About Us
Who We Are
We are a Chinese language school that helps international learners not only learn Mandarin, but also understand the culture behind the language.
With over 12 years of teaching experience and long-term school operation, we have worked with complete beginners, university students, professionals, and long-term residents in Chinese-speaking environments.
Over the years, we've learned one simple truth:most people don't fail at learning Chinese because it's "too hard",but because they don't know where to start or what to expect.
Our role as teachers is not only to teach the language, but also to guide learners through that uncertainty— helping them to communicate clearly, respectfully, and with confidence.
Our Values
Language Shapes People
Our core value comes from a traditional Chinese idea:
文以化人，致中于和
In simple terms, it means that language has the power to shape how people think, connect, and understand each other — and that true communication is built on balance, harmony, and mutual respect.
That's why we believe:
- Learn the language, understand the culture.
- Communicate with harmony and respect.
- Chinese is not only about saying the right words, but about knowing how, when, and why something is said.
This perspective is deeply embedded in the way we teach.
Our Teaching Approach & Course Design
1. Highly Personalized Learning
Every learner starts from a different place and learns at a different pace.
Our courses are highly customized, adapted to each student's background, goals, and learning style. While the overall learning path is structured, the way students move through it is flexible and responsive.
This balance allows learners to feel supported without feeling restricted.
2. Learning Through Human Connection
Language is ultimately about connection.
We place strong emphasis on the community aspect of learning — creating meaningful interaction not only between teacher and student, but also among learners. This sense of connection helps students stay motivated, engaged, and emotionally supported throughout the learning process.
Students are not learning alone; they are learning with people.
3. High Value, Strong Support, Semi-Structured Design
Our courses are designed around three key principles:
- High-value content: carefully selected material that focuses on what learners actually need and use
- Guided support and companionship: consistent teacher guidance and a sense of learning together, not in isolation
- Semi-structured system: clear learning frameworks combined with flexibility, allowing personalization without losing direction
This approach ensures both quality and sustainability — for learners and for the learning process itself.
A Practical and Cultural Foundation
We start beginners with pronunciation in context, using real words and useful sentences instead of abstract drills.
Chinese characters are introduced gradually, only after learners build confidence in listening and speaking. This reduces pressure and allows characters to become a natural extension of the language.
Throughout the course, cultural context is integrated naturally, helping learners understand not only what to say, but how to communicate appropriately.
Meet the Founder
Ramona Gao (Gao Yanan) is the founder of Mandarin Fluenz and an experienced Chinese language educator with over 10 years of experience teaching Chinese as a second language.
Since 2015, she has been running a Chinese language school in Ningbo, China, leading her team to support learners worldwide through both online and offline programs.
Her work focuses on guiding learners toward clear, confident, and respectful communication, as well as fostering cross-cultural understanding. She is also involved in cross-border education initiatives and long-term academic collaboration between China and Finland through her work with South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk).