Looking to learn Mandarin while at uni (Will be studying Comp Science)

I'm not sure if i'm in the right place here, but basically:

My names Dave, i'm possibly returning to Northumbria uni in September to continue studying Computer Science after taking a gap year out to teach English in china. While there, i picked up the basics of Chinese and loved it so now that i've came back i'm really interested in learning Chinese, and possibly going back over after my studies.
I've contacted the uni and they don't appear to have any "Side course" i can take up in addition to my current comp science course.

I was wondering if someone could give me a bit of advice with regards to how i can go about getting some lessons without having to pay a fortune (£20+ per hour) and meanwhile still getting a nice kinda classroom learning experience since i feel that will be the best place for me to learn.

If anyone has any feedback / advice, i would greatly appreciate it.

Cheers, Dave (:

Reply 1

kevinbarry

I envy you a whole year in China! I studied Chinese and have spent time in China but it was a long time ago and I now have forgotten a lot. I don't know about uni courses for you but there is reasonably decent do-it-yourself course in Chinese based on the New Practical Chinese Reader. It's not fantastic but is easily the best around that I could find.

You can check it out on YouTube starting with series 1:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=npcr+lesson+1

It's all "ni hao" etc and dead simple at first but by series 3 it gets pretty deep and fast. That was as far as I got. Might pick it up again and move on to series 4 but I suspect I won't. The YouTube stuff is free and people have put up copies of some of the text if you Google for it.

Generally I found it a bit too much on "This is a bit of the culture we think you should know about" at the expense of things you really need a lot, but that might just be me. On the plus side Linda is pretty hot! (but that might just be me again.)

There is a textbook, workbook, and instructors manual so if you decide to buy, be careful to get the textbook first if you decide to go with it. But you could do a lot for free on the internet and may not need the paperbacks.

If you cannot find a suitable course you could give it a go. Good luck with it! Zai jian, zai jian.

Reply 2

SilverstarDJ

Does your university have a Mandarin society perhaps?

I know Liverpool's language department would pair you up with a foreign student so you could teach each other e.g. they teach you Mandarin and in return you help them learn more English - perhaps your uni does this?

There is a website called "meetup" who do language groups across the UK but this isn't formal teaching but may be a good place to pick things up.

Reply 3

dave2245

I've had a look on the meetup website but theres nothing in my area by the looks of it :frown:

Reply 4

TheBigJosh

Original post by dave2245

I've had a look on the meetup website but theres nothing in my area by the looks of it :frown:

If you can't dedicate your full time and attention to Mandarin, don't bother. Seriously.

Reply 5

dave2245

Original post by TheBigJosh

If you can't dedicate your full time and attention to Mandarin, don't bother. Seriously.

Id like to give it a go, but cheers for the feedback :wink:

Reply 6

TheBigJosh

Original post by dave2245

Id like to give it a go, but cheers for the feedback :wink:

I study it as my degree, it's not something you can dip in and out of is all I'm saying. Wish you luck like, but it's not a hobby IMO.

Reply 7

alibee

It seems like a lot of the language provision in Newcastle closed down last year but this group are now running courses that were previously coordinated through the universities. http://www.tlcnewcastle.co.uk/about/

It's too early to see what they will be offering in September, but I imagine it will include Chinese 1A. I can't really find any other providers in Newcastle which is a bit sad :frown:

I think it's harsh for the previous poster to say that learning Mandarin can't be a hobby! I take lessons in a non-European language and, while it's difficult, you can definitely see improvements as you go along. It depends what your aims are. Sure you probably won't get to fluency without immersion, but if you keep at it, you will improve.

Reply 8

Talipso

喝自己的尿，早上三次，身体健康。此外，吃你的便便！ :smile:

Reply 9

Protagoras

It's a bit late in the academic year but you can always give Nottingham University a try, they have a campus in China.

http://www.nottingham.edu.cn/en/index.aspx

They offer a B.Sc. Computer Science

The deadline for undergraduate application is 31st May so best get a move on!