Overview
- Mandarian is the most widely spoken language in the world with around 900 million speakers
- China is the second largest economy in the world, Mandarian an ideal language for international business
- Chinese is composed of pictograms and semi-phonetic ideograms, meaning you will learn an entirely new way of reading and writing
Course Information
Experienced tutors and learning support mentors
Alongside our experienced and highly qualified migrant and refugee tutors, we are also utilising the skills of our current and former Ripe Learning students as learning support mentors. Learning support
mentors will provide invaluable assistance to classes in their native language.
Location
At present, all classes will take place online. Once in-person study is safe for our learners, tutors and support staff, classes will take place in Ripe Language centre London
Time
Our 90 minute classes take place on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings
- Evening 6pm-7:30pm
- Saturday morning 10am-11:30am
- Two classes a week
Each language course runs for 30 weeks and costs (tbc) for the full course. The profits from this social business will be used to cross subsidize our other basic and essential skills courses targeted for people on low incomes. For more information on our basic and essential skills courses and how your fees can support our learners, please visit us here
With maximum class sizes of 16 students, you will be able to gain confidence in a new language in a fun and relaxed environment where teaching can be tailored to meet your individual needs and interests.
Individuals who speak languages other than English, who speak patois as well as standard
English, find it a necessary aspect of self-affirmation not to feel compelled to chose one voice
over another, not to claim one as more authentic but rather to construct social realities that
celebrate, acknowledge and affirm differences, variety. – bell hooks, ‘thinking feminist,
thinking back.’
London is one of the most diverse cities on Earth formed of multilingual communities speaking over 200 languages. Learning an additional language will support your community networks and widen your social life with both practical communication and an increased cultural understanding.
Learning an additional language is a great CV boost for many career paths including social and care work, the tourism sector and international business, journalism and politics.
- Multilinguals show greater creative and cognitive abilities than monolinguals
- Multilingualism is related to the reduction and delay of the onset of dementia
- Multilinguals are better at multitasking
- Multilinguals and those who learn another language are better and faster at learning new things
- Foreign language learners and multilinguals are more tolerant and accepting of difference and ambiguity thus making integration less of a challenge.
- Multilinguals have more foreign friends and participate more in cultural activities.