As a former student of CalCC, I want to write a review on how the language skills I learned from…read morethe school had helped me a lot in getting admission into MBA program at CSU East Bay. Just like many other ESL institutions, basically you will learn English. However, what makes the school different from others is the effectiveness of the program. All the grammar, listening and reading skills, and writing techniques are practical, easy to learn and sufficient for you to use daily and academically. You might doubt it at first, but believe me, after just about 1 year of studying at the school, I was able to get TOEFL score of 90 at my first try. A score of 80 is a standard for a master degree. It could reach 100 at some highly competitive universities. But I want to emphasize the importance of your self-practice also. You need to use it in some way even though there is no homework or an assignment. Your self-practice is important for you not to forget what you have learned. Another special thing about the school is the devotion that all instructors have to their students. They are willing to help you as long as you need their assistance. You can ask them to write recommendation letters, or ask them about other tests that you cannot study at CalCC. I studied GRE myself at the same time I took English classes at CalCC. I can say that all the help from knowledgeable instructors had helped me get high enough score on GRE examination to get admission into my MBA. Obviously, the program itself and the constant assistance from instructors provide you more than enough English competency to survive and succeed in higher education environment. Last, the school offers affordability and friendly environment. Tuition is relatively competitive I can say. The class is friendly and interactive. There is a kitchen for you to cook occasionally, but you will need dean's permission for it. Frequent field trips give you chance to interact with classmates and other people, help you to review what you learned, and relax your mind with some enjoyable food. All in all, this will be a right place for those who are looking for an ESL institution where they can learn, practice, interact, and even enjoy.

Calcc is a really good language school option..Especially if you want to transfer after one year…read moreand go to college or university..I'm very happy to have stayed here for one year..And I met a lot of amazing people here..The stuff is amazing and always available to help us

Despite being Filipino, I never was taught Tagalog growing up. I recently was inspired to learn…read moreTagalog, and I was super pleased to learn there was a place nearby that teaches it! I wanted to better connect with the language associated with my heritage, so I decided to invest the time and money to learn Tagalog. I took the Level 1 hybrid course with Rhya in early summer 2026. Overall, it provided a great foundation for introductory grammar and vocab for Tagalog. By the end of the first course, you quickly become comfortable being able to ask simple questions (like where are you from? what's your name?), answering with affirmative/negation statements, and even being able to ask "how much/how many" with Tagalog numbers right off the bat. The class structure felt perfect, with the small class sizes. The course was very interactive, as we were constantly engaging and practicing the language throughout each course. And of course, it provided a safe space to make mistakes and grow with the language. If we made a mistake, Rhya would walk us through our mistake to help understand where it was and why the correct answer was provided. The class structure was also perfect for my work schedule. There were times I had to travel for work and miss a lecture. Because I was signed up for the hybrid course, I was provided class recordings after each session, allowing me to catch up and not feel left behind. The sessions are definitely catered to working adults, with all courses being offered in the evenings. Each session was 90 mins long each week for 7 weeks. I learned a lot from Level 1, and I'm excited to continue on to Level 2!

SJLC (San Jose Learning Center) has a great number of language classes - online, hybrid, or…read morein-class - and a variety of schedules, esp. for busy adults. The instructor that I had, Keiko is great. She is very patient and always willing to help. (The courses can be fast though depending the language and the books being used). The other people there are always very polite and helpful as well. The facility, while basic, is clean and conducive to learning. They seem to use a mix of media (e.g. slides, Quizlet, etc. which is good). FYI - it is near SJC - San Jose Int'l airport and the jets taking off can be somewhat loud at times.

If you are looking for an amazing environment for your child, Springbridge is an absolute gem even…read moreif you are not looking for a bilingual program. It is just an exceptional school providing a truly nurturing and culturally rich environment for kids. Academically, this school is advanced - using Singapore math and teaching kids to read well at even Kindergarten (in 2 languages!). What is more impressive is that kids are learning to be so kind, caring, respectful, polite, and independent. Teachers are incredibly dedicated. They truly care about each child's development and they go above and beyond. They presents the material in a way that keeps kids engaged, confident, and learning at or above their grade level. I highly recommend Springbridge International School to any family. My daughter looks forward to going to school everyday and the community is great!

Highly recommend Springbridge Preschool! My two kids are both grads and were completely prepared…read morefor kindergarten thanks to the school's advanced academic curriculum. The teaching staff is eager to help, and genuinely caring. On top of strong academics, the kids get to experience Japanese and Chinese culture in fun, meaningful ways, plus a wide variety of engaging after-school programs. A wonderful community for young learners!

Language Connection makes learning a second language interesting and fun. It's not a typical…read moreprogram as there is not a class or lesson with definite start or stop date (like a class at the university). You can 'roll into' an ongoing group lesson or take individual lessons. The instructions are pretty reasonably priced and they offer you a lot of different language options. I took private French lessons prior to traveling to France and found the instruction very useful for my trip. I would gladly take lessons in the future when traveling abroad ( I think they teach Spanish, German, Chinese, etc). I also enjoyed that the speakers where 'native' speakers and gave useful information about the culture in addition to the lessons. Overall, I would recommend that you check them out.

I highly recommend the Language Connection and Sophie Fritz, if you would like a fun environment,…read morewhere you learn French from a native speaker. I have had several teachers and have enjoyed previous French lessons, but I must say that Sophie makes the class especially enjoyable and one learns a lot. The classes contain a variety of subjects and methods of teaching. This keeps them quite interesting! There is a mixture of conversation, vocabulary, grammar, listening to French movies and written exercises. She explains things well and never makes you feel stupid! Sophie tailors her class for working people, as well as folks with more time to study. I don't hesitate to recommend her classes, for those wanting to learn to speak French.

If you're looking for a preschool with kind and caring teachers, excellent Mandarin instruction,…read moreand delicious food (not sure if this is true post-covid), look no further! Compared to other schools, the price is very reasonable. It doesn't look fancy - they operate out of an old church in Cupertino - but we loved our experience there. When COVID started, they were quick to close to keep everyone safe and they provided Zoom for the kids. We moved away and are no longer able to send our daughter there (plus, she's aged out), but the head teacher still texts us to wish us well.

I have sent both of my son and my daughter to this bilingual educational center. both of them love…read morethe place, the teacher and program! The new facility using Union Church is a better environment for kids.

I like the experienced instructors and school's atmosphere…read more I was very concerned about my presentation skills, my speech and my writing. I usually get very nervous when speaking. However, I feel much more comfortable on speaking and improved my writing very quickly after the guide of the instructors. And even more confident when I share with others now. They have great classes. It's a great school.

This college is really good with fantastic teachers and staffs. I started to study at Golden Gate…read moreCollege on 10/31/2019, now I'm transferring to other college, but I really love this school so much. From the bottom of my heart, I won't forget the Director, teachers, and staffs at Golden Gate College.

Teachers really care for the kids. The curriculum is at a higher level than the public curriculum…read more Yet, the low student to teacher ratio means the teachers can see and help each child. Tuition is also less than other private schools. This is also a mandarin immersion school that teaches traditional bo po mo fo which we love. The parents do not need to speak the language at home and there are many families that do not speak Mandarin. Overall, great place for kids to learn and grow.

We are absolutely thrilled with our experience at Mandarin Academy, and we couldn't be happier with…read morethe progress our son has made since starting Kindergarten this year. One of the most remarkable aspects of Mandarin Academy is the speed at which our son has started speaking Chinese at home. We are a non-Chinese family. Within just three weeks of starting, he was already bringing his newfound language skills into our daily conversations. Another key factor that sets Mandarin Academy apart is its small class sizes. In these intimate settings, every student has the opportunity to actively engage and participate in the learning process. This focus on individual attention and participation is invaluable when it comes to mastering a new language, and we've seen firsthand how it has benefited our child's language development. We also got a spot offered by Cupertino Union School District (CUSD), but after experiencing what Mandarin Academy has to offer, we made the decision to withdraw and stay with Mandarin Academy. Main reason was the big class sizes at CUSD (20+ students) which makes it hard to learn a language. The higher standards, personalized approach, and dedication to language education at Mandarin Academy were simply unmatched, and we believe this is the best place for our child to flourish.

Sharon is a wonderful teacher. She is kind and tolerant. I love her sophisticated comments and…read morefeedback. And what makes her special is her flexible program. If you really want to improve your English skill, then you should not miss the chance to study with her! Additional updated review: Sharon's career course was so powerful and critical that I could complete my resume, CV, elevator pitch, and R-A answer for an interview. And because of them, I was able to get my new job! I couldn't made it without her. I appreciate her for everything. Thanks Sharon!

Sharon is an excellent ESL (English as a second language) teacher. I take online English lessons…read morefor 60 minutes once a week. I wanted to improve my English grammar, pronunciation, writing, and conversation skills. In a few lessons, not only did I notice big improvement, but my colleagues did too. Her approach is to work on quick fixes and to give immediate feedback so I can incorporate that learning immediately in my daily life. In addition to helping with daily conversation, she has expertise in resume/LinkedIn profile review and job interview preparation. With the help of her sessions, I landed a wonderful job opportunity.

I took an intro French course recently with Celine Val. I really liked the class and our teacher. I…read morethought it was reasonably well structured and that she did a good job teaching us first how to pronounce, then how to read and write. We studied formal and informal. If you have any background in a language I would suggest you refresh yourself and test into something other than the intro course. Starting at the beginning was perfect for me since I have never studied French before, but it was very, very basic stuff. Had I taken that level for a language I had previously studied I think I would have been bored. Pros: - Conveniently located to the 84 and 101 (and Caltrain?) - Convenient times after work - Great way to sample a new language to see if you're really interested in it. - You get to keep the text book (they are used, mine had writing it...) Cons: - When you are only meeting once a week it's really easy to say: "I'll study this weekend." "I'll study tomorrow." "Oh crap, class is tonight, I better study." - Cost - it's roughly $40 a class (give or take) so if you're going to stick with it long term it's going to add up. A college course may be cheaper (though with the way college tuition is these days maybe not?). Private lessons seem to run $30-$40+ an hour, so I think their costs are reasonable. It just adds up over time, which hurts my head when I do the math... - $50 one time set-up fee per student

I took private intro spanish lessons with Erick. He was very flexible with my scheduled and allowed…read moreme to have a different meeting time each week to accommodate my schedule. Erick did a great job of assessing my current level of proficiency and then adapting an appropriate curriculum to advance my skills. We met at the Menlo Park school at times, which is a very easy to access right next to the Facebook campus off of Willow Road. Other times we met at a location we decided upon. The staff at ABC were very helpful in my billing or any questions I needed to get answered. Highly recommend ABC for anyone interested in any foreign language, no matter what level they are in. They will have an instructor for whatever language you are interested in.

Rarely have I met a teacher as dedicated and patient as Anne! I have had the pleasure of learning…read moreFrench from Anne, one-on-one on a weekly basis for a number of years. She is very bright, intelligent and wonderful at what she does. She has an incredible ability to tailor the lessons to me as an individual and is great at improvising new material when I require it. She has earned my highest regards and I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking to learn a new language or improve and expand their existing knowledge. It has been a wonderful experience learning French with Anne! Thumbs up!!

Without Anna support and help My son was not continuing with french. Anna give in confidence and…read moreworked with him for two years.my son love it.