Objectives: This course is designed for students who have already reached an intermediate level in reading and writing Chinese, and who would like to promote their oral communicative competence and self-expression. A "learner-centered" approach was adopted for designing this course. That means we will focus on a student's individual needs, goals and proficiency as the main theme, and that the instructor will act as a facilitator to guide and help students reach their language goals. The relation between the instructor and students is one of teamwork, working together to reach the expectations of both. We will consolidate the Chinese knowledge and skills students have acquired and help them to achieve accurate and fluent oral expression in Chinese. At the end of this course, students are generally expected to be able to:

• comfortably carry on a conversation with a Mandarin speaker on various common topics of life
• perform various discourse functions (narration, expressing opinions, arguing, etc.) in Mandarin Chinese, using vocabulary and syntactic patterns that make your Chinese counterpart feel comfortable, and regard you as an excellent speaker of Chinese
• give professional presentations in Chinese
• perform in culturally-appropriate ways in may different social speaking situations

Class Format and Activities: This is a seminar type class which relies on active participation from the students. Class attendance is IMPORTANT AND REQUIRED. Students will perform in various conversational tasks, such as presenting, listening, discussing, offering agreements and disagreements, debating, describing, interpreting, and giving presentations. The setting and tone of these activities will range from easy-going to formal. Class activities will include the following:

• Each student will do 2 daily reports, and give 2 formal presentations

• Two Chinese movies will be watched and discussed

• 5 Vocabulary tests

• 4 individual interviews (3 during the semester, plus the final)

• Watch Video of TV shows and then describe and/or discuss

• translation and interpretation exercises

• Web activities

For some of the class discussions, topics will be assigned. These topics will come from current events and issues. As for the daily reports and presentations, students will select topics that are helpful, practical, and interesting to them. The instructor will also be willing to help you if you need some suggestions for your topics.

Time & Place: Classe will meet from 3:30-4:50pm on Mondays and Fridays in Porter Hall, Room 226A.

Workload: This course requires a substantial time commitment outside of class. Students should plan to spend an average of seven to ten hours per week preparing for class. To assure the most beneficial and rewarding use of contact time with your instructor and classmates, preparation in advance for each class is important and necessary. In class, students are expected to have already familiarized themselves with the necessary vocabulary, and to have done the homework related to the topic for the day's discussion (whether reading an article, viewing a movie, or thinking about some issues). Class will be conducted entirely in Chinese. Students should imagine themselves functioning in a Mandarin speaking environment.

Evaluation: The final course grade will consist of the following components:

class participation and performance 15%

2 daily reports (2) 10% (5% each)

2 oral presentations (2) 25% (10% and 15%)

3 Individual interviews 15% (5% each)

5 Quizzes 15% (3% each)

assignments 5%

final oral examination 15%

_______________________________________________________

Total 100%

The final grade will be rounded to the nearest whole number, and then...

89 and above is an A

82-88 is a B

75-81 is a C

65-74 is a D

64 and below is an F

This class is not graded on a curve. Classmates should all work together to promote a positive environment for learning.

Office: Baker Hall 245A, Phone: 268-0000; Office hours: Tues. 11:30-12:30; Thurs. 1:30-2:30

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