KaiXin Language School

Confessions of an imperfect ABC (American-​born Chinese):
I was raised in a household with one parent speaking Mandarin (and a lot of Chinglish), but it’s been years since I was in that environment and I would always respond in English. Oops. I bookmarked KāiXīn years ago but timing never worked and I wasn’t able to start lessons until this year.
I AM SO GLAD I FINALLY SIGNED UP.
So far I’ve taken two levels with Mei, the lovely owner of KāiXīn, and I feel like I’ve remembered and learned so much. 2x weekly lessons on pinyin, grammar and sentence structure have been super effective for anyone like me or completely new to Mandarin (they also offer Saturday classes). I’ve noticed improvement in myself and my classmates over the past few months and I’m really impressed. The material isn’t dry and is applicable to daily life. There is homework, which I’d highly recommend you do, and no tests. Speaking and repeated pronunciation is emphasized and Mei corrects the students’ tones. I’m also incredibly relieved Mei is from Shanghai, because I did not want to speak with a Beijing accent since my family is from Taiwan.
My only gripes with the curriculum have to do with learning to write:
— We aren’t.
— Mei writes characters on a whiteboard in Simplified and our textbook uses Simplified characters (I want to learn Traditional).
I’m hoping they can incorporate the choice of reading and writing (Simplified and Traditional!) into curriculum because I feel it’s really essential, and it’s also a huge pain to learn it on my own.
The location of KāiXīn is very convenient; in the Flood Bldg on Market, and steps away from Powell BART/​Muni.
I plan on continuing as long I feel the need to (probably for a loooong time :3). I do supplement this course with free online courses, YouTube tutorials, TV/​movies, etc., and I’d suggest anyone else do the same so that they hear Mandarin on a daily basis and this course is more effective. Jiāoyóu!

I’ve been studying at Kaixin for almost a year now. It’s crazy how much I have learned since I first started! I have had class with 5 of the instructors thus far and they have all been great. My instructors have always been willing to help and listen to constructive feedback to make class even better.
Overall, can’t say enough good things! Xiexie!

Super delayed review. I actually thought I reviewed KaiXin before. It’s such a good class. You get homework every week, but it’s totally worth it to finish the homework and the course.

Kaixin Language School hen hao! Women de xuesheng feichang xihuan, dan yao xiaoxin! Mei Laoshi zhidao nimen suoyou de mimi!!!
(Translation: Kaixin Language School is very good! We students really enjoy it, but beware! Teacher Mei knows all your secrets!!!)

KaiXin does not disappoint. The teachers are friendly and they focus on getting you up and speaking quickly so you can feel the results immediately. Every instructor I’ve had has ensured that they cater to my specific style of learning and has been friendly, focused, and accommodating.

I highly recommend KaiXin if you’re looking to learn Mandarin for a reasonable price and in a casual, conversational setting. I started as a near-​beginner over a year ago, and I’ve since learned a great deal by attending Mei’s twice-​weekly group classes, which I look forward to attending even after a long day at work. The group setting helps to make classes engaging and fun, because Mei and the other teachers try hard to pick interesting topics for class discussion and to create a relaxed atmosphere in which people feel comfortable speaking and asking questions. Mei is a patient teacher who has no problem repeating something more slowly and gently correcting your pronunciation. Her classes largely rely on pinyin, but the material typically includes both simplified and traditional characters, so you can also learn to read and write if you want.
KaiXin also occasionally holds social gatherings and outings, like a recent hotpot outing and a Halloween party last year. These events are a nice way to meet and get to know other students and generally just have some fun. It’s a bonus that the location is excellent — it’s downtown and very easy to get to and from KaiXin by BART and Muni.

If you’re still debating on whether or not to sign up for Chinese classes, do it now and sign up here! I’ve been a student at KaiXin for about 6 months now and Mei is hands down the best foreign language teacher I’ve ever had.
While this is my first time studying Chinese, I’ve had many great Japanese teachers and some not so great teachers. Mei is very engaging, funny, and really great at introducing you to Chinese. Once she gets you comfortable and confident, she easily expands your knowledge and gets you using practical and useful Chinese.
I’ve had classes with the other teachers at KaiXin as well, and they are all great. I’ve learned so much in just 6 months and am excited to continue studying Mandarin with Mei.
In addition to the great teachers, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet really cool people in your class. KaiXin hosts events and dinners where you can hang out with other students all interested in Chinese, good food, and an amazing culture. Stop waiting and sign up!

I cannot express how much I adore Mei. She is a wonderful teacher and I wholeheartedly recommend her classes and private tutoring. I took the first two Saturday class series in Mandarin and found myself conversing with my husband’s family after the first few classes. They were very impressed with my pronunciation and the materials I shared with them from class.
I went back to Mei when I was preparing my wedding ceremony. I wanted to make a vow to my now in-​laws in Mandarin, and Mei patiently helped me translate and learn the vow during a private tutoring session. It was worth every penny. One of my favorite moments of our wedding was hearing my mother-in-law’s gasp when I started speaking to her in Mandarin. The faces of my husband’s family visiting from Nanjing lit up when I addressed them, and they actually understood me! Our Mandarin-​speaking friends assured me that my Mandarin sounded great. Whew!
I credit Mei for being able to pull it off that day. She is a terrific teacher. She understands the content and — most importantly — understands her students. Each class is different and focused on the individual needs of her students. I recommend her to friends and family, and I can’t wait to sign up for another group class series soon.

I began taking classes with KaiXin (Mei) about 3 months ago mostly for work, but also because I’m beginning to travel to China for fun a bit more. After trying to learn Mandarin through multiple sources (i.e. Rosetta Stone, etc) the small classroom learning and back and forth needed when learning a new language is done extremely well at KaiXin. I would highly recommend KaiXin if you would like to learn Mandarin in a quick and well paced way!
我觉得美很好是中文老师!

this is the third language school I’ve attended and the best one by a wide margin. Mei is absolutely wonderful. she makes the classes so interesting and fun. she really brings out the best in each student. the lessons are very conversational, but also follow the textbook lessons. she doesn’t just teach the academic. technical aspects of Mandarin, but also talk about the culture, the history of the language and the nuances of the language. There’s no need to look for another school, I’ve found my home!

I was looking for good mandarin course in SF and because of good review in Unilocal,I choose this one. Im very happy that I did it. Classes are very nice in a good atmosphere and Mei is wonderful teacher. She is funny, know how to teach and explain things very well and she is patient. You learn there useful words and sentences so you will be able to communicate in Mandarin very fast. In classes the most important thing is pinyin, but if you want you can learn characters as well. Mei laoshi gives in her worksheets two types of characters — traditional and simplified. So if you thinking about going to Taiwan this course is also good for you :).
谢谢老师
你是一位很好的老师！

I’ve been studying at Kaixin for several months now and it has really gotten my Mandarin back on track. We have class twice a week and I always look forward to each class. The class never feels like work and the time goes by very quickly.
The group environment is very important and will always be a more effective learning method than trying to learn alone. I would recommend Kaixin to anyone who is interesting in learning Mandarin.

I loved taking my introduction to Mandarin class here. It really got me interested in continuing to learn Mandarin. Mei was awesome to work with, and Joana was a good teacher.
I’d give this place 5 stars if not for the fact that I found it difficult to continue to take continuation classes here. I envisioned going through each of the 4 levels of the 3 difficulties. Unfortunately that is really dependent on how many of the other students stay on and also continue with you. If there are not enough people for the class, then the class does not happen, and your only options are to either wait and hope another class comes around in a few months with enough people, or to take a private lesson. This is because the classes are really small — like 3 to 6 people small, and they need a minimum to make it feasible for them to even put it on. It’s still a bummer because I was hoping to go all the way without a break in studies.
I think this is a great place to go for private lessons if you can afford it (they aren’t THAT expensive but they are more expensive than group class). It’s also a great place if you’re going to China and need to learn some words to get around, or if you’re trying to refresh your Mandarin, or see if you are interested in it period. It’s just that until something changes with the unpredictability of the next level classes being available, I am not sure it would be a good long term group study place.

I love this school for so many reasons…
1. Mei is a wonderful teacher who speaks Mandarin with a loud, clear voice. She drills every aspect of pronunciation: vowels, consonants, tones, pinyin spelling, and sentence flow. The Basic 1 course is worth the money just to learn to speak the sounds and tones of Chinese.
2. This class uses pinyin (spelling Mandarin with the Latin A-​Z alphabet), but the Chinese characters are also present if you wish to learn the characters.
3. We used a really great textbook that focuses on useful words and phrases. After 3 weeks I was surprised at the range of sentences that I could say in Mandarin.
4. Class is interactive and fun, and Mei has an utterly charming personality that puts everyone at ease. She even brings little snacks and treats for the students.
5. Location is great, right next to the Powell St. cable car turnaround.
6. Class size is small. We had 7 students, and some of them were so revved up about learning Chinese that they formed a study group and met after class in the food court at the San Francisco Centre across the street.
I have a long-​term goal of learning Chinese as well as I can, and the KaiXin language school is a fantastic way to start. Can’t recommend it highly enough.

Mei is a wonderful teacher, and I highly recommend her Mandarin classes!
The beginner Mandarin classes are in a small group setting (my class was six people) and Mei goes out of her way to make the class comfortable and social. Her small offices/​classrooms are cute and professional, and she always brings out great snacks, and occasionally beer! She makes it easy to be in class after a day of work.
I also really appreciate how Mei tailored her instruction to students’ personal situations and reasons for learning mandarin. She gave students helpful advice on how to speak to Chinese in-​laws and to Chinese colleagues or clients.
Xiexie, Mei!

When it comes to language, I’m pretty awful. So when I was looking for a language school to help me break through my challenges, KaiXin was at the top of my list because their approach makes learning a language easy and fun.
Mei and her staff are wonderful. They really helped me understand the basics in a way that was simple to understand. I’m extremely pleased with KaiXin and if you are looking for a language school that’s going to push your limits yet be fun enough to want to attend class, then KaiXin is for you.
Oh, one more thing. The social aspect of the school (monthly events) is tremendously helpful in actually practicing the language and getting to know other students. You have to attend the Karaōke nights. Mei and Chole can really belt out a tune :)!

Mei is awesome! She’s patient, funny and enthusiastic about teaching. It makes learning Mandarin, which can be a daunting task, into something fun and involved.
Plus, her meetup events are great! If your still thinking about learning Mandarin in SF, stop thinking about it. Just start taking classes with KaiXin and you’ll see why it’s so much fun.

I’ve been taking Chinese Mandarin classes for five months now and love this school. Mei is a fantastic teacher! She is very organized, her tone and accent are precise, and her English is excellent (so she can explain the nuances in meaning and cultural references). Each class has a clear lesson plan that includes speaking practice, learning new grammar/​vocabulary, and written practice (in pinyin at first, and then chinese characters for advanced students).
AND did I mention that she makes it FUN? Class is always fun, and Mei plans lots of group activities outside of class to meet other students and practice Chinese.
The location is super convenient. I very highly recommend this school!

I never normally write Unilocal reviews, but KaiXin has been so great that Mei and Chloe deserve it!
I started learning Mandarin a couple of years ago. First with Rosetta Stone, then Fluenz and then MindSnacks. But every time I gave up after a few weeks or months. Nothing compares to having a real person teach you. The ability to ask one-​off questions is irreplaceable and Chloe often tells stories to make the explanations fun, and to give us some cultural insights. The free beer for good work is a nice motivation too ;)
The pacing of the class is good, even if you work full time. A couple of hours a week outside of class is all you need to move at a semi-​reasonable pace. The structure makes sense and the teachers are flexible to go off course a little bit to help you understand specific things or to keep you interested in the stuff you care most about.
We’ve also done fun things outside of the class such as karaōke and dim sum… because they are just fun peeps to hang out with :)
I can’t wait to see where I’m at in a few months time!

I’ve always considered myself a pretty terrible student when it comes to learning languages, but I’m impressed with what I’ve learned so far in a short time at KaiXin.
Mei has done a great job of structuring lessons so that I feel challenged, but not overwhelmed. Her attention to detail and patience with students are really impressive. She also loves to socialize with her students and do a lot of outings and group events. If you become a student here, I highly recommend the extra-​curricular activities.
The class schedule and modest level of homework are very easy to work into my schedule. I’m fortunate enough to work right across the street, so getting to class is a breeze for me. Even so, being located immediately adjacent to Powell station means it should be no problem to get to class if you live or work in the city.
As with learning any new skill, personal success in studying Mandarin is heavily dependent on what you put into it; but I think KaiXin does an excellent job of facilitating learning for driven, passionate students.
xiexie, Mei! ( Unilocal does not like Chinese characters)