LTL Language School

I spent six weeks at LTL Taipei taking a 1-on-1 Chinese course. From the beginning, everything was easy and well organized. Communication before my arrival was smooth, the classes were great, and there were plenty of activities outside of class. Even though I had 1-on-1 lessons, I still got to know other students and teachers quite easily. The atmosphere at the school is very friendly and relaxed. There are many international students speaking English, and many people in Taipei speak good English as well. But if you make an effort to meet locals and use Chinese in everyday life, there are still plenty of opportunities to practice. Taipei itself is also a great city to study in—very convenient, easy to get around, and there’s always something to do. Just be prepared for the VERY hot and rainy weather in June/July! I had Jessica 老師 as my teacher, and she quickly understood my level and asked what I wanted to achieve. Although I had learned Simplified Chinese before, that wasn’t a problem at all. LTL Taipei teaches both Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and I got used to Traditional much faster than I expected. Since my main goal was to refresh my Chinese and improve my speaking, Jessica adapted the lessons to me instead of just following the textbook. From day one, we spoke almost entirely in Chinese, which helped a lot with my listening and speaking. I had classes every morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., but I never felt overwhelmed and the four hours always went by surprisingly quickly. Jessica was also very kind and supportive—she even brought me breakfast a few times! After six weeks, I could really feel that my Chinese had improved. There were different activities every week, such as Mahjong, karaoke, museums, cultural activities, and group lunches near the school. Sunny and Riona put so much effort into organizing everything. They were always friendly and approachable, and they definitely made the course more enjoyable! Alin organized my classes and found a teacher who was a really good match for me. Greta was also very helpful before and during my stay. I had some issues with my original homestay arrangement, and she took my concerns seriously and really tried to help find a solution, which I appreciated a lot. The only thing I think could be improved is the homestay program. From my own experience and from talking to other students, the quality of host families seems to vary quite a bit. It would be helpful to have more consistent standards regarding things like cleanliness, distance from the school, and how involved the host family is. I also think it would be better to get information about the homestay earlier. Considering the price, renting a private room or apartment nearby can sometimes be a better option. Of course, I’m sure there are also many great host families—it may just depend a little on luck. Overall, I’d definitely recommend LTL Taipei to anyone thinking about studying Chinese in Taiwan. I learned a lot in six weeks, met some really nice people, and had a great time. If I come back to Taipei, I’d definitely consider taking another course at LTL.

I just wrapped up a 2-week Chinese program at LTL Language School in Kunming, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. Having studied with several language teachers over the years, I can confidently say that my teacher, Helene, is one of the absolute best. She is remarkably experienced, exceptionally patient, always positive, and came to every single lesson thoroughly well-prepared. She knew exactly how to tailor the material to my pace while pushing me to expand my speaking confidence and vocabulary. Studying in Kunming provided a relaxed, authentic backdrop for immersion, and LTL created a very supportive learning environment. If you are considering studying Mandarin in China, I highly recommend LTL Kunming—and if you get the chance to study with Helene, you are in excellent hands!

I had the honor of joining LTL as one of the first students at their newly opened Osaka school, and from day one, I felt right at home. The teachers and staff are warm, welcoming, and genuinely engaged with their students. I’d studied Japanese for several months back home before arriving, but I learned more in just two weeks at LTL (4 hours of group classes plus 2 hours of individual lessons daily) than I had in all that time. I also appreciated that they rotate teachers rather than assigning just one — it kept things exciting, since I got to learn from different teaching styles and perspectives. Learning doesn’t stop when class ends. LTL organizes plenty of excursions and get-togethers to practice Japanese with locals — festival outings, dinners, a beach trip, origami, calligraphy, and more. Classes group students of the same proficiency level but from a range of backgrounds and ages, which made studying even more enjoyable since I was learning about other cultures alongside the language. Accommodation-wise, I stayed in a private apartment, while some classmates opted for a host family — both seemed to work out well, and everyone I spoke to was happy with their choice