“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is a day with a great teacher”
TThe Mandarin Institute of Sri Lanka, the country’s first institute focused exclusively on teaching the Chinese language, rightly has tutors of preeminent excellence. The institute is proud to host the “best Mandarin teachers” in the country. The Institute aspires to coach beginners with careful examination and in-depth transplants to provide a comprehensive study plan with undiluted focus to achieve native fluency in Mandarin. The academic staff use a very warm and friendly atmosphere during the lessons and have extensive experience in both corporate and academic disciplines. The panel of speakers collectively shares over 25,000 hours and over 30 years of combined experience that greatly helps in understanding the language easily. The panel members are all trilingual, so well versed in Chinese, English and Sinhala.
The panel is made up of people who run contrasting facets of the institution.
Sun Xun, graduated from Hubei University, majoring in Chinese language and literature.
She is a lecturer recognized by IPA (internationally registered senior Chinese teacher). She has a wealth of experience teaching students from Germany, Tanzania, Vietnam, Cambodia and America. She is a lecturer at the Chinese Kung Fu Center in Wuhan with over 8 years of experience teaching students from all over the world. She is the Senior Academic Supervisor at the Mandarin Institute of Sri Lanka. She oversees the school’s curriculum and professional development. Each learning content is delivered to students after diligent supervision by Sun Xun. Additionally, at the end of each level, MISL students can interact with her to correct and improve their practical speaking skills.
Irushi Nagahawatte administers as “adult course leader”. She is an alumnus of Kelaniya University, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Languages of Arts and received a scholarship from the Confucius Institute Headquarters in Beijing, China, where she studied Chinese language at the Normal University of Chongqing.
Jingfang liu is the ‘Head of Cultural Activities. Liu is a native speaker who lives permanently in Sri Lanka. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in management from Peking University of International Studies in China and a master’s degree from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. She has her own creative methods of teaching Chinese and the culture behind, which always motivates her students.
Kaushalya Madubhacheni heads the Sinhala department of the institute. Mandarin is taught in Sinhala to prospective students across Sri Lanka. She graduated from Sabaragamuwa University with a Bachelor of Arts Honors Chinese Language and completed her Chinese Language and Culture course at Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.
Nishadi Edirisinghe ccompleted his undergraduate studies at Peking University of Foreign Studies with a specialization in teaching Chinese. She studied in China for over 5 years after her bachelor’s degree, so she is well exposed to Chinese dialects and culture.
Her experience of living in China is reflected well in her classroom, as she exposes her students to the Chinese way of life and their language.
Anjula Keshani administers as “adolescent course manager”. She is a likeable speaker who is very popular among young students. She is also a doctoral student specializing in Chinese literature at Central China Normal University. She obtained her master’s degree from Chongqing Normal University.
Natasha Buddhima is another talented trilingual speaker, she graduated from Kelaniya University with High Honors – Business & Academic Chinese (Sp). She successfully completed the Modern Chinese course at Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China. She has been a guest lecturer for Chinese at the language department of the University of Moratuwa.
Mispronunciation of a Chinese character can dramatically alter the meaning of a sentence. Likewise, subtle modulations within the language create significant variations in a consistent manner. Therefore, understanding of a language as elaborate as “Mandarin” is determined by the eloquence and articulate nature of the tutor. The Mandarin Institute of Sri Lanka solves this enigma impeccably thanks to the sublime panel of teachers of the institute.
Nevertheless, in societies around the world, the value of a “teacher” is unfathomable. Yet the value of a “great teacher” can never be described in words.
“Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace “
– Confucius
