This course’s focus is on learning standard everyday Mandarin phrases and dialogues, and reading and writing basic Chinese characters. Emphases also include using different registers depending on language contexts and cultural settings. (As Needed) [Graded (Standard Letter)]

Beginning Chinese II is designed for students, who have completed Beginning Chinese I or an equivalent course (i) to further develop Chinese language skills through the acquisition of the vocabulary and grammar knowledge and subsequent expansion, (ii) to build a solid foundation of oral communication skills in Chinese, (iii) to develop writing ability and speaking skill simultaneously, and (iv) to understand Chinese culture through learning Chinese language. Upon completion of this course, students will reach the Novice Mid/High level on the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

This course consists of four class meetings every week. Class time will mainly be used for lectures and relevant activities to ensure that students produce grammatically correct and socio-culturally appropriate Chinese.

This course is a prerequisite for the Chinese minor at SUU.

Yuehua Liu and Tao-Chung Yao. 2017. Integrated Chinese: Textbook Simplified Characters 1, 4th Edition. Boston: Cheng & Tsui Company.

---. 2017. Integrated Chinese: Workbook Simplified Characters 1, 4th Edition. Boston: Cheng & Tsui Company.

---. 2017. Integrated Chinese: Character Workbook, Simplified and Traditional Characters 1, 4th Edition. Boston: Cheng & Tsui Company.

All books are available for purchase at the SUU bookstore. Please make sure you get the version of simplified characters for all the books.

Upon successful completion of the course, student will be able to:

• Pronunciation: Master Hanyu Pinyin, the romanization system used for standard Mandarin Chinese especially the lexical tones (the pitch used for distinguishing word meanings).
• Orthography (Chinese characters 汉字): Describe the basics of the Chinese writing system, including the “radical” components in the classification of Chinese characters and the differences between traditional and simplified character sets. Ability to recognize correctly 300 Chinese characters, and to write accurately 2__00 characters with correct stroke order from memory.
• Listening: Ability to understand classroom Chinese and everyday Chinese on the topics covered in and relevant to the textbook.
• Grammar: Correct use of grammatical patterns introduced in Integrated Chinese Volume 1 part II (see below - Required Books).
• Reading: Ability to understand and read aloud correctly texts in both Pinyin and Mandarin characters covered in Integrated Chinese Volume 1 part II.
• Conversation: Ability to converse in Mandarin on subject matters covered in Integrated Chinese Volume 1 part II.
• Writing: Use basic grammar and sentence patterns in short written compositions.
• Cultural proficiency: Demonstrate basic understanding of Chinese culture, including making appointments, studying Chinese, school life, shopping, and transportation.

In addition, students will meet the following SUU learning outcomes:

• Communication: Students develop and express ideas and will be able to do so in a variety of ways, namely in writing, by speaking, visually, kinesthetically, through design or aurally.
• Intercultural Knowledge and Competence: Students demonstrate that they possess a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.

Doing well in a language class requires consistent, but not exhausting, effort. If you budget your time outside of class to make sure you practice regularly, you will succeed. Because of the nature of the subject, cramming at the last minute will almost surely lead to unsatisfactory performance in Chinese—in other words, don’t fall behind!

Assignment Weights

Participation (18%)

Students are expected to participate actively in all in-class activities in each single session. It is unacceptable to sit in class and do homework; such behavior may result in substantial penalties to your participation grade. No cell phone, laptop, pad, or any other technical devices are allowed to be used in the class unless required by the instructors.

Character copy (8%)

Copy Chinese characters in the character workbook. Students need to hand in the assigned character workbook homework on due date in class. Students should not write anything except characters in character workbook. Students can use character workbook for reference in writing assignments, chapter tests, and exam(s).

Workbook Homework (8%)

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

Chinese Language Clinics (5%)

Please schedule your LC with the tutors and attend according to your appointments.

Students need to attend at least 5 language clinics to get full credits for LC. It’s optional for students to attend 5 more language clinics to get extra credits (totally 5). Please make sure that you schedule with the tutors earlier rather than later. You’re highly encouraged to practice Chinese with the tutors beyond LC schedules.

Vocabulary Quizzes (16%)

There will be a vocabulary quiz in the second class for each text. It tests students’ character recognition and writing.

Chapter Tests (20%)

There will be four chapter tests. The tests include listening and reading comprehension, grammar, and Chinese characters. You can use the character workbook for reference while writing the tests. But you are highly encouraged to remember how to write the characters. If you don’t use the character workbook, you’ll get 10 scores on top of your grade.

Projects (10%)

There will be two projects. Students are obliged to attend both sessions for each project. Rubrics for each project will be given in advance. Please pay attention to further announcements on the details.

Culture Sessions

There are three culture sessions this semester: Chinese New Year/Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, and Qingming Kite Flying. Students are obliged to attend all. Those who attend the activities will get extra credits.

The SUU International Film Festival (ICSUU)

Two Chinese films will be shown at 2025 International Film Festival (Feb 12 and Feb 26, at 5:30 p.m.). Students are required to watch both films. Students will get extra credits by attending screenings (please write the film’s name and your name on a piece of paper and give it to Zhang Laoshi at the end of the screening of that day.)

Final Exam

NO final exam

Grades

Students will be graded on a 100-point scale. All the items add up to 100 points. Any extra unexcused absences (after 4 unexcused absences) will lead to additional subtractions on the basis of your weighted total grade. The instructor will assign final letter grades according to the scale below:

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. Please keep all your graded homework in case that you want to check your grades. In doing so, it can also help you to 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! Happy Summer Break!

Homework Deadlines and Late Work

Homework including workbook and character copy are assigned daily and should be turned in immediately upon arrival at the classroom of the due date. Homework turned in 24 hours late will receive 75% of the total grade. Homework turned in 48 hours late will receive 50% of the total grade, and homework turned in later than that will be corrected but receive no grade. Late homework as a result of medical reasons, only when accompanied by a physician’s note, will be accepted as homework finished on time. Computer problems will not be accepted as a reason for late homework. The late homework with excused absence must be made up within one week from the absent date, or it will be corrected but not graded.

Make-Up 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.

Classroom Conduct Affecting Participation

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

Students are expected to attend all class sessions and actively participate in all hours of language instruction. For that reason, attendance will be taken on a daily basis. Arriving more than 10 minutes late or leaving early will be defined as being absent. You will receive extra credits if you attend every class during the semester.

Any extra unexcused absences (after 4 unexcused absences) will lead to additional subtractions on the basis of your weighted total grade.

Prerequisite(s): CHIN 1010 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: D-