Mandarin Companion was started by Jared Turner and John Pasden, who met one fateful day on a bus in Shanghai when the only remaining seats forced them to sit next to each other.
John majored in Japanese in college in the US and later learned Mandarin and moved to China, where he was admitted into an all-Chinese masters program in applied linguistics at East China Normal University in Shanghai. John lives in Shanghai with his wife and children. John is the editor-in-chief at Mandarin Companion and ensures each story is written at the appropriate level.
Jared decided to move to China with his young family in search of career opportunities, despite having no Chinese language skills. When he learned about Extensive Reading and started using Graded Readers, his language skills exploded. In 3 months, he had read 10 Graded Readers and quickly became conversational in Chinese. Jared lives in the US with his wife and children. Jared runs the business operations and focuses on bringing stories to life.
John and Jared work with Chinese learners and teachers all over the world. They host the You Can Learn Chinese podcast, where they discuss the struggles and joys of learning to speak the language. They are active on social media, where they share memes and stories about learning Chinese.
You Can Learn Chinese Podcast
Learn HOW to learn Chinese with hosts Jared Turner and John Pasden. You will learn tips, strategies, and insights so you can supercharge your language learning. You will also be inspired by guest interviews with people from all over the world who have learned Chinese.
Both Jared and John both learned Chinese, lived in China for many years, and have worked with learners all over the world and understand the unique challenges that Chinese learners face. They stay at the forefront of language learning research and methods and bring that to listeners everywhere.
In this riveting episode, a clueless American white guy shocks a podcast host with flawless Chinese using one trick that teachers hate! Our special guest, Ari Smith, widely recognized as Xiao Ma on YouTube, shares the unexpected journey that led him from being a curious American to a Chinese-speaking internet sensation.
Our special guest is none other than Ari Smith, widely recognized as YouTuber Xiao Ma. In this light and engaging interview, we dig into how he got started with Chinese and how he turned, almost by happenstance, into a YouTube sensation.
Starting with a random free class in Chinese, his fascination with Chinese propelled him to immerse himself in its language and culture, leading to a year in China where he embraced full Mandarin immersion, laying the groundwork for his fluency.
Ari reveals how his genuine interactions in Chinese settings, from restaurants to nail salons, have captivated and motivated many. He also discusses his experiences into learning lesser-known languages, such as Native American dialects, underscoring the importance of preserving endangered languages and offering insights into the vast landscape of linguistic diversity.
Links from the episode:
Xiaomanyc 小马在纽约 | YouTube
Mandarin Companion graded readers
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