Beginning Chinese
Chin 10a
Course Description
Welcome to Chinese 10a! You are learning a language spoken and/or recognized by over one fourths of the total world population! And you are learning it in a revolutionary way!
Computerized Chinese Learning Makes Big Differences
As you may know, Chinese was one of the most difficult foreign languages for American students to learn. According to the Foreign Service Institute of US State Department, a true beginner will have to take about 5 times of time and efforts to reach the advanced level of Chinese than to reach the same level of Spanish. One of the main difficulties is the Chinese writing system. Instead of the alphabet system, Chinese people, for over 4,000 years, have been using a pictographic system that consists of thousands of Chinese characters. Writing these characters with pens (traditionally the brush pens), you will have to take a very long time to practice and then you will have less time to practice speaking Chinese and the characters you could write and recognize finally are still quite limited. Giving it up (In fact, a number of Chinese teachers in the United States have been teaching their students in this compromised way), you will become an illiterate, speaking some Chinese but do not have the ability for reading or writing any real Chinese text.
Now with the development of information technology, we can overcome the dilemma easily. You can learn Chinese with your computer and by typewriting the pinyin (Chinese phonetic system), the Chinese characters will automatically appear on the screen. In this way, you are practicing speaking, listening, reading and writing at the same time!
This course is part of a revolutionarily designed road to make your Chinese learning experience unprecedentedly efficient. To follow the road, you will reach true advanced level of the Chinese language in four years or less (similar time frame to Spanish or other European language learning). For more information of the Brandeis Chinese learning experience, please read the Road Map in syllabus folder.
The key word of first year Chinese is computer. Computers will be used for all the time: on class exercises, assignments, quizzes, and exams. You will be able to typewrite Chinese on the first day of class and in a few weeks, you will be able to write your first Chinese email. By the end of the two semesters (this course plus Chin 20b) you will be able to communicate with a native Chinese speaker confidently both in writing and in speaking. To learn Chinese now is much easier than you and most people have imagined.
Do we need special computers and/or special Chinese software? The answer is No. Generally speaking, a computer, either a PC or a Mac, is Chinese ready if it is 4 years old or younger. You don’t need to buy any additional software.
During class time, however, you may opt not to use computer but do the “traditional” way, i.e., writing Chinese characters with your pen in dictation or test.
Learning Goals
Goals:
Speak excellent Chinese with accurate pronunciation and tones, OK if in slightly lower than natural speed.This is the most important goal for this semester.
Understand basic grammar rules.
Be able to engage in communications on topics taught in the textbook orally or in writing. You can express yourself in complex sentences or short paragraphs with limited vocabulary.
Recognize 750 or more Chinese characters that form 3,000 or more Chinese words and be able to write them with computer.
By the end of the second semester, your oral proficiency level should be Novice High in line of Oral Proficiency Interview.
Some Tips:
You should pay great attention to pronunciation and tones to lay a solid foundation to future success. You will have greater difficulties to correct if you have got used to wrong pronunciation/tones.
When you read the lessons, you must read aloud because that will help you memorize better.
Don’t forget the goal is to speak Chinese in a natural speed. It is NOT natural to make too many pauses.
It is a bad habit to read the pinyin text instead of reading Chinese characters. The best way is to listen to the audio recording while reading a lesson (in Chinese characters).
For Chinese characters, hand-writing is NOT so important at this stage. It takes too much time to practice hand-writing and therefore it is not an efficient way to learn Chinese. Use computer to write Chinese (full pinyin input to write Chinese characters). Use larger font (24 or larger) to stimulate your memory. NEVER write pinyin with pen because pinyin is just a tool, NOT a form of Chinese language.
A very useful exercise is to listen to the audio recording of a lesson and typewrite it in Chinese. Compare the Chinese you have created with the textbook to see if there is any mistake.
Most of the textbooks of the Beginning Chinese teach Standard (idealized) Spoken Chinese that is neutral (neither formal nor informal). Don’t be surprised when you hear native speakers say something differently or even contrary to the grammar rules that are often with limits.
Q and A
Q: Should I consider going to China to learn beginning Chinese?
A: Although some programs in China offer first year classes, I don't recommend because Chinese teachers in the United States often know the needs of beginners better and the environment is not too important for a beginner. If you can only stay in China for one semester or one summer in your 4 years of college, the ideal time should be for Intermediate or Advanced levels.
Q: I just want to learn speaking Chinese so I don't need to learn Chinese characters.
A: Well, you can do that. As I know, however, there is a great chance that you will regret when you want to reach a higher level. I am sure you don't want to be an illiterate. To learn Chinese characters is not so difficult although hand-writing is really difficult.
Q: Some say if you don't use pen to write but use computer to typewrite, you will not be able to memorize Chinese characters. Is that true?
A: Some experiments show just the contrary. Computerized learning of Chinese characters will enhance students’ ability of recognize more Chinese characters. Now in China, most people use computer to write. There is no reason for our students to ban computer input of Chinese characters. However, hand-writing is surely a plus since calligraphy has been a significant part of Chinese cultural heritage. The key point here is on this beginning level, it is not worth spending too much time on hand-writing.
Q: I understand there are two writing systems: traditional and simplified. Should I know both? If so, should I start with traditional Chinese characters since, as some suggest, it is much easier for one who knows traditional characters to learn simplified characters?
A: You don’t need to learn both in this stage. Knowing both is a goal for advanced learners. You may start with either. Nowadays there are more people to start with simplified characters since there are apparently more people in the world to be using simplified characters. When one reaches advanced level, it is not too hard to learn the other writing system by intensive reading. With computer, to converse one into the other may be as easy as a single click (depending on your computer settings and software). If you are interested in Chinese history and intend to read of many classical writings, to start with traditional character will be a better choice.
Q: Should I try to understand the meaning of each characters of which a word consist?
A: Better not at this stage. I would suggest Intermediate learners to start doing so because then you will have enough characters/words to make analysis.
About the Textbooks
Integrated Chinese (Level One Part One, 3rd Edition)
By Yuehua Liu et al. Cheng & Tsui Company
You need both the textbook and the workbook. You don’t need to buy the Character exercise book and the audio CD. After registration, you could sign in Latte and get access to the audio.
This set of textbook is rated the number one by American colleges and universities. The topics (including school life, travel, food, seeing doctor, etc.), the grammar explanations, and assignments are all very well designed. By the end of the two semesters you will have learned all the important grammars, about 750 most frequently used Chinese characters, 3,000 most frequently used Chinese words, and many useful sentences patterns and idiomatic phrases.
Following is a link to the introduction of this textbook:
Requirements:
1. Attendance: Students are expected to be in class on time. There unexcused absence in this semester will affect your final grade. Illness or emergencies are acceptable excuses, but adequate documentation must be presented.
2. Preparation: Students are expected to come to class well prepared. It means that you have to read the assigned text, and listen to the audio recording before the section. You are expected to answer questions from your required readings in class.
3. Homework: There are in total 21 homework assignments for this semester, two assignments for each lesson plus a pinyin homework in the beginning. Students are expected to complete their homework on time; late homework will receive a reduced grade.Each homework assignment is worth 10 points. Any assignment which is not turned in on the due date will be marked down one incremental point per day, i.e. from 10 to 9. Any assignment which is one week overdue will not be accepted whatsoever.
4. Mini-quiz: Students are expected to take a mini-quizeach regular class day based on the new vocabulary and contents covered in the lesson. The format of this mini-quiz may be computerized dictation, reading comprehension online or on paper, answer questions, or something else. No make-up is allowed unless you have doctor's note or coach's note.
5. Meeting with your peer-tutor: You will be assigned a peer tutor and are required to meet him/her 20 minutes per week starting in the second week of the semester. The tutors talk to you on the similar topics of the lessons and correct your pronunciation/tones.
Grading calculation:
Class participation: 5%
Meeting with peer tutor: 10%
Homework: 10%
Mini-quizzes: 15%
Period tests: 15%
Mid-term exam: 10%
Oral presentations test: 15%
Final Exam (written and oral) 20%
Instructors:
Jian Wei
Office: Shiffman111
Office hours: M.W.Th. 3:30—4:30pm
Email:
Course assistant
Yuxiao Long
Office hours: By appointment
Email:
Teaching assistant
Yuxiao Long
Yuzhe wang
Gillian Boulay