BA Linguistics and Chinese / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Chinese Language 4

Course unit fact file
Unit code CHIN51042
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 2
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

CHIN51042 Chinese Language 4 for students who have completed CHIN51031 or who have acquired a basic level of Chinese prior to starting university, equivalent to or beyond GCSE Chinese (Mandarin). In this course, the vocabulary and structures learned in CHIN51031 will be reviewed, expanded and refined, forming the basis for new thematic topics. Listening comprehension and speaking skills will be further enhanced through the daily use of Chinese and by listening to and watching audio-visual materials. Students will express themselves in presentations, group discussions and debates. By reading selections of documents on various topics, students will improve their reading comprehension and cultural awareness. Students will also be guided to express themselves on complex issues and to connect their language knowledge with real life experiences. Upon completion of this course students should be reaching a level of Chinese proficiency equivalent to HSK level 4.

Pre/co-requisites

Pre requistites: CHIN51031 or placement into the class following the language placement test.

Aims

This course aims to:

  • Further develop students’ linguistic and cultural competence.
  • Use textual, audio and video materials to guide students to interpret, narrate, describe and discuss topics ranging from real-life events to personal experiences.
  • Foster Intercultural competence through the acquisition of linguistic and cultural awareness and language use in culturally appropriate contexts

By the end of this course students will be able to:

  • Understand language materials from within different sectors of social life
  • Master a lower intermediate level of Chinese grammar and varied range of Chinese-language discourse
  • Use the target language with improving accuracy
  • Communicate effectively on topics relating to everyday life in a range of real-life situations

 

Teaching and learning methods

Interactive language classes plus e-learning via blackboard and independent learning with language partners with native speakers

Knowledge and understanding

By the end of this course students will be able to:

  • Give evidence of possessing a competent and wide-ranging knowledge of the vocabulary and the grammatical structures of Chinese;
  • Show a high level of understanding of the spoken Chinese and the capacity to speak Chinese fluently;
  • Display a thorough knowledge and understanding of the characteristic features of contemporary culture and society in China;
  • Show familiarity with resources in learning Chinese.

Intellectual skills

By the end of this course students will be able to:

  • Appreciate the interrelationship between language, culture and environment and use the language appropriately in the target culture;
  • Be aware of cultural differences and cross-cultural influences between Chinese and English societies;
  • Show a developing ability in discussing and evaluating issues in contemporary China;
  • Understand and apply the cognitive skills involved in Chinese language learning.

Practical skills

By the end of this course students will be able to:

  • Converse in Chinese with greater accuracy in the areas of Chinese culture and society studied;
  • Develop and communicate ideas clearly and effectively in a variety of media and situations;
  • Display sufficient relevant information about China to enable participation in discussion about aspects of contemporary life in China;
  • Disseminate independent research using relevant sources in Chinese.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

By the end of this course students will be able to:

  • Display appropriate effective written and oral communication skills in Chinese;
  • Demonstrate the ability to work effectively as part of a group, involving leadership, group dynamics and interpersonal skills such as listening, negotiation, persuasion and presentation;
  • Master relevant information about China to enable participation in professional areas;
  • Acquire, develop and demonstrate the ability and competence to integrate themselves successfully into Chinese communities.

Employability skills

Other
Motivation: be proactive in putting forward ideas and solutions Planning and organising: be able to plan language-based activities and carry them through effectively Flexibility: be able to adapt successfully to changing cultures, situations and environments

Assessment methods

Assessment task  

Formative or Summative 

Weighting within unit (if summative) 

CW 

30% 

 

Oral exam 

10% 

Written exam 

60% 

 

Resit Assessment:

Written exam

 

Feedback methods

  • Oral feedback on individual and group presentation
  • Written feedback on assignments
  • Additional one-to-one feedback (during consultation hour or by making an appointment)

Recommended reading

  • Liu, Xin. New Practical Chinese Reader III. Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press, 2010 (required textbook)
  • Ma, Yanhua. Jump High: A Systematic Chinese Course (Intensive Reading and Workbook) Book 2. Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press, 2011 (additional learning material)
  • Ross, Claudia, He, Baozhang, Chen, Pei-Chia and Yeh, Meng. The Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese. London and New York: Routledge, 2010
  • Liu, Yuehua, and Yao, Tao-chung. Integrated Chinese (3rd ed). Boston, MA: Cheng & Tsui Company, 2010
  • Wu, Zhongwei. Contemporary Chinese. Sinolingua, 2010

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Tutorials 77
Independent study hours
Independent study 123

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Minjie Xing Unit coordinator
Haiyan Zeng Unit coordinator
Hongjun Ma Unit coordinator

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