study Chinese with That’s Mandarin, children can, too.
The school will soon launch NihaoKids, an online platform designed especially for young learners by helping them enjoy Mandarin Chinese lessons in a game-like manner. The lessons are developed with more than 50 games which will help them stay engaged and focused, according to the developers.
Fancy an adventure in Mandarin learning? Click here to book a free trial class with That's Mandarin.
