Chinese Language Program
Overview of the Chinese Language Program
The Chinese Language Program aims to help students build the 4 core linguistic skills in Chinese: listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to build a solid foundation of their knowledge in Chinese culture and social issues, so that they can communicate effectively in Chinese, explore diverse aspects of China with an open mind, and work efficiently in professional environments where Chinese is spoken.
The current Chinese language program offers two tracks: regular track and accelerated track.
The regular track is designed for Chinese learners who started learning the language in a classroom setting. Students progress in the following order: 111 —>121 —> 211 —>311. In the first two years, students will learn the phonetic system Pinyin, Chinese character composition rules, conversation in the daily life and Chinese culture. In the third and fourth years, the study topics extend to more creating more complex descriptions, social-culture issues, reading literary text in the original language, formal speaking and formal writing skills.
The accelerated track is designed for students who have had exposure to spoken Mandarin Chinese prior to the class (e.g. Chinese heritage students who speak Mandarin Chinese at home, students who have lived in China for an extended period, or other students who have reached a similar oral proficiency), and with limited reading and writing skills. Students in this track progress in the following order 115 —>125 —>215—>315. In the first and second years, students focus on improving writing and reading skills in Chinese daily life and culture; in the third and fourth years, they will acquire ease in reading, discussing, and writing diverse topics in social issues, media, and literary themes.