Don't Miss Out! A Who's Who of Schools Attending Tomorrow's (Jun 25) Mandarin Month Mixer

It's the can't miss event of the month – a boozy, snack rife occasion brimming with experts that can help make your life in Beijing far more hassle free and engaging. Yes, of course we're referring to TBJ's first ever Mandarin Month Mixer. Held at Home Plate BBQ from 2-5pm, the event will feature booths manned by teachers and reps from a dozen top language learning centers. You can schmooze and booze with each of them easily, and quickly find the right fit for all your learning needs and finally overcome the language barrier that has hampered stay in Beijing. Below, you can learn more about each of the learning centers in attendance

Berlitz
An ideal destination for serious business professionals looking to buck up their language skills for work situations. Click here for more information.

BICC
A popular school that is well regarded for its character writing classes, among other quality offerings. Click here for more information.

BITC
Everything from kung fu to HSK prep is covered at this popular Mandarin language learning center. Check out our Mandarin Month page on the morning of June 25 to see our blog that details many of BITC's fine features.

Hutong School
A conveniently located school with fun, easy going teachers. Click here for more information.

Ideal Mandarin
A student was quick to praise this learning center, saying: "I felt they offered me a good package including study material, study plans, certified teachers, an affordable price, and freedom to choose where to take classes, which saved me a lot of travel time. And the teachers are very friendly and knowledgeable." Cick here for more information.

Inter University Program (IUP)
Academically inclined learners will revel in this schools' international approach to Mandarin study. Formerly known as the Stanford Center, and located on the campus of Tsinghua University, IUP students are given a very well rounded education that not only focuses on the nitty gritty grammar, vocabulary and other basics of Chinese language learning, but also the broader cultural aspects surrounding it. Click here for more information.

Keats School
Beijing has plenty of fine options for Mandarin study. But let's face it: many of us would benefit from being in a smaller, less international locale where English is not so rampant. Stepping outside one's comfort zone has certainly paid off for students of Keats School, located in Kunming, a beautifully accommodating city that nonetheless forces students out of their expat bubble. For more information, click here.

Mandarin House
This language learning school brand not only has numerous branches in China, but also around the world in locales like New York and London. Its website boasts about Mandarin House has attracted 30,000 students from more than 80 nationalities, before adding that: "We are proud to have won international awards, reached the strictest quality accreditation standards and to have employed only the best teachers and staff who are all dedicated to one thing: ensuring you learn Chinese as fast and efficient as possible." For more information, click here.

Shuoba
This school boasts fun, highly accommodating teachers who endeavor to engage their students with relatable lessons. Prime example: classes that focus on Euro football vocabulary. For more information, click here.

SpeakEasy
Even though it's a brand new venue, SpeakEasy is by no means lacking in experienced teachers and quality teaching practices. SpeakEasy especially prides itself via a creative, unconventional approach to teaching Chinese tones. Click here for more information.

That's Mandarin
One of the most popular and well reputed language learning centers in Beijing, That's Mandarin is a clear leader in the Chinese education scene. A student raves about the center's "real teachers" before explaining that the school avoids the all-too-common practice of hiring "people who are teaching part-time and not taking it seriously." The student adds: "I also like how (That's Mandarin's) teachers adapt their lessons to your needs, and how they are so friendly and professional. Click here for more information.

Come meet teachers and reps from all these schools at our free event on June 25, from 2-5pm at Home Plate BBQ. Also, be sure to look back at our month-long Mandarin Month coverage here.

Mandarin Month is brought to you by Pleco, Project Pengyou, Ninchanese, BenCham, BritCham, and MexCham

Photos: The Beijinger archives, SpeakEasy