Teaches the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Mandarin Chinese within communicative contexts. Covers the elementary pronunciation and grammatical principles necessary for comprehending and expressing simple ideas in both spoken and written Mandarin Chinese. Presents Chinese culture.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
CHN-131 is designed to enable students to reach the Novice Mid level on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scale, focusing on language learning through communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities.
- Listening comprehension
- Speaking skills
- Grammar
- Verbs: (a) wen 问, chi 吃，he 喝, chuan 穿, xihuan喜欢, renshi认识, kan看, chang唱, ting听, shui睡，qu去, lai来, zuo坐，jin进，hui回，juede觉得，zhao找，gei给，in contrast with their English counterparts “ask”, “eat”, “drink”, “wear”, “like”, “recognize”, “look”, “sing”, “listen”, “sleep”, “go”, “come”, “sit”, “enter”, “return”, “feel”, “look for”, “give” to highlight the non-unique equivalence between the two languages (b) modal verbs: neng能 and hui会 (c) several auxiliary verbs: yao 要, dei 得，xiang想 (d) serial verb constructions
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
- Particles (a) the dynamic particle le 了 in contrast with the use of the English past tense (b) two particles in contrast: cai 才 and jiu 就 (c) de 的 as a possessive indicator as well as a particle inserted between a modifying adjective and noun (d) several particles for mood (ba 吧，ya呀, a 啊) and for questions (ma 吗, ne 呢)
- Conjunctive complex sentences
- Double object constructions
- Negation (bu 不, mei 没, bie 别)
- Topic-comment sentences
- Interrogatives
- Vocabulary
- Words describing time and dates
- Words for measuring quantities
- Expressions for time and sequential actions in simple and complex sentences
- Reading comprehension
- Writing skills
- Chinese-English dictionary usage
- Chinese culture
- Demonstrate aural comprehension of simple complete sentences on common topics
- Hold a very basic conversation
- Make statements with descriptive complements, time-when expressions, place-where expressions, reason-why expressions, and comparative expressions
- Ask simple questions about time and dates, and complex construction questions about alternative choices
- Recognize and write approximately 300 characters in simplified form
- Understand simple dialogs or paragraphs about situations similar to those presented in each chapter or unit of the textbook
- Write simple dialogs or paragraphs about situations similar to those presented in each chapter or unit of the textbook
- Use a Chinese-English dictionary to learn new words
- Compare and contrast elements of Chinese culture that differ from the U.S. norm
Note: A grade of C- is not transferable and is not accepted by some programs at HFC.
Assessment and Requirements
Assessment of academic achievement will be identified and implemented by the class instructor. Methods will include, but not be limited to:
- Participation
- Weekly/regular quizzes
- Homework assignments
- Chapter/unit tests
- Oral/receptive-expressive exam(s)
- Departmental writing assessment
- Midterm/final exam
All sections of this level will use a textbook (and any accompanying materials) selected by the course coordinator and approved by the World Languages Committee.
Outcomes
- Humanities and Fine Arts
- Humanities
- Category 5: Humanities and Fine Arts