The purposes of this course are to enhance students' language proficiency significantly and to prepare students for future living and/or working in Mandarin-speaking communities. This course provides advanced intermediate training in spoken and written Chinese. The course focuses on developing the ability to speak and write in coherent, well-structured paragraphs using advanced vocabulary and correct grammar. As they gain increasing proficiency with the Chinese language, students will also engage the cultural background that is essential to full proficiency in Chinese. Students will be discussing topics such as school semesters, student accommodation, leisure time, course selection, relationship, internet, part-time job, education, and the changing societies.

• Integrated Chinese 3: Textbook (4th edition, simplified characters)
• Integrated Chinese 3: Workbook (simplified characters)

Useful online resources

• Chinese Program at SUU: https://www.suu.edu/hss/languages/chinese/
• Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1989125181445299

Suggested extensive reading materials

Suggested extensive reading materials (please pick one for this semester):

• Gerald R. Sherratt Library: https://www.suu.edu/library/

• Students will develop language skills from colloquial Mandarin to written Chinese.
• Students will command the method of vocabulary learning and be able to look up and use new vocabulary.
• Students will understand and be able to use an increasing variety of grammar forms and sentence patterns.
• Students will produce short written essays on topics related to Chinese culture, as well as being able to conduct short discussions about their own native culture in Chinese.
• Students will develop their familiarity with Chinese culture through exposure to the language.
• Students will be able to deal with real life situations such as course selection, house renting, vacation, dining and shopping, etc. in Chinese-speaking areas.

SUU Learning Outcomes

• Develop and express ideas, namely by speaking and writing in the target language (2.0 Communication)
• Demonstrate knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world through study in the fine arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, life and physical sciences (11.0. Knowledge of Human Cultures & the Physical & Natural World)

Course procedures and expectations

In general, we will spend approximately five classroom hours on instruction of each lesson, with regular homework and quizzes.

Success in learning a language comes from steady, consistent effort. Setting aside one to two hours each day for practice will help you come to class confident and prepared. This means learning new vocabulary and characters at the start of each lesson, and getting ready for quizzes, in-class activities, and discussions. With regular preparation, you’ll make the most of our class time together and see your language skills grow more quickly. Waiting until the last minute to study often leads to frustration—you may struggle in class, score lower on quizzes, and quickly forget what you crammed. Chinese builds step by step, so staying on track will make the learning process far more enjoyable and rewarding.

Preview and Participation (20%)

Students are expected to participate actively in all in-class activities in every class session. It is unacceptable to sit in class and do homework; such behavior may result in substantial penalties to your participation grade.

For this course, students need to do preview homework mainly about vocabulary and pronunciation. This preview homework will be weighted more heavily. As the vocabulary increases exponentially as the course progresses, the focus this semester will be on recognizing characters rather than writing them. There is nothing more important than memorizing the vocabulary written in Chinese characters. Students are expected to prepare for new vocabulary before class. This preview homework will be reflected in pop quizzes.

Workbook (5%)

Students need to hand in the assigned workbook homework on the due date, in class.

Chinese Language Clinics (5%)

Language clinics take place on a weekly basis. Students are required to attend language clinics at least 5 times during the semester. Please always schedule with the tutors before attending the required weekly language clinic. Students are welcome to attend extra meetings with the tutors. Students will earn one extra credit point for each additional meeting with the tutors, up to a maximum of five extra credit points.

Vocabulary Quizzes (10%)

Quizzes test students’ character recognition and writing. In 2000-level classes, the instructor will reduce the proportion of teaching how to write characters. This means that students need to prepare for character analyses and writing before the first session of a new text. There will be a vocabulary quiz ready at the beginning of the second session for each text.

Teaching Lab (9%)

This course will use a flipped-classroom approach, with students taking turns teaching grammar topics to their peers as assigned. Since CHIN 2020 completes the full grammar curriculum for this sequence, these teaching sessions will serve as a review. The Language Lab grade will be based on the student-teachers’ lesson plan (either a detailed lesson plan or PowerPoint slides), teaching performance, and the effectiveness of their instruction. By the end of the day before their teaching session, student-teachers must submit their PowerPoint slides or a detailed lesson plan along with selected quiz questions from the workbook.

Group Performance (15%)

Students will perform the dialogues from each chapter in groups. Each student will assume a role in the dialogue or act as the narrator. Individual grades will be based on pronunciation, fluency, and correct use of grammar. Students can use flash cards—only for key words—as reminders of the content.

Discussion (15%)

There is one discussion session for each chapter based on its topic. The instructor will provide discussion questions beforehand, and students are also encouraged to prepare their own questions. Students will be graded solely on their language proficiency.

Final Project (21%)

The project will take place during the final two class sessions in the form of individual presentations. Students will read at least one book in Chinese from the Gerald R. Sherratt Library, prepare a summary of its content, discuss its themes, and offer their own perspectives on the work. A more detailed rubric will be posted on Canvas.

Assignment Weights

Grading Scale

Students will be graded on a 100-point scale. All the items add up to 100 points.

• A: 93–100
• A-: 90–92.99
• B+: 87–89
• B: 83–86
• B-: 80–82
• C+: 77–79
• C: 73–76
• C-: 70–72
• D+: 67–69
• D: 63–65
• D-: 60–62
• F: <60

Please keep all your graded written homework in case that you want to check your grades; doing so will also help you review what you have learned.

(This syllabus is subject to change. Updates will be announced and posted to Canvas if changes occur.)

L = Lesson; D = Dialogue; N = Narrative; WB = Workbook; CC = Character Copy

No Final Exam! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Homework lateness and make-up

Homework including workbook and character copy are assigned on a daily basis and should be turned in immediately upon arrival at the classroom of the due date. Homework turned in more than 24 hours late will receive 75% of the total grade. Homework turned in later than 48 hours will be corrected but receive no grade. Late homework will be accepted as on time only for medical reasons, and only when accompanied by a physician’s note. Computer problems will not be accepted as a reason for late homework. Homework missed due to an excused absence must be made up within one week of the absence.

Tests and quizzes

All students are expected to take tests and quizzes as they are scheduled. No make-up test or quiz is allowed unless there is a physician’s note to certify that the student cannot take the test or quiz at the scheduled time. The late test or quiz with excused absence has to be made up within one week from the absent date, or it will be corrected but not graded.

Vocabulary quizzes: There are no make-up quizzes, but you can schedule with the instructor to take a quiz earlier if needed.

Classroom technology and participation conduct

• No cell phone, laptop, pad, or any other technical devices are allowed to be used in class unless required by the instructor.
• It is unacceptable to sit in class and do homework; such behavior may result in substantial penalties to your participation grade.

Extra credit opportunities

• You will receive extra credit if you attend every session during the semester.
• Language clinics: Students will earn one extra credit point for each additional meeting with the tutors beyond the five required, up to a maximum of five extra credit points.

Students are expected to attend all class sessions and actively participate in all hours of language instruction. You are allowed THREE unexcused absences during the entire semester (10% of total class meetings) without affecting your grade. Additional absences (beyond three) are considered excessive and will be penalized by deducting 1% point per additional absence from your final grade. For example, if you finish the course with a 90% but have missed class four times, your final grade will be 89%.

If you have a family, medical, or personal emergency that makes completing an assignment by the due date and time impossible, please reach out to the instructor via email as soon as you are able. While documentation is not required to excuse the first four absences, documentation is required if, due to your absence, you have missed an assignment deadline (this especially applies to non-Connect assignments).

Arriving more than 10 minutes late or leaving early will be defined as being absent.

You will receive extra credit if you attend every session during the semester.

Students must complete CHIN 2020 with a grade of C or better, or reach the equivalent level of Chinese (Intermediate) prior to enrollment.