About Leah

Hi, my name is Leah Dong, born and raised in the northeast of China, where I studied literature and became a teacher after graduation. Now based in California, I find great joy in helping Mandarin learners of all ages and backgrounds, which is incredibly inspiring and fulfilling. 

I'm passionate about sharing Chinese language and culture with all Mandarin enthusiasts. And I am committed to creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment for every student, guiding you through your Mandarin journey with dedication to your progress and success. I strive to simplify complex language learning challenges and make Mandarin learning both effective and enjoyable. For beginners, I specialize in customized pronunciation training and syntax instruction to help you build a strong linguistic foundation and ease your learning path. Ultimately, I aim to help you improve your proficiency while immersing yourself in the language and culture. It is my greatest joy to see my students make progress and enjoy the learning process. 

In my free time, I enjoy reading, music, and traveling. The world, with its layers of beauty, is always waiting to be explored. Within the realm of Mandarin, I invite you to embark on a fascinating journey to discover this language. Immerse yourself in a new language environment, embrace a different way of speaking and writing, and experience the inspiration and joy it brings to every enthusiast. Wishing you a delightful learning experience and all the best in your Mandarin adventure. 🧧

My Philosophy

🎯 My goal is to help Chinese language learners improve their practical skills, with a specific focus on listening and speaking proficiency.

⦿ Our courses focus on conversations and emphasize real-world application. The teaching objective is to ensure students can both understand spoken Chinese and express themselves fluently. 

⦿ As Mandarin is a tonal language, phonetics plays a vital role in the early stage of learning. My approach is grounded in practicality; I use simple, accessible explanations based on my teaching experience while minimizing technical jargon and excessive theory.

⦿ My approach to grammar is clear and concise. The aim is to help students master expression and communication rather than focusing on  "linguistic research".  

⦿ For reading and Writing, I advocate for reading aloud to reinforce learning. While typing characters is acceptable, I believe learning to write them provides a significant advantage in truely understanding the language.

🎯Class activities are designed to enable students to use Chinese naturally, fluently and with confidence.