LTL Mandarin School Taiwan (Taibei)

I started at LTL with a 10 week fulltime program, 4 hours of group and 2 hours of 1-on-1 every week. Although I had some exposure to Chinese from some popular apps, I started at the very beginning level and I'm glad I did! Starting from A0 helped lay a better foundation and fill in a lot of gaps in my knowledge, and I never felt bored with the program. All of the teachers Thomas, Helen, Anqie, Jessica, and Tammy H. have been fantastic and bring their own personalities and teaching styles that not only focus on Mandarin, but also build a deeper cultural understanding. By the end of the 10 weeks I felt much more confident going about day to day interactions in Taiwan.

My favorite thing about LTL is the flexibility offered. After my 10 weeks, I was able to pause for a month, and come back to a lighter course load. I am able to adjust my schedule as needed and know Alin and Greta will help set me up with a program tailored to my needs.

A huge bonus for me are the cultural and social events. Riona does a fantastic job coordinating student lunches each week and putting together school hosted activities. I've participated in Mahjong, lacquered fan making, calligraphy, and even Bājíquán 八極 （a Chinese martial art) at the school! The activities are a great way to connect with other students and truly make the time in Taiwan memorable!

I’m having a great time at LTL Taipei. The teachers are very good, their teaching methods are excellent. I learned quite a lot in he last two weeks, I’m surprised how quick it’s possible to improve ones language ability at LTL. Learning chinese at LTL Taipei is fun and very effective. The administration ladies who are organising the program, cultural activities and having lunch together are doing a very good job! Everything is organized very well. Thank you a lot for everything!

I love this school! It has a real soul. Students and staff bond, there are always cultural and fun group activities going on. Plus, you actually learn. My teacher, Ms. Tammy, is brilliant! So is the whole staff. Special mention to Riona, Alin and Greta. All consistently nice and helpful. I've been studying at LTL Taipei for about 2 months and will stay for at least one full year. 
Thanks everyone!

I was so impressed by how the school is well-structured and the people are amazing. The teachers are extremely knowledgeable and kind. I can say those were the best Mandarin lessons I've ever had in my life. Sissi quickly understood what I needed and gave me an unforgettable lesson on business and legal Mandarin after she learned I was a lawyer. Thomas was also a great teacher; he taught me a lot about speaking everyday Mandarin, and I was surprised by how much we have in common. Pinwei has helped me a lot with my pronunciation, something I have a lot of difficulty with. Regarding the team, Alin and Riona made me feel super welcome and integrated me really well with the other students. I highly recommend LTL to anyone of any age and with any goal, because LTL will exceed your expectations.

I am so grateful and glad that I choose this school and location out of all the different choices. They made me feel so welcome and their teachers are very skilled with their own teaching style. 
Thank you Peichen, Tammy, MeiYing and Rhiona and Ailin! 
I really recommended you to choose this school and Taipei if you want up study mandarin! 

The LTL school in Taipei has proved itself to be an excellent language school with high quality programs, flexibility, reasonable cost, and great social and cultural experiences. I have now been studying at the school while working full time for one month. At first, I wasnt sure if I wanted to organise my own tutor or find a school like LTL, but the team here (Alin, Riona, Greta, and others!) have enabled me to get the absolute most out of my time here learning Mandarin by helping me schedule private classes that fit my work schedule, organising social & cultural events like hot pot, and helping me change class times when I needed. On top of this, my teachers (Pinwei & Yujing) have provided an excellent & dynamic learning experience tailored to my learning style and preferences. As a result of my positive experience, I have decided to stay longer and book another month of classes. 

Great school, Riona and co made it a very welcoming community that I looked forward to going to everyday with daily lunches and occasional social activities. I had daily 4 hour 1-1 lessons with teachers Shu and Zhang and have made huge progress. Teacher Shu is very experienced allowing me to improve very quickly, while teacher Zhang has helped me correct mistakes and have lively conversations.

Through my intro call with Alin I was able to customize the lessons to my needs - forgoing learning to write, and making the transition from simplified to traditional Chinese, which was not too bad.

Three words: you won’t regret it I perused Reddit and message boards for a couple months before deciding upon LTL; small classes with option of 1:1 tutoring, practical learning that could be immediately applied to daily life, and frequent opportunities for cultural experiences and hanging out with peers (new friends!) drew me in. The staff were friendly and helpful with the start. Greta answered my plethora of questions, set up my schedule, and Alin had a video call with me before starting to assess my current Mandarin abilities in order to place me at the right level of class. Their personable attitudes extended to the teachers and other students and I was surprisingly assuaged upon arriving. My classes have ranged from 2-4 students which is comparatively small compared to other schools I looked into, and provides much more individual attention and learning capacity. All teachers have been effective and lovely, and all have their own style which shapes a holistic learning experience: Alice takes us on helpful deviations from the book so that we can apply the lessons to everyday life in Taipei, and supplements it with games and additional phrases and vocabulary of common situations; Sissi is proficient at deconstructing grammar and sentences so that we internalize their roots and logic; Tammy conducts classes in Mandarin for an immersive experience. All have welcoming friendly demeanours while balancing strict corrections to ensure our pronunciation and grammar is as native as possible. Greta and Alin have remained indispensable as I extend my classes (3 months total) and Riona has made our time outside of class especially enjoyable by corralling us to different spots for daily lunches, dinner, cultural spot, or activity excursions, and the occasional party and holiday gathering. Highly recommend! 

Does anyone know what textbook series or other materials LTL uses for their Taipei courses? I haven't been able to find that info on their website.

Thanks,

   Mark

My experience at LTL Taipei has been incredibly positive. The teachers and staff are patient, engaging, and very good at explaining Chinese in a clear and way; especially my teacher, Alice, and the school manager, Riona. The school environment is friendly and welcoming. Studying Mandarin here has been both challenging and fun, and I’ve made noticeable progress in a short amount of time. I would definitely recommend LTL Taipei to anyone serious about improving their Chinese. Before coming to LTL my level was around beginner. In two months, I feel that I am at a low-medium intermediate level.

If you’re considering studying at LTL Taipei my biggest advice is to fully commit to speaking Chinese every day. It can feel uncomfortable at first, but the more you push yourself outside your comfort zone, the faster you’ll improve. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Also, take advantage of being in Taipei. Practice Mandarin when ordering food, asking for directions, or chatting with locals. Explore night markets, cafes, and different neighborhoods to immerse yourself in the culture. Also, stay consistent with review and homework. The program moves quickly, so regular practice makes a huge difference. If you stay open-minded, curious, and proactive, you’ll get so much more out of the experience. 

Michael Thayer

The LTL Mandarin school in Taipei was the best and most rewarding experience of my language learning journey. 

From my first contact, through selecting and arranging my program, to finding the perfect homestay, all the way through navigating daily life, and even my departure, the staff and faculty at LTL Taipei exceeded my expectations in providing support and guidance as well as a welcoming and genuinely friendly environment. 

The combination of small group classes and 1x1 instruction afforded me opportunities and motivation  to deepen my understanding of the language and to practice my listening and speaking skills. 

My homestay offered even more chances to learn language and culture as well as the warmth and support of people who actually felt like family.

I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants a complete learning experience. 

@markpete23 There's some flexibility in the learning materials, especially if you're in a 1-on-1 class. Most students use the textbooks from "A Course in Contemporary Chinese" (當代中文課程) as those books use traditional characters / Taiwan-style Mandarin. However, I know they also have HSK books available if you want to specifically study for the HSK exam or want to focus on Simplified Chinese. If there was a particular textbook you wanted to use, it's worth reaching out and requesting it. They're generally very accommodating  

Winter 2025 was my first time studying at LTL Taipei, and I had such a great time! All the staff and students are incredibly kind. I often went out for lunch with Riona and other students, which was a great way of getting to know the people at LTL and also to discover delicious places to eat! Alice 老師 is really skilled at teaching, and her classes are more interactive, like having to play charades in Mandarin, which for me really helped when learning vocabulary. I had learned Mandarin before, but I had forgotten quite a bit after high school, so when I started at LTL I was still a beginner. But after 3 weeks I felt more confident speaking and I had picked up a lot more vocabulary and grammar than before. I want to thank Riona, Alin and Alice for ensuring a great time at LTL Taipei!

I would like to share my experience with LTL School, located in Taipei. This school, specialized in teaching Chinese, offers a high level of teaching quality. The classes are well-structured, tailored to individual needs, and the teachers are very skilled. In addition, the whole team fosters a great environment and offers engaging extracurricular activities. I especially appreciated the work of Sissi, whose pedagogical approach, combined with the supportive team and fun activities, really helped me progress. If you are looking for a reputable school to learn Chinese, LTL School is definitely worth considering.

Hi everyone, I wanted to share my experience at LTL Taipei since this thread was helpful to me when I was deciding where to study.

Last year, I finished 10 weeks there and I am returning for 13 more weeks starting next month. My focus was on building conversational Mandarin and while fluency is a long road, the progress I made in 10 weeks was genuinely impressive to me.

I studied 1-on-1, which was intensive but exactly what I needed. Every session was tailored to my level and my gaps, with no time wasted.

A few people really made the experience special. Alice built her classes around real-life Mandarin you would actually use, and she also organized extracurricular activities and introduced me to Taipei’s night life, which helped the language stick in a completely different way. Vivian brought a lot of energy and fun to every class, which matters when you are studying intensively day after day. Ivory was very perceptive about what I needed to work on and always delivered feedback with a lot of care. Weiwei was relentless on pronunciation, which is exactly what you need but rarely get. And Riona was wonderful at being available and supportive outside of class hours.

The admin side was completely smooth from the moment I booked. No confusion, no surprises. Happy to answer any questions if anyone is considering LTL.

Leaving a review for LTL Taipei! I just finished four weeks of small group lessons. It was a very productive but also very friendly and low pressure learning experience. My instructors, Sissi and Tammy, were extremely good what they do. Our lessons were always tailored to the specific, individual needs of students. My group class never had more than 3 people, so it was a nice balance of speaking and listening practice. The school admins Riona and Alin were also super friendly and ready to help with questions about recommendations, navigation, or general travel around Taiwan.