
Savitri
15 Chinese (Mandarin) lessons
I think this is my 15th lesson with Coral. We started out by reading DuChinese stories (intermediate and upper levels). Even though I could understand the stories and answer questions, I really struggled with putting my own sentences together. Despite my level, I just couldn't speak very well. So, we decided to stop the reading and focus on just talking instead. By practicing basic conversation, just whatever topic pops up that day, and getting used to the way sentences are built, I feel like my Mandarin is finally getting better. While the lessons are free flowing/not structured, Coral would always find a structure to focus on for that day's lesson. She'd write the grammar structure and we'd try a few sentences using it until I have a good grasp of it. Today, for example, was A + 对 + B and practice speaking with time and place (since I often put the time or place at the end). I’m still learning new words, but having this time to actually practice speaking is exactly what I needed.
Jan 15, 2026