RTM Membership—What's inside RTM Pro
The RTM Pro membership is a structured immersive program for systematic, rapid improvement of your spoken Chinese through:
Immersive weekly discussion in Mandarin
Structured framework to optimise preparation
Private community of learners like you to motivate and inspire
All RTM Plus content, resources, and onboarding is included in Pro membership.
This page explains how the annual RTM Pro membership works. We also offer shorter Sprints membership—a three-month program.
Learn more about how RTM Sprints work and how to apply to join the next Sprint here.
“If you don’t use the language you’ve worked hard to learn, then you are wasting your time, effort, and energy! RTM Pro is an investment which helps you stop this from happening!”
How RTM Pro works
RTM Pro immersive weekly discussions in Mandarin are led by native speakers, held on Zoom, and based on the RTM Plus content.
You’ll join a private community of motivated Mandarin learners—a supportive network that keeps you engaged, inspired, and improving.
These sessions follow a clear structure and process every week to help you prepare, keep you motivated, and ensure progress.
Three days before each session: you’ll receive an email with everything you need to prepare:
RTM content to study in advance
Three discussion questions designed to expand on the topic and encourage personal input
Log-in details
15 minutes before each session: you’ll get an email reminder, with all the details and content again so you have it to hand.
During the session: two native Chinese moderators guide the conversation, dedicating about 15 minutes to each discussion question—giving you time to express your views, practice, and engage with each other. If there are more than five Pro members on the call, you’ll be split into break-out rooms for discussions on each question, so everyone gets plenty of time to speak.
After the session one of the moderators will share additional vocab and recommended resources discussed on the call in the RTM Pro Substack Chat, so you can learn and consolidate what you’ve discussed.
“RTM Pro has really found the next frontier in learning Chinese.” (Pro member)
How RTM Pro can help you
RTM Pro will help motivate you, inspire you, and gently push you, to overcome your speaking challenges and get to real-world fluency.
As a Pro member, you'll engage in real conversations in Chinese about current affairs every week. These interactive sessions help you:
Practice in a real-world setting—Engage in live conversations to sharpen your speaking, listening, and comprehension skills.
Apply what you learn—Use Mandarin in meaningful discussions, building fluency and confidence.
Expand your vocabulary with feedback—Get real-time input from native speakers on how words and phrases are actually used.
Stay consistent and accountable—A structured schedule helps you build a sustainable study habit.
Learn content more deeply—Knowing you’ll discuss the material pushes you to engage with it more intentionally.
Be supported and inspired—Join a community of like-minded learners who keep you motivated and engaged.
This combination of immersion, practice, structure, feedback, and community ensures your progress towards Mandarin fluency.
“RTM Pro provides a full immersive experience. Highly recommended.” (a Pro member)
What members of RTM Pro are saying
Here’s what RTM Conversation Pro members are saying about their experience so far:
“I am impressed by your enthusiasm and dedication for the newsletter and now the Conversation Pro. I feel you are pulling out all the stops, which has given me a renewed momentum and inspiration.”
“I enjoyed the sessions very much. Even if I don't understand some of what others were saying, this only motivates me to try harder to improve. I have no idea when the time had passed. The classes are very engaging, the questions + breakout rooms approach makes it very dynamic. Love it!!!”
“I look forward each week to reading newsletter, listening to podcasts, and speaking with fellow RTM Pro friends. RTM Pro provides a full immersive experience. Highly recommended.”
“The conversation group is inspirational, and it’s made me do a lot more targeted reading. Andrew and his team are very committed to provide a structured and high quality discussion, and their enthusiasm has given me a new weekly purpose.”
“For me, dedicating time for preparation and actively participating in the conversation has consolidated my use and understanding of the weekly themes and new vocabulary.”
“This program is ideal for learners who strive to improve their knowledge of current affairs and ‘living’ language in China and build a consistent reading habit.”
“I was concerned at first that I wouldn't have time to prepare enough to make it worthwhile, but I find myself prioritizing listening to the article and studying the vocabulary”
“I passed HSK-6 many years ago, and with that vocabulary plus the vocabulary I commonly use for work, and was stuck there. Real Time Mandarin's methods including listening, focused, current vocabulary, and speaking have helped me break through. I think Real Time Mandarin has really found the next frontier in learning Chinese.”
“As an intermediate Chinese learner, Chinese Pro motivates me to consistently read engaging articles. When I first signed up, I doubted my ability to converse fluently in a group. However, through the kind and patient moderators, pleasant discussions, and thought-provoking questions, time flies by.”
“You've been learning Chinese for a while, you've achieved a fairly decent proficiency level - now what? You're probably sick of Dawei's adventures and want to go beyond a textbook and talk about real life. These sessions are just what you need! We discuss topics that are hot in China TODAY (not the 1990s), the sessions are engaging and fun, and we learn additional vocab / use cases beyond what we read in the newsletter.”
“Life is way too busy and my Chinese language skills deteriorate as a result. The clear, topical weekly lessons make learning feasible and fun. The Zoom meet ups then provide a space to discuss the weekly topic in a lively, supportive atmosphere.”
“Joining RTM Conversation Pro has increased my consistency and motivation in learning and speaking Mandarin. Initially, I was uncertain about paying for another language learning resource that I might end up not using. However, the weekly calls and their structure provide just enough accountability for me to engage with the newsletter in a way that fits into my lifestyle as a working mom.”
“It's fun to learn with others in a relaxed setting while getting feedback on usage of new terms from native speakers. This program would suit intermediate to advanced learners who would like to practice speaking skills and to stay motivated to continuing learning Mandarin.”
How to join RTM Pro
Annual membership
The investment required to join RTM Conversation Pro is a total $600/year.
This includes your membership of RTM Plus ($220/year) including all the content, resources, and onboarding.
You join by upgrading your current subscription to RTM Pro.
Three-month Sprint
We also offer shorter, three-month Sprints.
This intensive program is limited to 10 Sprinters per quarter.
Interested?
Learn more about how Sprints work and how to apply here.
FAQs: Your Questions Answered
Still not sure? Have questions?
Here are answers to questions other RTM Pro members asked before they joined:
Q: What is the format of the Pro live sessions?
The format of sessions follows this structure of a guided discussion based around three questions which you receive in advance.
You prepare based on those questions. Each question is discussed in a breakout room during the session.
This is typical agenda of the live sessions:
Kick-off (5 mins): Short intros and chat in the main room at the start
Breakouts (50 mins):
Split into break-out rooms to discuss three pre-sent questions
Hosted by a native speaker, each breakout room is open for 12-15 minutes, to discuss each of the three questions
Participants have time to express their views, ask questions, and engage in conversations with the native speaker and other participants
After the allotted time of the breakout, all participants return to the main room, and have a quick debrief on what was said in each room
After two minutes the group is split into breakout rooms again to discuss the next of the three questions (participants are selected randomly so you get to meet everyone)
Close (5 mins): At the end of each meeting we have a quick free chat, a reminder of details of the next session, and close around the one hour mark.
Q: I am based in Pacific Standard Time, do you cater for this and other timezones?
All RTM Pro sessions are currently held on Saturdays. This is to avoid clashes with busy working schedules.
We have members based in Pacific Time, Eastern Time, UK Time, Central European Time, China Standard Time, and all the way down in Australia and New Zealand.
So it’s impossible to cover all timezones and be social for everyone at the same time. So, to give all members an equal opportunity to join, we rotate sessions across three time slots:
10am UK time: 🇺🇸 PST: 2am, MST: 3am, CST: 4am, EST: 5am; 🇪🇺 11am CEST; 🇨🇳 5pm CST; 🇦🇺 7pm AEST; 🇳🇿 9pm NZST
6pm UK time: 🇺🇸 PST: 10am, MST: 11am, CST: 12pm, EST: 1pm; 🇪🇺 7pm CES; 🇨🇳 1am CST; 🇦🇺 3am AEST; 🇳🇿 5am NZST
2am UK time: 🇺🇸 PST: 6pm, MST: 7pm, CST: 8pm, EST: 9pm; 🇪🇺 3am CEST; 🇨🇳 9am CST; 🇦🇺 11am AEST; 🇳🇿 1pm NZST
So every month you should get at least three sessions which you can join at reasonably sociable times.
Q: I’d like to try it but I don’t know if it’s for me. Can I get a refund if I don’t like it?
Yes, you can.
The Pro format might not work for everyone, and it’s a significant investment. So you get a one-month “trial period” where you can participate in the live sessions and try it out.
Within that month if you decide it’s not for you, just let us know and we’ll refund your upgrade amount and you will go back onto the standard RTM+ tier.
Q: How do I pay for the subscription?
If you are not yet a member of RTM, you pay for your annual RTM Pro subscription by selecting the Pro option on our subscribe page.
If you are a member of the RTM community, you upgrade your membership to the Pro tier. So you will pay the difference between your current subscription and the upgraded Pro price, on a pro-rata basis.
Q: Can I pay in instalments, or can I join for a few months?
Becoming a member of RTM Pro is a one-year investment. For this investment you get the opportunity to attend one live meet-up every week to practice your Mandarin. That’s 50 sessions in one year.
To really see improvement in your spoken Mandarin you need to work on it consistently for at least one year. If you’re going to invest, you might as well do it properly!
Q: I’m worried my Chinese isn’t good enough. Should I join?
Yes you should try it out!
There’s a real mix of people who describe themselves as ‘advanced’ and ‘intermediate’. And there are lots of descriptions involving the word “but...” 🤩.
My advice is to get stuck in and try it out. The purpose is to create opportunities to speak and engage with other participants, and enable a deeper engagement with the newsletter content. If it really doesn't work for you, you'll get a full refund. So there is no risk for you.
Q: What if I can’t join the sessions?
Because we have participants in every timezone, we rotate times.
This ensures you will be able to join at least three Pro sessions per month (which are at sociable times).
Current members of RTM Pro say they aim to attend at least two sessions each month as life can get busy at times.
Q: I am concerned about confidentiality. Do you record calls?
No, we do not record calls, or share information of anyone who is included in the Pro membership (You will see we don’t even include names of people who provide testimonials).
It’s a discrete group of committed China watchers and Mandarin enthusiasts who have a wide range of opinions about and experiences in China.
We respect all opinions (as long as they are delivered in a respectful way), and operate under Chatham House Rules so nothing discussed on the calls goes any further.
Q: I already pay for Chinese lessons. Why should I invest in another resource?
RTM Pro sessions are not “lessons”.
They are conversations in Chinese guided by a native speaker, creating a space to speak freely, try out the language you have learned, and ask questions about the words and phrases, the wider topic, as well as connect with other members of the community.
This format is more free-flowing and varied than a typical language lesson.
It’s not for everyone, which is why we offer a one-month trial period.
Our experience tells us this format is a great supplement to varied study program.
Q: I’m worried I won’t have time to prepare - what support do you offer?
We know you’re busy so we offer a clear structure for communications before and after sessions.
This is how it works:
Pre-communications
At the start of every month you will get dates and times for the next five sessions to put them in your diary, including the Zoom link for that month.
On the Wednesday before each Saturday session you get a reminder email with the three discussion questions, the Zoom link (again), and links to the content we’ll be discussing.
15 minutes before each Saturday session you’ll get a short reminder email with the Zoom link, questions, and content links.
Post-communications
After each session, you get a follow-on email with the additional words and phrases we discussed in the session (normally between 10 and 20 extra words), and the link, content, details for the next session
The classes are very engaging, the questions + breakout rooms approach makes it very dynamic. Love it!!!”