Chinese beginners: module 1
This course is designed for beginners who have little or no prior knowledge of Chinese.
Whether you're a student, professional, or simply curious about the language and culture, this course will equip you with the essential skills to communicate confidently in Mandarin.
Our emphasis on speaking ensures that you'll be able to engage in meaningful conversations from the very first lesson. You'll learn useful phrases, expressions, and idioms, enabling you to communicate effectively in various social and everyday situations.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Choose a start date
- Course Code: LC111
- Dates: 23/09/24 - 02/12/24
- Time: 19:35 - 21:05
- Taught: Mon, Evening
- Duration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)
- Location: Online
- Tutor: Fei Wang
Course Code: LC111
Choose a start date
Duration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This course will provide you with a good grasp of the basics of Chinese and to provide a solid foundation in Mandarin Chinese. Throughout the course, students will learn basic vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structures, enabling them to engage in simple conversations. The course will also introduce students to Chinese culture, customs, and traditions, providing them with a deeper understanding of the language and its context.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
Topics: Greetings, personal information (name, nationality, what you study, languages you speak, occupations), numbers, up to 100, talk about your family.
Grammar: Pronunciation and intonation practice. Talk about everyday topics in the present tense.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Exchange greetings and other courtesies.
- Introduce yourself and other people.
- Ask and answer questions about occupations.
- Give and ask for personal details.
- Talk about family.
- Use numbers 1-100.
- Recognise 60 radicals or characters (optional).
- Read basic sentences in pinyin.
- Understand the Chinese phonetic system.
- Practise correct Mandarin pronunciation and know the difference between the 5 tones.
- Have a basic conversation with someone.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Suitable for complete beginners. Also suitable for students who have attended a short intensive course in Chinese or have a basic knowledge of the language but who would like to start again from the beginning, consolidate and progress rapidly.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Our courses are characterised by spoken interaction and communication. Typical activities include pair work, group work, role plays and games. A range of resources will be used to support your learning including presentations, hand-outs, and audio-visual material.
Homework is highly recommended to consolidate learning.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
This course is based on the tutor’s own material.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Chinese beginners: module 2.
I have been teaching Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language in the UK for over a decade. I found myself being attracted to languages and cultures while working as a journalist for the national broadcaster in Beijing China and later for the BBC in the UK. My teaching methodology is significantly influenced by Princeton University Mandarin Teaching Methods which makes classroom teaching a lot of fun whilst applying repetitive exercises. I take advantage of my journalistic background and produce a lot of audio-visual materials to assist my teaching and this has been widely welcomed by my students. As a consequence, my students’ pronunciation and intonation is always exceptionally good. My deep understanding between the languages also drives me to explore not only the subtleties between English and Chinese but also the cultural differences between the East and the West. I naturally impart a lot of Chinese culture into my language teaching and make the language learning process more interesting. Teaching language and culture is my passion and I would love to embark upon this interesting, exciting, and also challenging journey with you, and assist you with my expertise.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
