Form C4
1. Course
Code
5. School
7. Delivery:
Location &
Semester
Heriot-Watt University - Course Descriptor
C47CE
2. Course
Title
Chinese Beginners Elective 1
Management and Languages
Edin
SBC
Orkney
Sem 1
Sem…….
Sem………..
Dubai
IDL
Collaborative Partner
Sem……..
Sem….
Name…………………….....Sem..…...
8. Pre-requisites
Good pass in another language at Standard Grade or equivalent
9. Linked Courses
(specify if synoptic)
10. Excluded Courses
The 2 semesters are synoptically linked
11. Replacement Courses
None
Code:
UG only
PG only
15
Name …………………………………Sem………..
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 & 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
Scholarship, Enquiry and Research (Research-Informed Learning)
Skills
 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 language
 Recognise and reproduce a limited number of Chinese characters.
 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
Personal Abilities
Industrial, Commercial & Professional Practice
Autonomy, Accountability & Working with Others
18. Assessment Methods
Method
Communication, Numeracy & ICT
19. Re-assessment Methods
Duration of Exam
Weighting (%)
Synoptic courses?
Method
(if applicable)
(if applicable)
Formative Assessment: Lecturer,
peer and self-assessment of exercises
(group discussions, role plays, partner
discussions)
Continuous Assessment:
Lecturer assessment of various
written, aural comprehension and oral
exercises.
Duration of Exam
YES.
50%
I hour at end of
semester.
Exam during the resit diet
1 hour
50%
Summative Assessment: Written
examination
20. Date and Version
Date of Proposal
Date of Approval by
School Committee
Date of
Implementation
Version
Number
2/2
Diet(s)