Heartland Community College
CHIN 101 – Beginning Chinese I Course Syllabus
Division: Humanities & Fine Arts
COURSE PREFIX & NUMBER: CHIN 101
COURSE TITLE: Beginning Chinese I
PCS/CIP/ID NO: 1.1 160301 02
EFFECTIVE DATE OF FIRST CLASS: January 17, 2006
CREDIT HOURS: 4
CONTACT HOURS:
LECTURE HOURS: 4
LABORATORY HOURS:
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
A beginning course in Chinese focusing on the development of basic communicative skills in
listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The dialect taught is Mandarin, and the course is
designed for students who have had no prior exposure to Chinese language. The course includes
basic vocabulary, essentials of Chinese grammar and syntax, correct pronunciation and
intonation, and the use of speech patterns.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Instructor Name:
Phone Number:
Fax Number:
Email Address:
Office Hours:
Office Address:
Ruifang Cao, Ph.D.
309-268-8592
309-268-7957
ruifang.cao@heartland.edu
11:00a – 12 noon, Monday;
12:00p – 1:00p; 4:45p – 5:45p Tuesday
10:00a – 11:00a, & 2:00-3:00p Wednesday;
12:00p – 1:00p Thursday; or by appointment
ICB 2104
Heartland Community College
1500 West Raab Road, Normal, IL 61761
TEXTBOOKS:
T. Yao & Y. Liu. (2005). Integrated Chinese. 中文听说读写. Simplified Character Edition.
Cheng & Tsui Company. Boston.
RELATIONSHIP TO ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND
TRANSFERABILITY:
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CHIN 101 fulfills 4 hours of elective credit for the A.A. and A.S. degrees. It should transfer to
most colleges and universities as an elective course. However, since CHIN 101 is not part of
either the General Education Core Curriculum or a baccalaureate major program described in
the Illinois Articulation Initiative, students should check with an academic advisor for
information about its transferability to other institutions.
SUPPLIES
Notebooks, index cards for vocabulary, pencils & an eraser for writing, a three-ring
folder for keeping exercises, photos & toys as needed for conversation topics.
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COURSE OBJECTIVES (Learning Outcomes):
The emphasis in this class is on building up vocabulary and the use of sentence patterns in a
communicative context and on developing a solid foundation in pronunciation. Students are
expected to carry out basic conversations in Chinese on a limited range of topics. Reading and
writing skills using simplified characters will be developed in conjunction with speaking and
listening skills. After completing this course the student should be able to:
Outcome
1. Form sentences with
verbs, particles,
pronouns
General Education Outcome
CO 1
“Students compose a message and
provide ideas and information
suitable to the topic, purpose and
audience.” p. 26, HCC Student
Handbook
2. Master numerals
3. Express dates and times
through correct forms
4. Form dialogues
utilizing useful
expressions
CT 1
“Students gather knowledge, apply
it to a new situation, and draw
reasonable conclusion in ways that
demonstrate comprehension.” p.
26, HCC Student Handbook
Range of Assessment
Methods
 Oral and written exercises
 Oral and written tests and
quizzes
 Conversational exercises
 Oral & written exercises
 Oral and written tests and
quizzes
 Conversational exercises
 Oral & written exercises
 Oral and written tests and
quizzes
 Conversation exercises
 Oral components of exam
 Conversational exercises
 Oral tests and quizzes
 Presentations
5. Master the
Hanyupinyin system,
including vowels,
consonants, tones,
spelling rules, and
intonations
6. Master the rules of
forming characters
 Oral & written exercises
 Oral and written tests and
quizzes
7. At an elementary level,
understand the cultural
context of the Chinese
language
 Oral & written exercises
 Conversational exercises
 Oral and written tests and
quizzes
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 Written assignments
 Written texts and quizzes
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Specifications on Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
1. Form sentences with verbs, particles, and pronouns
 Use appropriate particles to form sentences/questions
 Use auxiliary verbs to form sentences/questions
 Use regular verbs to form sentences/questions
 Use verb plus complement to form sentences/questions
 Use verb plus objects to form sentences/questions
 Illustrate the use of singular and plural pronouns
2. Master numerals: 0-100, and more
3. Illustrate dates and times through various forms
 Express time: seconds, minutes, hours
 Express year, month, week, day, dates
4. Form dialogues utilizing useful expressions
 Master classroom expressions
 Master survival expressions
 Make/Design dialogues for engaging in social functions
5. Master the Hanyupinyin system including vowels, consonants, tones, spelling rules, and
intonations:
 Pronunciations:
a. Distinguish the six single finals/vowels: a o e i u and ü
b. Distinguish two semi-finals/vowels, y and w
c. Distinguish the thirty compound finals/vowels:
ai ei ao ou an en ang eng ong ia iao ie iu ian in iang ing iong ua uo uai
ui uan un uang ueng üe üan ün er
d. Identify retroflexed finals
e. Distinguish the twenty-one initial consonants:
b p m f d t n l g k h j q x z c s zh ch sh and r
f. Master spelling rules
 Intonations:
a. Distinguish the four tones: high level tones, rising tone, falling-rising tone, and
falling tone
b. Distinguish the neutral tone
6. Master the rules of forming characters
 Identify the six basic formations of Chinese characters, pictographs, self-explanatory
characters, associative compounds, picot-phonetic characters, phonetic loan characters
 Master the six rules of stroke order
 Identify basic radicals/common components to form characters
 Distinguish the eleven basic strokes
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COURSE/LAB OUTLINE:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction to Chinese Pronunciation:
i. Initials
ii. Finals
iii. Tones
iv. Spelling Rules
v. Retroflexed Finals
vi. Modification of Tones
vii. Neutralized Tone
Chinese Writing System
Useful Expressions
Topics:
i. Getting Acquainted
ii. Family
iii. Time
iv. Dates and Days
v. Hobbies
vi. Visiting Friends
vii. Making Appointments
viii. Studying Chinese
ix. Shopping
x. Talking about the Weather
xi. Transportation
Dialogues:
i. Exchanging Greetings
ii. Asking One’s Status/Identifications
iii. Talking about a Family Photo
iv. Talking about Someone’s Family
v. Taking Someone Out to Eat on His/Her Birthday
vi. Inviting Someone to Dinner
vii. Talking about Hobbies
viii. Inviting Someone to Play Ball
ix. Visiting a Friend
x. Making a Telephone Call
xi. Talking about an Examination
xii. Talking about a Class
xiii. Buying Clothes
xiv. Exchanging Shoes
xv. Talking about Weather
xvi. Going Home
Grammar
i. Verbs, auxiliary verbs
ii. Adverbs
iii. Nouns, pronouns, interrogative pronouns
iv. Word orders
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METHOD OF EVALUATION (Requirements, Tests/Exams, Grading System):
To ensure the quality of the learning experience and environment, quizzes/exams, and
homework/presentations are required. Course grades will be a compilation of scores on class
attendance and participation, homework, tests, oral presentations, and exams:
Class attendance and participation, including short quizzes
and exercises
150 points
Homework exercises
150 points
Four Tests
100 points
Four Mini-Oral Presentations
100 points
Final Group Oral Presentation
100 points
Final Exam
100 points
Total
700 points
Final grades will be determined according to the following scale:
92% to 100%
83% to 91%
74% to 82%
65% to 72%
Below 65%
A
B
C
D
F
644 to 700 points
581 to 643 points
518 to 580 points
455 to 517 points
454 or less
REQUIRED WRITING AND READING:
Writing:
Students are required to compose short passages, dialogues, and journals/diary in Chinese,
using simple and elementary sentences.
Reading:
Students are required to read elementary level materials in Chinese.
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CHIN 101: Beginning Chinese 1
Course Calendar
January 17, Tuesday
 Introductions and Review course syllabus
 Brief introduction to Chinese language and pronunciation
 Useful Expressions (1)
January 19, Thursday
 Chinese Pronunciation (1)
o Simple Finals
o Initials
o Spelling Rules
o Tones
 Useful Expressions (2)
 Assignment 2 due January 23
January 23, Tuesday
 Chinese Pronunciation (2)
 Chinese Writing System (1)
 Chinese Lunar Year Calendar & Holidays
 Useful Expressions (3)
 Assignment 3 due January 25
January 25, Thursday
 Chinese Pronunciation (3)
 Chinese Writing System (2)
 Chinese Calligraphy
 Assignment 4 due January 30
January 29, Sunday, Chinese New Year’s Day
January 30 & February 2
 Lesson 1: Greetings
 Assignment 5 due February 7
February 7 & 9
 Lesson 2: Family
 Assignment 6 due February 14
February 14 & 16
 Lesson 3: Dates and Time
 Assignment 7 due February 21
February 21, Tuesday
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


Review Lesson 1, 2 & 3
Mini Oral Presentation 1
Test 1
February 23 & 28
 Lesson 4: Hobbies
 Assignment 8 due March 2
March 2 & 7
 Lesson 5: Visiting Friends
 Chinese Tea
 Assignment 9 due March 21
March 14 & 16
 Spring Break
March 21 & 23
 Lesson 6: Making Appointment
 Assignment 10 due March 28
March 28
 Review Lesson 4, 5, & 6
 Mini Oral Presentation 2
 Test 2
March 30 & April 4
 Lesson 7: Studying Chinese
 Assignment 11 due April 11
April 11 & April 13
 Lesson 8: School Life
 Assignment 12 due April 18
April 18 & April 20
 Lesson 9: Shopping
 Chinese Money
 Assignment 13 due May 2
April 25
 Review Lesson 7, 8 & 9
 Mini Oral Presentation 3
 Test 3
April 27 & May 2
 Lesson 10: Talking about the Weather
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

World and China Maps
Assignment 14 due May 4
May 4 & May 9
 Lesson 11; Transportation
 Assignment 15 due May 11
May 11
 Review Lesson 10 & 11
 Mini Oral Presentation 4
 Test 4
May 18, Thursday, 10-11:50am
 Final Group Oral Presentation
 Final Exam
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