Mandarin Classes
Learn Mandarin Your Way
Learn Mandarin in Waterloo Region, Guelph, London, Toronto, Woolwich Township, or anywhere else in the world with our in-person and online group classes and private lessons.
Our Mandarin Chinese school in Kitchener, Ontario holds 10-week courses . Beginner, intermediate and advanced online classes are offered throughout the year. Currently, we have students enrolled across Canada, USA and Europe. Our classes for children and adults will help you take your first, second and third step in Mandarin. At First Step Mandarin, our goal is to help our students fall in love with Chinese!
Winter 2026 Classes
IN-PERSON Group Adults
Newbie Class Level 1 Section 1
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) with no experience learning Chinese. We welcome anyone who is interested in Mandarin!
Time: Mon, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Start Date: Apr 6, 2026
End Date: June 15, 2026
Location: 50 Ottawa Street South, Kitchener
ONLINE Group Adults
Newbie Class Level 1
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) with no experience learning Chinese. We welcome anyone who is interested in Mandarin!
Time: Wed, 7:30pm to 9:00pm
Start Date: Apr 8, 2026
End Date: June 10, 2026
Location: Online
IN-PERSON Group Beginner Class for Adults
Level 2
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) who have studied Chinese for approximately 3 months or have equivalent experience
Time: Thurs, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Start Date: Apr 9, 2026
End Date: June 11, 2026
Location: 50 Ottawa Street South, Kitchener
IN-PERSON Group Upper Beginner Class for Adults Level 3
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) who have studied Chinese for approximately 6 to 12 months or have equivalent experience
Time: Mon, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Start Date: Apr 6, 2026
End Date: June 15, 2026
Location: 50 Ottawa Street South, Kitchener
IN-PERSON Intermediate Class for Adults Level 4
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) who have studied Chinese for approximately 1 to 1.5 years or have equivalent experience
Time: Thurs, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Start Date: Apr 9, 2026
End Date: June 11, 2026
Location: 50 Ottawa Street South, Kitchener
ONLINE Group Intermediate II Class for Adults Level 5
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) who have studied Chinese for approximately 1.5 to 3 years or have equivalent experience (HSK 2)
Time: Mon, 7:15pm - 8:45pm
Start Date: Apr 9, 2026
End Date: June 11, 2026
Location: Online
IN-PERSON Group Newbie
Children's Classes Level 1
$285
per term
Who: Ages 6 to 12 with no previous experience learning Mandarin
Time: Mon, 4:30pm - 6:00pm
Start Date: Apr 6, 2026
End Date: June 15, 2026
Location: 50 Ottawa St South, Kitchener
IN-PERSON Group Upper Beginner Children's Classes
$285
per term
Who: Ages 6 to 12 who are comfortable with the fundamentals of Mandarin and basic phrases.
Time: Sat, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Start Date: Apr 18, 2026
End Date: June 20, 2026
Location: 85 Queen St N, Kitchener
rEGISTER NOW!
Classes have are capped at 7 students per class. Join us next semester!
If our class times don’t work for you or you’d like to see another class added to our schedule. Please contact us!
We also welcome you to message us for more details on our upcoming and ongoing semesters.
Course Details
Class Duration
Engaging 90-minute classes, with lots of opportunities for one-on-one help with teachers. If group classes only have 2 students, class length is 60 minutes long.
Handpicked Textbook
Take home a textbook specifically suited to your learning needs.
Take-Home Exercises
Exercises will be given after each class, so you can continue practicing Chinese throughout the week.
Activities and Conversation Practice
Classes are designed to keep you engaged and improve your oral Chinese.
CLAIM A SPOT
Register for our Mandarin classes in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph.
Pre-Register for Next Semester
Want to join next semester? Pre-register for FREE with pre-registration:
- Save a spot in our upcoming semester.
- Guarantee our lowest registration price.
- Help us accommodate your availability.
Schedule Private Lessons
Convenient
At home or a nearby coffee shop, on a weekday or a weekend, you can learn a new language in Waterloo Region at a time and place convenient for you.
Conversational
Private lessons give you plenty of speaking practice and quick feedback on pronunciation, grammar, and word choice.
Customized
Want to learn a second language for traveling, business, family interactions, or your next test? Not a problem! We tailor our lessons to help you meet your personal goals.
Cost-Effective
One-on-one tutoring is $47.50 to $50 hour. If you would like private lessons for more than one person, please provide details below, and we will get back to you with more information as soon as we can.
Our Team
Binbin Cao
Mandarin Instructor
Binbin was born and raised in Nanjing, China. While studying in Japan, she taught Mandarin to Japanese bank staff, helping them apply the language in professional settings. After seven years in Japan and now in Canada, she brings rich cross-cultural insight to her teaching. Her classes are practical and interactive, helping students gain confidence while exploring Chinese culture and values. Outside teaching, she enjoys hiking and detective novels, inspiring learners to see language as a journey of discovery.
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.
Ann Gong
Mandarin Instructor
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!
Bowen Ma
Mandarin Instructor
Bowen comes from Anshan, China. He came to Waterloo Region for his master’s degree in 2017. In China, Bowen taught English in his spare time and enjoyed helping others learn languages. Bowen has worked as a broadcaster with the university’s radio station, making him especially effective at teaching students proper pronunciation. Bowen’s love of a diverse range of music and sports makes him a great and fun conversationalist. His experiences and lightheartedness are sure to fill his classes with joy and help his students learn Mandarin!
Cartia Zhang
Mandarin Instructor
Cartia is a native Mandarin speaker and a certified International Chinese Language
Teacher (CTCSOL), currently working as a part-time Chinese tutor in Canada. With a
background in English Literature and teaching certifications for both high school and
college in China, she has over five years of tutoring experience, alongside a successful
15-year career in the corporate world. Her international business background and
cultural exposure deeply enrich her teaching, especially for adult learners. Known for
her warm smile and positive energy, Cartia brings joy and encouragement to every
lesson. Outside the classroom, she enjoys yoga, hiking, and connecting with people
from all walks of life. Her unique communication style helps students feel comfortable
and inspired while learning Mandarin in an enjoyable, engaging way.
Angela Ma
Mandarin Instructor
What our Students Say
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Want More information?
Visit our First Step Mandarin website at www.firststepmandarin.com or email us at learn@firststeplanguages.com.
Winter 2026 Semester
IN-PERSON Group Adults
Newbie Class Level 1 Section 1
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) with no experience learning Chinese. We welcome anyone who is interested in Mandarin!
Time: Thurs, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Start Date: Jan 8, 2026
End Date: Mar 12, 2026
Location: 50 Ottawa Street South, Kitchener
IN-PERSON Group Beginner Class for Adults
Level 2
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) who have studied Chinese for approximately 3 months or have equivalent experience
Time: Mon, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Start Date: Jan 5, 2026
End Date: Mar 16, 2026
Location: 50 Ottawa Street South, Kitchener
IN-PERSON Group Upper Beginner Class for Adults Level 3
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) who have studied Chinese for approximately 6 to 12 months or have equivalent experience
Time: Thurs, 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Start Date: Jan 8, 2026
End Date: Mar 12, 2026
Location: 50 Ottawa Street South, Kitchener
ONLINE Group Intermediate III Class for Adults Level 6
$285
per term
Who: adults (ages 13+) who have studied Chinese for approximately 4 to 5 years or have equivalent experience (HSK 2-3)
Time: Mon, 7:15pm - 8:45pm
Start Date: Jan 19, 2026
End Date: Mar 30, 2026
Location: Online
IN-PERSON Group Upper Beginner
Children's Classes Level 3
$285
per term
Who: Ages 6 to 12 who are comfortable with the fundamentals of Mandarin and basic phrases.
Time: Sat, 10:30am - 12:00am
Start Date: Jan 10, 2026
End Date: Mar 21, 2026
Location: 85 Queen St N, Kitchener