Chinese 3
World Languages Department
(Mr. Fairfield)
Classroom 105, x257
Course Syllabus
v This form should be placed in the front of the student’s binder for reference throughout the year.
Overview
The study of the Chinese Language will provide students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential to becoming an effective participant in an increasingly diverse society.
This course focuses on the further development of the four skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. The student will be able to understand longer narratives within familiar communicative situations and sustain comprehension through inferences in short communications on familiar topics with native speakers. The student also will have a good mastery of the phonetic system and tones, will gradually improve his or her ability to write paragraphs describing situations in pictures. (S)he will improve his/her ability to distinguish some culturally authentic patterns of behaviors from idiosyncratic behaviors, on the basis of previous experience with the culture and language.
Course Materials
Text: Learn Chinese with Me, Student Book 2, People’s Education Press
*At no point will students be allowed to write in the textbook, as they are in limited supply and must be used by next year’s students! You must come up with the answers yourselves, so allow others the privilege of doing the same.
Recommended but optional:
Dictionary:
Oxford Chinese Dictionary. Manser, Martin H. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary. DeFrancis, John, ed. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2003.
Commonly-used Chinese Proverbs:
ABC Dictionary of Chinese Proverbs. Rohsenow, John D. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2002.
Web Resources:
NCIKU: www.nciku.com
MDBG: www.mdbg.net
Zhongwen: www.zhongwen.com
Skritter: www.skritter.com
Growing up with Chinese: http://cctv.cntv.cn/lm/learningchinese/program/index.shtml
Course Content
In the third year Chinese, students continue to learn to communicate orally through selected functions and topics. The students learn to communicate through the three modes of communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational modes. Students learn to apply grammatical principles of the language to form new sentences in meaningful exchanges and real world situations. Cultural information about China is integrated through various language-based activities focusing on the perspective, practices, and products of the Chinese language.
Specific Content Skills
Communicate orally on selected topics related to self, family, school, friends, leisure, and food
Distinguish between the vowel and consonant sounds and symbols of English and those of the foreign language—and the use of the character system
Listen to the target language using the interpretive mode of communication
Interpret text and conversation while responding orally with proper pronunciation in the FL to: teacher or recorded questions based on text, curriculum topics, themes, authentic materials, interactions initiated in the classroom relating to everyday situations in the foreign culture
Read with understanding materials in selected text, dialogues, magazines, selected poems and poetry, reading selections, as well as those reading s created by the teachers using familiar vocabulary and grammar
Recognize the meaning of some new words in reading passages through context as found in beginning level magazines, poems, and selected reading passages
Write sentences from oral practice, dictation, selected real-life scenarios using correct spelling, including accent marks
Write a paragraph giving information about oneself or a friend
Describe a friend and basic objects that are selected by the teacher
Demonstrate knowledge of the basic structure of the foreign language, such as characters, components, and radicals
Discuss in English or the WL similarities and differences between American and the foreign culture with respect to customs, holidays, foods, education, etc
Use discussion and authentic materials to help students refine their perspective on the target culture and to interpret meaning of current events, historical moments, cultural practices and products
Comprehend longer conversations on a variety of topics in everyday situations
Sustain coherent structures in relatively familiar communicative situations
Employ time words or particles for future and past references in conversations
Read short paragraphs of relatively simple authentic materials
Write friendly letters and begin to express more complex thoughts
Use a dictionary effectively
General Academic Skills:
Reinforce study habits regarding vocabulary maintenance and acquisition
Improve upon skills of making oral presentations
Continue introductions of library and media resources for research assignments
Critical Thinking Skills:
Can express problems clearly and precisely
Can determine which information is relevant
Can recognize stereotypes and simple unstated assumptions
Can formulate questions
Can make informed judgments
Can reason hypothetically
Can recognize immediate implications
Grading
The foreign language grading policy for the Charles H. Flowers High School is as follows:
100-90 A
89-80 B
79-70 C
69-60 D
59-below E
Breakdown of Final Grade
Grading in this class will be broken down into three sections: Assessment (45%), Class Work (35%) and Homework (20%). Warm-ups will fall under the Class Work section.
The final exam at the end of the year is 100 points, but entered twice into School Max, so it will have double the impact on a student’s grade. This is a mandate for all World Language courses.
The World Languages Department asks its teachers to use what we call the 5 C’s when creating or grading any assignment. While these categories do not affect a student’s grades directly, it is important to understand what is looked for by the instructor.
Communication
The Communication portion encompasses any activity having solely to do with speaking the language. For example: oral presentations, discussions, conversations, etc.
Cultures
The Cultures portion encompasses any activity whose primary concern is with the target country’s food, music, celebrations, art, etc.
Connection
The Connection portion encompasses current events, geography, mathematics, biographies, history, etc.
Comparisons
The Comparisons portion encompasses any and all comparisons made between our own culture and China’s culture, including foods, vocabulary, holidays, etc.
Communities
The Communities portion encompasses surveys, videos, simulated community activities, etc.
Quarterly Topics:
By the end of quarter one, students will:
· Demonstrate competency in objectives presented during Chinese Level Two
· Introduce and welcome others in a classroom environment
· Communicate about modes of transportation to school and directions to school
· Describe their course schedule and identify different classes
· Identify and describe items for school and give and ask for items
· Describe location of items in the classroom
By the end of quarter two, students will:
· Communicate about various sports and talk about outcomes of competitions
· Identify activities that students participate in during their free time
· Invite a friend to a movie
· Talk about daily activities of family members
· Discuss political and economic systems in China and analyze financial news
· Identify careers and discuss future career plans
By the end of quarter three, students will:
· Identify Chinese holidays and special celebrations
· Describe typical foods consumed during breakfast, lunch and dinner and compare Chinese food customs to those of the United States
· Learn about the importance of the Chinese cultural tradition of drinking tea
· Compare and contrast clothing worn in China and in the United States
· Identify appropriate clothing worn for specific events (weddings, etc.)
By the end of quarter four, students will:
· Write the Chinese zodiac signs and be able to identify the signs of others
· Take a virtual trip to two major cities in China and present culturally relevant information
· Demonstrate competency in objectives introduced in previous quarters.
Special Days
If the class continues on schedule, there will be special days incorporated to enhance the course curriculum. These may include, but are not limited to: course-related films, picture slides and film clips, guest speakers, mini-lessons on Chinese painting and/or calligraphy, an exploration of Chinese music and musical instruments, the celebration of Chinese holidays, and a day for Chinese snacks and games.