Activate: 1-on-1 Training for GSM Students
GSM gives you everything you need to Get Speaking.
The Activate program is an optional 1:1 add-on for students who want additional structure, external accountability, higher-intensity speaking practice, and faster progress.
Weekly 1-on-1 drill sessions with an expert teacher
Daily tasks designed to activate your new knowledge
Evaluation + custom plan for continued improvement
5 weeks for $597 or 10 weeks for $997
Speaking Improves With Repetition—and Repetition Under Pressure
There is a difference between knowing a pattern and being able to use it instantly.
Fluent speakers don’t build sentences slowly. They retrieve them automatically.
That automaticity comes from:
Drilling speech consistently
Using the patterns in daily self-talk
Pushing themselves to respond out loud, on the spot
Reviewing and reinforcing regularly
Activate adds structured, high-intensity speaking training on top of your GSM lessons.
You'll be taking what you learn in GSM and activating it so that it becomes fast, stable, and usable without hesitation.
The Fastest Way to Activate What You’re Learning
Get Speaking Mandarin gives you the structure and patterns.
Activate increases the rate at which those patterns become automatic.
Instead of activating material gradually on your own, you add:
Scheduled high-repetition speaking sessions
Immediate corrective feedback
Structured retrieval under time pressure
Daily guided activation prompts
The result is faster recall, stronger control, and greater speaking comfort, in less time.
You'll be training what you're learning in Get Speaking Mandarin until it becomes fast, stable, and usable without hesitation.
This controlled practice turns passive knowledge into real conversational ability.
Who is this for?
For Students Who Want Faster Activation
You’re working through Get Speaking Mandarin and want your speaking ability to develop as quickly as possible. This training adds structured 1:1 sessions and daily activation work designed to increase retrieval speed, strengthen tone accuracy, and build automatic control of the patterns you’re learning.
For Students Who Want More Speaking Reps
You understand the GSM material and want additional high-repetition practice. Through guided drills, rapid pattern retrieval, and real-time correction, you reinforce recent lessons until they become fast, stable, and usable in conversation.
For Students Who Take Performance Seriously
You care about clarity, hesitation reduction, and real conversational control. Speech Activation Training adds intensity and structured accountability so the material you study in GSM becomes fluent, confident speech instead of just passive knowledge.
How It Works
Weekly Intensive 1-on-1 Sessions
Each session is 60 minutes of structured speaking practice with an Outlier instructor (and you can choose an instructor with a Taiwan or PRC accent).
Sessions focus on:
Rapid pattern retrieval
Controlled sentence pattern practice
Pronunciation and tone correction
Increasing response speed
Activating recently learned GSM material
The goal is repetition under light pressure. The kind that builds automaticity.
Daily Activation Protocol
Between 1-on-1 sessions, you follow a simple structured routine (in addition to your regular study):
Morning Warm-Up
Answer 3-5 prompts in Mandarin to activate patterns at the start of the day.
Midday Activation
Intentionally use newly learned GSM structures in self-talk or real interaction.
Evening Cool-Down
Respond to 3-5 reflection prompts in Mandarin to reinforce retrieval before the day ends.
This daily loop helps turn lesson content into usable speech habits.
Packages
5-Week Activation Sprint: $597
A focused reinforcement cycle designed to increase recall speed and strengthen speaking confidence.
Ideal for students who want structured accountability for a limited period.
10-Week Activation Intensive: $997
A full activation cycle designed to significantly improve automaticity, control, and speaking comfort over an extended period.
Ideal for students who want sustained reinforcement and measurable gains in speaking performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I become fluent with GSM alone?
Yes. GSM is designed to develop active speaking ability when followed consistently. Speech Activation Training is an optional layer of structured accountability and guided repetition for accelerated mastery.
Is this the same as the Breakthrough program?
No. Breakthrough is a much more intensive, customized program focused on immersive speaking and long-term fluency development. It's faster paced, requires 2-3 hours of preparation per day, and covers a broader range of material customized to your interests.
Activate is a 1-on-1 add-on specifically focused on helping you master and activate GSM material. The pace is more flexible—better for people with busy schedules who can't commit to a few hours per day of practice.
Do I need to be a certain level?
You should be actively working through Get Speaking Mandarin (any level). Sessions focus on activating the material you are currently learning.
How are sessions scheduled?
We have multiple instructors available. We'll match you with one who matches your availability and accent preference (PRC or Taiwan). They'll provide you with a calendar link so you can schedule your weekly sessions at a time that works for you.
Is this tutoring?
This isn't your standard tutoring session!
The focus is on structured activation training tied directly to GSM. Sessions focus on repetition, retrieval, and correction. These are intensive, drill-based sessions rather than open-ended conversation with a tutor or language exchange. We're focused on efficiency!
Will my instructor have a Taiwanese or PRC accent?
You can choose! We have instructors trained on our material from both Taiwan and the PRC, so we're happy to match you with whichever accent you'd prefer!
When does the training start!
You can sign up any time, and we'll schedule a quick evaluation before your training begins.
Will there be assignments or homework?
Absolutely! In addition to the weekly 1-on-1 sessions, you'll be given daily tasks to help accelerate your progress. It's very important that you do these tasks each day, and really focus on them! Just going through the perfunctory motions won't help!
Can I do every 2 weeks instead of every week? Is there flexibility?
Yes, we can be flexible on the schedule within reason. If you have any specific requests, just reach out and we can discuss!
If I get the 5 week sprint, can I decide to upgrade to the 10-week intensive?
Sure! If you decide that you want to continue for another 5 weeks, you can upgrade to the full 10 weeks for just the difference in price.
Our Guarantee to You
We stand behind the quality of the Activate program and are committed to your satisfaction.
Because this program includes live 1:1 instruction, refunds are issued on a pro-rated basis.
If you decide within 30 days that the program isn’t right for you, simply contact us. We will refund your purchase minus the value of any sessions already completed.
Unused sessions are fully refundable within the 30-day window.
Copyright © 2026 Outlier Linguistics - All Rights Reserved