Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies.
Description
This course aims at the development of communicative skills, with a special focus on listening and speaking skills. The introduction of cultural knowledge about China and its people is an integral part of the course.
This is a elementary course. At the end of the learning period, the learner will be able to understand basic Chinese sentence structures and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate practical and intercultural relevance (e.g. exchange of personal and family information, addressing others, shopping, local geography, etc.).
Course objectives
Learners will acquire communicative skills enabling them to converse about simple and routine matters. They will be able to describe aspects of their personal backgrounds, immediate environments and other matters in areas of immediate need in simple terms. (roughly corresponding to CEFR A1 level, A2 after the second course)
Learners will be able to read and understand short, simple texts on familiar matters containing the highest frequency vocabulary. (roughly corresponding to CEFR A1 level, A2 after the second course)
Learners will be familiar with cultural aspects of everyday life in China.
Learners will be able to write 400 Chinese simplified. They will be able to write very simple phrases and sentences about everyday aspects of their environment in linked sentences, take notes of personal information, and compose a simple advertisement. (roughly corresponding to CEFR A1 level)
Learners will acquire 450 vocabulary items.
Timetable
The timetable is available on the BA International Studies website
Mode of instruction
Three two hour tutorials every week
Attending lectures and tutorials is compulsory. If you are not able to attend a lecture or a tutorial, please inform the tutor of the course. Being absent without notification can result in a lower grade or exclusion from the final exam or essay.
Course Load
Total course load for this course is 10 EC (1 EC = 28 hours), this equals 280 hours, broken down by:
Atending classes(6 hrs per week over 12 weeks): 72 hours Preparing classes, exams and extra activities : 190 hours
Assessment hours (midterms and final exam): 18 hours
Assessment method
•Learning aim: Master the writing system of Mandarin-characters
Assessment: Weekly class dictation tests
Percentage: 20%
•Learning aim: Use of the target language to give a short report
Assessment: the first in-class oral assignment (individual presentation)
Percentage: 20%
•Learning aim: Use of the target language to communicate with each other on different topics
Assessment: second oral assignment (final speaking test, in the form of drama play)
Percentage 20%
•Learning aim: Use of the correct grammar to organize sentences and improve reading capability in Mandarin
Assessment: final writing/reading exam
Percentage 40%
Weighing
Class dictation test 20%
Oral assignment I 20% (mid-term)
Oral assignment II 20% (final speaking)
Final Reading/writing exam 40%
To complete the final mark, please take notice of the following: the final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average.
To pass the course, the average has to be 5.5 at least.
Resit
If the final grade is insufficient (lower than a 6), there is the possibility of a resit.
The resit will be a written exam of two hours, and will test if the students have reached the end level of this semester. This exam consists of the following components:
Reading
Vocabulary
grammar.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used. For tutorial groups: please enroll in blackboard after your enrolment in uSis
Students are requested to register on Blackboard for this course.
Reading list
1) Compulsory Literature
Ding Anqi, Lily Jing, Xin Chen. 2010. Discover China Student’s book one. UK: Macmillan Education.
Betty Hung. 2010. Discover China Workbook book one. UK: Macmillan Education.
2) Recommended Literature & Other Sources (e.g. websites, Academic Journals, documentaries etc.)
Claudia Ross, Jing-heng Sheng Ma. 2006. Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar. London: Routledge. (ISBN: 0-415-70010-8)
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable
Contact
Remarks
For this course attendance and participation is essential. Classes missed for a good reason have to be discussed with the language instructor BEFORE the class takes place. Frequent absence will inevitably lead to lower participation grades, or denied access to the final exam.
Passing this course is an additional requirement for a positive Study Recommendation at the end of the year.
This course uses Integrated communicative language learning method. Therefore active participation in the classroom activities is essential for successful learning outcomes.