Columbus School of Chinese — Local services in Columbus

Columbus is really lucky to have a Chinese school, right in the heart of Central Ohio, that serves such a wide range of interests and ages—from toddlers to professionals.

For me, it was a relatively late-in-life curiosity about the Chinese language out of a purely personal interest. But it's also for people who adopted Chinese children and want to keep them connected with their mother tongue. Or for high-school kids whose schools don't offer Chinese programs. Or for professionals who work with Chinese people overseas or will travel to China for business. Or even companies seeking consulting and guidance to enter Chinese markets.

The variety of services is surprising for such a small and nimble staff. What's even more surprising is how affordable it all is. I can basically pay for 1.5-hours of group instruction with a $20 bill and still get change back. You won't be paying those prices to take classes at OSU or even Columbus State. Not even close. More importantly, in the six years I've been studying, I've gone from zero ability to a mastery of around 600-700 characters, achieved basic conversational skills and have a much deeper understanding of Chinese history, culture, and society. And that's from attending one class a week.

But most of all, the staff at CSC makes learning Chinese fun. They know how to strike a balance between challenging you without overwhelming you. But when you do hit a wall (which every language learner does at some point) they know how to talk you over it. And in the end, you'll be glad you stuck with it. Yes, Chinese is difficult. Learning any language is. But that's also what makes it so satisfying once you get it.

I used to think I could never decipher Chinese characters. Now I can read whole books in Chinese, watch Chinese TV shows and listen to Chinese music. I also have made many new Chinese friends in the process. From a small spot on Old Henderson Road, the professors at CSC have given me access to a whole new world. No matter your reason for wanting to learn Chinese, CSC can do the...

I was lucky enough to find Shí Lǎoshī and Lǐ Lǎoshī tutor me and my kids in pǔtōnghuà mandarin this year. They offer group classes for children which my 5 year old attended and my 3 year old still almost counts better in Chinese than in English just by observing their class. I signed up for private tutoring three times a week and will enroll in second year university Chinese out of state next semester. They have an amazing facility for in-person study with multiple classrooms, resources, and clean restrooms. They are also skilled in online teaching: Chris prepared slide presentations with embedded audio and Donny corrects tones on screen— very helpful for visual learners. Their audio recordings are much better quality than those accompanying textbooks such as Integrated Chinese or the OSU text. If you’re not studying Chinese with them, you...

This class is a highlight of my week, and even after just a few months I feel confident I could communicate respectably with a native speaker. I've tried to study Mandarin by myself for years. I tried a tutor, but they are expensive. I tried Berlitz, Michel Thomas, Pimsler, Rosetta Stone and others without retaining much. Finally, I found CSC.

The classes are small with individual attention. The adult course is immersive and encourages speaking in a fun, playful environment. The classes develop at a good pace, with lessons that build well off one another, and plenty of review to solidify your knowledge.

The schedule is fantastic for busy professionals, and I've found no other courses that come...