Curriculum and materials

Many Chinese learners want to know: “How long will it take me to learn Chinese?”

Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer to this question, and the time it takes varies from person to person. To successfully and effectively learn Chinese, you’ll need several key elements: a clear learning goal, time to study and practice, good learning habits, the right environment, and appropriate learning materials. However, the best thing you can do for your chances of learning Chinese is to have a teacher who knows how to teach you the right way!

Below, we’ll try to best estimate how long it will take for you to learn Chinese, what Yes Taiwan’s classes are like, how you should schedule your classes, how many classes you should take, what tailor-made classes are like, and outline the main textbooks Yes Taiwan uses.

TOC

What is the Yes Taiwan Chinese program like?

Yes Taiwan’s greatest competitive advantage is the strength and dedication of its teaching staff. Each teacher spends time getting to understand their student’s personalities, learning goals, and study habits, and uses these details to tailor the curriculum and lesson plan. The end result is a course optimally suited to the student’s specific needs — one carefully constructed by a veteran certified teaching professional.

Unlike many online teaching platforms that employ uncertified native speakers, cheap course materials, and unclear payment schemes, our business only operates with professional teachers with a passion for teaching, and all of our costs are clear and upfront. We’re driven by a sincere desire to contribute to the teaching of Chinese and to students’ learning, and we know you’ll feel the same after working with us.

I would like to ask my teacher to arrange the most suitable class for me, what should I do?

Before you start learning Chinese, please make an appointment with the free Chinese learning consultation session. During the 15 minutes, the teacher will be able to determine your Chinese level and get to know your specific learning needs. We will arrange the most suitable Yes Taiwan Chinese teacher for you and schedule lessons according to your needs and the teacher’s availability.

Our team of professional teachers have the skills necessary to instruct anyone at an extremely high level, but they need to first understand you and your needs.

How many classes do I have to take at Yes Taiwan?

The number of classes you take depends on your learning goals.

From our teachers’ collective experience, here’s how much time we estimate you’ll need to achieve the following:

To learn Hanyu Pinyin from scratch, 4-10 lessons with a professional teacher will help you learn and master it properly.
Have a grammar problem or a question that came up while learning and want to get the most efficient and easy-to-understand answer? Our teachers can help in just 1-4 lessons.
You’re studying for formal Chinese exams like the TOCFL, and you want to know more about the exam, how to prepare for it, and how to pass it. Take 4-10 lessons (depending on your needs), or more if necessary, and you’ll be best prepared to pass the test! Note that we have several teachers who are TOCFL question writers on staff, so we’re uniquely qualified to help you prepare.
Do you speak Chinese but your friends can’t understand what you’re saying? Do you not have the confidence to speak Chinese in front of others? Don’t worry, book a lesson with our teachers and they can help you improve your pronunciation so you can speak more clearly. Depending on your situation, in 1-4 lessons you’ll be able to speak standard and beautiful Chinese!
You’re learning Chinese on your own but don’t know if you’re going in the right direction or if the textbook you are using is suitable for you. We’ve got you covered — in just 2 lessons we’ll set you up to succeed.
Maybe you’ve studied Chinese and speak Chinese but don’t have the opportunity to speak Chinese in your current living environment. If you want to maintain your Chinese ability and not let your Chinese regress, our professional teachers can help. With 1-2 lessons a week, you’ll be able to maintain your Chinese skills and even develop them further.
If you think your Chinese isn’t good enough, you’re no longer making progress in your studies, or you want to improve but you don’t know what the problem is, book a lesson with any of our qualified teachers. They’ll be able to quickly determine your Chinese level and how to improve it before the lesson.
Working in a Chinese-speaking Asian country and need to learn Chinese quickly? Spend one to three months in intensive classes for 50 minutes a day to meet your basic language needs: greeting people in Chinese, shopping, ordering food at restaurants, making friends with locals, etc. If you need to learn a little bit of Chinese in a shorter period of time, spend a week in intensive lessons, 2-4 lessons a day, and with the teacher’s advice you’ll soon pick up some useful language skills.

Our team of teachers has decades of collective teaching experience. In addition to the above scenarios, we’ve dealt with countless other student situations, and have always been able to meet our students’ needs.

We’re confident we can make your Chinese learning journey easier. Study with our certified teachers to get 2x the results with half of the effort.

Better understand the TOCFL examination in Taiwan

If you want to have a clearer idea of how long you have to study Chinese to reach a certain level, you can refer to the learning time and level standards published by the TOCFL exam in Taiwan.

https://tocfl.edu.tw/index.php/test/reading/list/1

https://tocfl.edu.tw/index.php/test/reading/list/8

What does a customized course look like?

Once you’ve chosen a teacher and consulted with them, they’ll arrange the materials best suited to your Chinese level and learning goals, and even create personalized materials for you as necessary. Confucius famously said, “Teach according to your ability”. In addition to the textbook, your teacher will also teach you in a variety of ways to help you develop your language skills quickly and effectively. Whether you want to learn a few quick language tricks, study Chinese intensively, or get to know Chinese in the short or long term, our teachers will work with you to help you achieve your learning goals.

Introduction to the mainstream textbooks used in Yes Taiwan.

We will introduce four sets of new and authoritative textbooks commonly used in Taiwan to all of our students.

Contemporary Chinese Course
The new version of Practical Audio-Visual Chinese
Speaking Chinese in all walks of life
Learn Chinese grammar by looking at pictures

The right materials are essential for effective learning. Once you’ve worked with your teacher to develop a complete lesson plan and select your learning materials, you’ll be able to predict the level of Chinese you can achieve after studying for any period of time.

You can then follow the material step by step, or let your teacher choose a specific course within the material based on your interests. Simply explain your needs to the teacher, and they’ll be able to arrange the most appropriate way to use the course material.

Teaching materials

A Course in Contemporary Chinese/當代中文課程

Introduction

A Course in Contemporary Chinese (A Course in Contemporary Chinese) is one of the main textbooks currently used by the Chinese Language Center in Taiwan, and is also the textbook developed and used by the mainstream language center in Taiwan, MTC of National Taiwan University.

It is a set of six volumes that combines communicative teaching and task-oriented learning. The first three books focus on oral language training, and the last three books focus on written language. The language used in the textbook is mainly the language used in contemporary Taiwanese society.

The presence of Pinyin, Bopomofo, English transliteration

Pinyin	✔️
Bopomofo	✔️ （only in vocabulary）
English Translation	✔️
Simplified Chinese	✔️

Take the first Book I for example:

Vol.1

Lesson 1 Welcome to Taiwan!
Lesson 2 My Family
Lesson 3 What Are You Doing Over the Weekend?
Lesson 4 Excuse me. How Much Does That Cost in Total?
Lesson 5 Beef Noodles Are Really Delicious
Lesson 6 Their School Is Up in the Mountains
Lesson 7 Going to KTV at 9 O’clock in the Morning
Lesson 8 Taking a Train to Tainan
Lesson 9 Where Will You Go for the Holidays?
Lesson 10 The Fruit in Taiwan Tastes Really Good
Lesson 11 I Would Like to Rent a Place
Lesson 12 How Long Will You Be Studying Chinese in Taiwan?
Lesson 13 Happy Birthday
Lesson 14 It’s So Cold!
Lesson 15 I Don’t Feel Well

This textbook is suitable for those who come to Taiwan to learn Chinese, and also for those who study Chinese in high schools or universities outside of Taiwan. The following are the highlights of each booklet:

Book 1 (15 lessons): Practical conversations about daily life
Book 2 (15 lessons): In addition to conversations, short texts are added to train basic reading skills
Book 3 (12 lessons): Long conversations and written language
Book 4 (12 lessons): Additional long conversations and written language, and topics are added for discussion
Book 5 and 6 (10 lessons each): Based on real Chinese language materials

The course will cover a variety of topics such as society, technology, economics, politics, culture, environment, etc., and teach students about Chinese in different countries and fields.

Based on our 25-minute lesson schedule at Yes Taiwan, you can complete a full course in about 8-24 lessons.  After completing six books, you’ll be at the equivalent level of a U.S. graduate student (ACTFL Superior level or CEFR C1).

Correspondence table with each certification (from MTC)

當代中文課程（A Course in Contemporary Chinese）	TOCFL （Taiwan’s certification）	HSK （China’s certification）
《當代中文 1》L1-10	Band A1 入門級	Level 1-2
《當代中文 1》L11-15 《當代中文 2》L1-5	Band A2 基礎級	Level 3-4
《當代中文 2》L6-L15 《當代中文 3》L1-8	Band B1 進階級	Level 4-5
《當代中文 3》L9 《當代中文 4》L4	Band B2 高階級	Level 5
《當代中文 4》L5-12	Band C1 流利級	Level 5-6
《當代中文 5》L1-10 《當代中文 6》L1-10	Band C1 流利級-Band C2 精通級	Level 6

The Ultimate Illustrated Chinese Grammar Guide/看圖學中文語法

Introduction

This grammar book includes all of the basic grammar points for both the TOCFL Band A and Chinese language learners. The grammar points are arranged according to the Chinese level and difficulty, so you can easily find helpful grammar examples and follow these patterns in your daily life in Taiwan (or when visiting a Chinese-speaking country).

After learning from this grammar book, you can reach the Chinese language ability levels as described below:

https://tocfl.edu.tw/index.php/test/reading/list/3

There are 3 mock tests at the end of this book, you can practice on your own at home and ask your teacher about the parts you have questions about to achieve the most efficient learning.

The presence of Pinyin, Bopomofo, English transliteration

Pinyin	✖️
Bopomofo	✖️
English Translation	✖️
Simplified Chinese	✖️

Take the first Book I for example:

Vol.1

Unit 1　一個人、兩隻狗
U1-1　　連連看：這些東西的量詞是什麼？

Unit 2　這兩杯茶、那些杯子
U2-1　　寫上「這、這些、那、那些」
U2-2 選選看：把答案寫在（）裡

Unit 3　我叫王秋華
U3-1　　寫上「姓、叫、是」
U3-2　　完成對話
U3-3　　完成句子
U3-4　　看回答完成問句

Unit 4　他們是哪國人？
U4-1　　介紹別人
U4-2　　看回答完成問句（一格寫一個字）
U4-3　　寫上「誰、哪、嗎、是不是、」
U4-4　　先看回答，再寫問句。

Unit 5　我家有七個人，你們家呢？
U5-1　　介紹你的家人
U5-2　　看上面的圖，寫上「有」、「沒有」
U5-3　　完成對話
U5-4　　回答問題
U5-5　　看回答寫問句

・

・

・

Practical Audio-Visual Chinese/實用視聽華語

Introduction

Since its publication in 1999, the new edition of Practical Audio-Visual Chinese has been one of the most authoritative textbooks in Taiwan, and after several revisions, is still one of the mainstream textbooks used by language centers in Taiwan.

This series of five volumes focuses on the communication of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The PRONUNCIATION unit is provided before the lesson to help students understand the basic pronunciation rules of Chinese. This booklet focuses on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, and follows the principles of “forming words into sentences,” “forming sentences into paragraphs,” and “forming paragraphs into chapters” in a progressive manner. In addition to language knowledge, the textbook also focuses on knowledge expansion, such as Taiwanese society, culture, history, geography, festivals, education, sports, health care, leisure, environmental protection, the Chinese zodiac, characters, tea art, etc. The grammar unit guides learners to become familiar with sentence patterns with discourse functions, while the idiom and colloquialism units supplement cultural concepts.

The presence of Pinyin, Bopomofo, English transliteration

Pinyin	✔️
Bopomofo	✔️
English Translation	✔️
Simplified Chinese	✔️

Take the first Book I for example:

Vol.1

Lesson 1 What is your name？
Lesson 2 Hello, good morning
Lesson 3 I like to watch movies
Lesson 4 How much is this pen？
Lesson 5 There are five members in my family
Lesson 6 I’m thinking about buying a new camera
Lesson 7 Your French really sounds nice
Lesson 8 This is our newly purchased television
Lesson 9 Where is your school?
Lesson 10 I went to Japan
Lesson 11 When do you get out of class?
Lesson 12 I went abroad for more than eight months

This textbook is suitable for those who come to Taiwan to learn Chinese, and for high school or university students outside of Taiwan to learn Chinese.

Book 1 (11 lessons): Basic communication in daily life
Book 2 (12 lessons): More accurate and fluent communication in daily life
Book 3 (13 lessons): Expression and comprehension of paragraphs
Book 4 (14 lessons): In addition to language knowledge, we will also focus on expanding knowledge. 
Book 5 (14 lessons): Focuses on narrative and argumentative communication skills.

Based on our 25-minute lesson schedule at Yes Taiwan, you can complete a full course in about 8-24 lessons. If you complete the first three books, you will pass the minimum Chinese language standards for foreign students to enter a university in Taiwan.

Correspondence table with each certification (from TKU Chinese language center)

實用視聽華語（Practical Audio-Visual Chinese）	TOCFL （Taiwan’s certification）	HSK （China’s certification）
《視聽華語 1》	Band A1 入門級	Level 1-2
《視聽華語 2》	Band A2 基礎級	Level 3-4
《視聽華語 3》	Band B1 進階級	Level 4-5
《視聽華語 4》	Band B1 進階級	Level 5
《視聽華語 5》	Band B1-2 進階–高階級	Level 5-6
–	Band B2 高階級	Level 6
–	Band B2-C1 高階級–流利級	–
–	Band C1 流利級	–
–	Band C2 精通級	–

Advanced Business Chinese/各行各業說中文

Introduction

This book is suitable for learners who need to learn Chinese for business purposes. The first book focuses on internal communication within the company, where colleagues and friends talk about work situations.

The second book focuses on the practical aspects of communication between the company and the outside world. The textbook includes many case studies such as the first day of a new employee, employee travel, product marketing, handling customer complaints, layoffs, and mergers and acquisitions. Industries mentioned in the textbook include publishing, service, agriculture and forestry, manufacturing, technology, financial and insurance, wholesale and retail, construction and decoration, and e-commerce.

The presence of Pinyin, Bopomofo, English transliteration

Pinyin	✔️（only in vocabulary）
Bopomofo	✖️
English Translation	✔️（only in vocabulary）
Simplified Chinese	✔️

Take the first Book I for example:

Vol.1

第一課新人的第一天 First Day on the Job
第二課職場衝突 Workplace Conflict
第三課専業經理人 Professional Manager
第四課說話的藝術 The Art of Speaking
第五課舊瓶裝新酒 Repackaging
第六課給員工打分數 Giving Employees Scores
第七課旅遊補貼 Travel Allowance
第八課裁員風波 Layoff Crisis
第九課老闆與老闆娘 The Boss and His Wife
第十課人往高處爬 Rise to the Challenge

In addition to basic business conversations, you will learn how to resolve disputes, make presentations, introduce products, negotiate with people, express compliments, and make tactful decisions, which will definitely improve your ability to use Chinese in a business environment.

Based on our 25-minute lesson schedule at Yes Taiwan, you can complete a full course in about 36 lessons. The difficulty level of this textbook is equivalent to CEFR B2-C1, so it’s suitable for learners who have taken Contemporary Chinese Course IV (B2-C1).

Other materials

If you would like to use other materials to learn Chinese, please feel free to contact us or your teacher. In addition to the above four sets of materials, Yes Taiwan’s experienced teachers are also good at teaching other materials, and can even write materials for you if you had something specific in mind.

We hope that our standards for excellence in teaching will help you achieve the most effective results in your Chinese learning!