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One-on-one Chinese tutoring options

goodmango (8 posts) • +2

Hi all!
I'm an American teacher and am really desperate to find an excellent Chinese tutor. I'm basically interested in two 90 minute classes per week and would like to focus on conversational Chinese, reading, and preparing for HSK 4. It'd be ideal if the tutor were from an area where 普通话 is spoken but this is not absolutely necessary. What's most important is professional experience teaching foreigners Chinese, and perhaps also being able to come to my apartment for class. I live in 阳光花园.I teach in the evenings so class would have to be in the daytime Mon-Fri. Can anyone recommend someone to me? Thank you in advance!

Geezer (1953 posts) • 0

Unfortunately, there is no area where 普通话 is spoken. Like RP in the UK, 普通话 is an artificial version of Chinese.

A book, "A Billion Voices: China's Search for a Common Language" by David Moser — a linguistic history of China, Kindle $4.22, is a history of the making of 普通话.

Geezer (1953 posts) • 0

Two other books about Chinese and learning Chinese:

"The Chinese Language: Fact and Fantasy" 1st Edition by John DeFrancis, paperback about $25

"Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons In Life, Love, And Language" by Deborah Fallows, Kindle $9.59

Liumingke1234 (3297 posts) • 0

Recently there's been quite a few ads here of Chinese teachers looking for students. Do you try those? Usually teachers of Chinese can spoke Putonghua. It's the same with the English language. Someone from the Midwest's English will sound slightly different from someone from New York vs. someone from England. You should have no trouble finding a teacher.
Here's a recent ad:
www.gokunming.com/[...]

sethos88 (9 posts) • 0

ask other foreigners if they know someone they can recommend otherwise you need a ton of

interviews or big luck to find someone

good.

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • 0

A lot also depends on tutor schedule vs your schedule, and where you live vs tutors location.

I would say that you need to ask for qualifications (not just certs) and ignore the over enthusiastic, over confident fresh grads just returned from overseas who think that anyone can teach.

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