Who wants to take a class with me? 
@Chloe-Mandarin-HSK_5 @Charlene-Mandarin-HSK_4 @Max @Justin-Mandarin-HSK_3
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Nice! Little tight for time in the coming months but excited to give these a try to see how bad I’ve gotten!
I’m actually featuring on the Dashu Mandarin podcast on Friday, check them out on Youtube if you’ve not seen before.
That’s going to be a test of just how rusty I’ve become!
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Hi Ben! You are spot on with our uploading schedule!
For the new level HSK 6, we really level up with the topics. There are going to be more insightful as well as more technical themes introduced. Here’s a bit of a teaser. Hope it can quench your thirst for the knowledge 
HSK6 T411 Mahjong.pdf (1.2 MB)
HSK6 T416 Tax in China.pdf (884.8 KB)
Got any Feedback? Tell us here | https://forms.gle/fci9MmRvqkKXG96r5
Have fun learning everyone!
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Taxes in China!! I’m definitely not at that level yet but definitely an interesting topic to study!
I’ve seen others such as “environmental protection” or “rise of women”, I can’t wait to be at that level one day 
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Yasss!! See you in class soon, Ben
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Good job @Holly-Le ! That is a huge work.
@Clarise HSK 6 has just been added. Maybe you would like to join Ben?
@Ben-Mandarin-HSK_5 We’re looking for your feedback on the topic that you find most interesting 
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We plan to work on the HSK6+ curriculum. Your feedback is important to us in creating a level that meets your needs. Feel free to leave your suggestions here. 
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@Holly-Le Apologies for stealing your spotlight with my pre-announcement 
HSK6 is such a vast undertaking (for both students and the school preparing the lessons). How was working on HSK6 different? Was it easier or more challenging than the lower levels?
One difference I can think of is that there is so much more vocabulary in HSK6 (at least in the official vocab lists for the HSK tests) than in all previous levels combined, so going up is like climbing a reverse pyramid 
. However, all LTL levels are the same length (2x50 classes).
Can you share some of your thought process behind the LTL curriculum (and how did you “really level up with the topics”)?
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Really cool topic ideas. My personal favourites are:
Taxes in China
Pet Cafes
Chinese Pastries
Wedding Customs
Chinese TV Shows
Some really cool stuff to get stuck into
Great work @Holly-Le and @Ha_Nguyen
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Hi Ben! I’m thrilled to receive your questions and I’m here to help.
First and foremost, let’s address something important: Flexi classes are not designed with standardized tests in mind. Our main focus is to enhance your language proficiency and appreciation. There are numerous effective ways to achieve that without relying solely on standardized tests, even in spite of them. So, it’s important to understand that our HSK 6 level is not equivalent to a course specifically tailored for the HSK 6 examination. Instead, our curriculum aligns with the CEFR level (by the way, the Hànbàn recently introduced the New HSK 3.0 in 2023, which incorporates significant changes to better correspond with international guidelines like CEFR. It’s worth noting that standardization is subjective, just like anything else).
The name “HSK 6” serves as a helpful reference point for our students to gauge their progress in learning Mandarin. Our highest level, which now aligns with C2 language proficiency, has specific standards and objectives. We aim for our students to gain the ability to discuss topics related to science and technology, employ various techniques to enhance creativity in both speaking and writing, and develop a deeper understanding of Chinese society and culture, among other valuable outcomes. Don’t forget about our engaging Talk with Natives sessions too! They provide fantastic opportunities to sharpen your language skills in informal, unscripted conversations beyond the curriculum.
I’m glad HSK 6 is being so well anticipated. It serves as a great source of motivation for our team. If you have any additional feedback, we are more than happy to listen.
Enjoy your language learning journey!
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Since C2 is the highest CEFR level, does that mean HSK6+ is going to be the last LTL level?
I was wondering if LTL could teach a few classes dedicated to translation (which is part of the HSK 3.0 7-9 exam). The teacher would pick an English language article or two before class, and we would try to translate it during the class.
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That does sound like a great idea! I do think translation is an acquired skill that can be interesting to teach and learn. We are looking into the new HSK 3.0 description and requirement. The higher levels do seem to be at a very academic and professional sinologist proficiency, very niche and advanced. But I don’t see why we can’t adopt some of the skill requirement, like what you just suggested. We wouldn’t want to stop with just HSK 6, certainly not when we have such an avid learner like you Ben! Thank you for the suggestion, and we’re sure to keep you updated on our Mandarin materials
If you want to share more feedback for HSK 6, we would love to hear it. Happy learning!
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Glad to see this. I’m cruising through the 4+ 's at the moment and then onto 5. It’s good to know I will have these to look forward to. Hopefully there’s a 6+, 7, 8 in the future , even if they don’t directly correspond to the Hsk. Or, just MORE classes on MORE topics at all levels. I’ve been taking a class every single day for the last 5 weeks and its been very useful.
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Other ideas for future classes:
- dig deeper into the classic novels e.g. Water Margin or Dream of Red Chamber
- talking with natives: convert an informal (口语) text to formal language (书面) or vice versa
- find some other popular movies and TV shows and analyze them
- "sell me something* game: teacher shows a picture of a product; students will describe it and try to explain why should people buy it
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Personal favorites:
- The qualities of a scientist
- Mystery boxes
- Talking with natives: Movies
- Exercising through live stream
- Pet cafes
- The world of cats
Thanks @Holly-Le and @Ha_Nguyen!
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This is a great idea.
I’d love to see some role play classes. Bank, restaurant, store, apartment hunting, reporting a crime, etc.
Personally, I think the “Free Speaking” classes in 4+ are too hard for 4+. They could be moved to 6 and replaced with reading and discussing graded, fixed news stories (like the ones found on the Chairmen’s Bao). Simplified news stories with more relevant vocabulary, where the student can study the pdf first and then answer questions with the teacher, discuss, expand etc.
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Thanks @Ben-Mandarin-HSK_5 and @Feng2.Zhe2-HSK_4_plus for all the excellent recommendations you have shared with us. These suggestions are useful to us as we conduct research and develop our study materials. 
The “Talking with natives” classes in 5+ and 6 sound good. I’m looking forward to those, along with many of the other class topics.
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Long time away after an intense period at work but I am SO HAPPY we have HSK 6! The topics look incredible! Really can’t wait to get stuck in, and am really excited to be learning with LTL. Thanks guys for all your hard work and I’ll be back here to talk about my favourite classes very soon. Yay!
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It’s great to hear that you’re excited about topics in HSK 6. We look forward to hearing your feedback at this level. 