1. Are children placed in classes based on age?
No.
At YouGuang, class placement is based primarily on a child’s actual Mandarin proficiency, especially character recognition and reading ability, rather than age alone.
Children of the same age can have very different Mandarin backgrounds and proficiency levels. For this reason, we use a level assessment to understand each child’s current ability and place them in the class that best matches their needs.
One exception is for children under age 6, who are generally placed in our Beginner Literacy Program. This program is designed around the developmental needs of younger children and focuses on building a strong foundation in character recognition, listening and speaking, early reading, and Mandarin expression.
For children age 6 and above, class placement is primarily determined by their Mandarin level assessment.
2. Is an assessment required before enrollment?
Yes.
To accurately understand each child’s current Mandarin level and place them in the most appropriate class, we conduct a level assessment before enrollment or class placement.
Placement is based primarily on the child’s character recognition and reading ability, rather than age or the number of years they have studied Mandarin.
The assessment is conducted personally by Yang Guang, Founder of Youguang and Chief Editor of the Youguang leveled Mandarin curriculum.
Families may choose either of the following options:
* In-person assessment: conducted at a Youguang campus;
* Online assessment: conducted via Zoom.
Both options allow us to determine the most suitable course level. However, an in-person assessment gives us a more complete understanding of the child’s character recognition, reading comprehension, understanding, and oral expression. For this reason, we recommend an in-person assessment whenever possible.
After the assessment, we will recommend the most appropriate course and class based on the child’s current Mandarin level.
3. Can my child try a class before registering?
Yes.
We encourage new families to experience a real class so they can get a feel for the teacher’s approach, the classroom environment, and whether the program is a good fit for their child.
If the family decides not to register after the trial class, the trial is free. If the child enrolls, the trial class is charged at the regular class rate.
4. What if we register and later decide the program is not a good fit?
You may withdraw at any time.
Since the day YouGuang was founded, we have maintained an unconditional refund policy at any time, with no administrative or processing fees.
Once a parent requests a refund, the refund transfer will be completed within 12 hours.
We want families to continue with YouGuang because they genuinely value the program—not because they are restricted by a refund policy.
Click to view the full Refund Policy.
5. What ages does YouGuang serve?
YouGuang primarily serves children and teenagers ages 4 to 16.
Our learning pathway begins with early Mandarin literacy and progresses through Kindergarten to Level 8, followed by an advanced AP pathway.
Students are placed according to both age and Mandarin ability rather than simply following their grade level at school.
For older students who are new to Mandarin, we also offer an Accelerated Mandarin Program for Older Beginners.
Click to view the Fast-Track Program for Older Students.
6. How do I know which level is right for my child?
We consider several factors, including your child’s age, home language environment, listening and speaking ability, character recognition, reading skills, and previous Mandarin learning experience.
For students who already have some Mandarin background, we recommend a brief assessment or trial class so that our teachers can recommend the most appropriate level.
Our goal is not to place a child at the highest possible level, but to find the right starting point—one that is challenging while still allowing the student to succeed with confidence.
7. Which program is best if we speak Mandarin at home?
Children who can understand and use Mandarin in everyday family conversations will generally enter our regular leveled Mandarin program.
The curriculum gradually develops from character recognition into reading, writing, spoken expression, and cultural understanding, helping students transform their home-language foundation into complete and systematic Mandarin proficiency.
Click to view Chinese Classes for Mandarin-Speaking Families.
8. Can my child learn Mandarin if we do not speak Mandarin at home?
Yes.
YouGuang offers a dedicated Mandarin program for children from non-Mandarin-speaking homes, including families who primarily speak English, Cantonese, or another language.
These classes place greater emphasis on listening, speaking, vocabulary, and practical communication before gradually building character recognition and reading skills.
Click to view Chinese Classes for Non-Mandarin-Speaking Families.
9. My child is over 10 and has little or no Mandarin. What should we do?
This is exactly why we created our Accelerated Mandarin Program for Older Beginners.
Older students may be beginners in Mandarin, but their cognitive development, reasoning skills, and learning ability are very different from those of five- or six-year-old beginners.
Instead of placing them in a class designed for much younger children, this program allows students ages 10+ to learn with peers of a similar age.
The curriculum also moves at a faster pace, with the goal of completing approximately two years of standard coursework in one academic year and learning around 600 Chinese characters.
Click to view the Fast-Track Program for Older Students.
10. What teaching materials does YouGuang use?
YouGuang uses an independently developed leveled curriculum and teaching system.
The curriculum was developed under the leadership of founder Ms. Yang Guang together with a professional academic team that includes university professors specializing in Chinese language and linguistics, Chinese language education experts, and nationally recognized elementary Chinese language teachers.
Our curriculum is specifically designed for children growing up overseas and currently spans Kindergarten through Level 8, followed by an advanced AP pathway.
Each level is supported by textbooks, workbooks, handwriting books, and online assignments.
Click to view the YouGuang Chinese Curriculum Materials.
11. Why does YouGuang develop its own curriculum?
Children learning Mandarin overseas are very different from children studying Chinese language arts in China.
They have fewer hours of Mandarin exposure each week and live primarily in an English-speaking environment.
For this reason, simply using a curriculum designed for students in China does not always provide the most effective learning pathway.
Our curriculum is designed around the realities of overseas Mandarin learning, including appropriate pacing for character recognition, vocabulary, reading difficulty, classroom activities, and home practice.
12. How many Chinese characters will my child learn each year?
In our regular leveled program, students in the foundational and intermediate stages typically learn approximately 300 new Chinese characters per year.
Students in the Accelerated Mandarin Program for Older Beginners learn approximately 600 characters in one academic year.
Character recognition, however, is not the final goal. As students progress, increasing emphasis is placed on reading, writing, communication, and cultural understanding.
13. Does YouGuang teach Pinyin?
Yes.
We see Pinyin as an important language tool rather than the ultimate goal of Mandarin learning.
For children growing up in an English-speaking environment, developing direct recognition of Chinese characters is especially important, so we do not want students to become overly dependent on Pinyin when reading.
As students progress, Pinyin is taught systematically and used for pronunciation, dictionary skills, typing, and written expression.
14. Does YouGuang teach Chinese handwriting?
Yes, but repetitive copying is not the centre of our curriculum.
Students use dedicated handwriting materials to develop basic character formation and writing skills.
At the same time, we place strong emphasis on character recognition, reading comprehension, and communication because overseas students have limited time for Mandarin each week.
Our goal is to help students build practical and sustainable language ability.
15. Why are YouGuang classes two hours long? Is that too long?
Many Mandarin programs offer classes of one hour or 90 minutes. At YouGuang, our regular classes are two hours long.
The reason is simple: our classes are designed to do much more than teach Chinese characters.
A typical lesson may include character recognition, vocabulary, reading, spoken expression, Chinese culture, and interactive communication activities. As students progress, lessons also include retelling, discussion, drama, and other forms of expression.
When class time is too short, it is often only possible to cover basic knowledge. There is not enough time for students to read, interact, communicate, and actually use Mandarin.
For most children growing up overseas, structured Mandarin instruction happens only once a week. We therefore believe that a two-hour class provides the time needed for a more complete and effective weekly learning experience.
Importantly, students are not sitting and listening for two hours. The lesson moves through different activities and learning formats, helping children stay engaged throughout the class.
16. Preschool classes are also two hours long. Can children ages 4 to 6 stay focused that long?
This is one of the most common questions parents of younger children ask.
Based on our years of teaching experience, two hours works very well for preschool-aged students. The key is not whether a child can “sit for two hours,” but what happens during those two hours.
Our early-years classes do not require children to sit still and listen for long periods of time.
Instead, the lesson moves through a variety of activities, including:
* Fun character-learning activities
* Classic Chinese picture books
* Classroom drama and role-play
* Mandarin games
* Orff-based music activities
* Chinese songs
* Movement and gesture-based learning
* Interactive speaking and physical activities
Teachers continuously change the pace of the class through stories, music, movement, games, and performance.
In our experience, children rarely feel that the two-hour class is too long. They naturally move from one activity to another and remain engaged throughout the lesson.
For children who usually attend Mandarin class only once a week, a shorter class would make it difficult to balance character learning, language exposure, reading, communication, and enjoyment. The two-hour format allows us to create a complete learning experience without making the class feel repetitive or tiring.
17. Is one class per week enough to learn Mandarin?
Yes, as long as classroom learning is supported by regular practice at home.
YouGuang’s regular program meets once per week for two hours. A typical academic year includes 34 classes, for a total of 68 instructional hours.
Class time is used for structured instruction, reading, interaction, and communication practice. Students then reinforce what they have learned through textbooks, workbooks, handwriting practice, and online assignments.
Consistency matters more than simply adding more classroom hours.
18. How large are the classes?
YouGuang maintains small class sizes, with regular classes generally limited to a maximum of 12 students.
Smaller classes allow teachers to understand each student’s progress and give every child more opportunities to read, speak, discuss, and express themselves.
19. Why is communication and expression part of Mandarin class?
We want children to do more than recognize characters and complete worksheets.
Real language ability includes understanding ideas, organizing thoughts, and expressing oneself.
That is why our leveled curriculum gradually incorporates retelling, discussion, public speaking, hosting, role-play, and classroom drama.
Students learn to turn the vocabulary and sentence patterns they study into language they can actually use.
Click to view the YouGuang Expressive Chinese Program.
20. Why does YouGuang integrate drama into Mandarin learning?
Drama creates meaningful situations in which children need to use language with purpose and emotion.
To understand a character, students must understand the text. To perform a scene, they must communicate clearly. To work with classmates, they must listen, respond, and collaborate.
At YouGuang, drama is therefore not simply an extracurricular performance activity. It is an important teaching method.
Our goal is not to turn every child into an actor, but to help children use Mandarin more naturally and confidently.
21. Does every student have to perform on stage?
No.
YouGuang provides opportunities for classroom presentations, drama, hosting, public speaking, and larger stage productions, but we respect each child’s personality and pace of development.
Children who enjoy performing can challenge themselves on stage, while those who are not ready can build confidence through smaller classroom activities, group work, and role-play.
22. Is YouGuang only for children who already speak Mandarin well?
No.
Our programs serve students from complete beginners to advanced learners.
Whether your child comes from a Mandarin-speaking home, a non-Mandarin-speaking home, or is an older student who is starting later, we can recommend a suitable learning pathway.
What matters most is not where the child starts, but whether there is a clear path for continued progress.
23. What is the best age to start learning Mandarin?
Earlier exposure to language is valuable, but children learn differently at different ages.
Children ages 4 to 6 benefit from stories, songs, games, character recognition, and interactive activities.
As children become older, their memory, reasoning ability, and learning strategies develop, allowing them to move into more systematic character learning, reading, and communication.
There is no single “perfect age.” The key is to use an approach that matches the child’s developmental stage.
24. My child rarely speaks Mandarin at home. Is it too late to start?
No.
A child’s home language environment affects the starting point, but it does not determine the final outcome.
With consistent classes, family support, and regular listening, speaking, and reading exposure, children can gradually build strong Mandarin skills.
Students with weaker listening and speaking foundations will simply follow a different learning pathway from children who already use Mandarin at home.
25. How much help do parents need to provide at home?
Parents do not need to become Mandarin teachers, but they do play an important role in helping children build consistency.
Younger students in particular may need help establishing a routine for reading, homework, and online practice.
We recommend regular, manageable practice rather than intensive last-minute study.
Consistency is more important than volume.
26. What if the parents do not speak Mandarin well?
Your child can still learn successfully.
A parent’s most important role is not to explain every lesson, but to help maintain a regular learning routine, encourage completion of assignments, and support the child’s use of Mandarin.
For families that do not speak Mandarin at home, our teachers will recommend learning strategies that are realistic for the family.
27. Is there homework?
Yes.
Depending on the level, students use textbooks, workbooks, handwriting materials, and online assignments.
Homework is designed to reinforce classroom learning through repeated exposure and practical use rather than simply adding workload.
It also allows parents to see more clearly what their child is learning and how they are progressing.
28. What happens if my child misses a class?
Please contact the teacher or school in advance whenever possible.
Depending on the class and course schedule, we will provide appropriate guidance to help the student stay on track.
Make-up options depend on the availability and progress of other classes at the time.
29. Can students join in the middle of the academic year?
Yes.
If space is available and the student’s Mandarin level matches the progress of an existing class, students may join during the academic year.
For students with previous Mandarin experience, we will first review their current level before recommending a class.
30. Does YouGuang offer a Mandarin summer camp?
Yes.
YouGuang runs a Mandarin summer camp each year.
The program combines Mandarin learning with reading, drama, science experiments, arts and crafts, sports, the YouGuang Kids’ Market, field trips, and other activities.
Our Richmond Hill main campus also includes an indoor children’s fitness centre, providing a dedicated space for daily physical activity.
Click to view the YouGuang Chinese Summer Camp.
31. Is summer camp suitable for children with little or no Mandarin?
Yes.
Students are grouped according to age and Mandarin ability.
Beginners can use the immersive environment to build listening, speaking, and early literacy skills, while students with stronger Mandarin foundations can continue developing reading and character recognition through leveled instruction.
32. What is the long-term goal of YouGuang’s Mandarin program?
Our goal is not simply for children to say that they “studied Mandarin for many years.”
We want students to be able to:
Understand and communicate in Mandarin;
Develop strong and lasting Chinese character recognition;
Read age-appropriate Chinese texts independently;
Express experiences, ideas, and emotions in Mandarin;
Continue developing their reading and writing skills;
Understand Chinese culture and maintain a long-term connection with the language.
From character recognition to reading, from understanding to expression, and from the classroom to the stage, we want Mandarin to become a language children can truly use—and a means through which they can understand culture and express who they are.
