In 2019, I enrolled in a Chinese language school in Taiwan. Today, I want to talk about my experiences.
I’ll discuss why I decided to go to a language school, what an average day at language school looked like, the benefits and challenges of language schools, and give all of you some tips and advice on how to choose an English language school!
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Vocabulary
- Enrol (Verb): To register or sign up for a course, school, or programme.
- She decided to enrol in a French language class to improve her speaking skills.
- Curriculum (Noun): The subjects or courses offered by a school or educational program.
- The school’s curriculum includes science, mathematics, and art classes.
- Accountability (Noun): The responsibility to justify your actions or results.
- Teachers have accountability for their students’ academic progress.
- Intensive (Adjective): Requiring significant effort, energy, or focus within a short time frame.
- The company offers a two-week intensive training program for new employees.
- Stipend (Noun): A fixed regular payment, often for educational or living expenses.
- Graduate students receive a monthly stipend to cover their living costs.
- Immersive (Adjective): Providing a completely absorbing environment, often used in language learning contexts.
- The immersive language program requires participants to speak only Spanish for six weeks.
Introduction
Four years ago, I was sat in a classroom in Taiwan studying Mandarin Chinese. Although I don’t remember too much Chinese language now, attending language school was such an amazing and unforgettable experience.
I have tried learning languages (mainly Japanese and Chinese) in almost every way possible. I have taken free community classes, online classes with a private tutor, textbook study, university language classes, language exchange groups, study applications, and at a dedicated language school.
At least once a week, I get a message from a Thinking in English listener asking about my thoughts on, or recommendations for, language schools.
Today, in this episode I am going to share my personal experiences attending a language school and provide advice to anyone listening who may be considering language school as an option.
Then, in an upcoming Patreon bonus episode released later this week or next week, I will be interviewing a very special guest about her experiences studying at a popular English school in London (which I think will be really useful for all of you).
Why I Decided to Attend a Language School
While I’ve talked on this podcast about my attempts to study Japanese, I’ve not gone in depth on my Chinese learning journey. This is because I’m no longer studying Chinese – although I’d like to start taking classes again this year.
To get to the origin of my Chinese language journey, we have to go back to July 2018. I had been living in Japan for two years, working as an assistant language teacher, and was about to move back to the UK. I had been accepted into the Asian Politics Masters programme at the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies, I was excited to continue studying Japanese while learning more about the region.
This is the main reason I chose SOAS – they were ranked in the world top 25 for poltiical science and have an amazing language school.
However, when I enrolled at SOAS, I faced a challenge. After living in Japan for two years, I had managed to reach an intermediate level of spoken Japanese, but I couldn’t write anything. The Japanese tutors placed my in the pre-advanced class based on my speaking, but the upper-beginner class based on writing.
They told me that if I wanted to study Japanese as one of my classes, I would have to take the beginner course – which would be a waste of my time.
So I decided to take an evening class in Japanese, not as part of my degree, and instead enrol in another language course. As an East Asian politics student, the two obvious options were Chinese or Korean – and the Chinese classes fit perfectly into my schedule!
Although it was tough initially, I really enjoyed studying Chinese. I found the whole process fascinating – writing out Chinese characters, learning the new grammar, and seeing myself improve every week.
During a meeting with my supervisor at SOAS, a British professor who is one of the world’s leading scholars of Taiwanese politics, he mentioned to me that the Taiwanese embassy (technically trade representative office as Taiwan doesn’t have legal embassies in the UK) was holding an information event about scholarships and study opportunities in Taiwan.
I attended and was interested by one specific scholarship, called the Huayu scholarship, for people who wanted to attend language school in Taiwan. The scholarship would last for 3, 6, or 9 months, provide a stipend for tuition fees and living costs, and give some support in applying to language programmes.
I applied to the scholarship, and amazingly I was awarded the 6 month version.
I then had to choose the language school I wanted to attend. There were many good choices in Taiwan, and I applied to 3 or 4 different options, but eventually I settled on the Chinese Language Centre of the National Chengchi University.
Why did I choose this language school?
It was a top-rated language school and located in a quieter part of Taipei (Taiwan’s capital city), but the main reasons were
- Price – NCCU allowed language school students to stay in the cheap student dorms
- Personal recommendation – my supervisor during the master’s degree attended NCCU language school himself.
I finished by master’s degree in September 2019, and 2 months later I boarded my flight to Taipei to start my language school experience!
Life at a Language School
While every language school will be different, I think it would be useful to give you an insight into what my life at language school looked like.
First, you should all know that Taiwan’s Chinese is slightly different from mainland Mandarin Chinese. There are some small differences in accent and vocabulary, but the big challenge is that Taiwan uses the traditional Chinese alphabet while China use simplified Chinese.
Traditional and simplified refer to the letters, characters, used when writing – basically Taiwan’s written Chinese tends to be much more complicated to read and difficult to write (even though it is the same language). In the UK I had been studying simplified Chinese, so I had to adjust to using traditional characters!
The classes were split into different levels – if I remember correctly there were classes ranging from absolute beginner to proficient. After 3 months, you are supposed to progress up to the next level.
I started in a beginner class, moved up a level, and then was also doing extra (more difficult) homework by the end of the time in Taipei. My first class had 6 students in and the second class had 8 students.
There were a mix of types of students enrolled in the language school. Most of the students were either exchange students from universities across the world doing a semester or year abroad, or international students enrolled in undergraduate or master’s degrees at the main NCCU university.
I was different – I was a privately enrolled language student. I was just in Taipei to study Chinese full-time.
The teachers were great. They were professional teachers, following textbook curriculums, but really helped to bring out my confidence and target my strengths. I was progressing faster than many of my classmates (as I was a full-time language student, while many of my classmates were also taking classes at business school or the law school) and the teacher’s noticed – giving me extra tasks to make sure I was fulfilling my potential.
There were three hours of classes every day – classes started at 8am or 1pm. There were also extra workshops or activities you could enrol in a few times a week – I took a pronunciation class and a calligraphy class.
An average day for me as a language school student would start at about 9am, getting breakfast with a classmate. Then we would spend two hours studying, learning vocabulary, or finishing homework. We would eat lunch, then go to class. After class finished we would study for another hour or two, before taking the train into the city to visit a night market or hotpot restaurant for dinner.
I treated studying Chinese as my fulltime job. I tried to do at least 6 hours of study every single day. When my class switched to the morning after 3 months, I spent the whole afternoon studying before going to eat dinner.
Living in Taiwan, in a Chinese speaking environment, really helped. I was able to immerse myself in the language. I attended language exchanges at the university in the evenings, or went into the city with Taiwanese friends to order food from night markets. I had the opportunity to hear Chinese and use Chinese every day.
I still remember the gradual improvement in ordering food I experienced. There was a lunch restaurants in my dormitory. When I first moved in, I couldn’t read anything on the menu. Every week I understood more and more things of the menu, and I could ask more questions to the staff.
I also gained so much cultural knowledge living in Taiwan. People often consider the core language skills to be reading, listening, writing, and speaking, but I would also like to add culture as well. You could study Chinese for years, but without learning the culture you won’t know what types of food are popular for breakfast or how students spend their free time.
Benefits of Attending a Language School
What were the benefits of studying at language school?
I had a really structured environment. I took three hours of classes every day, and was given a few hours of homework to complete to ensure I was studying at home. I had accountability with regular tests (I needed to maintain a high score for my scholarships_ and regualr feedback from the teachers.
The language school also gave me the opportunity to focus on all aspects of language. Every day we would practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing. There were also cultural classes (like the calligraphy one I mentioned) to better understand Taiwanese culture.
Community was also a real benefit. I was able to meet fellow language students from around the world. I could also meet Taiwanese students who were interested in learning English. Being around people every day who wanted to improve and study Chinese kept me motivated and accountable.
As the language school was in Taipei, a Chinese speaking city, I was able to immerse myself in the Chinese every day. I was surrounded by the language in and out of class. My teachers only used Chinese with us (never English), and outside of class I would have the opportunity to use the language all the time!
Challenges and Downsides
Of course, studying at a language school also comes with challenges and downsides.
It can be expensive. I was fortunate on three fronts: language school in Taiwan is not that expensive, my cost of living was low in Taipei, and I had a scholarship.
Even so, I still struggled financially. My monthly stipend just about covered my tuition fees, dormitory, and basic cost of living. If I wanted to eat something a little nicer, or travel somewhere at the weekend, I needed to use my savings from the UK.
Most people studying English in places like the UK, USA, or Australia will have far higher costs. Tuition fees will be much higher, cost of living much higher, and there probably aren’t many scholarships available just for language study. You have to consider whether it is worth the money for you.
Language school is also relatively intensive. You are expected to do hours of homework every day, as well as preparing for upcoming classes, and studying for exams. I also had tests or exams every week.
As I was on a scholarship, I also needed to maintain nearly 100% attendance (I never missed a class) and have a high-grade point average.
For someone like me, who enjoys studying and a structured learning environment, language school was perfect. But it is not suitable for everyone. Some of my classmates struggled with the speed of classes or the intensive way of learning.
If you prefer flexibility or self-study, language school may not be for you.
I also had another challenge – the pandemic.
Covid started in early 2020, just after I moved to Taiwan. Taiwan was the first place outside of China to start preparing for the pandemic – the borders were closed in January. Many of my classmates flew home in March, but I didn’t want to spend the money rescheduling flights.
In the end, I had 3 flights cancelled back to the UK (I lost a lot of money when the company I booked through went bankrupt) and had to leave Taiwan a month early.
This is also part of the reason why I failed to continue studying Chinese. I left Taiwan to return to the UK – I was unemployed and my plan to move to Japan was stuck as the border was closed. I started working at a local supermarket and 3 months after arriving in the UK I experimented with a new project in my free time – a podcast called Thinking in English.
I just didn’t have the time to continue studying!
Key Takeaways and Advice
I loved my time at language school, but it’s not for everyone.
If you enjoy studying in a structured environment with clear goals, regular classes, and frequent feedback, a language school might be perfect for you. It’s also an excellent option if you want to immerse yourself in the language and culture, especially if you study English at a language school in England, the USA, Australia, or another English-speaking country.
How to Choose a Language School
Here are some of my tips for choosing the right school for you.
First, research the curriculum. Make sure the school focuses on the skills you want to improve. For example, some schools emphasise conversational fluency, while others may focus on grammar or reading, and some on passing exams like IELTS.
You should also look at reviews and recommendations. I chose my language school as my professor in London also studied Chinese there. Read blogs and reviews online or ask friends or connections. In an upcoming bonus episode, I will interview someone who studied in London, and she may be able to give some recommendations for language schools in the UK.
You should also consider the location of the school. Choose a place where you’ll feel motivated to learn and can engage with the local community. For me, studying in Taipei gave me daily opportunities to practice Mandarin outside of class.
However, I wasn’t in central Taipei, which let me have a quieter life and focus on studying.
How to Make the Most of Your Language School Experience
I also want to leave you with some tips on how to make the most of studying at a language school.
Take every opportunity to practice with native speakers. real-life interaction is invaluable. I used Chinese while ordering food, joining local events, or making friends.
Embrace the challenge of studying – dedicate yourself to it.
Don’t just focus on textbooks. Immerse yourself in the culture by trying local food, exploring traditions, or traveling. These experiences can deepen your connection to the language.
And finally, beyond the school’s curriculum, set specific goals for yourself.
Final Thought
Attending language school was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It gave me a structured and immersive environment to develop my Chinese skills, provided me with opportunities, and introduced me to some amazing people.
However, it’s not without its challenges – it can be expensive, intense, and difficult.
For those of you considering language school, I encourage you to think about your goals, learning style, and resources before making the decision.
While my Chinese journey paused during the pandemic, the lessons and memories from my time in Taiwan are still strong!
What do you think? Do you want to study English at a language school? Have you studied at a language school before?
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