Meet Our Talented Teachers
Our passionate and dedicated team work together to plan and deliver Mandarin lessons that will inspire and motivate your children, helping them develop a deep understanding, and love, for language and new cultures.
You can rest assured, all our staff our enhanced DBS checked.
卞老师
Jie Bian
Hi, I am the founder of Little Mandarin Talkers, a native speaker, who has been living in England for 25 years.
Having studied early years education for my degree, I then qualified as a Mandarin teacher. With over 10 years of teaching experience, I currently teach Mandarin at the Immanuel College Junior School in Bushey, in addition to managing and teaching at Little Mandarin Talkers.
I have always been passionate about language teaching to children and believe they learn quickly in a positive environment. Because of this we have combined Western and Chinese teaching methods to encourage children to explore the language through culture. We tailor-make every lesson to fit the needs of the specific class. Our goal is to make learning fun, so that our students learn without realising.
Heather Salthouse
Ni hao! My name is Heather and I have been working at Little Mandarin Talkers since 2019.
I have been involved in language learning and teaching throughout my entire career, working with children from ages 2 to 18. I hold a PGCE in Secondary School Languages, and my degree is in French and Russian.
I have been learning Mandarin Chinese since 2014. I believe that children do not learn well if they feel bored, shy or unsafe so my priority is to settle the children into the classroom and to encourage close bonds between the classmates; my goal is to instil a sense of curiosity and wonder for different languages and cultures, and for the children to feel that language learning is an innate ability that we all possess.
I am meticulous in my lesson planning and tailor make each lesson according to the progress made each week and pay special attention to the classroom dynamics.
Mak Kai Yu(Steven)
麥棨譽
“gok3 wai2 tung4 hok6，zou2 san4 !” This is the Cantonese phonetic spelling for “Good morning! students.”
I am Mr. Mak, and I have been teaching in Hong Kong schools for 14 years, bringing extensive teaching experience to the classroom.
I believe that fostering student motivation is crucial for effective learning. To achieve this, I design diverse and multi-sensory activities that actively engage students and connect learning content to real-life experiences, ensuring that students find their learning meaningful and relevant.
Furthermore, I understand that consistent practice is vital for students to master knowledge and reinforce their learning outcomes.
In addition to my teaching expertise, I have studied Chinese calligraphy for over 20 years, which has provided me with a profound understanding of character structure and strokes. I aspire to help students make significant progress in writing traditional Chinese characters, enhancing both their skills and appreciation for this art form.
王少芳老師
畢業於香港中文大學中文系，擁有豐富的中文教學經驗，現於本地中文社區學校任教，已有兩年時間。課堂設計靈活多元，善於運用遊戲、故事及實用主題引導學生，提升他們對學習中文的興趣與信心。
曾在香港博物館體系從事文字及展覽策劃工作超過十年，具備深厚的文化素養與文字功底。熱愛閱讀歷史書籍，也喜歡與學生分享有趣的文化知識與故事，讓學習更有深度與趣味。
相信愉快學習的重要性，鼓勵學生主動思考、大膽表達，培養語言能力與自我信心。
I hold a degree in Chinese Language and Literature from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
With strong teaching experience in Chinese language education, I have been teaching at a local Chinese community school for the past two years. My lessons are engaging and interactive, often incorporating games, storytelling, and practical topics to spark students’ interest and build their confidence in learning Chinese.
Before that, I worked for over ten years in the museum sector in Hong Kong, focusing on curatorial writing and exhibition planning—an experience that enriches my teaching with a deep appreciation for Chinese culture and history.
I am passionate about creating a joyful and supportive learning environment where students are encouraged to think independently and express themselves freely.
The teacher is very good at explaining Chinese culture and traditions. My children are gaining a very good insight in to China and its people which inspires them to learn more. My wife (and children) highly recommend them.
Greg, Hatfield