Hoddesdon Mandarin Tutors and Hoddesdon Mandarin Tuition

Personal Description:
I am a native Chinese speaker with a good level of English.
A good nature and level headed character with lots of patience.
I used to Work as an announcer at a local cable television station in China.
Chinese language presenter for Eava FM 102.5, a local radio station in Leicester for minorities.

Teaching Experience:
Mandarin Tutor for the University of Leicester.
Mandarin Tutor for the University of Nottingham.
Mandarin Tutor for the Leicester Chinese Community Centre.
Mandarin Tutor for the Seagrave village primary school in Loughborough.
Private Tutor for students taking the GCSE.
Private Chinese Tutor for Adult student.

Tutoring Approach:
Setting the targets for each Level.
Encourage students to participate in arranging course contents.
Allowing maximum interaction via group activities.

Subjects

Personal Description:
My name is Phoebe. I'm a native Chinese speaker who moved to England 22 years ago. I am now a British Citizen and have lived in Chesham for 20 years. I gained my MBA at the University of Leicester in 2002. I have two daughters, and both speak Mandarin fluently. I used to work for an insurance company as an auditor, and now I am a full-time Chinese Tutor.

I have gained two teaching certificates: "Teaching Chinese to Young Learners" and "Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language". I have been working as a Chinese tutor since 2009.

I have also tutored several students who went on to achieve top grades in their GCSE Chinese exams, and I currently teach at a private school in the Chalfont area. Teaching is truly my passion, and I'm committed to helping every learner reach their full potential.
If you or your child feel you could benefit from extra support, I'd be delighted to help.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch.

*****Congrats to my student Azaan M, who gained an 8 in GCSE in 2026*****
*****Congrats to my student Chokhmah J, who gained a 9 in GCSE in 2025*****
*****Congrats to my student: Loarn L, who gained an A in IGCSE in 2025*****
*****Congrats to my student Mungo L, who passed HSK Level 4 in 2024*****
*****Congrats to my student Nathaniel P, who passed HSK Level 2 in 2024*****
*****Congrats to my student Nathaniel P, who passed HSK Level 2 in 2024*****
*****Congrats to my student Mungo L, who gained an A* in IGCSE in 2023*****
*****Congrats to my student Sophie A, who gained an 8 in GCSE in 2022*****
*****Congrats to my student Eleanor P, who passed HSK Level 3 in 2021*****
*****Congrats to my student Charis P, who passed HSK Level 3 in 2020*****
*****Congrats to my student Jocelyn S, who gained a 9 in GCSE in 2019*****
*****Congrats to my student Jo-Emma B, who gained an A in GCSE in 2015*****

Teaching Experience:
I have extensive experience teaching children, teenagers, and adults, and I offer both group lessons and one‑to‑one sessions. Each format has its own strengths:
• In group classes, you benefit from interacting with other learners, which helps build confidence and conversational skills.
• In one‑to‑one lessons, the content is fully tailored to your personal goals, pace, and interests.
Whichever option you choose, you'll find that both are excellent ways to learn Chinese effectively and enjoyably.
Over the years, I've taught students from a wide range of nationalities, including learners from the UK, America, Canada, Russia, Germany, and South Africa. It has been a joy helping them progress, and we've shared many memorable moments along the way.
If you'd like to read some of their references, I'm happy to provide them upon request.

Tutoring Approach:
🌟Give Your Child the Gift of Mandarin! 🌟
This is a fantastic opportunity for your child to learn Chinese Mandarin in a small, supportive group of just six students. I'm an experienced Mandarin tutor and have been teaching since 2009. My lessons are interactive, engaging, and designed to help children learn quickly while genuinely enjoying the process.
✨ Why join?
• Small group size for personalised attention
• Fun, dynamic lessons that keep children motivated
• Suitable for complete beginners through to advanced learners
• A warm, encouraging learning environment
📚 Levels: Beginner to Advanced
⏳ Only four places left - book now to secure a spot!

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a qualified Mandarin teacher who is experienced teaching Mandarin across the age groups and at different levels, from beginner to A Level. I enjoy teaching Chinese and get great satisfaction from achieving excellent results with my pupils. I have taught Mandarin in independent and state schools. I tutor pupils of 4-18 years old at my home in Weybridge, in one to one, one to two, or small group settings. A Chinese graduate with degrees in the UK, I have lived here for 20 years and have great understanding of both cultures. I am also a GCSE/IGCSE/A Level examiner who is familiar with GCSE/IGCSE/A Level specifications.

Teaching Experience:
I am fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. I tutor according to students' requirements: either gaining exposure as a complete beginner from this up or coming language, learning basic daily conversations prior to travel, or preparing for GCSE and A Level examinations.

Tutoring Approach:
With excellent knowledge of cultural differences between China and UK, my approach to tutoring is practical and encouraging with a sense of humour. I can help my students in a flexible, adaptive and tailored way, as I understand that each student is an individual with individual needs. I enjoy good relationships with them and take great pleasure to obtain excellent results.

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Personal Description:
'Talented', 'inspiring', 'fun', 'a wealth of knowledge'...Majority of people enjoyed my lessons and fell in love with Chinese language. I am a smart Mandarin video creator and have composed 9 Mandarin learning books.

I have been teaching and training since 2009 and gained excellent testimonials. I have taught and trained over a thousand people from all backgrounds, including Defence Academy of UK, BP Technology Centre, Logicalis, The Said Business School, The European School at Culham and much more.

My specialisation in the teaching of Mandarin is designing structured and logical material and various activities in order to make learning enjoyable and achievable. I have developed inspiring and motivational teaching strategies. Some learners could be able to grasp Mandarin skills in 30 hours.

I enjoy teaching all levels, including GCSE, A Level, IB, university level and business Chinese.

I have good communication, organisation, planning and management skills with a sense of humour.

Thank you and enjoy learning Mandarin.

Teaching Experience:
Career Summary

June 2011 to present
Managing Director at MOLAES (Modern Oriental Language, Academic and Enterprise Services)
Clients including BP, Logicalis, P2i, Academy of Defence of UK, LPA Channel Electric, Said Business School, The
Taylor & Francis Group, European School at Culham, St. Hugh's Prep School and St Edward School in Oxford etc.

February 2012 to Present
Part-time Mandarin Teacher The Downe House

February 2011 to August 2011
Temporary Part-time Mandarin Teacher St. Bartholomew's School, Newbury

September 2009 to present
Permanent Part time Language Tutor Oxfordshire Adult Learning, Oxfordshire

February 2010 to Present
Contract Part-time Mandarin Tutor St. George International Foreign Languages
Directors Languages, Buckinghamshire
Professional Language Solutions
Simon & Simon Language School

I have been delivering Mandarin course to all levels and ages. My specialisation is designing
structured and logical material and wide ranges of activities to making learning enjoyable and achievable.

Each of my courses is tailored to needs of the students, beginning with developing their Individual Learning Plan and defining their Personal Learning Style. I also encourage my student to provide feedback and assessment of each lesson so that I can monitor my teaching style as I am always looking for ways to improve.

My goal is always to deliver teaching in a style which engages my students and makes learning interesting and fun.

Tutoring Approach:
Various approaches to meet the different learning styles.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a native Chinese and I come from northeast of China - Chang Chun, where the first movie and car were made in China, and it also has the most numbers of the universities in China.

I came to the UK in 2007, and I feel grateful and joyful to experience this dynamic culture and to meet many interesting and decent people.

I love food, music, movies, and spending time in nature. I am interested in healthy living and different cultures, I like to visit and explore new places, meet people, and most importantly, to serve others with the skills and talents I have.

Teaching Experience:
I started teaching Mandarin in 2002 where I volunteered to teach 7 western teachers at Jilin University, where I studied in China, and I gained my first teaching experience.

A year later after my graduation I went on working for Dao Hang Language Institution in China as an English teacher. I taught both children and adults, and from then I realised that each student had their own unique way of learning, and teaching should be tailored according to each individual's need.

I also provided Mandarin lessons to corporate staff whist working as a PA in GE and Philips in China.

After settling in the UK, I started providing private lessons from October 2009 and I taught in schools, companies, and individuals in London and Cambridge. I helped students achieved their GCSE/AS/A2 levels, and currently I am preparing a student for his HSK exam, and another student for his GCSE exam in 2022.

I have been receiving positive feedback from my students, and as a result, some of them increased their weekly lessons with me.

In 2021 I was recruited by Cambridge Assessment as an examiner for the Mandarin subject.

Tutoring Approach:
When it comes to learning a language, if we watch the way how a young child is learning, he/she spends most of the time listening first and then imitating, and with the language environment, he/she flourishes. This is the most natural approach.

When it comes to learning a new language as an adult, I know (because I have done it and I have seen others done it too) that within each one of us we still have the potential to activate that part of the brain which allows us to acquire and absorb the new language subconsciously, or simply put, to have a feel for it!

In my lessons I usually combine listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities. My students submerge in a lot of listening and speaking at the early stage of the lessons, and then we move onto reading and sometimes storytelling, depending on the age group. I do my best to understand each of my students' learning needs, goals and interest and tailor the lessons by increasing certain activities, along with Chinese culture and customs explained.

We do have a touch on grammar too, but not in a sense trying to memorise them, it is rather as a guidance.

I believe Mandarin or any language can be easily acquired through this natural approach with time and effort, and I will be here with you taking every step on this amazing journey!

Subjects

Personal Description:
PhD degree in Information, Decision and Operations from the University of Bath.
Master degree in Engineering from National Taiwan University. Strong engineering background and major in Math.
My personality is outgoing and open, easy of approach.
I am very confident in teaching Mandarin which is my first language.

Teaching Experience:
Tutor in statistic and mathematics related subjects in University of Bath for two years.
Teaching assistant in University of Bath.
Teaching seminars for software operation.
Math and science private teaching for 7 years (Taiwan&UK).
Chinese private teaching for 4 years in UK.

Tutoring Approach:
Preparation of exercises for student.
Homework and practice questions.
Teaching by following the textbook.
Feedback time.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Pearson LTL Examiner
14 years experience of Chinese teaching in
Academic:
(my this year's(2025) students are in GCSE, IGCSE;, A-level and Pre-u all got their expected results as A*, A and D3 and successfully got the offers from the first choice universities.

Experienced teaching in GCSE, IGCSE( in three different levels),
A level(Edexcel, AQA, Cambridge International esp. Literature in paper4), Pre-u,
IB (A&B), and
HSK1-6.

For university students:
2 years teaching experience in university in the UK
10 years teaching experience in university in Shanghai, China
Experienced Teaching in
HSK1-6;
Chinese Literature;
Translation Studies

For Adults learners:

Business Chinese,
&
Casual Chinese and culture.

25 years of TCFL and TEFL teaching experience in university;
Holding the national certificate of Standard Mandarin Speaking (A*)(issued by China Education Bureau), Native speaker of Mandarin. Over 8 years' supervising experience in MA & PhD Translation Studies, Education Studies.

Teaching Experience:
When you are looking for a language teacher, you may see the following key points:
1. Native speaker of Mandarin ( I am holding Chinese National Certificate of Standard Mandarin speaking (A*);
2. Majored in Linguistics (Translation Studies);
3. Highest Degree in Linguistics and Social Media Studies;
4. Practical experience as a teacher, an examiner and a marker;
5. Professional teacher (I am holding the Higher Education Teaching Certificate (only 14% university teachers who have the certificate and the PhD degree at the same time in China) .
With solid foundation of literature knowledge, applied writing skills, and cultural awareness, I can not only teach you "what" knowledge but also explain you "why"and "how" knowledge.
current teaching:
Chinese/Mandarin GCSE, IGCSE(0509;0547), ALEVEL, IB, PRE-U, and HSK1-5, Chinese Literature;
Teacher Training Course

CV:
I have experience of being GCSE (Chinese , Mandarin) and IB (Chinese, Mandarin) oral exam Examiner.
I have over 23 years' teaching experience in universities (both in China and the UK). The main jobs I am doing are teaching TEFL courses, TCFL courses (students are adults students and mainly start from 0 level), Translation Studies, and supervising students in MA Education, Translation Studies, and Journalism as their MA supervisor. Since 2017, I also supervise PhD students in Translation Studies as well. I left my beloved working university because I need to move to London with my family. From 2013-2015, during my PhD research study period, I taught in the University of Salford, the main courses I taught were Chinese Language and Culture as well as the MA course of Business Conference Interpretation. Since the university closed the school of Languages, I could not go on teaching there. Luckily, I can teach via Spires now, can go on helping the young people to make their learning target and pursuit their dreams.


About Me
edit
I have a PhD Degree in Translation Studies and MA Degree in TEFL.
I have 22Years' teaching experience as a University language tutor in English and Chinese.
I have 14 years' experience of teaching Mandarin in the UK in all levels.


My Areas of Expertise
edit
Teaching Chinese/Mandarin GCSE, IGCSE,ALEVEL, IB, PRE-U, and HSK1-5
Teaching Chinese Literature (Classical articles in Ming Dynasty, Modern Literature works, famous poems in Ancient times)
Teaching Chinese students in preparing of IELTS, IB, AP Literature and Composition　
Supervising MA dissertation in Education ,Translation Studies.
Teacher Training Course (Theoretical and Practical Teaching skills and strategies) (Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language); (making teaching plan, prepare the teaching materials, get to know the external examinations in the UK (GCSE, A-Level, Pre-U) as well as in other countries (IB, IGCSE), designing after school clubs, etc. )

Tutoring Approach:
textbooks teaching, useful online materials and self designed teaching materials.
According to individual client's learning target, exam target and other study plan, I would like to offer individual teaching materials varied from online resources to self designed ones.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I have over 10 years of tutoring experience and have tutored students of all ages. I have worked in education for many years and have an in-depth knowledge of requirements for all exam boards.
Personally, I have a passion for English Literature and foreign languages and work hard for my students to achieve the best possible results.
I enjoy learning and communicating in foreign languages as well as understanding other cultures. I have been learning Chinese for 6 years.
I have lived and taught in a variety of countries making me adaptable, resilient, creative and resourceful. This enables me to pass on important life skills to my students in addition to coaching through the demands of a GCSE or A Levels in their chosen subject.

Teaching Experience:
I am a fully qualified teacher who has spent the last 20 years in education including time as a full-time teacher, head of department, tutor and moderator. Additionally, I taught English as a foreign language for 3 years in Quebec, Spain and the Czech Republic. I have tutored students in English Language, English Literature, French, Spanish and German. I obtained my Secondary PGCE in 2009 and have taught in three outstanding schools (Ofsted rated).

Tutoring Approach:
I offer tuition to GCSE in English Language, English Literature. I tutor online through Skype, Zoom or Google Meets. My aim is to get my students to enjoy the subject as this is key to achieving academic success. My students describe me as a creative, motivational and enthusiastic tutor who focuses on progress before perfection.

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Personal Description:
I'm a master student from China majoring in human nutrition in Glasgow university. Before this, in my undergraduate university in China I have worked as a proofreader of dictated draft from speech records for student union. I'm good at wording and grammar. Recently I learned a little German and Arabic to experience how people speaking varies around the world and also inspired by these teachers as to how to approach to a language from 0.

Teaching Experience:
During this year I have taught a classmate mandarin from 0. He is a Scottish. However, he is keen to learn a wide variety of languages. When he found Korean and Malay easier he gave up mandarin. Such a worldwide culture vulture! Anyway, no matter you learn mandarin for culture, travel, work, yellow-face friends, curiosity, or just Chinese restaurants, you are all warmly welcome! I can teach you from the basic pronunciation which is like singing to beautiful Chinese characters which is like dancing.....

Tutoring Approach:
I'm only available from September to December 2016. I'm friendly and very patient. If you have time for homestudying I can teach more during tutorial; if not, we will practice more together to consolidate memory. Language is for communication, absolutely not for getting a high score!
Honored to be your teacher!

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am an outgoing, patient, and hard-working girl with short hair. I have finished both of my master's degrees at the University of Warwick within the field of Engineering and started to work on my Ph.D. degree from the Nov of 2020 for Autonomous Vehicle also at the University of Warwick.

Outside of my academic work, I have pursued many extracurricular undertakings throughout my life. During my undergraduate study, I served as the University of Liverpool Flash Mob Society President and led huge street performance activities which were broadcast by CCTV13 and several other television channels. Despite attending school in China, I took English A-Levels and I have attained high marks in English language exams. Further, I am a talented musician and, at the age of 11, I obtained a Level 9 certification (UK Grade 8 equivalent) in the electric organ. Also able to join several excellent internship opportunities.

Teaching Experience:
I have been worked in a company which teaches English to under-achieving Chinese children. These experiences have greatly improved my skills in self-assessment, teamwork and communication.

I have taught some friends I met at the University who were interested in Mandarin and after a term, they can do simple conversation with me.

Tutoring Approach:
I prefer to teach Mandarin based on a book with exercises on it. But I also believe that the most effective way to learn a language is freestyle conversation with different theme after several basic lessons. I am very patient and love to teach children during playing small games with them. During the current Covid-19 situations, the online meeting is preferred.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Graduated in Trinity College LTCL in Violin (Masters). Currently active member of The University of Manchester Symphony Orchestra and Manchester String Orchestra. Joined the Aberystwyth Philomusica and Aberystwyth Wind Band for more than 3 years. Over 10 years of music experiences. Have been learning, practising and expertising in music all my life. More like an exchange in music between music lovers rather than boring lessons. Provide violin, pop vocal, piano, basic saxophone and recorder tuition.

Teaching Experience:
Orchestra & Wind Band, Violin Music Tutor

Organization: The University of Manchester Symphony Orchestra ,Manchester String Orchestra, Aberystwyth Philomusica,
Nature of Work: First Violinist

Organization: Aberystwyth University Wind Band
Nature of work: Saxophonist

Nature of work: Private Music Tutor
Employment type: Self-employed
Dates: Ongoing

Tutoring Approach:
Introducing the easiest way to grasp the basic music skills in just a few lessons, in focus of performance-level, advanced pop and classical violin, pop singing, classical piano, basic saxophone and recorder.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Long Distance Running.
• Table Tennis & Basketball Player.
• Piano Player and Ukulele player - currently achieved medium level.
• Continuing with my own education to improve my knowledge and understanding of the educational system materials

Teaching Experience:
Experiences from Primary school to AS level Chinese, up to adult learners; I have been working at Bohunt Secondary school, Liphook, Whitgift independent school, St Gregory's school, Bath and St Alban's primary school, Macclesfield as a Chinese teacher.
Experiences from tutoring maths GCSE (AQA and EDEXCEL Exam Board), a former AQA Maths GCSE examiner.
Also experienced in teaching Chinese on a one-to-one basis, from 4-year-olds to adult age groups; also a GCSE/A-level examiner.
I am also an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) tutor at one local school in Oxford; a freelance writer at Amazon, Jinbu 1 and 2 diary for beginners to intermediate level via Amazon。

Tutoring Approach:
Teams online or face to face.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I graduated from university in China with a major in Journalism. I worked for more than five years at provincial and municipal television stations in China as a presenter, and I obtained certification in the National Putonghua Proficiency Test. In order to further enhance my skills, I pursued a Master's degree in International Business at a university in the UK, which I successfully completed. From the above, it can be seen that my proficiency in Chinese comes from my background in Journalism, while my international perspective is derived from studying International Business at the Master's level.

I am a loving, patient teacher with a strong sense of responsibility and I truly love Chinese language teaching.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching Chinese for nearly 10 years, and during this time I also founded my own Chinese school, offering courses from beginner to intermediate and advanced levels. The main exams I prepare students for include YCT1-4, HSK1-6, GCSE Chinese, A-LEVEL Chinese, Business Chinese (from beginner to advanced), and more. My students have achieved outstanding results: a 100% pass rate for YCT1-4 with average scores above 90, GCSE Chinese students scoring 8 A+ or above, National 5 Mandarin students receiving A grades, A-LEVEL Chinese students achieving 8 A+ or above, and a recent student scored 260 out of 300 on the HSK4 Exam.

I can help students of any Chinese proficiency level reach their desired goals. I am a very kind and patient teacher with a high sense of responsibility. With the rapid development of internet technology and to save time and convenience, many students prefer to learn online. Would you like to learn Chinese online? Would you like me to teach you Chinese?

Tutoring Approach:
My Chinese teaching method primarily involves using both English and Chinese simultaneously. For beginner students, English is used more frequently than Chinese. However, as teaching progresses and students' proficiency in Chinese improves, Chinese gradually becomes the dominant language. Of course, the use of both languages varies randomly and is never fixed.

In classroom, I practice different teaching methods e.g. entertaining and interactive lectures and follow through induction, these effectively stimulate students' interest and enthusiasm in learning Chinese.

Furthermore, individualized instruction is the primary teaching method I employ in Chinese language teaching. Different students have different comprehension abilities, which requires teachers to continuously adapt to their students. I am a caring and patient teacher, but I also maintain a certain level of strictness. In my teaching, I promptly provide assistance and corrections tailored to students' specific challenges, allowing them to progress more effectively.

Subjects

Personal Description:
Fully qualified teacher of Mandarin (all levels).

I prepare students for GCSE and A-level exams, as well as conduct and assess these exams for schools. I also provide teaching services for higher education establishments, government departments, and corporate entities.
I assist students with all levels of the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK), and all my students have a very high success rate.

Teaching Experience:
I have been professionally teaching Mandarin for 15 years +.

Tutoring Approach:
I am a passionate teacher and like to keep my lessons interactive and fun.

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Personal Description:
Hey everyone! This is Jaycee from Hong Kong. I love art and fashion. I relish teaching, playing tennis ,watching movies and making ceramics. I am energetic and passionate in education and I have a sense of humour and like to explore new things.

Teaching Experience:
I am a qualified and accredited English and Mandarin teacher while my mother tongue is Cantonese as I am a Hong Kongese. Having been teaching in secondary school up to the sixth formers for years, I have rich experience in assisting students in mastering the language and identifying their room for improvement to shoot stars and boost their confidence , as well as finding the meaning of learning languages with inspiration and thought-provoking questions. I have received training in SEN in universities in Melbourne and got experience in teaching SEN students.

Tutoring Approach:
It depends on the needs, level, strengths and background of students to make adjustments on what sort of teaching mode and materials would be appropriate to help them fulfil their potential and excel, reaching or go beyond their target.

Making learning enjoyable and irresistible is the key to enhance the cognitive reception and performance of learners.
Thus, having a tutor is more for getting support and sharpening skills to lay a solid foundation for building your blocks higher.

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Personal Description:
I'm passionate about teaching languages and admittedly spend far too much time preparing lessons or so I'm told at home! My greatest motivation comes from the sense of achievement when my students are able to express themselves more in their target language.

I'm a qualified teacher from Hong Kong with 15 years of experience in teaching Mandarin and English, and I have met the professional requirements for language teachers in both subjects.

I studied Linguistics in university, and achieved a score of 90.7 in the Putonghua Proficiency Test. I understanding challenges my students may face when learning a second language, and I am confident in teaching Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) using English as medium of instruction.

Tell me your expectations and let me tailor lesson plans and teaching materials just for you.

Teaching Experience:
- 3.5 year experience in online teaching (Mandarin, Cantonese and English)
- Invigilating GCSE & A-Level Chinese (Speaking - Mandarin & Cantonese)
- 15 year full time teaching (Mandarin and English) in secondary schools in Hong Kong

Tutoring Approach:
I feel genuinely happy for my student, a new dad in a bilingual English-Cantonese family!!

Congratulations to my student who can now give a short presentation in Cantonese and write a paragraph of over 70 characters! Believe it or not, her handwriting is better than that of many primary school students in Hong Kong -- I'm so proud of her:)

My 11 year old student has also learnt to tell her favourite story, Finding Nemo, in Mandarin while preparing for the musical at school. We both enjoyed talking about the characters and writing the story together -- it was so much fun!

Tell me your learning goals, and I'll tailor lesson plans and teaching materials just for you.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I specialise in helping students achieve Grades 8-9 in GCSE Chinese through structured, exam-focused training.

TCSOL-qualified Mandarin teacher with over 20 years of experience, specialising in GCSE, IGCSE and A-Level exam preparation. I am also a certified HSK examiner and GCSE Speaking Examiner, with a clear understanding of exam requirements and marking criteria.

Teaching Experience:
Many of my students have achieved strong GCSE results, including those who initially struggled or lacked confidence.

I have developed a structured GCSE Chinese programme, supported by my own teaching materials, to help students improve efficiently and master key exam skills.

I focus on delivering targeted, high-impact teaching, while maintaining a supportive and engaging learning environment where students are challenged but not overwhelmed.

Alongside 1:1 tuition, I run multiple local GCSE Chinese group classes, allowing me to identify patterns in student performance and deliver highly targeted, exam-focused teaching.

Tutoring Approach:
Lessons are fully personalised and focused on achieving measurable results.

For exam preparation (GCSE / IGCSE / A-Level, including AQA, Edexcel and Cambridge IGCSE), lessons focus on:
- Speaking fluency and exam performance
- Writing structure and accuracy based on mark schemes
- Listening skills and exam techniques
- Targeted improvement on weak areas

Lessons are designed to be effective and focused, using proven teaching methods to maximise progress.

After each lesson, students receive targeted homework and lesson notes to reinforce learning and support independent revision.

️️ Limited availability - most students stay long-term.

Subjects

Personal Description:
I am a full-time Mandarin Chinese tutor in the UK. I hold a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Newcastle University, as well as a Certificate in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. I am a positive, reliable and supportive tutor, and I like to create a friendly and encouraging learning environment. I firmly believe that a relaxed atmosphere can lead to more effective learning. I
have a high student retention rate, with many students continuing to learn with me for a long time. I offer a free 20 minutes online initial consultation. Enhanced DBS check, academic qualifications, and references are available upon request.

I can help with
*General Mandarin and more, such as Business Chinese, Chinese for travel, character reading and writing, graded reading etc.
*Exam Support ( GCSE, IGCSE, A Level, HSK).
*Personalised lesson planning
*All ages and levels
*1 to 1 & small group
* Online & in person

Outside of teaching, I am a mum to two teenage boys. Even though they don't need me as much as they used to, they still keep me busy! In my spare time, I love reading, walking and watching movies.

Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching Chinese in the UK for over 15 years and have taught learners of all ages and levels, both in private and group settings. My teaching experience also includes working with local schools and institutions. I also work as a visiting speaking examiner for GCSE and A Level Mandarin, and regularly visit local schools to conduct speaking exams. Before moving to the UK in 2005, I worked as a secondary school English teacher in Taiwan.

Some recent reviews shared by students and parents I have supported.

"I have been working with Fenlan or laoshi for the past 5 months now and am pleased to say I'm very happy with her teaching approach and overall attitude to work. I first met Fenlan through first tutors whom I'm very pleased with also for finding such a fantastic teacher for me but also having a really reasonable finders fee which I was very appreciative of. I was interested in Chinese for a while and I decided I wanted to learn as an interest and hobby I looked one for more information when I came across first tutors. I had a good look at their website and decided to ask if anyone would like to teach me, Fenlan agreed and I have been learning for the past 5 months now making steady progress with which I'm happy with and enjoying. Fenlan has a good nature is easy to get along with and very patient with a great sense of humour that makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. I would recommend her to anyone I can't imagine there is better. Thanks so much to first tutors and thank you Fenlan.
~Dean Allan, Newcastle~

"My son has had an excellent experience so far with Fenlan, his Mandarin tutor. Lessons are engaging, well-structured, and tailored to his level, which has really boosted his confidence. Highly recommended." ~Jill, Newcastle~

"My daughter has had a few weeks of lessons with Fenlan and we have been amazed at the progress she has made in this short time from her teaching. Fenlan is patient, highly organized and talented, and we are extremely glad we found her. We are happy to recommend her without hesitation." ~Ian, London~

Tutoring Approach:
My lessons are highly interactive, with plenty of conversation mixed with grammar and exercises. Although my lessons are fun and enjoyable, I also make sure they are challenging enough to suit different abilities and levels. I also bring Chinese cultural knowledge and culture-related activities into my lessons, so you are not just learning the Chinese language, but also getting to know and appreciate the rich culture behind it.

I tailor my lessons to each student's individual needs. We will discuss your needs and goals together, and I will create a personalised plan for you. We can also make changes to the plan whenever needed as your learning progresses.

Lessons are usually based on a textbook suitable for your level. I will recommend a textbook for you to purchase. I find textbooks useful because they provide a clear structure for learning, with important language points introduced in a logical, step-by-step way. I will also supply extra digital materials whenever they are useful. (If you are doing a short course just for exam prep, a textbook might not even be necessary.)

I encourage students to learn character reading and writing from the beginning. You may find this challenging and it can make the initial stages of learning a little slower, but it will benefit you greatly in the long run. However, I understand that students have different goals and preferences, so we can adjust the balance between speaking, listening, reading and writing according to your needs. If you prefer to focus mainly on speaking and listening, we can do that too.

Once students have learned around 150 words commonly used characters, I will gradually introduce graded reading into their learning. I have found it helps improve reading skills, reinforce vocabulary and character recognition, and give students greater sense of progress and achievement. It can also be a fun and enjoyable way to meet familiar language in a meaningful way.

Homework is given regularly to help consolidate your learning. Throughout my teaching career, I have seen how helpful homework can be, and I always encourage my students to do it when possible. However, I also understand that every student is different, especially adult learners who have to use their time outside work to learn Chinese. So, if you don't have time to complete your homework, I promise you won't be punished! 😀

You may find that Chinese is not as difficult as you think once you give it a go. I firmly believe that, with the help of the right tutor, you can overcome the challenges that may come with learning Chinese.

Good luck with your learning, and I look forward to hearing from you!

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