Brenden Bakker

Brenden Bakker’s experience with Chinese began in high school with classes through BYU Independent Study. His most significant exposure to the language came during a Mandarin-speaking mission in Virginia. The mission provided valuable chances to engage with native speakers, laying a crucial foundation. These experiences, combined with ongoing university classes after his mission, helped Brenden build fluency.

One of Brenden’s biggest motivators is his awareness of the gap between his current ability and native-level fluency. Rather than discouraging him, this gap keeps him motivated: “The more I learn, the more I realize I still have areas to improve.” Even after achieving a superior level on the OPI, Brenden remains driven, saying he has “never felt complacent” and sees endless room for growth. His love for Chinese culture and meaningful conversations with native speakers are ongoing sources of passion and purpose.

When it comes to overcoming challenges, Brenden emphasizes that mistakes are part of the process. His advice is to get comfortable making them—and to be open to feedback, even when it’s hard to hear. He recalls a professor whose direct critiques, though difficult at times, were invaluable for identifying areas needing improvement.

To build and maintain his skills, Brenden highlights a few key strategies that have worked well for him. First and foremost is interacting regularly with native speakers, which he considers the most valuable method for developing both speaking fluency and listening comprehension. He also underscores the importance of finding content you love. For Brenden, watching Chinese food vloggers combines his passion for food with language learning, offering a fun and engaging way to absorb vocabulary, cultural insights, and context naturally. While flashcards aren’t everyone’s favorite tool, Brenden finds them effective and recommends using them if they suit your learning style.

When it comes to improving specific skills, Brenden’s approach is practical and straightforward. For listening, he suggests consuming as much content as possible, striking a balance between material that’s accessible and material that challenges you just enough to stretch your skills. Staying engaged with topics you find interesting helps make the process sustainable while gradually increasing your comprehension. Reading follows a similar philosophy: Brenden recommends using social media or other online platforms to immerse yourself in authentic Chinese. By training your social media feed to show Chinese content and making a habit of reading comments and posts, you can naturally expand your vocabulary and fluency.

Brenden’s OPI experience has given him valuable insights for anyone preparing for the exam. He advises preparing for common questions in advance, much like you would for a job interview. The OPI often asks about hobbies, recent news, or personal experiences, so having detailed, well-thought-out answers ready can give you a solid foundation. He also stresses the importance of being prepared to elaborate. For example, if you mention hiking, you should expect follow-up questions asking you to describe specific trips, memorable experiences, and even the landscapes you explored. The ability to describe experiences vividly and with precision is a key skill the OPI tests.

For those aiming for the superior rating, Brenden emphasizes that preparation needs to go beyond personal narratives. You’ll need to practice discussing broader and more analytical topics, demonstrating the ability to hypothesize and speak “outside yourself.” He gives the example of a question about the wealth gap: rather than focusing solely on your own financial experiences, you should be prepared to address broader issues like corporate consolidation, tax policy, and barriers to higher education. The superior rating hinges on your ability to engage thoughtfully with complex, global topics.

Looking back, Brenden credits his progress to a mix of practical strategies and a commitment to growth. He believes that true success in language learning comes from never settling—and always being willing to push past potential plateaus. For Brenden, the key to lasting progress is staying curious, engaged, and open to improvement every step of the way.