As a Chinese native who has lived in the United States for almost twenty years, as an individual with an advanced degree in Asian Literature and Linguistics, and as a 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 with an advanced degree in a language will not necessarily be an effective language teacher for beginners.
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, I’ve designed my own courses based on teaching the basics of Chinese pronunciation, writing, and grammar in a fun way. We “Pinyin” (a system of phonetic writing), use rhymes, sing, and do crafts such as brush painting, calligraphy, etc. Experimenting with Chinese food and even doing a little Chinese cooking helps 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, 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 (3 pages or less) from English to Chinese or Chinese to English
- Corporate consulting on cross-cultural dealings
If you would like to learn more about China and its culture and customs, please visit www.us-chinainformation.blogspot.com, which explains, and offers ways to bridge, cultural differences.
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