Chinese beginners: module 1
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Course Code: LC120
Choose a start date
Duration: 10 sessions (over 10 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center 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, both spoken and written, in order to enable you to understand conversational Chinese at natural speed, with the confidence to respond appropriately when spoken to in different situations.
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?
Teaching materials are based on units 1-3 of Discover China Student’s book 1 (the tutor might adjust teaching content according to students’ progress.)
Greetings
Personal information (name, nationality, study, languages we speak and occupations)
Talk about your family
Weekly pronunciation and intonation practice,
Lots of listening and speaking practice on the above topics
Students will have a chance to deliver a short presentation in Chinese (This task is optional, and students can choose to opt out.),.
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 between the tutor and students or between students.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Beginners course - no previous knowledge required.
For further details of the specific foreign language skills required for this level, please see the languages self-assessment chart at the start of the languages section of our course guide, or at http://www.citylit.ac.uk/self-assess-your-level. You will also need to be able to respond to simple instructions and explanations, as well as read course documents, in English. You will need to be at ease with the use of numbers for daily activities (e.g. using money, telling the time, using the 24 hour clock, reading timetables). It would also be helpful if you had some knowledge of basic grammar terminology such as: a verb and a noun.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course is based on the communicative approach:
- active students’ interaction
- emphasis on speaking and listening skills
- pair and group work
- role plays
- use of realia, pictures and authentic material
- use of audio-visual techniques when appropriate
Please note, students are expected to participate in oral classroom activities and to do some homework as and when required.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Discover China Book 1
.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Chinese beginners: module 2. Please enrol as soon as possible as places cannot be guaranteed.
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.
