I. Course Description:

This is a Chinese language course for beginners. It aims at helping students to develop communicative competence in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing the Chinese language. Students will learn basic vocabulary and sentence structures for use in essential daily-life situations through various forms of oral practice. Pinyin (the most-widely used Chinese phonetic system) will be taught as a tool to learn the spoken language. Students will also learn Chinese characters in order to be able to communicate effectively in real Chinese situations. Approximately 200 words and expressions in both Pinyin and character forms will be taught. While linguistic aspects of the Chinese language are the primary focus, introduction to the social and cultural background of the language will also form an important part of the course.

II. Instructors:

82-131 coordinator:	Dr. Sue-mei Wu (BH 245A)
Telephone:	268-5949
E-mail:	suemei@andrew.cmu.edu
Office Hours:	Mon. 12-1; or by appointment
Section A:	Ms. Chan Lu (OSC 117)
Telephone:	268-1894
E-mail:	chanl@andrew.cmu.edu
Office Hours:	Wed. 1-2; or by appointment
Sections B:	Ms. Luo Zhou (OSC 224)
Telephone:	268-5738
E-mail:	luoz@andrew.cmu.edu
Office Hours:	Tues. 11:30-12:30; or by appointment
Section CDF:	Ms. Liping Chen (BH A60E)
Telephone:	268-9650
E-mail:	lpchen@andrew.cmu.edu
Office Hours:	Tues. 3:30-4:30; or by appointment
Section E:	Ms. Yingying Shih (OSC 224)
Telephone:	268-5738
E-mail:	yingying@andrew.cmu.edu
Office Hours:	Tues. 12:30-1:30; or by appointment

III. Class Schedule and Rooms:

Section A (Lu)	MTWF	9:30-10:20	PH A 19D
Section B (Zhou)	MTWF	10:30-11:20	PH A 19D
Section C (Chen)	MTWF	11:30-12:20	PH A 19D
Section D (Chen)	MTWF	12:30-1:20	PH A 19D
Section E (Shih)	MTWF	1:30-2:20	PH A 19D
Section F (Chen)	MTWF	2:30-3:20	PH A 19D
Modern Languages	Resource Center	(MLRC)	PH 225C

IV. Textbooks & Listening materials
Chinese Link: Zhongwen Tiandi (Elementary Chinese) : Value Package: ISBN 013-226406-4, including Textbook, Workbook & Audio CDs.
1. Textbook: Chinese Link: Zhongwen Tiandi (Elementary Chinese). By Sue-mei Wu, Yueming Yu , Yanhui Zhang & Weizhong Tian. Pearson/Prentice Hall Publisher.
2. Workbook: Chinese Link: Zhongwen Tiandi (Elementary Chinese) Homework & Characters By Sue-mei Wu, Yueming Yu , Yanhui Zhang & Weizhong Tian. Pearson/Prentice Hall Publisher.
3. Audio CDs: including language in use (lesson texts), vocabulary, supplementary practice, listening exercises, tongue twisters, poems and listening exercises in the Homework The Chinese Link: Zhongwen Tiandi Value Package (Textbook, workbook and Audio CDs) is available at the CMU bookstore located in the basement of the University Center.
Chinese Link Online Resources: Companion Website: This companion website provides resources to accompany the Chinese Link textbook: complete audio program, self-grading vocabulary and grammar review exercises, flashcards, self-grading listening and reading comprehension activities, web-based activities, and web resource links. Students are encouraged to use these free resources to enhance their Chinese study.


V. Requirements:
1. It is very hard to learn to speak a foreign language without adequate contact with the language. One hour of class a day is not enough. Therefore, students are required to make full use of the LLRC for practice outside of class time. Part of the homework for each lesson will be done with the help of the audio tapes. Students are strongly advised to practice with the tapes as much as possible to lay a good foundation for further training in spoken Chinese. Don't just listen, but also repeat after the tapes, imitating the voices of the native speakers.

2. Class attendance and participation are VERY IMPORTANT for this course. Students are required to attend ALL classes scheduled and take an active part in classroom activities. Attendance will be recorded every day. If, for some justifiable reason, you are not able to come to class on a certain day, advance notice to the instructor is required, except for emergency cases. Supporting documents (e.g. doctor's note) should be submitted in order for an absence to be excused. Class participation accounts for 7% of your total grade. If your absences from the class exceed 10 class hours, you will get a zero for attendance and participation. Moreover, for each unexcused absence, 0.5 points will be deducted from your final grade.

3. Homework will be assigned regularly. (Please refer to the daily schedule for the due date). Late submission will result in a deduction of points from your grade. 5 points out of 100 will be deducted for each day the homework is late. Homework received more than one week after the due date will receive no credit. If you forget to bring your homework to class, you may leave it in the folder outside the instructor's office or in her mailbox at the main office of the department (BH 160)

4. Character Quizzes . In order to build a good foundation of Chinese writing and reading skills, practicing and reciting Chinese characters regularly are essential. Character quizzes will be held regularly. They will account for 10% of your total grade. Missed Character quizzes cannot be made up. To allow flexibility for excused absences, emergencies, and "bad days", your three lowest scores on character quizzes for the semester will not be in cluded in your average.

5. Tests: There will be lesson tests regularly during the semester (please refer to the daily schedule for the dates). They will account for 30% of your total grade. Make-up tests will not be permitted except in the case of illness or emergency situations. Written proof needs to be presented to the instructor for rescheduling.

6. The final exam will be held on 12/7 Wed. & 12/9 Fri. It will cover everything we learn during the semester. The guidelines will be provided during the semester.

7. Since your attendance will be recorded every day, you are required to stay in the section for which you have registered in order for the instructor to keep an accurate record of your performance.

8. The classroom will be highly student-centered. What this means is that the instructor will be doing very little in the way of explaining or lecturing. Rather, classroom learning will be achieved mainly through group/pair work, role playing, and other activities geared toward your active production of the Chinese language. So, it is very important to study the material for a given day before coming to class.

9. Speaking Assistants: In order to improve your communicative skills in Chinese, we will provide native speakers as our Speaking Assistants (Sponsored by the Modern Languages Dept.). You will find it is very beneficial to practice with the Speaking Assistants. There will be an online signup sheet on our course website. The guidelines for the Speaking activities will be provided during the semester. Please refer to the course plan for activities dates. You are required to complete these activities and then cannot be made up if you miss them. They will be counted as part of your class attendance and participation grade.

10. Web Activities: In order to improve your Chinese learning, there will also be periodic web assignments for you to complete. Please refer to the daily schedule for the Web Activity dates. The Web Activities will count as 5% of your grade. Please check the curse website for the Web Activitiy Link.


VI. Grades:

Calculation	Distribution	Total 100%
A=90 & 90 above	Class attendance and Participation	7%
B=82 above	Character quizzes	10%
C=70-82	Homework	36%
D=60-69	2 interview w/ instructor	6%
D=60-69	6 Tests	30%
F=Below 60	Final Exam	6%
	Web Activities	5%

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