Margaret Davis

Margaret’s engagement with Mandarin Chinese began early, with a Chinese immersion program starting in first grade. This foundational experience continued through high school, giving her what she describes as a solid base in the language. A turning point in her language journey came when she served a mission in Taiwan. She experienced a brief but intense three-week stay at the Missionary Training Center, which she describes as a “crash course in gospel vocabulary” before heading straight to Taiwan. Since coming home from her mission, she continues to develop her language skills through Chinese courses at BYU. She credits the high quality of her teaching assistants as a key support in her continued learning.

Motivation has played a central role in Margaret’s progress. Early on, the possibility of serving a mission in Chinese or using the language professionally was a strong motivator. Over time, her motivation has shifted—now she studies Mandarin simply because she finds it genuinely enjoyable. She approaches mistakes with a sense of humor, often finding them amusing rather than discouraging, and appreciates the kindness of native speakers who are generally supportive and understanding.

Margaret employs a variety of strategies to sharpen her Mandarin. Listening is one of her favorite tools—she frequently tunes into TED Talks in Mandarin and Mandarin music to get into the right mental space for speaking the language. She also enjoys watching Chinese dramas, which help her acquire everyday vocabulary and improve listening comprehension. For speaking practice, she sometimes talks to herself, and her vocabulary growth is mostly driven by class content, though she occasionally looks up specific terms related to current events for additional preparation.

In preparing for the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI), Margaret found a preparation article—shared when she scheduled the test—especially helpful in understanding what evaluators look for. Knowing that current events often come up, she reviewed key vocabulary in advance. She also offers practical advice for navigating the interview itself. One common but easily overlooked task, she notes, is describing a room—something worth practicing ahead of time. She recommends focusing on narrative skills like giving directions or explaining a process, which aren't always part of everyday conversation. Finally, she encourages learners to be strategic during the initial “get to know you” portion: avoid mentioning topics you’re not comfortable discussing, and instead guide the conversation toward areas where you feel confident.

Looking back, Margaret sees two key factors that helped her succeed: finding ways to make Chinese feel relevant and making the learning process fun. She immersed herself in content she genuinely enjoyed—whether it was music, movies, or articles—transforming language learning from a chore into a hobby. Margaret remains committed to finding joy and purpose in her language journey.