Vietnamese classes in bay area (San Jose: salon, schools, community college)

[monadic]

Hi, I'm looking for someone who knows of a school or person that teaches Vietnamese to adult non-native speakers. There's tons of Vietnamese schools for kids, but it's not exactly a common language for non-native speakers to want to learn so there's a lack of readily accessible teachers for adults like there are for Japanese and to a lesser extend Chinese. If anyone knows of someone, or has a friend of a friend, or anything like that, can you respond here or send me a PM? Doesn't necessarily have to be San Jose, anywhere in the bay area works. I know there's a huge vietnamese community in the bay area, so I'd be surprised if there was just absolutely nothing like this anywhere, but I'm not having any luck searching.

I'm not just looking for random people who speak Vietnamese as that's pretty easy to find, preferably some sort of teaching credentials and/or experience teaching Vietnamese (or any other language) would be nice.

[jbunniii]

Originally Posted by monadic

Hi, I'm looking for someone who knows of a school or person that teaches Vietnamese to adult non-native speakers.

Unless you're looking to avoid a classroom setting, why not take a community college class? San Jose City College doesn't appear to offer Vietnamese, but Mission College and De Anza College do (and I'm sure there are others):

Mission College | Foreign Languages Department
De Anza College :: Vietnamese :: Courses

[monadic]

I've done this in the past, and in my experience, college Vietnamese classes focus WAY too heavily on pronunciation and move extremely slow because they have to cater to the lowest common denominator. I understand why all the focus on pronunciation, since it's the hardest aspect for a foreigner to master, but for me I've already got it down extremely well, and would rather just focus on conversation, and not have to waste time with all the childish things college people do to try to slow down the class so that as little material as possible is covered, making it easy for them to get an A.

[chipmunks]

hey, can u leave me your information to contact 'coz I may know someone who is willing to help

[mstnghu2]

Just hang out at any hair cut place or nail salon on the East Side and you should pick it up in no time.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by mstnghu2

Just hang out at any hair cut place or nail salon on the East Side and you should pick it up in no time.

Or get special 'private lessons' in the back room of a choice massage parlor.

[mstnghu2]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Or get special 'private lessons' in the back room of a choice massage parlor.

Ha Ha...That too! I once heard rumors that even Kim's Hair and Nail on Tully Rd. next to Food Maxx offered "happy endings" in their back rooms.

Anyways, I think we're getting off-topic now.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by mstnghu2

Ha Ha...That too! I once heard rumors that even Kim's Hair and Nail on Tully Rd. next to Food Maxx offered "happy endings" in their back rooms.

Anyways, I think we're getting off-topic now.

And I think I'm going to Kim's Hair and Nails.

[marriedtovietchick]

Originally Posted by monadic

I've done this in the past, and in my experience, college Vietnamese classes focus WAY too heavily on pronunciation and move extremely slow because they have to cater to the lowest common denominator. I understand why all the focus on pronunciation, since it's the hardest aspect for a foreigner to master, but for me I've already got it down extremely well, and would rather just focus on conversation, and not have to waste time with all the childish things college people do to try to slow down the class so that as little material as possible is covered, making it easy for them to get an A.

You appear to be a relative novice and you have the pronunciation down "extremely well." According to my wife, a native speaker, that's not very common for non-native speakers, even those with a fair degree of study under their belt. So, count me skeptical, particularly given that you think college Vietnamese classes focus way too heavily on pronunication, yet pronunciation is, by far, the most critical aspect of learning to speak the language. When the same sequence of letters can mean 3 or 6 or 10 different things, depending on how you pronounce them, I'd say any class should give a lot of attention to pronunciation.

I've taken the Mission College beginner's class. Not especially rigorous, e.g., reviewed half of each test before taking it. Learned a fair amount of vocabulary, I guess. I've also tried the Pimsleur tapes (now CDs). I think the Pimsleur approach is pretty good, but I haven't been a particularly disciplined student, so haven't got as much out of it as I probably should.

[daddiesgirl]

Originally Posted by monadic

I've done this in the past, and in my experience, college Vietnamese classes focus WAY too heavily on pronunciation and move extremely slow because they have to cater to the lowest common denominator. I understand why all the focus on pronunciation, since it's the hardest aspect for a foreigner to master, but for me I've already got it down extremely well, and would rather just focus on conversation, and not have to waste time with all the childish things college people do to try to slow down the class so that as little material as possible is covered, making it easy for them to get an A.

There is a reason why the instructors drill you with pronunciation and tones because it is the core of the language. Unlike English, a simple tone will change the word entirely. For example, the word "good" in English still means "good" whether you lengthen out the tone and pronounce it as "good" or "gooood."

In Vietnamese, you can say "di" (tonal would be "dee" [means "go" in English]). But if you raise the pitch and pronounce it "deeeee", the word becomes "hooker" or "prostitute."

The majority of words also only have one syllables so the pitch and tone is important. You can get by with ordering some food, but you won't be able to hold a conversation without being laughed at if you don't get your tones down right.