Josh / 书华

From mid-January to mid-February, I had to prepare urgently for my IELTS Speaking retake, and Josh helped me improve by 1.5 bands in just 1 month, and yes, it was really 1.5 band in 1 month. I had tried a few other teachers, but Josh stood out with his dedication and support. He’s friendly, patient, and especially never lets me speak alone. I was impressed by well-made intro video, and his teaching didn’t disappoint. I’m still learning with him and honestly have nothing to complain about. This is just my genuine experience, no exaggeration, trust me :). Much respect and gratitude to Josh!

谢谢书华老师的耐心讲解 今天的收获特别大而且和您学习让我感觉到了自己的进步 再次感谢您 加油！

2. At first, correcting my pronunciation was tough. I used to memorize texts by their Chinese meanings and focus too much on grammar. But Josh patiently guided me to speak like a native learner to feel the language, not translate it. I still remember the times when he tilted his head slightly, listened to my pronunciation carefully with a pained expression, and then firmly shook his head. I felt so disappointed in those moments, but gradually, as I started to truly understand, I began to see real progress. Some mistakes simply disappeared. During a short segment of each class, he is willing to share the cultural questions I raise and honestly tell me his thoughts. I feel that the gap between myself and Westerners is not that big, and that human nature has many similarities. This gives me confidence to communicate with Westerners on an equal footing in the future. Thanks to Josh for all his dedication -you’ve inspired me, and your encouragement will stay with me for a long time to come.

For any Chinese students, Josh is definitely your first choice for an English teacher! He has a deep understanding of both Chinese and English, making it easy to explain concepts clearly. Josh is incredibly patient and kind, especially when correcting my pronunciation mistakes. Without his guidance, I wouldn’t have even noticed the issues in my pronunciation. Highly recommend him!

3. Afterword: I once asked him if the first line of the book-道德经 is ‘道可道非常道,’ and he just said ‘Yes.’ I felt a little hurt… I’m convinced my Chinese is better than his, even though I haven’t found any proof yet. Looks like I’d better take Chinese more seriously… can’t let a foreigner get ahead of us.

1. I’ve studied English for decades and even earned my degree abroad, yet I’ve always felt a bit embarrassed about my spoken English. It’s easy to pass exams or get a degree through reading and practice tests, but speaking and listening — those are the skills you can quietly avoid. That changed when I started learning with Josh three months ago. After 50 lessons, I can truly say every class with him keeps me completely focused. You can really feel the difference of having a one-on-one teacher. He’s not only experienced and passionate but also incredibly attentive. He helps me express every thought I struggle to say, fills in my unfinished sentences, and even takes detailed notes for me. Sometimes, when I have pronunciation problems, he even sends me audio recordings after class so I can listen, compare, and practice. Then, I organize his notes into a document — it becomes my personal “error notebook.“