LoginNing - Southampton tutor
Information About Ning:
Personal Description:
MA-Qualified Mandarin Tutor | Certified Higher Education Teacher | 10+ Years' Experience | GCSE, IB, HSK, A Level & University | Adults & Young | Proven Excellent Results from Beginner to Advanced
• Enjoy a FREE 1-Hour Trial Lesson
I am a qualified and certified language teacher with over ten years of teaching experience. I specialise in teaching AQA GCSE, Cambridge IGCSE, HSK, HSKK, and IB Chinese qualifications, as well as providing Chinese tuition for adults and children, including business Chinese and travel Chinese.
With strong academic qualifications, extensive teaching experience, and a personalised teaching approach, I help students achieve their highest potential, whether they are preparing for examinations, developing practical communication skills, or pursuing personal language goals.
I am originally from Xi'an, China, and began my teaching career at university level, where I taught English as a Second Language to undergraduate students. My passion for education, commitment to student success, and dedication to teaching excellence earned me the recognition of Excellent Teacher.
Over the past ten years, I have continued to develop my professional skills beyond the classroom. During this time, I took a short break from teaching to work as a translator and Chinese Business Development Manager for a UK-based international company.
In this role, I supported the company's expansion into the Chinese market by establishing a Beijing office, developing brand strategies, negotiating with Chinese partners, and advising staff on Chinese business culture.
I offer comprehensive tuition for students of all ages and proficiency levels. Courses currently available include:
• HSK (Levels 1-9)
• HSKK (Basic, Intermediate and Advanced)
• GCSE Chinese
• Chinese for children and primary school students
• Chinese for adults
• A-Level Chinese
• Chinese for university undergraduates
• Travel Chinese
• Business Chinese
Examples of my courses
BEGINNER'S MASTERY COURSE (20 hours)
Develop an excellent command of Chinese pronunciation, including challenging tones; learn 300-400 commonly used words and master 10 essential everyday conversational scenarios.
GCSE ELEVATION COURSE (tailored to the shortest feasible or required timeframe)
Support students in improving from failing grades or a standard pass (Grade 4) to top Grades 8-9.
A-LEVEL EXCELLENCE COURSE (tailored to the shortest feasible or required timeframe)
Support students in achieving top A-Level grades, helping them progress to their desired university degree programmes.
BUSINESS SPEEDY COURSE (20 hours)
Develop the fundamental communication skills needed to interact effectively with Chinese business partners, build strong working relationships, and project a professional corporate image.
INTENSIVE COURSE (2 hours per session; not recommended for children)
Designed for students with limited time, particularly exam candidates. This course helps students learn 40-50 Chinese words in a single two-hour session through my specially developed teaching methodology.
Teaching Experience:
Below are some testimonials from my students -
"If it wasn't for Ning and her constant support and patience, I would have probably given up on learning Chinese at university!
I have gone from not being able to string a Chinese sentence together to achieving a 2:1 on my final exam, all in the space of 6 months.
Ning goes above and beyond to ensure that learning material is tailored to individual needs of the student, suiting all abilities. Her supporting and encouraging nature makes learning much more enjoyable and I highly recommend her to anyone."
- Aishia
"Our daughter is studying Chinese at degree level and we were concerned about how unhappy she felt, her confidence had been battered and she was on the brink of leaving the course and dismayed at the thought of sitting her January exams.
I found a selection of 4 tutors who were available to support our daughter and her learning via Skype, Ning immediately stood out by her interested and enthusiastic approach to my enquiry, she was the only tutor that researched the particular University course, the modules and the learning requirements.
It was immediately apparent how Ning goes above and beyond as she is genuinely passionate about her students and their learning.
Ning was originally asked to support our daughter through her revision period to her exams (5 weeks) however the change in my daughter and her thoughts about learning Chinese was incredible.
I could see that Ning's approach was patient, restoring some of her confidence, helping her understand what she was learning and helping her achieve the grades she was happy with.
Over the last 6 months I have seen that Ning is very flexible, committed, reliable and ensures that all lessons are specific to our daughter and her stage and style of learning.
She spends time preparing work in between lessons and sets work that is relevant and applicable to the direct course. Ning is quick and efficient in reviewing work, sets homework and learning materials, she provides accurate, supportive and encouraging feedback and even increases her time with my daughter around her exams (even when she is on holiday!).
Because of Ning and her support she made our daughter believe she could do it and her end of year exams were graded as a 2:1. She is looking forward to moving to Taiwan for her year study in August, Ning continues to provide lessons helping her to prepare to move and further increase her confidence to face her new course and life in Taiwan.
As parents I am extremely grateful to Ning, impressed by her commitment and enthusiasm and would highly recommend her to support students at any level and look forward to her continuing to support our daughter through the rest of her degree. Thank you Ning!"
- Mr & Mrs Diment (Aishia's parents)
"Ning rekindled my love of learning Chinese and she was friendly and really easy to chat to, and I really enjoyed my lessons with her.
She never made me feel stupid if I found something difficult. She was always really well prepared for my lessons and told me what I needed to do and to bring, and she always had everything that she needed.
She had loads of good ideas to help me learn. She worked really hard to help me do well.
I got an A in my GCSE Chinese after I'd been learning with Ning for only six months; a year later I got 266/300 in HSK3 and 77/100 in HSKK."
- Delilah
"Ning has been brilliant at taking my daughter through GCSE Mandarin.
She made a careful plan to take my daughter through the syllabus, taught her really well and thoroughly, and is very supportive and encouraging. I could trust her completely.
My daughter so much enjoyed learning Mandarin with Ning that she has decided to continue lessons with her to take a higher qualification in Mandarin."
- Kate (Delilah's Mum)
"I got an A* on my reading and listening, an A on my writing and a B on my speaking. So overall, I got an A!!! Thank you so much for your time and patience, Ning. I'm over the moon with my results!"
- Caitlin
"When arriving into the UK from Hong Kong, our daughter took the decision to progress her Mandarin studies through to GCSE level. She had not been on a GCSE curriculum in Hong Kong, so this was a difficult task for her.
The school was unable to provide a Mandarin tutor for the two year programme. We located and contacted Ning, who provided one hour, one-to-one tutelage per week over the two years. She struck a good relationship with our daughter right from the start, being very patient though also setting challenging but realistic tasks for completion between lessons.
Ning also helped with the arrangements for sitting the GCSE, as the school needed some reminding in this area.
Throughout the two years, Ning did not miss a single appointment. She always arrived on time, but often stayed longer.
Our daughter gained A grade overall in GCSE Chinese. She would not have been able to do this without Ning.
Thanks Ning!!"
- Andy (Dad of Caitlin)
"Ning, I got an A!! Thank you so much for all that you helped me with (it was more than just Chinese in the end). I really couldn't have done it without you."
- Niamh
"You are an absolute super-star tutor, Ning - thank you so much. You have helped Niamh more than we could have imagined in (GCSE) Chinese, her confidence and learning in general."
- Bonnie (Mum of Niamh)
"Ning is an exceptional tutor, I have made more progress in a few months than I had in years before she took me under her tutorage. She is methodical, yet flexible in her approach providing me with exactly what I need. There is always additional effort prior and after the lesson to produce specific materials and focus on areas of weakness which results in tangible, and speedy improvement which excels any expectations I had going in. Add to this the fact Ning is very friendly and (importantly in my case) patient I am finding my lessons an absolute delight!"
- Christopher
"Of all the mandarin tutors our children have had, they believe that Ning has been by far the best.
Ning is a friendly, supportive and responsible tutor. She engages well and creates an excellent relationship with both our 6 & 11 year olds.
She customises work according to their needs and standard. She makes learning fun, particularly with our younger child, whilst ensuring an intellectual direction for our eldest.
She has led our eldest to achieve an excellent standard in his first ever mandarin test (YCT). Helping him achieve an excellent 180/200 after only 1 year of lessons, Ning has shown significant effort in preparing for everything relating to the test.
The children learn many new words in each session; Ning records their speech and sends it to us. This also allows us to share with family and friends abroad; leading to compliments on how well they are doing. It is great to keep everyone updated. We feel proud of them, following the excellent feedback.
Our children show obvious improvement each week. It is clear that they understand more, using more complicated mandarin words and sentence structures. This helps to show us what an amazing job she has done.
Our children have clearly become more confident and understanding in their mandarin over our first year with Ning. We look forward to further improvement moving forward.
We are delighted to have found Ning and most importantly, that our kids are enjoying their time learning with her.
We couldn't be more satisfied with her professionalism, teaching skill and overall service provided. We truly couldn't have asked for a better tutor!"
- Niki (Mum of Ethan & Violet)
"Ning has been, not only an absolutely extraordinary teacher, but an incredible mentor. To nurture an environment where one can practice Chinese in comfort and without feeling judged takes tremendous skill - and Ning achieves it with effortless ease. From the first lesson, her dedication and commitment were apparent. She creates a plethora of extra resources outside of lessons to aid the individual's needs. The well of experience and knowledge she brings to the table are unmatched, and that coupled with her mastery of English has formed a very rich and diverse environment for learning. She is a true linguist and her passion for language-learning is infectious.
It is fair to say I arrived to her lessons not knowing an ounce of Chinese, not even that 'nǐ hǎo' meant 'hello'. Ning somehow took that and fostered an environment for learning that resulted in my achieving a 100% in my first HSK examination. However, It is safe to say that Ning's lessons go beyond HSK. She teaches you true Mandarin. Her in-depth explanation of grammar structures and idioms will provide you an understanding of Chinese so rich that confidence in speech will be the natural result. If it is real understanding and professional teaching you seek, then Ning is the absolute best choice of tutor. I could sing her praises until I am red in the face!!! I am very thankful for all that she has done to help me."
- Eli
"I began studying with Ning in January 2019 with no prior knowledge of Chinese. Three weeks later I took a Chinese proficiency test and placed at mid-novice level (the test was aimed at people who had 120+ hours learning time, I had eight hours under my belt). She was focused on making sure I got as many marks as possible for that test, emphasizing vocabulary and listening comprehension. I wanted to do well for myself, but I also wanted her to be proud of me.
Ning has been instrumental at helping me understand grammar and syntax through everyday scenarios I am likely to encounter overseas, while at the same time increasing my vocabulary.
Her classes are tailored and goal-specific. Ning puts a lot of thought into her teaching materials, so much consideration that I don't want to disappoint her with my homework. She is patient; my accent is really bad and she gives me language and reading drills to improve my pronunciation, as well as lots of opportunities to revise what I have learned in previous classes through exercises.
I would recommend her to anyone who wants to study Chinese, whether they are starting from scratch or building on what they already know. She is a great teacher."
- Riazat
"I have been studying mandarin with Ning for the past year. I am an advanced mandarin speaker having studied since in 2007 - both in China and in the UK. I rate Ning's teaching extremely highly and would be delighted to recommend her to other fellow students. Here are some of the reasons...
1. Her professionalism is fantastic. She arrives at my house every week with a prepared lesson and materials. She puts so much thought into my learning needs and really pushes me to improve.
2. Her understanding of the English language is superb and really helps when it comes to trying to communicate one's meaning. She is able to understand and interpret what I am trying to say, thereby helping me learn how to communicate the same meaning in a very different language and culture.
3. She is a great teacher. It's not something one can learn, it's innate...and she has it. She's flexible. She does her utmost to accommodate her students and is always amenable.
As I've said before, I've had approximately 10 mandarin tutors since I started learning mandarin and I rank Ning as one of the very best. If you're looking to learn about the Chinese language and culture, then you couldn't go far wrong."
- Eleanor
"Holding the attention of my eight-year-old son for any length of time is a feat of Herculean proportion.
How Ning manages to keep him focused for an hour is astonishing and highlights her remarkable gift for teaching.
The lessons strike the perfect balance between being factual and fun, meaning my son happily sits down for his weekly session. I would highly recommend Ning."
- Lucia (Anthony's Mum)
"From a parent's point of view, our son looks forward to his lessons with Ning and is totally engaged during them.
Ning has given him the confidence to communicate with Chinese speakers, when the opportunity arises.
We are so proud of him, due to the fact that in a short period of time, Joe has been able to hold brief conversations in Chinese."
- Brennan & Beatriz (Joe's Parents)
"I've been having lessons with Ning to prepare myself for moving to China for a job. As a complete beginner I felt totally overwhelmed by the prospect of beginning to learn such a notorious language! However, Ning's lessons have helped me to feel comfortable (and even enjoy) tackling pronunciation as well as basic vocabulary and sentence structuring.
Ning is friendly and helpful in her teaching style which makes for a comfortable learning environment. It is clear that she is aware of my individual progression as lessons are individually tailored to my learning preferences, difficulties and interests.
From my experience, I would 100% recommend Ning as a Chinese tutor for anyone looking for helpful and professional tuition."
- Chris
Tutoring Approach:
I Use a Variety of Teaching Skills and Techniques to Meet Individual Needs
Every learner is unique and acquires knowledge in different ways. Therefore, I adapt my teaching strategies and techniques to suit each student's individual needs.
To illustrate my approach, I broadly categorise learners into two groups: children and adults.
Children generally have shorter attention spans but are naturally attracted to games, stories, songs, and rhymes. Therefore, I incorporate a wide range of interactive activities into my lessons. This enables vocabulary and sentence patterns to be acquired more easily and naturally while keeping children fully focused and engaged. Colourful flashcards are both enjoyable and highly effective learning tools. After providing guidance and demonstrations, I encourage young learners to create their own phrases and simple sentences creatively. They thoroughly enjoy this process and often achieve excellent results.
To keep adult learners motivated and inspired, I encourage them to take an active role in the learning process. Once they have understood the key concepts and language points, I engage them in a variety of thinking and communication activities. I also deliberately guide students to use the target language in everyday situations and familiar contexts, turning daily life into a valuable language-learning resource. This approach stimulates curiosity and encourages learners to construct sentences that reflect real-life situations and communicate with greater confidence.
Subjects Taught:
Qualifications:
- Master's Degree in English Language
- Bachelor's Degree in English Language Education
- Mandarin Proficiency Certificate
- Teaching Qualification for Higher Education
Further Information:
| Availability: | Weekends / Weekdays (all times) |
| Types of Tutoring: | Travels to you / From their home / Online |
| References Supplied? | Yes |
| Current DBS/CRB Check? | Yes |
| Additional Languages Spoken: | Japanese, English, Chinese, Mandarin |
