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 300 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:

Section A:	Ms. Ran Zhao (OSC 117)
Telephone:	268-1894
E-mail:	rzhao@andrew.cmu.edu
Office Hours:	Tues. 12:30-1:20; or by appointment
Sections B,C,D:	Dr. Sue-mei Wu (BH 245A)
Telephone:	268-5949
E-mail:	suemei@andrew.cmu.edu
Office Hours:	Tues. 11:30-12:30; Thurs. 1:30-2:30; or by appointment

III. Class Schedule and Rooms:

Section A	MTWRF	9:30-10:20	PH 226B
Section B	MTWRF	10:30-11:20	PH A19
Section C	MTWRF	12:30-1:20	BH 235A
Section D	MTWRF	2:30-3:20	BH 225C
Language Learning	Resource Center	(LLRC)	BH 225C

IV. Textbooks; Audio tapes
Textbooks: PRACTICAL CHINESE READER I: Bejing Language Institute. 1988. Cheng & Tsui Company
Workbook I: FUN WITH PCR I. Peggy Wang, 1996. East Asian Linguistic Service. Quebec
Workbook II:PRACTICAL CHINESE READER I ; II--Writing Workbook. Shou-hsin Teng. 1993. Cheng & Tsui Company
Audio Tapes: For both the textbook and the workbook (fun with PCR I) are available at the Language Learning Resource Center (LLRC) in BH 225C

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 is 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. It accounts for 20% of your total grade.

3. Exercises for both listening and grammar practice will be assigned for each lesson. The instructor will give you the due date. Late submission will result in a deduction of points from your grade. 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 mail office of the department (BH 160).

4. To learn a foreign language well, knowledge of language learning strategies is very important. For this purpose, this course also provides you with some theories on language learning. Lectures and classroom discussions on how a foreign language can be learned will be part of the course. Students are required to attend the lecture, watch the video tape, participate in all the discussions and write a paper on them.

5. There will be eight in-class exercises during the whole semester, one for each three lessons until Lesson 12 and one for each lesson from Lesson 13 through Lesson 17. A total of three tests will be given during the whole semester. The first test covers through Lesson 12. The second test covers Lessons 13-15, and the third test covers Lessons 16-18.

6. The final will be all oral, and will cover everything we learn during the semester.

7. Make-up tests or exams will not be permitted except in the case of illness or emergency situations. Written proof needs to be presented to the instructor for rescheduling.

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

VI. Web Materials: Please check the course web site frequently for up-to-date announcements, grammatical notes and class schedules. There will also be periodic web assignments for you to complete which will count as part of your homework grade. Note: There are instructions here on how to get the resources you need to read Chinese online.

VII. Grades:

Calculation	Distribution	Total 100%
A= 88-100	Class participation	15%
B=78-87	Homework (Including LaLL Paper)	34%
C=65-77	In-class exercises	16%
D=55-64	Tests (3 in total)	15%
F=Below 55	Final Exam	20%

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