Instructor: Keying Wu, Ph.D.
Department of Japanese and Chinese
I. Course Objectives:
Intermediate Chinese continues to build and strengthen your foundation in all aspects of modern standard Chinese, including speaking, listening, reading, writing, and translating. Oral and written proficiency is build upon accuracy and is enhanced through the functions such as narration, description, comparison, explanation, and direction. Character writing, translations, and composition exercises are routine. Dramatization and visualization of the texts through situational conversations are the primary approaches in classroom, in addition to (strongly suggested) two-hour-per-day homework. Your active participation is key to making the learning process effective and pleasant.
II. Required Textbooks:
Integrated Chinese (Level II). (Textbook & Workbook)
Oxford Concise English/Chinese Chinese/English Dictionary,
and some other audio/video exercises in the Language Labs.
III. Evaluation Procedures:
All aspects of your linguistic performance will be given roughly equal consideration. Evaluation will take six forms: class attendance and performance, homework, quizzes, and examinations.
IV. Course Requirements:
Active participation in classroom activities is highly expected. At least two hours per day to preview and review each lesson is essential at this stage. Another three or more hours a week working with the accompanying language tapes is also required. The tapes are available in the Language Lab.
V. Homework:
Homework is on a daily basis and varies in format and quantity. Listening comprehension, grammar exercise, character writing, translation, dialogue memorization, and composition are assigned as needed. It is important to take advantage of any cultural events in Chinese or about the Chinese language and culture on and off campus, that is, use what you have learned in real life.
VI. Attendance:
It is extremely important to be exposed to the target language on a day-to-day basis. Two days a week is absolutely minimal for making real progress in Chinese. Failure to attend class will affect not only your own progress and final credit, but also our class activities. Emergency is possible, but it is your responsibility to notify the instructor before or after your absence and make up the assignments. Absence of ten sessions will automatically reduce one level of your final grade. Excessive absence will be notified to your Dean and may result in failure of the course.
VII. Quizzes and Examinations:
Quizzes are on a daily basis, including take-home ones. There are biweekly take-home quizzes and biweekly take-home compositions. The mid-term and final exam are composed of oral and written parts.
VIII. Chinese Dinner Table and Other activities:
Time and room are to be announced later. This the time when we can chat about everything in Chinese! Your participation will become your unforgettable pleasant memories. A series of lectures and workshops will be announced later.
VIII. General Class Plan: (detailed weekly assignments are distributed separately.)