About Us
Our Team
Yo Wang
Founder
Yo grew up in Waterloo Region and began learning Mandarin as a second language at the University of Waterloo. Within several years, he was fluent. Recently, Yo completed a language teaching certificate and has developed English and Mandarin language courses for students in Canada, Europe and across Asia. Yo started First Step Languages to share his love of languages and create new language learning opportunities for language enthusiasts ready to take their first or second step in their language journey.
Yuetong (Olivia) Ou
Mandarin & Cantonese Instructor
Olivia was born and raised in Guangzhou, China, making her bilingual in Mandarin and Cantonese. Since she grew up with these two languages, students not only learn about Mandarin but also about the differences in customs between the southern and northern parts of China. Olivia believes that active learning is one of the most productive means of learning languages, so, in her class, students at any level can practice their skills through different activities.
Minji Kim
Korean Language Director
Minji grew up in South Korea and moved to Canada in high school. She jumped head first to quickly improve her English in preparation for university. At the University of Waterloo, Minji was the President of the University of Waterloo’s Culture and Language Exchange Club. Since starting university, Minji has taken her passion for language learning and has tackled learning Mandarin and Spanish while also dabbling in French and Japanese. Minji is excited to bring her wealth of experience in languages to help First Step Language Academy design a Korean language program that aims to share and deepen Korean culture and understanding across South-Western Ontario.
Jiwoo Kwon
Korean Instructor
Jiwoo Kwon is a passionate and skilled Korean language tutor. Born in South Korea and having moved to China at the age of eight before coming to Canada for university, Jiwoo loves learning, sharing and exploring cultures and languages. Her diverse background has enriched Jiwoo’s teaching methods, making lessons engaging and insightful. Jiwoo is dedicated to helping students achieve their language learning goals at the First Step Language Academy!
Ann Gong
Mandarin & ESL Teacher
Ann is from Changchun, China, but has lived in Canada for the past twelve years. During this time, she has fallen in love with learning new cultures and languages. She believes that getting to know different people in the world broadens your perspective, so she dedicates herself to teaching Chinese language and culture to everyone. She is passionate about Chinese food and music, as well as China’s rich history. Be sure to join her class, in which you’ll acquire lots of knowledge and have tons of fun conversations!
Henry Chang
Business English and ESL Corporate Specialist
Henry is Taiwanese Canadian and has over 30+ years of work experience in different sectors, including the banking and financial industries, where he provided corporate clients with training solutions, supporting clients with their job search, interview preparation, and owning a small business. His teaching and training background includes one-on-one tutoring, providing corporate training, working in a college classroom, and on-line ESL. Through interacting with people from all over the world, he enjoys learning about different nations and cultures. As an ESL teacher, Henry’s goal is to raise your comprehension, vocabulary, and self confidence as an English speaker. He works to understand what English you need, where you use it, and why you need it, You will get to practice your English in a friendly environment where you use different fun and engaging activities. Your success requires ‘practice, practice, and more practice’. Your next step? Join Henry in the classroom!
Blake Zhang
Mandarin Instructor
Blake is a passionate Mandarin teacher from Beijing, China with two years of teaching experience. Beyond just language skills, he takes delight in sharing the beauty of the Chinese language with both children and adults, weaving in the rich tapestry of Chinese history and tradition. What sets his teaching apart is his appreciation for Chinese calligraphy, adding a unique and artistic dimension to the exploration of the language.
Today and Tomorrow
Our vision for bringing language classes to the world.
At First Step Language Academy, we offer language classes in Waterloo Region for children and adults wanting to start learning or improve their English, Korean, Mandarin or Cantonese.
First Step Language Academy’s mission is to help you take your first, second, or third steps in learning language and journey alongside you until you have reached your desired level of fluency.
We offer in-person classes in Waterloo Region and Guelph, and also offer online classes for students from Southwest Ontario, Toronto, Montreal, New York City and the rest of the world with our online classes!
