How to help regional students learn Japanese and Chinese?

Lyrebird Language Centre has been teaching Japanese and Chinese in Brisbane since 2008 but we couldn’t help regional students learn Japanese and Chinese untill we started teaching online in 2020.

We found there are so many students in regional areas who like to learn a second language but just couldn’t find a good teacher. There are some distance education services from Education Queensland and many cheap or free online Japanese and Chinese courses and Apps. However, most of them failed to meet regional students’ expectation.

Without a good teacher, students will lose their interest and quit Japanese or Chinese class; without enough student numbers, less and less regional schools are offering Japanese or Chinese. This is the dilemma facing regional Japanese and Chinese language education.

Steps to help regional students learn Japanese and Chinese

Here are some suggestions based on our conversation with our regional students and their parents:

Increase motivation: Parents and schools should introduce foreign languages and cultures at an early stage. Let the students try the languages first.
Make it fun: It is very important to keep the study of Japanese and Chinese a fun journey. Without an interest, students will not continue.
Set a goal: We found most students do better when they have a clear goal. JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) and HSK (Chinese Language Proficiency Test) are two useful systems. For young students, the YCT (Young Chinese Test) is also a good system. They offer a step by step progress. This can help students to reach a goal in a reasonable time and gain self-confidence.

Japanese and Chinese Classes for regional students:

Private lesson: They can choose online Japanese and Chinese classes to suit their time.
JLPT class: Join our JLPT class
HSK class: Join our HSK class

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24 March 202124 March 2021
by admin

Lyrebird Language Centre

4.8

Based on 59 reviews

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Jake V

23:50 24 Aug 24

I have found Lyrebird to be an incredible place to learn a new language. Specifically, I am currently learning Japanese.They have created a comfortable, encouraging environment that I feel caters to how I learn best.I have seen tremendous progress since I started and am looking forward to my future progress.I would highly recommend this school to anyone looking to learn a new language 😊

Numz Fia

05:58 21 Apr 24

I am studying Mandarin Chinese with Ken. I am greatful for such an amicable & knowledgeable teacher. The classes are held on Sunday which fits in with my weekly work roster. Keep up the great work 😊

Nick Vallis

08:55 05 Mar 24

Taking classes with Ken at Lyrebird Language Centre has been a great choice. The classes have been ongoing, following the school term and the lessons follow the HSK courses which gives a beginner some structure and direction.I've sat in many classrooms and I can tell that Ken is a talented teacher who understands the different ways people learn. The classes support real practice and progress.Lyrebird creates a great learning environment that facilitates group learning and a study group that can grow together. It has been fun to watch each other slowly progress and keeps us all motivated. I recommend it for serious students or for a fun hobbie.Thank you Ken🙂

Rei Lee

09:54 18 Jun 23

Teacher Elli is very passionate in teaching children mandarin! Under teacher Elli’s teaching , My 6 yr old child has shown interest in mandarin and even requested me to play Chinese songs at home and he could even sing along. He is able to understand so much more mandarin and recognise simple Chinese words within these 2 months of learning! Definitely worth our effort and time in waking up early and bringing him for the classes!

Jed M

04:34 03 Jun 23

A great language school and fun Japanese course. Ellie is very accommodating to all levels and different paces of learning.

Dare Power

02:32 03 Jun 23

Our son undertakes tutoring with Lyrebird on a weekly basis. We have found them to be friendly and professional, and they definitely help our son with his school Japanese language studies. And not only do the lessons enhance his learning, but he has a lot of fun as well.

Stuart Stenhouse

06:01 14 May 23

I have studied Chinese with them for over three years and really enjoyed the experience and learned a lot.

Kai Choon

22:27 19 Jan 23

Interactive Chinese class and my kid has definitely enjoyed. recommended.

Sandra Bevan

03:02 17 Oct 22

My son has been paying for my Japanese class for almost year. We have been having so much fun. I'm actually surprised how well my old brain is picking up such a complex language. I can't wait to try it out in Japan. 😀. Sensei Ken is doing a great job of teaching a beginner with a person who is a way more advanced.

Ana Rivera

09:05 21 Sep 22

Ken is very friendly and patient. He puts you at ease whilst challenging you with every class. I have really enjoyed the classes, the semesters go by surprisingly quick! I am looking forward to next semester!

Cindy Lu

05:31 25 May 22

LyreBird language school and Ms Elli in particular is a highly dedicated and committed teacher. I highly recommended Ms Elli for her effective teaching approach. My daughter has started her first Chinese lesson with Ms Elli when she was 5 years old. She is now 7 and has learnt a lot in every lesson.Ms Elli’s class is highly interactive and the materials are very up to date. Learning a foreign language isn’t easy for little one and thanks for Ms Elli’s patience and encouragement, my daughter enjoys her Chinese class a lot and is excited to continue pursuing her goal of mastering Chinese.

Reuben Kwong

02:23 28 Aug 21

My wife and I began attending a beginners adult Mandarin class at Lyrebird Language Centre on Saturday mornings this year. We pass the children’s class on the way to our classroom and they seem to enjoy themselves. We have attended one other language school before and have found the HSK program this school uses to be a superior approach, appropriately structured and logical for our learning.Our teacher, Ken, is a native speaker and he does a wonderful job of guiding our learning. He is personable and relatable, gets to know our strengths and weaknesses and kindly helps extend where we are at. Being adult learners, he is patient and understanding of our schedules and paces us accordingly. There are a few other students in our class and we are enjoying the journey with them.We love the cultural insights we earn along the way and how much fun classes are. We highly recommend this school for adults. 😁👍🏽

Wanjiru Karanja

00:21 24 Feb 21

Ken is an excellent teacher. He is very patient and will keep patiently correcting you till you get it right. The classes are fun, with additional learning materials, links and cultural learning points.If you are looking for structured Mandarin learning with great teachers who have a flexible friendly approach to teaching, then Lyrebird Language Centre is the way to go.

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