Award-Winning Mandarin Chinese Lessons in Buffalo, NY

If you're learning Chinese at Canisius High School, the University at Buffalo, on your own, or through some other type of program, you could benefit from Buffalo Chinese lessons provided by Varsity Tutors. You could take a live online course, work with a private instructor, or combine the two options to create a perfectly customized Chinese language study plan.

Chinese may be one of the hardest languages to learn, being so different from English, but it's spoken more than any other language in the world. With the continuing globalization of business and social milieus, knowing the most common language could provide a number of advantages. Financially, business and trade options can increase exponentially when you can speak Chinese. Culturally, you can delve deeper into Eastern philosophies than you could in not-always-well translated versions of important ancient writings.

Are the subjects covered in Buffalo Chinese lessons different than those for other languages?

There isn't a simple answer to this question. When you learn Chinese, just like any other language, you have to memorize vocabulary, learn sentence structure, practice pronunciation, and become familiar with the language's grammar.

On the other hand, Chinese also requires you to learn to speak with the different tones. Mandarin, the most common dialect, has four tones, and other dialects have up to nine tones. Mandarin has the flat, rising, falling then rising, and falling tones, as an example. Getting these wrong could lead to some humorous situations when you're first learning Chinese. For example, the same word with different tones means panda bear and chest hair. These kinds of mistakes may be less amusing years from now in the boardroom. While learning correct pronunciation of some languages shows respect, learning pronunciation in Chinese is required in order to say what you mean and be understood.

One thing you might like to hear that's different about learning Chinese is that each word has only one grammatical form. Practically, this means no verb conjugation or verb tense charts. There are also no articles or plurals to learn. Chinese speakers understand what's being said based on context. Once you understand this at a deep level, Chinese may become much easier to learn and use. It also explains why native Chinese speakers have a hard time learning English.

Should I enroll in a Chinese course or sign up for individual instruction?

There are a few things to consider when deciding when to take live online Chinese lessons or work with a private Chinese tutor. The first question you may want to ask yourself is, which one would you prefer. Your instincts are often reliable ways to make choices.

If you're not sure, consider these questions. Does learning in a collaborative environment with an expert instructor and many other students at your approximate level sound exciting and energizing to you? Are you looking for generalized language acquisition without a number of specific needs that aren't shared by a large group of students? Do you learn at an average pace, neither much quicker or slower than most others? If the answer to these is mostly yes, you might consider enrolling in a Chinese course provided by Varsity Tutors.

On the other hand, do you learn at an accelerated pace, or sometimes need to take more time to work out things in your head? Does a bunch of students all talking about and in Chinese make you feel a bit nervous? Do you appreciate being able to work with a trusted individual who has your specific needs in mind at all times? Are you learning Chinese for a specialized purpose or industry, like botanical work, architecture, or oceanic conservation efforts? If any or all of these answers are yes, you should probably sign up to study with a Buffalo Chinese tutor.

Couldn't I just study Chinese on my own?

If you think about it, the only reason there is such a thing as language is so that people can communicate ideas and information with one another. Yes, you can use language to read when you're alone, but even that involves communication with the author who wrote those words for you. Immersive learning is the best way for you to pick up a language quickly, and courses provide you with plenty of opportunities to hear and speak Chinese.

You gain a number of benefits whether you choose to take Buffalo Chinese lessons in an online classroom setting or with an online tutor. The collaboration possible by interacting with your instructor and classmates in an online course has been demonstrated as increasing students' levels of learning and retention of information learned. If your memorization technique isn't working for you, there are plenty of people to ask, including your expert Chinese instructor, for suggestions as to other types of techniques to use. If you've been taught the loci method and it only confuses you, you might enjoy spaced-repetition flashcards, digital or analogue. There are so many more potentially positive experiences to be had studying in a class rather than on your own.

It's also in your best interest to choose to study with a one-on-one Buffalo Chinese tutor as opposed to studying on your own. They can focus on you the entire time, allowing you to potentially learn at an increased speed. You can work on precise pronunciation, and take extra time on any concept you need. Plus, as you reach higher and higher degrees of fluency, you have a built-in Chinese conversation partner.

Sounds great. How do I get started with Buffalo Chinese lessons?

Varsity Tutors wants to do all we can to enhance your hard work learning Chinese. Signing up for group or individual lessons is simple. Just call Varsity Tutors today, talk to one of our educational consultants to get your questions answered and answer a few questions about your particular circumstances. Whether you're planning to work with a Buffalo Chinese tutor or take Buffalo Chinese lessons in an online class, we can get you set up to start as soon as possible. We look forward to working with you as you work towards the future you desire.