Intermediate – step 1
This course is a continuation of Elementary 4. Students continue to develop all four skills, slowly closing the gap between their receptive and productive skills. The development of listening and speaking skills will remain a focus of the course, and teachers will, at the same time, encourage students to rely less on pinyin. Compared to lower levels of courses, slightly more emphasis will be attached to the recognition and writing of characters. Students are encouraged to reflect and internalise grammatical devices and structures that they have studied and actively use them in conversations and writing.
Duration:
10 weeks, 20 hours
Learning Objectives
Unit | Functions | Language Points | Cultural Content |
1. A Red Leaf | talk about seasons and nature; describe specialties of different countries; discuss how to express romantic love | the 把 sentence (2) ; 是……的 sentence structure （2） | the symbolism of flowers in China |
2. Their Choices at One Reveal Their Future | discuss the etiquette in social activities such as a birthday part; describe the cultural meanings of grabbing items on 1-year-old birthday and red envelopes in China | the interrogative pronouns of general denotation | the red envelope and birthday customs in China |
3. Chinglish | describe your own language learning experience; discuss such topics as cultural diversity, language and identity | the sentence structure 既……又…… and 一边……一边…… | the knowledge on Putonghua and China’s dialects |
4. Each Has His Own Likes | talk about the sports activities and hobbies; discuss the sports events in different countries and regions | rhetorical question patterns such as 难道……，不是……吗，能不……吗 | the sports and recreational activities in China |
5. Getting Lost | talk about travel plans and experience; compare and discuss different cities | the complements 着( zháo) and 了( liǎo) | China’s economic development |
6. Keep in Touch | compare lifestyles and environment between China and other countries; | the reduplication of verbs; numerical phrases, multiples and fractions | the composition of China’s ethnic groups |
Note: This course includes six units, each including conversational and narrative text. The teacher will select one text to teach from each unit according to the level of the students in class. Therefore, not all of the content presented in the table will be taught. The course teacher will select actual teaching content from what is presented above.
Teaching Methods
The teaching method is student-centred, emphasising interactivity and practicality. It enhances students’ listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translating skills through activities such as discussions and role-playing in contextualised settings. Additionally, multimedia resources and tools are integrated with language and culture, helping students understand relevant cultural contexts while learning the language. This approach enhances the learning experience and meets the needs of diverse learners.
Learning Materials
Textbook: New Contemporary Chinese (Book 3, Units 1-6)
Buy Materials Online
Learning Materials can be purchased online by using the University epay system HERE.
Course materials can be posted upon receipt of your order to addresses within the UK only. Please note postage is not included, please pay your postage HERE.