Why Learn Mandarin

The popularity of Mandarin is growing heavily as China’s influence grows in the U.S. and throughout the world. More and more families tell us that they are willing to take on the rigors of learning a language that is wholly unlike English in order to gain the advantage of being able to speak the “language of the future.” Shaolin Afterschool Center has partnered with long-time Mandarin educators and curriculum developers to develop a curriculum that maintains our dynamic, playful approach while respecting the particular challenges of learning this language.

The number one reason for learning Mandarin Chinese is that it is the most widely-spoken language in the world. Learn to speak Mandarin and you can speak with millions of people around the world. The Chinese Writing System is quite a challenge, but this is another reason to learn it! Despite its difficulty, learning to read and write Chinese will give you a lifetime of intellectual stimulation. The real beauty of the language is revealed in the writing. There are thousands of Chinese characters, but they are not randomly constructed. There is a system to their design, and understanding that system makes it much easier to learn new characters. About 800 million people speak Mandarin as their mother tongue, plus 200 million people as a second language. Keep in mind that all the Chinese languages in China are written more or less the same and that if you can read one, you can read all.