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A word of caution for the prospective student of Mandarin:
Chinese is not an easy language to learn, and therefore not an easy language to teach. The fun to be had in learning Chinese should not delude students into thinking they are getting somewhere when they are not. Being able to use a few simple phrases and recognise a few common characters does not constitute an inroad into Chinese. Serious progress in Chinese requires discipline, and dedication over time - and the guidance of a good teacher.
Prospective students should therefore be quite demanding of their teachers, if they are not to have their time wasted. They should expect their teachers to have a very clearly worked-out - and documented - plan for their lessons, showing how the language is being tackled progressively from one stage to another, so that the student can always have a clear idea of what they ought to be able to say, read, or write, at the end of any given study period.
Key points to look for in a Chinese teacher:
1) Very carefully worked-out, systematic, study plan, preferably in written form [for example, take a look at the outline curriculum for first year Chinese at the University of Hong Kong]
2) Solid experience in teaching non-Chinese speakers, from the basics to some kind of fluency. Experience counts for a great deal in this kind of teaching, which means that someone recently graduated from a school or university in China is likely to be hopelessly inept at getting the message across, however earnest and committed they might be.
There are now hundreds of young people advertising themselves in online free classifieds all over the world, as 'Chinese teachers', but a hopeful student would be lucky if even a few of them can be taken seriously. These self-styled teachers may mean well, but their casual approach to teaching Chinese proves that they have no idea what they are trying to do, and no idea of the difficulties that their students will face. They can safely be avoided, unless one is prepared for disappointment. It will be much more beneficial in the long run for any prospective student to take the time to track down an experienced and methodical teacher - even if it involves paying double the going rate - rather than take up the first offer of cheap lessons. Chinese well-taught is a wonderful experience in itself.
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