Testimonial

Here's a letter from 3 brothers who specifically came from Southern New Jersey every Saturday and finished Levels 1, 2 and 3 in group classes.

Thank You Dina,
Spending Saturday afternoons in New York City learning Chinese from such a warm and dedicated teacher with my two brothers was a nice experience for me personally. The amount of material that you cover creates a perfect mix for learning. Your knowledge of the subject matter and method of teaching combined to give us a firm foundation in understanding the Chinese language
Doug Harnaga

I absolutely agree with Doug. In addition, while our journey (one way needs 2 hours by train) from New Jersey to your class in NYC usually took up our whole Saturday, but it was made worthwhile by your warm smile and your dedication to teaching. Completing your Chinese program Level 1, 2, and 3 may not have been an easy task. However, you made it very pleasant. I appreciate your willingness to spend any time needed before or after class to help with our learning. Thank you so much and I wish you much success with your future.

Jim Harnaga

Thanks Dina! With your accelerated learning program, I was able to learn 3 years of Chinese in only about one year.

Robert Harnaga

More From Other Students:

I really want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the best teacher I ever had. All your students and student to be are considered to be very lucky to have you as a teacher. Why? Because you have a caring attitude, and a love of learning, warm and accessible, and committed to your goal. You make learning Chinese very interesting, you explain the origin of words and have a systematic way of teaching thereby making easy retention. Because you make your student relax after the busy/hectic work since you have a unique way, a magic as I can say, other teachers do not have, you keep us motivated with your varied, lively approaches, thus making your students attentive and their enthusiasm is always there in each lesson. And lastly because your methodology of teaching is simplified but very effective, you present materials in an enthusiastic manner, thus instill a hunger in your students to learn more on their own. You exhibit expertise in the subject, students have that eagerness to learn. You are really a great Lao shi. I would say that you deserve to have a title, that is you are the “Confucius of Modern Time of the New Generation” Again my heartfelt thanks for having you as my great teacher. Still to be with you on Level 2

Joy Yang

HSBC BANK USA

After having taken 3 levels of Fast Learning Chinese (with no prior exposure to the language), I am amazed by the level I have achieved and by how much I can say, write and understand of the Chinese language. I know that my accomplishments are undoubtedly a result of your undeniable talent as a language teacher. I, myself, am a French teacher so I know a good teacher when I see one. Besides learning Chinese, I also got many pointers on how to be an efficient language teacher by observing your dedication to your students as well as benefiting from your extensive knowledge about the methodology of language teaching. Your classes are prepared in a constructive and intelligent way, not to mention taught in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. As your student, I had to work hard outside of class. Studying and practicing are an essential part of learning a language. Yet this hard work outside of class would not have paid off as it did if it were not for your talent. What made the overall experience a satisfying one was the fact that you understand that language cannot be taught properly in a vacuum. For each new word (whether it be a character or its pinyin transcription), you gave us its epistemological origin as well as clear ways to remember it. You never made this whole learning process a tedious one. All your classes were fun and interesting, yet challenging. I am leaving New York soon; I will miss you and your classes. And I will continue learning Chinese now that I have had the best Chinese teacher ever. Xiè xiè! Muriel Placet-Kouassi, Drew University

Muriel Placet-Kouassi

Drew University

I find the program very helpful, since it integrates spoken conversation, pronunciation, pinyin notation and Chinese characters in a very organic fashion. (I used some of my newfound knowledge last night at Ollie's noodle shop and was very pleased that I was understood!) I look forward to coming to class and to the challenges of learning Chinese in this interesting and lively manner. As a professor, I've studied other languages in the more traditional way and I really like Dina's approach better.

Roberta Graziano

Hunter College

Dina is an extremely accommodating, patient, organized, encouraging, and creative teacher. Her understanding of and experiences in China and the USA profoundly augment her teaching. I am amazed at the amount one is able to say and write, especially with respect to Chinese characters, at the end of the first lessons of level 1 much less after the entire 22 lessons. With a mastery of level 1, one definitely can converse well enough in Mandarin to speak when traveling- which is quite a feat! WOW!! I just finished level 1 within 2.5 weeks and I can’t wait to see what level 2 holds! Dina’s course is so very well worth it. In short, if you want to learn to read, write, speak, and listen to Mandarin effectively, WITH UNDERSTANDING also, Dina delivers!

E. Barrett, Math

Teacher in NYC

Having completed Fast Learning Chinese level 1 class, I am very pleasantly surprised by how quickly I was able to begin to speak and start to form my very own sentences in Mandarin. During the level 1 class I found that each of the lessons were planned out very well. Dina has a unique teaching style that keeps you interested and wanting to learn more. Out of the many different subjects I have had to study for I can wholeheartedly say that this was one of the few times that I actually enjoyed going to class. In addition to her book, I found that her CD was an essential tool and it came in handy when I wasn't sure of the proper pronunciations and tones. I have recommended Fast Learning Chinese to my friends and I will continue to recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning Mandarin.

Allen Nip

Morgan Stanley

I must candidly say that I began "Fast Learning Chinese" with great skepticism. I could not fathom that anyone could teach me so rapidly to speak even the most basic Chinese. After all Mandarin has a (justified) reputation as a very difficult language for many reasons. But I am thrilled to report that I have acquired a rather comfortable level of spoken basic Chinese. Yes, learning a new language is an ongoing process, the practice must continue, and I know I will be making mistakes. But I have been pleasantly rewarded by Chinese speakers who complimented me not only for my vocabulary but more importantly for my pronunciation and intonation! If you open your mind, if you listen carefully, if you do the work, and if you're unafraid to imitate Dina's diction, you will find the program works very well. Finally, you will enjoy a teacher who respects her native tongue and is clearly enthusiastic teaching it each and every week!

Igal Fligman