As a Chinese native who has lived in the United States for twenty years, as an individual with an advanced degree in Asian Literature and Linguistics, and as a Pennsylvania certified language teacher, I’ve learned to appreciate other languages as much as my own.  Learning English, Vietnamese, Spanish and a few words of several other languages has helped me understand that someone who speaks Chinese may not necessarily be an effective language teacher for others. Teaching language is an art and requires much of learning and knowledge beyond the language itself.

It’s hard for children to begin learning a language if it is taught dryly.  This approach may work for adults, but it doesn’t work with kids.   Instead of encouraging learners, a dull, repetitive approach may even diminish a person’s interest in learning the language.

With that in mind and different learning intelligences and abilities of all students, I plan my lessons accordingly. I have found ways to teach the basics of Chinese pronunciation, writing, and grammar in a fun and engaging way. We “Pinyin” (a system of phonetic writing), use rhymes, sing, and do arts and crafts such as brush painting, calligraphy, origami and etc.   Experimenting with Chinese food and even doing a little Chinese cooking help students learn about Chinese culture and customs effectively.  Positive responses from past students affirm my belief in the effectiveness of this approach.  My confidence in this approach is also based on many positive responses from parents who attended my Mandarin classes with their children.

Having graduated with a BA in Asian Linguistics and Literature and BS in Accounting, obtained Pennsylvania teaching certification for teaching Chinese, and gaining a master in education, I have held a variety of jobs.  These include:

• Language teacher

• Chinese/English Interpreter

• Accountant

• Auditor

• Airline representative

• Manager of an arts and crafts store

• Home-schooling educator

Ming’s Center offers private or group classes in Chinese (Mandarin) at my office or via the Internet using a web camera. 

In addition to the language classes/tutoring, we also offer

• Translation of short documents from English to Chinese or Chinese to English 
  

• Corporate consulting on cross-cultural dealings.
  

For more information about any of the classes or seminars, please contact Ming at:

Phone:    412-805-8288

Fax:        412-247-5040

E-mail:    mingscenter@gmail.com