Mandarin Chinese Course Descriptions:

Mandarin Chinese 1:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

This is a beginner-level language course designed for students who have little or no prior Mandarin learning experience. Students are introduced to the four basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing (typing), as well as to Chinese culture. An emphasis on sounds and tones, vocabulary, and sentence patterns will establish strong communicative skills which students will be able to use in authentic contexts. Students will also acquire the basic knowledge of character structure and practice the common Chinese key-in system. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to carry on basic conversations in the target language as well as read and write short passages using the structures learned. Lessons Basic Pinyin to 3-1 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 1 should be able to:

• Use basic Chinese pronunciation (Pinyin) system to type Chinese characters
• Exchange basic greetings
• Request a person's last name and full name, and provide their own
• Determine whether someone is a teacher or a student
• Ask about someone's nationality
• Employ basic kinship terms
• Describe a family photo
• Ask about someone's profession
• Say common professions
• Tell and speak about time and dates
• Talk about someone's age and birthday

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 1, 3rd edition (ISBN-10: 0887276385 / ISBN-13: 978-0887276385)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Chinese 2:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The Level 2 Mandarin course is designed for students who have completed Level 1 language proficiency. Students continue to develop their four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing (typing) on everyday conversational topics. The course is designed on the principle of the spiral curriculum, which helps the students review previously learned materials in Level 1 and meanwhile extend their existing target structures to a higher level of complexity of language use. More related cultural issues and current practices in the Chinese-speaking world are incorporated into the course plan. Lessons 3-2 to 6-1 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 2 should be able to:

• Invite someone to dinner
• Arrange a dinner date
• Say and write the terms for basic personal hobbies
• Ask about someone's hobbies
• Ask friends out to see a movie
• Welcome a visitor
• Introduce one person to another
• Compliment someone on his/her house
• Ask for beverage as a guest at some else's place
• Offer beverages to a visitor
• Briefly describe a visit to a friend's place
• Answer a phone call and initiate a phone conversation
• Set up an appointment with a teacher on the phone

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 1, 3rd edition (ISBN-10: 0887276385 / ISBN-13: 978-0887276385)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Chinese 3:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The Level 3 Mandarin course is designed for students who have completed Level 2 language proficiency. Students continue to develop their four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing (typing) on everyday conversational topics. The course is designed on the principle of the spiral curriculum, which helps the students review previously learned materials in Level 2 and meanwhile extend their existing target structures to a higher level of complexity of language use. More related cultural issues and current practices in the Chinese-speaking world are incorporated into the course plan. Lessons 6-2 to 8 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 3 should be able to:

• Ask for a favor
• Ask someone to return a call
• Comment on one's performance on an exam
• Comment on one's character writing
• Talk about one's experience in learning Chinese vocabulary and grammar
• Talk about one's study habits
• Remark on typical scenes from one's language class
• Describe the routine of a student's life on campus
• Write a simple diary entry
• Write a brief letter in the proper format
• Express their modesty in terms of their foreign language ability
• Invite friends to go on an outing

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 1, 3rd edition (ISBN-10: 0887276385 / ISBN-13: 978-0887276385)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Chinese 4:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The Level 4 Mandarin course is designed for students who have completed level 3 language proficiency. Students will continue to acquire more common and important target structures in Chinese. Nuances are introduced regarding grammatical complements/particles to express various semantic meanings. The course is designed to focus on applying learned structures, greetings, and set phrases into our everyday conversation. More speaking practice and scenarios are incorporated based on this principle. Students can refresh and reinforce their previous learning in meaningful contexts. In addition, idioms and proverbs are systematically introduced in our lessons at this level. Knowing how to use idioms or proverbs properly is often an indicator of learners' higher proficiency. Students are asked to write short passages on assigned topics. Lessons 9 and 10 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 4 should be able to:

• Speak about the color, size, and price of a purchase
• Recognize Chinese currency
• Pay bills in cash or with a credit card
• Determine the proper change you should receive
• Ask for a different size and/or color of merchandise
• Exchange merchandise
• Comment about several means of transportation
• Explain how to travel from one station to another
• Describe a traffic route
• Express their gratitude after receiving a personal favor
• Offer New Year's wishes

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 1, 3rd edition (ISBN-10: 0887276385 / ISBN-13: 978-0887276385)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Chinese 5:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 5 Mandarin course is designed for students who have completed level 4 language proficiency. Students will continue to acquire more common and important target structures in Chinese. More nuances are introduced regarding grammatical complements/particles to express various semantic meanings. The course is designed to focus on expressing an individual's wishes, observations and comments. More reading and speaking practice and scenarios are incorporated based on this principle. Students will refresh and reinforce their previous learning in meaningful contexts. In addition, more idioms and proverbs are introduced in our lessons. Students are asked to write short essays on assigned topics. Lessons 11 and 12 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 5 should be able to:

• Employ basic terms for weather patterns and phenomena
• Describe simple weather changes
• Compare the weather of two places
• Talk about what you may do in nice or bad weather
• Present a simple weather forecast
• Ask if there are seats available in a restaurant
• Order Chinese dishes
• Tell the waiter their dietary preferences and restrictions
• Ask the restaurant to recommend dishes
• Rush their order
• Pay for their meal
• Get the correct change after their payment

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 2, 3rd edition (ISBN 10: 0887276709 / ISBN 13: 9780887276705)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Chinese 6:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 6 Mandarin course is designed for students who have completed level 5 language proficiency. Students will continue to acquire more common and important target structures in Chinese. New grammatical structures are introduced. More reading and speaking practice and scenarios are incorporated. Students will refresh and reinforce their previous learning in meaningful contexts. Students are asked to write short essays on assigned topics. Lessons 13 and 14-1 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 6 should be able to:

• Ask for and give directions
• Identify locations by using landmarks as references
• Describe whether two places are close to or far away from one another
• State where they are heading and the purpose of going there
• Ask a friend to go to a party with them
• Suggest things to take to a get-together
• Offer someone a ride and arrange a time and place to meet

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 2, 3rd edition (ISBN 10: 0887276709 / ISBN 13: 9780887276705)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Chinese 7:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 7 Mandarin course is designed for students who have completed level 6 language proficiency. Students will continue to acquire more common and important target structures in Chinese. New grammatical structures are introduced. More reading and speaking practice and scenarios are incorporated. Students will recap and narrate dialogues. Students will refresh and reinforce their previous learning in meaningful contexts. Students are asked to write short essays on assigned topics. Lessons 14-2 and 15 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 7 should be able to:

• Thank people for their gifts
• Describe a duration of time
• Talk about the year of their birth and their Chinese zodiac sign
• Give a simple description of someone’s facial features
• Talk about basic symptoms of a cold
• Describe common symptoms of allergies
• Understand and repeat instructions on when and how often to take medications
• Talk about why they do or don’t want to see the doctor
• Urge others to see a doctor when they are not feeling well
• Describe common symptoms of allergies

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 2, 3rd edition (ISBN 10: 0887276709 / ISBN 13: 9780887276705)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Chinese 8:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 8 Mandarin course is designed for students who have completed level 7 language proficiency. Students will continue to acquire more common and important target structures in Chinese. New grammatical structures are introduced. More reading and speaking practice and scenarios are incorporated. Students will recap and narrate dialogues. Students will refresh and reinforce their previous learning in meaningful contexts. Students are asked to write short essays on assigned topics. Lessons 16 and 17-1 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 8 should be able to:

• Describe how long they've known someone
• Invite someone to go on a date
• Make the necessary arrangements to go out with friends
• Accept a date courteously
• Decline a date politely
• End a phone conversation without hurting the other person’s feelings
• Describe their current and ideal living quarters
• Name common pieces of furniture
• State how long they have been living at their current residence

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 2, 3rd edition (ISBN 10: 0887276709 / ISBN 13: 9780887276705)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Chinese 9:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 9 Mandarin course is designed for students who have completed level 8 language proficiency. Students will continue to acquire more common and important target structures in Chinese. New grammatical structures are introduced. More reading and speaking practice and scenarios are incorporated. Students will recap and narrate dialogues. Students will refresh and reinforce their previous learning in meaningful contexts. Students are asked to write short essays on assigned topics. Lessons 17-2 and 18 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 9 should be able to:

• Comment briefly on why a place is or isn't good for someone
• Discuss and negotiate rent, utilities, and security deposits
• Name some popular sports
• Talk about exercise habits
• Discuss your feelings about various sports
• Make a simple comparison between how soccer and American football are played

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 2, 3rd edition (ISBN 10: 0887276709 / ISBN 13: 9780887276705)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Chinese 10:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 10 Mandarin course is designed for students who have completed level 9 language proficiency. Students will continue to acquire more common and important target structures in Chinese. New grammatical structures are introduced. More reading and speaking practice and scenarios are incorporated. Students will recap and narrate dialogues. Students will refresh and reinforce their previous learning in meaningful contexts. Students are asked to write short essays on assigned topics. Lessons 19 and 20 of the textbook will be covered. Students who complete level 10 should be able to:

• Talk about your plans for the summer vacation
• Describe what kind of city Beijing is
• Describe your travel itinerary
• Ask for discounts, compare airfares and routes, and book an airplane ticket
• Ask about seat assignment and request meal accommodations based on your dietary restrictions or preferences
• Check in at the airport
• Wish departing friends a safe journey and remind them to keep in touch
• Greet guests at the airport
• Compliment someone on his or her language ability
• Ask about someone's health
• Remind people to move on to the next event

Textbook: Integrated Chinese, Level 1 Part 2, 3rd edition (ISBN 10: 0887276709 / ISBN 13: 9780887276705)
Teacher will also create and hand out course materials.

Mandarin Private Lessons:

We offer Mandarin private lessons. Private lessons are $80 per hour for 1 to 4 students. We will schedule lessons based on the availability of the student(s) and teacher. Start dates are flexible. Please register at least 2 weeks before your first lesson.