I'd quite like to learn Mahjong, that Chinese corner sounds interesting. Where is it held?

They use the Chinese Made Easy books, but I would HIGHLY recommend not starting out with them. Ask to use the GPA method to start out. It mimics how children learn language quickly. Basically, you start by just listening so that you can hear the sounds well before you try to say them. This helps later on with pronunciation issues. It will ultimately help you to NOT pickup bad pronunciation habits early. Also, it's completely in Chinese. For instance, your teacher will point to a cup and say 杯子. Then (in Chinese) your teacher will ask you to do something like point to the cup. At first, you won't understand because you don't know any Chinese, but your teacher will gesture until you understand what he/she is asking. This means that you will be exclusively listening in Chinese. You won't be translating in your head. It will also train you to listen for common phrases like "Where is...?" Or "What is this?" TPR (or Total Physical Response) goes along with this. For instance, your teacher may say something like 请你站 ("Please stand.") Again, at first you might feel a bit silly since it is the first time you'll be hearing commands in Chinese, but your teacher will mimic the action for you. Then when you hear the command, you will associate the verb with the action. This is how most of our brains naturally work, and it helps create language connections in your brain much more quickly than if you just try to memorize words. I seriously don't do any homework except for practicing writing Chinese characters, and I have been amazed that I can speak just as well as my friend who studies much harder and takes more hours of class. Also, GPA focuses on words you need to know NOW. So forget learning useless words that you learn in text books like "envelope." I learned how to say "send a text message" within the first two or three weeks of class because it was immediately useful to me. I also learned the Chinese name for WeChat because everyone uses it here. Anyway, hope that's helpful.

@Backpack

Yes. But where is it held?

Just got your PM. Cheers

I am also interested in the chinese corner. Where is it. Thank you for the adress.
Cheers, Billy

Here's a link to the school's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/tenwestschool/. Address, etc. can be found there. By the way Mahjong went so well last night, the owner is considering doing it once a month, FYI.

Thanks Backpack for your clear explanation of GPA and answering the question about CME. Looks like your posts are getting the school known for it's Chinese corner. Well done!

@backpack
you made a mistake. if you are criticizing chinese for being money hungry,- you are in the right country.

what you telling sounfs scary. So let me get this straight, you can't recommend that school high enough, because they JUST DO THEIR JOB for a ridiculoys tuition fee.

plus the chinese corner is a scam,they let you and other guest pay for their advertisement, which by the way, is a tax write off.

when i had my school, i gave free english classes including coffe,tea and snacks. and not some cheap a** nescafe. we had and still have an espresso machine, plus we used expensive tea and actual cake.
and we didn't lose all our money.

so from what i hear tenwest is the last place i would. want to study.

i don't get it....why is chinese class tuition, in a place where standard beijing chinese is not used, -more expensive than in beijing? not that i like beijing hua, actually quite opposite. but anyway...

@The Dudeson's
I hate to say this, but you don't know what you are talking about. You are making assumptions that are simply incorrect. You get what you pay for as I said before, and as I've talked to ex-pats here in town, I've found there are a few schools that are better than others. I'm not saying TenWest is the only good school in town, but I'm very clearly saying it is certainly one of the best. I've studied language acquisition — albeit briefly — and I feel that I'm qualified to make an assessment of how Westerners learn best.

If you don't understand why non-native Chinese speakers want to learn 普通话 as opposed to 昆明话, I don't think I'm going to be able to convince you here. I can tell you are a non-native speaker, but I can't tell if you are Chinese or not. Firstly, if you are not Chinese, you seem to really dislike Chinese culture. If so, why live here? If you are Chinese, you sound very bitter. This is not endearing to foreigners. It's hard enough for us to learn a new language and live in a culture that is not our own (and mind you, most of us really like China), but it doesn't help when we see so much negativity.

Lastly, the owner of TenWest has become a friend because he has treated me with respect and honor and because I am learning a language at his school that I never thought I would have the ability to learn: Chinese. He also asks his students for feedback and if there is anything he can do to make their learning experience better. This is truly exceptional in ANY country. This is why it is offensive to me when people speak about things they are ignorant of. Please don't belittle others when you clearly do not have enough information to make such a judgment.

The reason I would come on GoKunming and defend this school is because I think so highly of it, I have become a fan, someone who is willing to talk about a brand simply because their experience has been so positive. That speaks for itself. This is what Apple has. You can't pay for that. You have to provide a service or product at a price that people believe to be lower than what that product or service is actually worth. I believe TenWest does that in spades.

Woooow!

First I am fascinated that you are comparing TenWest with Apple, whose products are hugely,.... ridiculously,.... interstellar overprices, ...low quality,....standard technology -wrapped in a nice designed package.

They have really bad service, break all the time, they dodge warranty claims and make sure they break right after warranty [if you bother to buy warranty] is up. Even break on purpose, I forgot the word for it. Big issue by consumer protection in Europe. Apple products are raising red flags, in so many ways.

But I am glad you like it.

I only hope that TenWest, hs higher quality standards.

I like China and my Chinese friends, ...A LOT.....but I don't buy into that whole China-harmony BS.

My posts ranting about China are based on their supposedly Confucian philosophy, which seems the only REAL chinese thing, besides spitting, shi**ing in the street,, smoking in the smallest rooms possible[especially with infants inside], etc.

I at least don't have to lie and pretend everything is great here. I say out what most Chinese think, as well. It seems, the only ones who have absolutely no problem with all the cruelty, violence, and stupidity, are foreigners lying to themselves or are competing for "Non-Chinese-Chinese-of-the-year"!

Chinese is my third language, I learned via SL learning. So am I equally qualified to speak about schools? Oh also I teach a SL to locals and sometimes I wish people like you would give me a thumbs up for my according to your standards unbelievable teaching skills...I know more than one method,....Wow, am I awesome or what?

For a teacher to use [and know about] different teaching approaches, is as amazing, as a mechanic who can use a wrench and a screw driver.

May I point out, that you put your bar, really low.
To ask feedback form your students is also a very, very, very standard procedure, for pretty much any business, and some do it in many ways, e.g.

via salon's, feedback sheets, gathering/meetings. Some even have little surveys at the end of the year/term.

So don't bust me for not being amazed by what you write about the impressiveness of TenWest.

Now let me stun you a little.
I studied at DiQiuCun in Beijing. Oh and I agree, that the dialect shouldn't be a sign for teaching or learning quality. Buuuuuuuuuut, since you are so "Damn!!! -China is paradise", you should know that the real zenith of Chinese language, is ...if you speak Beijing hua, including the retarded '儿-hua.

So this place DQC was [maybe still is] 15 Yuan/h. Their teachers allhad speialties, and you could chose the style you wanted or needed. There wasn't something they didn't have. The teachers [supposedly] go all through the same training and examinations for being Languag Teachers. So, they are all pretty much equally trained.

Also ONE good teacher makes not a good school. But it helps.

So, since China is you Graceland, you should maybe ask your boss buddy, if he can teach you the highest standard [by Chinese thinking] Chinese.

Look, I am not busting for doing advertisement for you boss buddy. i am just saying that from what you say it sounds like any Chinese language school, and most in Kunming, if not all,- are far overpriced,and very restrictive.

So actually I am not saying that Ten West is bad but it doesn't sound especially amazing by the standards you set, or your experienced.

I am saying the club, with a 10 RMB fee seems, pretty greedy.
As I said you are running advertisement, for other laowai's to take a look, and to join. And I don't know any club or salon, where the guests have to pay a fee, for coffee.

It's the same if you'd go to one of these real estate buying places and you pay for the tea, there. Usually,they give you the best booze or beverages they can handle.

I am not here to offend but I am not ignorant [just here for a long time, and I have seen a lot of sh*t here] and as you are advertising for your buddy, you should know the first rule of advertising." Don't offend the customer!"