Welcome to Redcrane School of Chinese
Chinese Mandarin Language Course Melbourne. Learn Chinese Mandarin - We conduct Chinese Language Courses / Lessons held in the heart of Melbourne City and Sydney City. New classes starting in 2014 in Yarraville and Brunswick. With a full range from Beginner's Courses to Advanced Mandarin Courses, Red Crane has a course to suit your needs.
Established for over 16 years, Red Crane has had thousands of students learn Chinese Mandarin Language at our school. Specialising in Optimal Learning Strategies, Red Crane School of Chinese provides a conducive and innovative environment for rapid learning of Chinese Mandarin language, where a modern fusion of Eastern philosophy and Western understanding takes place./p>
The school takes a fresh and modern approach to learning Chinese, Mandarin. The main school located on Little Collins St, Melbourne, with a branch in Sydney was started by Evelyn Chen, with the aim of teaching 'real life' Chinese. With this in mind, she developed a series of textbooks, audio lesson podcasts, and Chinese courses which not only teach you the basics of the language, but also deals with 'day to day' Chinese, like how to bargain in a Chinese market, saying 'No Msg Please' when ordering food, and the intermediate classes even deal with swear words, so you know what they really are saying in those kungfu movies...
At Red Crane, we pride ourselves with having an excellent and enjoyable curriculum, dedicated teachers, and small class sizes. Red Crane now also has free Red Crane PODCASTS which act as supplementary lessons. These lessons are only available to current students. If you would like to listen to some fun radio lessons, try listening to our Mandarin lessons with James Valentine on ABC radio. Red Crane students also can receive discounts at some services who are Friends of Red Crane.
We also conduct Chinese Business Culture Workshops on a regular basis. Many individuals and companies have attended and benefited from these workshops which can run for a couple of hours to full day comprehensive training sessions.
Red Crane's Clients include staff from Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, IBM, GE, Lonely Planet, Business Council of Australia, Coles, Sensis, Intrepid Travel, ANZ, Pacific Brands, Le Meridien Hotel, National Bank, Microsoft, Heinz, Sony Ericsson, Musuem Victoria, Deakin University, Parliamentary Library, Cathay Pacific, REA Group amongst many others.
What Our Clients Have Said
"Evelyn understands the challenges of running voluntary education for adults (most of whom are juggling Mandarin studies around full-time work). She goes out of her way to encourage you to master a challenging subject and to instill the confidence you need to start talking in a new language. The number of students who continue with Red Crane for years is probably the best testimonial.
We have also been taught, for both dialogue and character classes, by other teachers at the school. All of these teachers have been excellent. Evelyn selects her staff carefully - they are well trained, engaging and intelligent.
I cannot recommend the school highly enough, either for prospective travelers to China, or for those who seeking to acquire a knowledge of Mandarin for business purposes." - Tim Lyons, Assistant Secretary, Australian Council of Trade Unions (other testimonials available on the 'testimonials' page)
Our Classes
Red Classes (Beginners)
RED ONE (Chinese Level 1 - 10 lessons)
Content:
Lesson 1 - Introduction to Chinese Characters (14 Chinese characters expanding into a further 12 new words)
Introduction to the Pinyin System & Tonal System
Numbers
Introduction to Months
Lesson 2 - 'Hellos & Goodbyes'
14 new Chinese characters (expanded to 9 new words)
Singular & Plural Pronouns (I, You, He, She, We, You(plural), They)
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'Hello, How are you?'
Grammar Adjectival Verbs
Greetings: Good morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening
Goodbyes: Goodbye, Good Night, See you tomorrow
Cultural Insights
Lesson 3 - 'What is your name?'
9 new Chinese characters (expanded to 10 new words)
Family
Grammar: The verb 'to be', the possessive particle, and the interrogative particle
Chinese Conversation Role Play: 'May I know your name?'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 4 - 'Introducing Friends & Family'
9 new Chinese characters (expanded to 14 new words)
'This one','That one', 'Which one?'
The question word 'What?', mini Mandarin dialogue: 'What is this/that?'
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'Let me introduce. This is my friend, Kaixin.'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 5 - 'Using Public Transport'
7 new Chinese characters (expanded to 11 new words)
Essential polite words for travelling, such as 'Thank you', 'Sorry', 'Excuse me'
Vocabulary on Public Transport
Grammar: The question word 'How?'
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'How do I get to the (place)?
Cultural Insights
Lesson 6 - Clarifying Pinyin & Tones
Revision and Consolidation of Lessons 1 to 5
Cultural Insignts - Chinese Tea Appreciation
Lesson 7 - Nationalities
9 new Chinese characters (expanded to 14 new words)
Grammar: 'Here', 'There', 'Where?'. Mini Mandarin dialogue: 'Where is ...?'
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'What nationality are you?'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 8 - Family
8 new Chinese characters (expanded to 9 new words)
Grammar: measure words, '2 of', the conjunction 'and', and the question word 'How many?'
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'How many people are there in your family?'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 9 - Time
7 new Chinese characters (expanded to 10 characters)
Grammar: Time Units, the question word 'When?'
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'What is the time now?'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 10 - 'Who is?'
Grammar: The question word 'Who'
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'Who is Mr Li?'
Revision & Consolidation of Lessons 1 to 9
Red Classes (Beginners)
RED TWO (Chinese Level 2 - 10 lessons)
Content:
Lesson 1 - Dates & Days of the week
5 new Chinese characters (expanded to 19 new words)
Grammar: Talking about future and past dates
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'What is the date today?' & 'How old are you?'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 2 - What's your occupation?
3 new Chinese characters (expanded to 9 new words)
Grammar: Direct & Indirect Objects, the question word 'Why?', 'Because...so...'
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'What is your occupation?'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 3 - Weather
9 new Chinese characters (expanded to 15 new words)
Learning the various Mandarin weather words
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'What is the weather like today?'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 4 - Revision Dialogue
9 new vocabulary
Grammar: the particle 'le'
Lesson 5 - Revision Dialogue II
8 new vocabulary
Grammar: modal verbs 'want', 'should', 'will'
Lesson 6 - Shopping
7 new Chinese characters (expanded to 8 new words)
Chinese Units of Currency
Grammar: the adverb 'a little'
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'How much is this?' 'It's too expensive!'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 7 - At the Restaurant Part I
9 new Chinese characters (expanded to 9 new words)
Food Words 'Taste'
Basic expression 'I'm hungry/full.' 'Let's eat/drink.' 'Restaurant'
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'Do you have an English menu?'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 8 - At the Restaurant Part II
9 new Chinese characters (expanded to 8 new words)
Food Words 'Eating Implements'
Grammar: 'Or', how to order food in Chinese.
Chinese Conversation Role Play 'Ordering a meal.'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 9 - Chinese Dictionary
Learning New Chinese Character Elements
Lesson 10 - Revision
Class Game revising and consolidating Lessons 1 to 9
Blue Classes (Basic)
BLUE ONE (Chinese Mandarin Level 3 - 10 lessons)
Content: (All Mandarin content is set in dialogic scenarios)
Lesson 1 - Making a Phonecall
Vocabulary on making a call in Chinese
3 basic phone responses
Grammar: 'need to'
Chinese Conversation Role Play: 'Making a Phonecall and Setting Up an Appointment'
Lesson 2 - 'Seeing the Doctor'
Vocabulary on seeing the doctor, such as describing symptoms
Grammar: 'Before', 'After', 'When'
Chinese Conversation Role Play: 'A visit to the Chinese Doctor's'
Lesson 3 - Revision
Class game: Review & Consolidation of first 2 levels of Mandarin and also first 2 lessons of Blue One.
Lesson 4 - 'Asking for Directions'
Vocabulary on directions
Grammar: the conjunction 'then, or after that', the conjunction 'If'
Chinese Conversation Role Play: 'Giving Directions to a Place in Chinese'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 5 - 'Shopping for Clothes I'
Vocabulary on clothes & colour
Usage: measure words for different items of clothing
Grammar: the conjunction 'but'
Chinese Conversation Role Play: 'Asking for different items of clothing'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 6 - 'Shopping for Clothes II - Trying on Clothes'
Vocabulary on clothing sizes
Grammar: the 3 'can's, comparatives and superlatives e.g., 'more' and 'most'
Chinese Conversation Role Play: 'This shirt is too big. Do you have a smaller one?'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 7 - Revision
Students engage in conversation where they employ the themes they have learnt so far
Lesson 8 - My Home
Vocabulary on rooms in your house
Vocabulary on words of position
Grammar: Describing the location of a place. Describing a place in relation to another place
Chinese Group Game: Decribing my house
Cultural Insights
Lesson 9 - Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Greetings
Chinese Conversation Role Play: 'Visiting During Spring Festival'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 10 - Revision and Group Game Play: Revision & Consolidation of Lessons 1 to 9
Blue Classes (Basic)
BLUE TWO (Chinese Mandarin Level 4 - 10 lessons)
Content:
Lesson 1 - Expressing Emotions
Vocabulary on emotions, Passage on Arriving in Australia
Grammar: conjunction 'Both...as well as...'
Chinese Conversation on emotions
Lesson 2 - Improving Fluency
Describing scenarios found in passage of Lesson 1
Dialogue anchored in Lesson 1 and previous lessons
Lesson 3 - Our Lounge Room
Vocabulary on objects found in the lounge room
Grammar: Describing location of objects
Passage on activities in the lounge room
Cultural Insights
Lesson 4 - Bedroom
Vocabulary on items found in the bedroom
Grammar: Students learn about the complement of degree in order to express sentences like 'She runs quickly.'
Chinese Conversation Role Play
Cultural Insights
Lesson 5 - Revision
Group Game Play: Revision & Consolidation of Vocabulary and Grammar learnt in the past 4 weeks
Chinese Conversation Role Play
Cultural Insights
Lesson 6 - 'Checking in at the Airport'
Vocabulary on travel documents
Essential phrases for checking in at the airport, e.g., 'Do you want an aisle seat or a window seat?'
Chinese Conversation Role Play
Cultural Insights
Lesson 7 - 'At the Airport - Chinese Immigration & Customs'
Vocabulary on immigration and customs
Essential phrases for checking in at immigration & customs, e.g., 'I have 3 bottles of wine to declare.'
Chinese Conversation Role Play
Cultural Insights
Lesson 8 - Chinese Superstitions & Taboos
Vocabulary on superstitions & taboos
Passage on buying appropriate gifts
Grammar: the conjunction 'Although...but...'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 9 - Conversation class
Vocabulary on Chinese swear words (so you know what is ACTUALLY said in those contemporary movies)
Cultural Insights
Lesson 10 - Revision and Group Game Play: Revision & Consolidation of Lessons 1 to 9
Blue Conversation
In this course, students would have learnt a large number of vocabulary and phrases for certain themes. The Blue Chinese Conversation class is to consolidate all those Chinese words and phrases learnt in previous diaologic scenarios. Themes for the dialogues will focus on material learnt in levels Red One, Red Two, Blue One, and Blue Two. Students who have taken this course have benefited from consolidating previously learnt material by focussing on building up their fluency in Chinese.
Orange Classes (Pre-Intermediate)
ORANGE ONE (Chinese Mandarin Level 6 - 10 lessons)
Content:
Lesson 1 - At the Hotel
Vocabulary on checking in at the hotel
Essential phrases for checking in at the hotel e.g., 'I would like a double bedroom.'
Grammar: on the use of ? 'ke', the use of comparative ? 'bi'
Chinese Conversation Role Play on checking in at the hotel
Lesson 2 - Chinese Weddings
Vocabulary on weddings and banquets
Passage on a Chinese Wedding
Grammar: on the use of 'qimaye', and the word 'at least'
Lesson 3 - Mandarin Conversation Class
Review of previous dialogues. Students engage in extended dialogues based on themes learnt so far.
Lesson 4 - At the Train Station
Vocabulary on words used to buy train tickets
Grammar: on the use of 'increasingly'
Essential phrases for buying tickets
Chinese Conversation Role Play
Lesson 5 - Mandarin Conversation Class
Chinese Role Play: extended conversation on Checking in at the Airport, At Immigration, & Buying Train Tickets
Cultural Insights
Lesson 6 - Chinese Concept of 'Face'
Vocabulary on the concept of 'Face'
Passage on Chinese superstitions and the concept of 'Face'
Grammar: the adverb 'simply', the conjunction 'in order to avoid'
Cultural Insights
Lesson 7 - Mandarin Conversation Class
Chinese Role Play: extended conversation on themes learnt so far
Cultural Insights
Lesson 8 - At the Post Office
Vocabulary on Post Office terminology
Essential phrases used at the Post Office e.g., 'I would like to send a parcel to Australia.'
Grammar: the preposition 'ba'
Chinese Conversation Role Play
Lesson 9 - Computers & the Internet
Vocabulary on computers & the internet
Essential Phrases such as, 'Is there an internet cafe nearby?', 'Can I check my email account?'
Lesson 10 - Revision and Group Game Play: Revision & Consolidation of Lessons 1 to 9
Orange Classes (Pre-Intermediate)
ORANGE TWO (Chinese Mandarin Level 7 - 10 lessons)
Content:
Lesson 1 - Chinese Food
Extended vocabulary on eating at a Chinese restaurant
Passage on Chinese Restaurant
Grammar: 'zheme/name', 'nayou name'
Chinese Conversation Role Play on eating at a restaurant
Lesson 2 - Chinese Banquet
Vocabulary on banquets
Review of previously taught grammar for use in Banquet dialogue
Chinese Conversation Role Play
Lesson 3 - 'Oh no! You've misunderstood.'
Passage on 'Aiya! Wo shuo cuo le!'
Grammar: on the use of 'otherwise', the 2 'again's, and expressing percentages
Chinese Conversation Role Play
Lesson 4 - Keeping a Secret
This lesson builds on vocabulary from Lesson 3
Chinese Conversation Role Play - Students are required to buld a dialogue based on vocab from Lessons 3 & 4
Lesson 5 - Interests & Movies
Vocabulary on interests in movies
Grammar: 'guo', 'conglai meiyou'
Chinese Conversation Role Play on Personal Interests
Lesson 6 - At the Bank / Changing Money
Vocabulary on changing money at the bank
Grammar: indicating ratios in the context of money exchange, the use of 'mafan ni'
Chinese Conversation Role Play on Changing Money at the Bank
Lesson 7 - At the Chinese Market
Vocabulary on food items found at the market
Grammar: indicating similarities and differences, other expressions of asking for price
Chinese Conversation Role Play on buying food items at the market
Lesson 8 - Diaries - An Unlucky Day
Passage from a diary
Grammar: on the use of 'yihuir...yihuir...'
Understanding more complex grammar found in the passage
Lesson 9 - Diary Presentation & Conversation Class
Grammar: On the use of 'Chule...yiwai...'
Lesson 10 - Review & Consolidation of 16 previously learnt Grammar
Chinese Conversation Role Play
Orange Conversation
In this course, students would have again learnt a large number of vocabulary and phrases for certain themes. The Orange Chinese Conversation class is to consolidate all those Chinese words and phrases learnt in previous diaologic scenarios. Themes for the dialogues will focus on material learnt in levels Blue One, Blue Two, Orange One, and Orange Two. Students who have taken this course have benefited from consolidating previously learnt material by focussing on building up their fluency in Chinese, and learning new phrases that can extend their existing knowledge of the themes learnt.
This series of courses - Intermediate Chinese Conversation levels 1 to 6 - involve additional Chinese conversational themes such as 'Taking the Subway', 'Going to the Hospital', 'Visit to the Hairdresser's/Barber's'. Higher levels include learning colloquial or idiomatic expressions that are used in liberally in conversational Mandarin, such as 'linshi bao fo jiao' or literally 'last moment hugging Buddha's foot', to describe a person who has left doing something to the last minute. These expressions are taught In the Advanced Chinese Conversation level, students will be taught in Mandarin throughout class. New phrases and ways of expressing using colloquial expressions will be taught. Classes are focussed on using learnt expressions in rapid conversational dialogues.