Chinese I Syllabus

2013 ~ 2014 High School Chinese I Syllabus

Introduction of Class:

The curriculum of the class was designed based on the Pre-AP® Standards published by the College Board in the Pre-AP® and AP® Chinese Language and Culture Guidelines. Students are prepared with basic skills to listen, speak, read, write and type Mandarin Chinese in this class. To maximize students’ learning effectiveness, the teacher encourages the students to be fully engaged in the language environment. Students will learn Mandarin Chinese through various sources including lessons, movies, literature, learning activities, newspapers, advertisements, and so forth. Besides learning Mandarin, students will also explore Chinese culture, history, and customs in this class to enhance their understanding of the background of Mandarin, and the connections between Chinese language and its culture.

Contents of Class:

  1. Pinyin
  2. Basic Strokes
  3. Basic Characters
  4. Radicals
  5. Lessons 1 ~ 10
  6. Culture: tea ceremony, ethnicity, traditions, festivals, food, customs, etc.
  7. Geography: land, weather, cities, population
  8. Current events: EXPO, Olympic 2008, Obama’s visit to China

Grading Scale:

Homework: 30%

Tests:10%

Quizzes: 10%

Class Participation: 20%

Group Projects and Activities: 15%

Individual Projects: 15%

Textbooks:

Tong Chen Learning Series – Chinese Romanization

– Chinese Characters

– Chinese I

Class Policies:

  1. Be prepared, respectful and responsible for each class;
  2. Students take notes during lectures for future references;
  3. Students participate in learning activities, and complete assignments independently;
  4. No credit will be issued to students if they fail to turn in assignments within 7 days after the due date;
  5. 10 points will be deducted for each late day after the due date of the assignment;
  6. Students with excused absence need to contact the teacher to discuss the plans to complete the past due assignments in order not to loose the credit.