Heather L

@heather-l-6973

Teaches Chinese

Joined Jun 2026

About

I’m a native Mandarin speaker from Beijing with a B.A. in Philosophy from Peking University and graduate study at McMaster University in Canada. For more than a decade, I worked as a bilingual journalist and editor in Los Angeles and Hong Kong, writing and editing in both Chinese and English. In 2014, I received Taiwan’s Liang Shih-chiu Literary Award in Translation, and I continue to work as a freelance translator, columnist, and literary editor. I am currently a columnist and literary editor for Yibao, a Washington, D.C.–based Chinese online magazine.

I work best with students who want more than memorized vocabulary and scripted dialogues. If you want to build a real relationship with Mandarin—through conversation, reading, writing, translation, and culture—I can help you do that in a thoughtful, structured, and engaging way.

My classes are a good fit for heritage learners, intermediate and advanced Mandarin students, bilingual writers, translators, journalists, and intellectually curious learners who want to use Chinese with more confidence and depth. Depending on your goals, I can help you improve spoken Mandarin, strengthen your Chinese reading and writing, develop Chinese-English literary translation skills, or work on bilingual journalism and public writing. I also enjoy teaching Chinese philosophy and culture for students who want language learning to connect with ideas, history, and contemporary public discourse.

Because of my background in journalism, editing, and literary translation, I pay close attention to tone, nuance, clarity, and voice. I can help you move beyond “correct Chinese” toward Chinese that feels natural, precise, and alive—whether you’re trying to speak more comfortably, read modern Chinese texts with confidence, write with greater sophistication, or translate thoughtfully between Chinese and English.

My teaching style is rigorous but supportive, and I adapt lessons to each student’s level, interests, and long-term goals. Some students come to me to improve conversation; others want to read better, write better, translate better, or understand the cultural and intellectual world behind the language. Wherever you’re starting from, I aim to help you grow not just in skill, but in confidence, curiosity, and expressive range.

Thank you for your interest in me. I look forward to working with you to contribute to your growth and make a difference.

Heather