101A01 Course Syllabi

[ Description | Materials | Evaluation | Audio Programs | Instructors | Notice ]

Course Description

The goal of this course is to train you to function successfully in Chinese culture. We assume that you are interested in interacting with Chinese people in a way that will permit you to pursue professional goals in some segments of a Chinese society. This means that we expect you to learn how to present yourself in a way that a Chinese person will find comfortable. If a Chinese has to adapt to you, it is not likely that you can accomplish what you intend in China.

This means that we will pay attention to the way you behave as much as we attend to your use of the language. We are really coaching you to behave in Chinese culture. this is a long-term process, but we will get to it right away. In order to do this, you will have to perform. PERFORMANCE, your performance, is the focus of this course.

After you have become familiar with this course and the basics of the Chinese language, we will introduce you to the writing system. Whether you are speaking, reading, or writing, your daily performance will be the crucial factor in how well you do in this course.

We assure you that if you do what we ask of you on a daily basis, you will learn Chinese. If you learn Chinese, you will do well in this program. Therefore, your evaluation will be based on your daily performances. There will be no mid-terms and no final.

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Text Materials and Classes

available at SBX
* You will need these right away

1. *Chinese: Communicating in the Culture
2. * Beginning Chinese, Yale University Press
3. Character Text for Beginning Chinese, Yale University Press
4. *Student Manual for Individualized Instruction, UNIT 2
5. Student Manual for Individualized Instruction, UNIT 3
6. Student Manual for Individualized Instruction, UNIT 4
7. Student Manual for Individualized Instruction, UNIT 5
8. Student Manual for Individualized Instruction, UNIT 7
9. Written Transfer, Units 1-7
10. good quality 90-minute casette tapes

The nature of your classes will be determined by the combination of the materials studied for a particular class and the classroom procedures used to refine your application of these materials. The one constant for all classes, both ACT and FACT, is this: you come to class well prepared over the assigned materials. Here is the secret to success in learning Chinese: The most important materials are the AUDIO TAPES. Whenever possible, your preparation should be focused on or strongly feature the audio tapes.

Here are some general comments on how the various materials will be used.

• Chinese: Communicating in the Culture: Two units of new Chinese materials being field tested. The print version accompanies an audio program that has two components: "coaching" and "rehearsal."
• Beginning Chinese: This will eventually become the main text for first-level Chinese. Initially, we will use it as a back up text, but be sure that you are able to handle the materials in this text at every step of the way.
• Character Text for Beginning Chinese: This has the same content as far as Chinese language that the previous text has. We will use this to learn to read and write hanzi, or Chinese characters.
• PRONUNCIATION AND ROMANIZATION MODULE: This is an introduction to pronunciation and romanization of Chinese. It is extremely important that you do this material thoroughly and early in the course. The tapes are CHI 18a; however, the first four units of P&R are in Chinese: Communicating in the Culture, and your instructors will gie you a handout for the remaining two units, so you need not buy a text for this. Tapes for the first four units are also in the CHI 21 series at the appropriate stages. You are required to pass a computerized test on each of the six units before the end of the fourth week. The minimum passing score is 80%, and you may retake the tests until you attain this score.
• Student Manual for Individualized Instruction: These are the main materials for this course. The audio program (CHI 18b) is a complete introduction to the language. When you study these materials, work with the tape. Respond to the tape in a natural voice and listen to each tape until you totally comprehend the Chinese. There is a place on the tapes to rehearse your dialog for each stage of the unit. Use it. PLEASE DO NOT RECORD YOUR OWN VOICE ON THE LAB TAPES.
• Written Transfer: This is a step-by-step introduction to the reading and writing of Chinese characters. When the class has a good grasp of pronunciation, we will begin to work with this text. The secret to successfully learning the Chinese writing system is to WRITE A LOT. Just do it.

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Evaluation

Your grades in the course are determined by daily performance. The reasons for this emphasis on daily performance are many, but the main reason is that we are convinced that if you follow the program with consistency and persistence, you will develop significant demonstrable skills in Chinese by the end of 103. Daily performance on the activities assigned in the weekly schedule will be graded on the following four-point scale unless indicated otherwise:

Points	Description
4	solid preparation with excellent performance that promises interaction with a native with no difficulty, discomfort, or misunderstanding; no English hesitation noise used in speaking, no tell-tale "foreignisms" in the written work.
3.5	good preparation with superior performance, but some noticeable errors that would hinder smooth interaction with a native.
3	good preparation with good performance, but evident weakness or patterned error.
2.5	some preparation evident, but requires a lot of help from the interlocutor.
2	minimum preparation, which puts burden on the interlocutor. (a native would avoid using Chinese with you.)
1.5	barely prepared.
1	evidently unprepared.
0	absent.

Most daily classes will be graded on a scale of 8 possible points. Grades will be kept for every assigned performance, but those for the first two days will not be counted if they lower your final grade. This will give us all a chance to get used to this system. You will need a minimum of 60% to pass the course.

Although all of your instructors will have input to the grading, the responsibility for assigning grades is in the instructor's hands. If you have a question about a grade, ask him or her. There is no curve in this course. You are competing against the communicative demands of the language, not against each other. Each person will have to perform to receive credit; but, there is nothing in the grading system to discourage collaborative efforts to achieve the highest level of performance possible.

If you must miss class, you must let us know in good time if possible. You will be allowed to make up no more than three missed classes in 101A01. The make-ups will be conducted by the instructors during their office hours and will cover the exact work missed. Make-ups are to be arranged within two days of your return to class; missed classes which are not made up within the above time frame or which exceed three in number will ber entered in as zeroes in your grade record.

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Audio Programs

Tapes: the audio tapes are available in the Instructional Media Center in Cunz 108. You can listen to the tapes there. You may also make your own copies by using the dubbing machines. You will need to provide your own 90-minute blank tapes (5-10 ought to do you for the course). USE HIGH QUALITY TAPES. That way you will get more repetitions and you will not cause the duplicators to malfunction. CHI 21, CHI 18a, and CHI DEF BC are also available online. Just click on the title below. The instructor will provide the user ID and password.

CHI 21     Chinese: Communicating in the Culture

CHI 18a    Pronunciation and Romanization

CHI 18b     A SELF-study Introduction to Beginning Mandarin Chinese

CHI DEF BC     Beginning Chinese.

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Instructors

You have several instructors in this course. From time to time, each section may involve two or three different instructors. Your ACT teachers will not speak English with you in class.

Your instructor will be your FACT teacher. Their responsibility is to prepare you for ACT classes by explaining the content of the materials and the processes of learning and acquiring Chinese language skills. In the early stages of this course, much of this is on tape, so when you meet with the instructorfor FACT class, you will have time to ask him questions about anything you are having trouble with in the course. If the instructor teaches an ACT class, they will abide by the Chinese only rule before, during, and after the class.

From time to time we may have observers or guest instructors who will share in the teaching. All conditions stated above regarding class performance and grading apply to classes they may teach.

The native speakers of Chinese will be your authorities on usage. The non-native speakers are your experts on how to learn Chinese as a foreign language. All the instructors work as a team to bring you a complete complement of support, and are among the very best instructors of Chinese language to be found in or out of China. They are patient and strong willed and are all committed to your progress in Chinese language skills. By working with them in a positive way, you can help create the best possible opportunities to develop your abilities in Chinese.

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Notice

• This is an intensive course. You will be in class 20 hours per week and have a commensurate amount of homework. You are expected to devote the necessary time and effort to learn the material. You are strongly advised not to attempt to hold a job or take other classes while in this program, as you will likely not be able to keep up with the demands of the schedule. You will be graded only on your in-class performance; no allowance will be made for poor performance because of interference from extra-curricular activities. This is an opportunity for you to do in ten weeks what normally requires three quarters to accomplish - we urge you to make the most of it.
• Our purpose in this intensive course is to train you as directly and quickly as we can to a high level of functional skills in Chinese. As we do this, we are convinced that you will be "educated" in the process. Learning as a class requires a great amount of cooperation. In the long run, attitude means everything to the success of our efforts. Your teachers are determined to give you the best possible opportunity to learn the language. If you ever think we are not living up to this, discuss it with your instructor. Again, you are in competition only with the materials--effort will be rewarded. If we think you are not giving your best, we will be sure to let you know.
• If you do not understand what the schedule is asking you to do, it is your responsibility to seek clarification. If you have a problem with the materials, methods, procedures, grading, instructors or any other aspect of the course, it is your responsibility to point this out to the instructors immediately.

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