Comments for Mandarin Scholarship Taiwan

Comment on NTNU Mandarin Training Center by Enrico

Enrico — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:32:51 +0000

I wrote the post above around march/april 2009. After i wrote that post i left NTNU and checked TLI and NTU. After a while i decided to give NTU a chance and i must say my learning curve has improved drastically.
Not only teachers are more patient, but most of them speak english and are aware of the differences between the different languages so they are even able to make comparisons that help you to learn in a proper way. The only negative remark i have noticed to date is the fact that sometimes the university literally PUSHES teachers to teach too fast so sometimes (especially some lessons) you learn quick but also forget quick because they don’t have enough time to stop on a given part of grammar or program. But, in my humble opinion and based on my experience at NTNU (SCARY also because they would listen to you but wouldn’t help you just suggesting more expensive solutions rather than rethinking their courses), i think NTU is about 60% better than NTNU (Considering number of students in class, teachers skills and patience and understanding foreigner’s mentality and needs, logics applied to courses, which makes you learn very intuitively and in a natural way, as opposed as to NTNU where some teacher seem to expect you to learn chinese with them speaking chinese even if your skills are 0 in chinese, which provides you a very slow learning curve)
Also, i noticed many classes are more balanced at NTU. Some exceptions are present at NTU too, where you can have 2 westerners with 4 koreans/japanese people. In those cases the 2 westerners are more bound to get lost because Japanese and Koreans tend to learn chinese pretty quick so if you can’t keep up, my advice is ASK TO CHANGE CLASS quick or you’ll lose your money.
For the rest NTU FOREVER, also for the type of environment you can find.
That’s the second part of my experience to date!
Will post more as i have some good or bad news (Not hoping for the latter of course.)

Comment on NTNU Mandarin Training Center by john

john — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:45:35 +0000

When I studied Japanese in Japan, the school I went to (Sendagaya) wouldn’t place students already familar with the characters (kanji), such as Mandarin or Korean speakers, in the same class with other students. I wish the schools in Taiwan where I studied Mandarin had done the same. It would also be good if they could manage to out all the ABCs etc who already speak Mandarin and there for the writing into dedicated classes too. All the schools teaching Mandarin in Taiwan are still really rigid and hidebound, and as for knowledge of current EFL/EFL pedagogy…let’s just say that if they know it, most of the teachers are doing a good of hiding the fact. China is way ahead of Taiwan in terms of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Taiwan is a more pleasant place to live though. It is unfortunate that Taiwan is SO losing out here…

Comment on NTNU Mandarin Training Center by Peter

Peter — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:45:52 +0000

My experience from the NTNU was great. My Ecuadorian roommate told me her NTU experience was a nightmare.

I am from the US, and yes, as a Westerner, the characters were killing me.

However, the teaching methods were fairly effective. I was taught my veteran NTNU teachers and had the pleasure of being taught my a transferred NTU teacher also, whom assured NTU taught nearly the same way.

The teachers I had stopped and tried their best to clear their explanations. Having you learn it in Chinese is sometimes the only way to learn it, being that there is no English equivalent. I’ll admit though, you have to put your due time in studying to understand the material. Meaning finding time to converse, become familiar and comfortable with the language with locals.

Learning the characters and verbally communicating come hand in hand, you have to forget about translating and just learn as a child learns, learning their convey meaning through experience. That was my experience in my classes. My teachers didn’t just teach us words, they showed us through action and situations.

I don’t want to ramble, but all in all, my experiences were good. You really have to dedicate yourself and find your way of studying.

Comment on MOE Mandarin Enrichment Scholarship by jc

jc — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:10:08 +0000

Hi,
I came across your website because I am interested in studying Chinese. If I am ethnically Taiwanese but born and raised in the states, am I still eligible for a scholarship? I wanted to return to Taiwan for a few months to study for a quarter. Any info would be helpful! Thanks a bunch.

Comment on NTNU Mandarin Training Center by Kate

Kate — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:43:47 +0000

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am from the Republic of Belarus. I heard a lot of good information about NTNU Mandarin Training Center. As I’ve been studying Chinese for 2 years in Confucius institute in Minsk, I am very interested in Chinese Scholarship Short Training Program. I am eager to know if your university is going to hold this program in 2010 and if yes where I can find out information about admission procedure.
Faithfully yours,
Katya.

Comment on NTNU Mandarin Training Center by Paco

Paco — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:06:09 +0000

I totally agree Enrico, I am studying at the Mandarin Training Center and my experience is so so similar, thanks for posting it

Comment on MOE Mandarin Enrichment Scholarship by Etherus

Etherus — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:43:23 +0000

I am curious, if I want to study Mandarin for multiple years, can I only get this scholarship for 1 year? or can you request a new one for the next year?

Comment on Learn Zhuyin fuhao/BoPoMoFo software by Luciano Santos

Luciano Santos — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:04:22 +0000

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Please send me bo po mo fo software ASAP.

Thank you always.

Comment on Fast Online Chinese Character to Pinyin Converter by Maofen

Maofen — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:24:13 +0000

There is also a great Chinese character to Pinyin Converter at http://www.kanglin-software.com/LittlePinApp/LittlePinyinApp.aspx. It traditional characters as well. And it is real fast.

Comment on TOP for Beginners May 3 2008 by Mandarin Scholarship Taiwan - Test Of Proficiency-Huayu registration period starts today

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:08:42 +0000

[...] TOP for Beginners May 3 2008 [...]