| Name | Bruce H. Recommended |
|---|---|
| City | Vancouver, BC |
| Teaching | Mandarin Chinese |
| Native Language | Mandarin Chinese |
| Originally From | Taiwan |
| Working With | Youth, Adults |
| Levels I Teach | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
| Lessons Take Place | Learner's Home, Public Place, Online |
| Hourly Rate | C$25 |
I am a native speaker of Taiwanese Mandarin who had lived in Taiwan for 20 years before coming to Canada for university. My accent is similar to the one spoken in Taipei, which is close to the hometown where I grew up. If you aim to go on an exchange program in Taiwan or have an affinity with Taiwanese Mandarin, I may be your go-to tutor/facilitator.
University of British Columbia (UBC)
Bachelor of Arts,
Linguistics (Major);
Education, Language Learning and Teaching (Minor)
During his study at the University of British Columbia (UBC), he has worked with UBC Chinese Language Program under the Department of Asian Studies for nearly 3 years. In those times, he has gained extensive experience with teaching and guiding beginners in their pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary acquisition, to name a few. He has also been assigned specific tasks in developing learning materials for students at lower/upper intermediate levels. At the same time, he was working part-time as a Mandarin tutor, and his students have a wide range in terms of age and background.
With a view to improving his understanding of second language education in Mandarin, he enrolled himself in a teacher training course at the International Han Institute, where he successfully obtained a certificate in teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages (TCSOL). In addition to certification, he has taken two comprehensive courses in Chinese grammar as part of the supplementation to his minor in Education (Language Learning and Teaching).
If you are at an intermediate level or even pretty fluent in Mandarin but looking for a facilitator who can help you improve your speaking proficiency or just want to have an exciting conversation with a native speaker to get more used to speaking the language, he is here to help you with all your needs.
His main focus will be on daily conversations and colloquialism because he is of the opinion that familiarization with the patterns of vernacular speech constitutes the building blocks of a person's linguistic ability. He is currently working on perfecting the two approaches he takes to teaching the language, namely, cognitive approach & communicative approach, both of which characterize the structure of his teaching methods. A heavy emphasis is placed on communicating ideas and speaking proficiency, while students are not expected to memorize and master the grammar in depth.
Lastly, it is also possible to customize the lesson according to the needs and preferences of the students after a brief discussion about their learning goals with him.
Currently, he has a flexible schedule, so he's generally available anytime.
It is best to hold the class online via Zoom. However, if the student prefers in-person tutoring, meeting at the UBC Irving K. Barber Learning Centre is strongly preferred as there's plenty study spaces inside the building and the environment is conducive to learning and teaching as well. That said, he'd have no problem with visiting the student's home or meeting at a public place which is equally close to the tutor's and student's home.
