CLASS EXPECTATIONS
Mandarin Chinese IB
2014-2015
Room: 116
Instructor: Ms. Zhang Hongling
Phone Number: 854-6400 ext. 6416
Email: honglingzhang@claytonschools.net
Textbook: Huanying, An Invitation to Chinese, Volume 1 Part 1
By Jiaying Howard and Lanting Xu, Second edition.
Boston: Cheng & Tsui Company.
Workbook: Huanying workbook
Course Description: Chinese IB is designed for students who have
completed studying Chinese for a year. In this course, students expand
their language skills beyond talking about their families and school life.
They will learn how to talk about things they use in daily life (school
supplies, sports equipment, etc.), how to talk about recreational
activities and describe the places where they live. Cultural components
will include Chinese poems, proverbs and idioms, classical music and
musical instruments, recreational activities, provinces and major cities.
Students will be expected to comprehend most of the essential aspects
of modern Chinese grammar and to communicate in real-life situations
related to the above topics.
Materials: 1. A binder (for lots of handouts) and a notebook (for
note-taking and character practicing). You should use
whatever method of keeping track of your papers and
assignments that works best for you (folder, binder, etc.).
2. You should bring a writing utensil and paper with you to
class every day, as well as your textbook and workbook.
Book covers are required for both textbook and workbook
(Take good care of your book—the first one is free, but you
have to pay for replacement copies!)
3. A headphone and a flash drive.
Class Format and Expectations:
There are five lessons in each unit and each lesson will take two
weeks to complete. Quizzes and oral presentations will be given on a
weekly basis. A comprehensive test will be given at the end of each
lesson and long and short-term projects will be assigned throughout
the semester.
The key to learning a foreign language is practice! This
includes listening to others, participating in class, completing class and
homework, completing group tasks and projects, and
studying/preparing for assessments. The best ways to practice are to
use the language as much as possible in class and to study for a short
period each day. A successful language learning experience in this
class is comprised of the completion of the following:
1. Homework: The primary purpose of homework in this class is
for practice and skill development. There will be both shortand long-term assignments. The homework may consist of
studying, practicing vocabulary, completing a worksheet or
assignment, writing, preparing for an oral evaluation, or
working on a long-term project. The more practice you get by
completing homework, the better prepared you will be for
assessments (oral presentations, projects, quizzes and
tests). Each homework assignment will be recorded and
reported in the online grading program with a completion
grade and will serve as materials to be covered in quizzes and
tests.
2. Participation: Participation in class plays a vital role in your
success in this class. Obviously, the more you participate in
class, the more likely you are to develop your four language
skills. The more skills you develop, the better you will be able
to complete the required oral presentations and
demonstrate your learning on quizzes and tests. Your
voluntary contribution to the class will all be part of the
participation grade. Participation means coming to class
prepared, following instructions in Chinese, maximizing your
ability to speak Chinese, taking an active and appropriate role
in discussion and in-class exercises and working
collobratetivelly with partners and small groups.
Assessment Types: The semester grades will be based on tests,
quizzes, oral presentations, participation, homework assignments, and
projects:
20%
20%
20%
25%
15%
Class Participation
Homework assignment.
Oral Presentations and Projects
quizzes, lesson tests and unit tests
Final exams, both oral and written
Ask for Help: I encourage you to seek me out for help as soon as you
need it. Since I teach at both Wydown and Clayton and travel back and
forth on a daily basis, the best way is to write me an email and make
an appointment with me. I am generally available to work with you
after school.
Policy on Late Work, Absences and Test Retake
Lateness – 10% or a letter grade will be deducted for every day the
assignment is late.
Absences: If you miss school due to an excused absence, you will
have the same amount of days to make up for your homework,
quizzes and tests. After that, the late work policy will apply to you.
Retake: You can retake the quizzes and tests for 90% of the full
credits if your scores are below D+.
I have read and understand Mrs. Zhang’s Class Expectation.
Student
Signature________________________________________________
Parent
Signature________________________________________________