[dicey]

I'm doing some research for a relative who's planning to come to HK to take a Cantonese intensive course and is over eager to learn this language. Unfortunately that relative of mine tends to pick the schools by the design of their websites.

Anyway HKLTC and HKLLC seem to be decent schools. I've checked up on both schools on the internet. Looks like HKLLC has a huge reference but is also often negatively criticized. On the other hand, I've only found a few comments on HKLTC but every one was generally positive.

Has anyone in the forum taken courses in one of the schools? I would really appreciate if you could report on your experience.

[schizoide]

i've taken cantonese beginners I & II at HKLLC and found it quite good actually.. even though their materials are all photocopied stuff, i found the teachers very motivated and well-organized.

i did have some doubts before when i saw all those clauses about classes being cancelled if there's less than 2 students with no refund but i've never had that. there were times i was the only student present and there was no problem..

dunno about the other school you mentioned though..

[dicey]

shizoide, thanks for your answer.

Were you able to use the Cantonese you've picked up there in every day life? How would you judge the progress you've made so far?

[schizoide]

well i found it quite helpful actually. i'm currently studying at university here and at first i tried to learn from my classmates. thing is that even though they can teach you some useful expressions they cannot explain the grammar to you ('it's just the way we say it') .. which makes it difficult to construct any sentences of your own.

at HKLLC they really stress the grammar part which makes it easier to 'fill the gaps' with additional vocab. found that quite useful.

i do not use cantonese in conversations with classmates because i'm simply not good enough, but i can usually guess what they're talking about. i know enough to get around, order food, ask directions stuff like that (even on mainland, which i think is the ultimate test).

final thing which works slightly in my advantage that i'm asian (i dunno about your relative), so people here think i'm local and will automatically speak cantonese to me, therefore i am forced to speak cantonese as well .. else i would probably choose the easy way and speak english instead (and never learn cantonese)

[dicey]

Same with me. I'm Asian, too and the locals always adress me in Cantonese. Always made me nervous when I entered a store and salesperson were saying something about "sizey".
I'll be also taking Cantonese classes. I want to be able to order my food, too. Wish me luck.

[Alya]

I have been taking classes at hkllc and I think it's a great positive place to learn. The staff and teachers are exceptionally friendly and the majority of the teachers there bring in a little extra something to each class.
I am now finishing the 4th level and can converse lightly with all the things I want to express. I have taken a lot of other language courses like this before and usually find a lot of the textbooks etc...useless but, so far I've only been taught everything I've needed to learn at Hkllc.
I highly recommend it although if you really do want to learn you just have to commit some time and memorize all the vocabulary that is given to you. I think that's just the only way to do it~ There is no easy way of learning this language^^
Good luck!
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[ghanssen]

Originally Posted by dicey

I'm doing some research for a relative who's planning to come to HK to take a Cantonese intensive course and is over eager to learn this language. Unfortunately that relative of mine tends to pick the schools by the design of their websites.

Anyway HKLTC and HKLLC seem to be decent schools. I've checked up on both schools on the internet. Looks like HKLLC has a huge reference but is also often negatively criticized. On the other hand, I've only found a few comments on HKLTC but every one was generally positive.

Has anyone in the forum taken courses in one of the schools? I would really appreciate if you could report on your experience.

I entered Hong Kong May 4, 2007 as "VISITOR". To my surprise and disappointment I got an printed "Important Notice to Visitors" together with my stamp in my passport, saying "visitor SHALL NOT ...become student at a school, university or other educational institution. Persons who breach a condition of stay are liable to CRIMINAL prosecution". Asking the Immigration Department in HK I understood that I had to give up my plan to learn for 2 weeks some Mandarin at the HKLLC. I had contact to the HKLLC before through Internet, and they offered me to pay in
advance, together with a funny "no refund policy". I was happy not to have done so. So this is a warning to such visitors like me, I would like to know if there would be similar situation in Shanghai.

[sandyduncan]

have to agree with Alya with HKLLC. It's a pretty good introduction to the language. i did 2 hours a day for 4 weeks. I learned a lot of useful stuff but you really have to commit to learn this language. The books are a great source of revision and the teachers are very helpful. I was going to go again but have decided to to the foreigners course that they talk about her on geo expat. I am signing up for that in august. i also have a student helping me with the language. i'll never be asked to join an embassy as an interpretor (haha) but its part of the fun of living and learning about Hong Kong.

[Star Gazer]

how about the chinese university, any one knows if they are good?

www.cuhk.edu.hk/clc

[HK Guy]

Why don't you just refer to the other thread on this instead of repating the same question?