Form C4
Heriot-Watt University - Course Descriptor
1. Course
Code
C47CF
5. School
7. Delivery:
Location &
Semester
Management and Languages
Edin
SBC
Orkney
Sem 2.
2. Course
Title
Sem…….
Chinese Beginners Elective 2
Sem………..
Dubai
IDL
Collaborative Partner
Sem……..
Sem….
Name…………………….....Sem..…...
8. Pre-requisites
C47AX1 or CEF equivalent
9. Linked Courses
(specify if synoptic)
10. Excluded Courses
The 2 semesters are synoptically linked
11. Replacement Courses
Code:
15
Name …………………………………Sem………..
None
12. Degrees for which
this is a core course
Date Of Replacement:
13. The course may be
delivered to:
3. SCQF 7
4. Credits
Level
6. Course
Ann McFall
Co-ordinator
Approved Learning Partner
UG only
PG only
UG & PG
14. Available as an Elective?
Yes
No
15. Aims
 To equip students with a thorough command of the basics of oral and written Chinese equivalent to a good ‘standard grade’ pass
 To enable students to communicate orally, using simple sentence structures

To enable students to use Pinyin (phonetic spelling of Mandarin) in order to allow them to write down the oral Chinese
 To understand and respond to authentic spoken discourse (simple statements, dialogues, questions)

To recognise a fair number of Chinese characters and relay their meaning in English (approximately 300 by the end of the year)
 To reproduce a limited number of Chinese characters (approximately 80 by the end of the year)
16. Syllabus
Pronunciation: tones, consonant and vowel sounds
Writing: pinyin (phonetic writing of Mandarin) and Chinese characters
Grammar: word order, nouns, articles, adjectives, verb-adjectives, measure words, pronouns, numbers, verbs.
Topics used for language learning: greetings, spelling, describing a person, describing yourself, family, ordering food and drink, asking the time, the date and the weather,
shopping, asking for directions, at the hotel/train station/bus station, making telephone calls
Each session will also cover a specific item on Chinese culture
Texts required for use in class and self-study are: A New Practical Chinese Reader developed by The China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language
(NOCFL). The lecturer will provide additional written and listening materials in class as well as making use of the BBC Chinese language programme, NOCFL material and
other web material.
The teacher will be a native speaker of Mandarin and hence will record some additional material as MP3 files which students can take home with them to practise.
The expectation is that students will finish the textbook by the end of the year (14 units).
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Form C4
Heriot-Watt University - Course Descriptor
17. Learning Outcomes (HWU Core Skills: Employability and Professional Career Readiness)
Subject Mastery
Understanding, Knowledge and Cognitive
Skills





Personal Abilities
Scholarship, Enquiry and Research (Research-Informed Learning)
Present information orally in Mandarin
Engage in simple spontaneous conversation with peers and native speakers of Mandarin
Demonstrate ability to understand and respond in English and Chinese to authentic spoken discourse
Produce simple and accurate pinyin (phonetic transcription) as a way of recording and demonstrating knowledge of oral
Recognise and reproduce a limited number of Chinese characters.
language
 Self-management skills fostered by the need to be committed to a purpose, to manage self-study effectively and to work to deadlines
 Demonstrate ability to gather and sort information
 Communicate effectively in Mandarin
 Acquire a basic understanding of simple Mandarin
 Structure and make simple presentations
 Acquire an awareness of Chinese culture
Industrial, Commercial & Professional Practice
Autonomy, Accountability & Working with Others
Communication, Numeracy & ICT
18. Assessment Methods
Method
19. Re-assessment Methods
Duration of Exam
Weighting (%)
Synoptic courses?
Method
(if applicable)
Duration of Exam
(if applicable)
Formative Assessment: Lecturer,
peer and self-assessment of exercises
(group discussions, role plays, partner
discussions)
YES.
50%
Continuous Assessment:
Lecturer assessment of various
written, aural comprehension and oral
exercises.
Summative Assessment: Written
examination
20. Date and Version
Date of Proposal
2 hours at end of
year
Exam in the resit diet
2 hours
50%
Date of Approval by
School Committee
Date of
Implementation
Version
Number
2/2
Diet(s)