Mandarin School
Mandarin Education for Adults and Children
Langara Mandarin School offers Mandarin courses for both adults and children. Both are non-credited courses. The Mandarin as a Second Language program places emphasis on practicality, modern and interesting presentation styles, and use of simple, easy-to-learn materials.
Both the Traditional and Simplified written forms of Chinese characters are taught; Hanyu Pinyin phonetics is also taught to complement the learning experience. Various textbooks from China and Taiwan, as well as locally prepared teaching materials, are incorporated into the full range of course materials.
Mandarin for Adults courses are offered three times a year, beginning in January, May and September. It is a weekly course for a total of 25 hours per term. The eight levels of adult Mandarin courses are designed to help students progress from an introduction to pinyin to advanced daily conversation.
*A 15% discount will be applied to registrations for those who have completed three or more Adult Mandarin courses.
Mandarin for Children courses consist of 13 Saturdays, offered two times a year, beginning in September and January. Students who are four years and older will be assigned to the appropriate class during registration.
*A 10% family discount is available for the third course registration (adult or children) from the same family in the same semester.
Contact us at rlouie [at] langara.ca (rlouie[at]langara[dot]ca) or mandarinschool [at] langara.ca (mandarinschool[at]langara[dot]ca). Visit www.langarafirstmandarinschool.com for more information.
Mandarin Education for Adults
Mandarin for Adults courses are offered three times a year. It's a weekly course for a total of 25 hours per term. The eight levels of adult Mandarin courses are designed to help students progress from an introduction to pinyin to advanced daily conversation. Although functional conversation is the focus of this multi-level course, attention to grammar, reading, writing and listening are also emphasized.
A 15% discount will be applied to registrations for those who have completed three or more Adult Mandarin courses.
Program Dates
- Fall courses begin: Sep 13, 2025
- Registration via 604.323.5322 begins Jul 23, 2025
Duration
- Three intakes each year for January, May, and September.
- 25 hours of instruction for each term.
- 2.5 hours weekly on Saturday or weeknight for 10 weeks.
Mandarin Education for Children
Mandarin for Children courses consist of 13 Saturdays, offered two times a year, beginning in September and January. Students who are four years and older will be assigned to the appropriate class during registration.
A 10% family discount is available for the third course registration (adult or children) from the same family in the same semester.
Program dates
- Courses begin: Sep 06, 2025
- Registration via 604.323.5322 starts May 27, 2025.
Duration
- Two intakes each year for Sep-Dec, Jan-Apr
- 39 hours of instruction for Mandarin course, 26 hours of instruction for Math course, and 19.5 hours of instruction for Art course
- 3 hours for Mandarin course, 2 hour for Math course, 1.5 hour for Art course for the total of 13 weeks on Saturdays
FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions about the Adult Mandarin Program and Children Mandarin Program.
If you have a question requiring an answer, please email rlouie [at] langara.ca (rlouie[at]langara[dot]ca) .
What course should I enroll my child if he/she is new to learning Mandarin?
4 to 5 years old may enroll in the Kindergarten courses, 6 years old & up may enroll in the Foundation Kindergarten courses.
What level should I start for the Mandarin for Adult course if I have no prior experience?
Adult who is new to the Mandarin language may start at Level 1. Assessment is available for student who has previous experience in learning or speaking Mandarin language. An assessment can be requested by email to rlouie [at] langara.ca (rlouie[at]langara[dot]ca) .
How do I know which course is suitable for my child?
Please request an assessment by email to mandarinschool [at] langara.ca (mandarinschool[at]langara[dot]ca)
My child and I would like to learn Mandarin language together. Can I enroll in the Mandarin for Children course so we can assist each other?
No. However, both children and adult courses maybe available at the same time on Saturdays.
What courses are available for the Children Mandarin Program?
Mandarin Language courses:
- Kindergarten K1 (4 yrs old), K2 (5 yrs old), and Foundational K (6 yrs and older)
- Gr 1 - 10 Mandarin Modern Characters
- Gr 1 - 12 Mandarin Simplified Characters, and Gr 1 - 12 Advanced Mandarin Traditional Characters
Fine Arts courses:
- Children's Drawing (5-12 years old)
- Pencil and Charcoal Drawing ( 8 years old and older )
Can I enroll for the Mandarin for Children course online?
Online registration for the Children Mandarin course is not available. Please call Continuing Studies Registrar via 604.323.5322 to enroll or visit the Langara Continuing Studies registrar counter in person during office hours. Payment can be made using VISA or MasterCard.
Student needs to have his/her Langara student id (9-digit number) and the Course number (5-digit number) ready before calling or visiting the Continuing Studies Registrar. The Continuing Studies Registrar's office hours are:
Monday to Thursday 9am~4:30pm, Friday 9am~4pm. The office is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
What does the Withdrawal & Refund Policy look like?
All refunds are subject to an administration fee of 20% of the course fee (up to a maximum of $35 per course). Cancelations must be received at least 24 hours prior to the first day of class.
Please note: We are able to hold a 100% credit of the registration fee toward taking another Langara Continuing Studies course. This credit is valid for 12 months.
*There are NO refunds or credit reserved after course starts.
What are Tips to ensure successful enrolment by phone?
- Wait for the confirmation code after inputting the payment information over the phone.
- Check payment history or set up payment notification from the Credit Card company.
- Enroll early to secure spot!
