Question 1

What if we don’t speak Chinese at home?

Accepted Answer

You’re not alone—most Hello, Mandarin! families do not speak Mandarin at home. Our program is intentionally designed for non-Mandarin-speaking households.
 • Children receive rich, high-immersion input in class through songs, stories, movement, and routines.
 • We provide simple at-home supports—short audio demos, Quizlet sets, and Joyreader levels—that parents can use without knowing any Mandarin.
 • Every activity is built so a parent can support in two minutes a day, even with no language background.
Your child can thrive because we make the learning joyful, structured, and achievable for every family.

Question 2

Do you support families navigating school applications and placements?

Accepted Answer

• Throughout the years a family is with us — often from 18 months through middle or high school — it is inevitable that we become a deeply trusted resource for parents navigating every school decision their child will face. We know how each child learns, their temperament, where they shine, and what environments bring out their best. 
 • A Hello, Mandarin child also brings something very highly valued, culturally added - a genuine second language and a years-long record of performing Chinese culture and arts at NYC’s most prestigious stages, such as Lincoln Center, Bryant Park, and the Apollo Theater. That is not a credential. It is a character.
 • That profile adds real value to any school's community and also brings diversity, cultural depth, and a global perspective to the school's cultural festivals, making the world fair genuinely international.

Question 3

Why is this so different from the Chinese schools I grew up attending?

Accepted Answer

Many parents remember weekend classes focused on memorizing characters and copying worksheets. Hello, Mandarin! takes a play-based, joyful approach that nonetheless achieves ambitious learning outcomes.
Our curriculum is:
 • Research-driven and aligned with NYC independent-school early childhood practices.
 • Play- and story-based, using songs, picture books, movement, and hands-on activities.
 • Highly immersive, with bilingual bridges that ensure understanding without breaking the language environment.
 • Purposefully small-group, giving every child authentic speaking opportunities.
 • Developmentally aligned, meeting children where they are from nursery through K and early elementary.
Instead of rote memorization, children learn Mandarin naturally—by listening, responding, singing, acting, reading stories, and having fun.

Question 4

What is the policy for make-up classes?

Accepted Answer

At Hello, Mandarin!, we offer unlimited make-ups within the same semester. To keep our small-group classes safe, high-quality, and joyful for all students, here’s how make-ups work:
 • Make-ups must be used before the semester ends
 • Make-ups are offered when a class has space available
 • Please schedule by email at least 24 hours in advance (no drop-ins please)
 • For classes offered only once per week, we’ll do our best to find a suitable alternative class if needed (time or group). We make every effort to ensure the make-up class is appropriate for your child’s age and proficiency level. 
We’re always happy to help you find the best make-up spot for your child—just email us anytime. Thank you so much for your understanding and support in keeping our classroom experience warm, safe, and personalized for every learner!

Question 5

How does enrollment work? Can my child join midway through the year?

Accepted Answer

• Hello, Mandarin welcomes new families on a rolling basis throughout the year. Our program runs three terms — Fall (September–December), Spring (January–June), and Mandarin Summer Atelier — and new students may join whenever a spot becomes available.
 • We work with children from age 18 months through 12th grade, and many of our families have been with us since the very beginning of that journey. Current families and siblings of past students receive priority enrollment each term. To inquire about current availability, we invite you to reach out below.

Question 6

What makes Hello, Mandarin unique?

Accepted Answer

• Hello, Mandarin is New York City's only elite Mandarin immersion program offering a complete curriculum from age 18 months through 12th grade — including AP and IB preparation. 
 • Our program is founded and led by Dr. Lyu, a UPenn Ed.D. whose research focused on exactly what makes Chinese-language programs succeed. Our students don't just study Mandarin — they perform it at some of New York City's most prestigious stages as Lincoln Center, the Apollo Theater, and Bryant Park. That combination of academic rigor, artistic depth, and real-world performance is what makes Hello, Mandarin unlike anything else in New York City.

Question 7

Do you teach older students, beyond early childhood?

Accepted Answer

Yes — and we are teaching them right now. Our current students are over age 8, actively working through our advanced curriculum levels. Our founder holds a doctorate specifically in K–12 Chinese language education and currently teaches advanced students at a prestigious PK–12 IB international school in New York City. Middle school and high school students are a core part of what we do — not an afterthought.

Question 8

My child is 9 and has some Mandarin background. Is it too late to start at Hello, Mandarin?

Accepted Answer

Not at all. We place every new student through an assessment to find exactly the right entry point in our curriculum — regardless of age or prior experience. Students who join us at 8, 10, or even 12 have gone on to sit AP Chinese with strong results. We will tell you honestly where your child fits and what the path forward looks like.

Question 9

What if my child attends a top private school — will Hello, Mandarin's program be rigorous enough?

Accepted Answer

Hello, Mandarin was designed by a researcher who studied Chinese-language programs at exactly those schools. Our curriculum is intentionally built to complement and exceed what most independent schools offer in Mandarin instruction. Many of our current families are from New York's most selective independent schools — and they are here because our program goes further, not because it goes easier.

Question 10

Not sure where your older child fits in our curriculum?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a placement assessment — we'll show you exactly where they are and where they're going.
[Book a Placement Assessment →](/services-4)