Chinese 1
World Languages Department
fànlǎoshī
范老师
(Mr. Fairfield)
Classroom 105, x257
ehren.fairfield@pgcps.org
Course Syllabus
 This form should be placed in the front of the student’s binder for reference
throughout the year.
Overview
This course is designed to teach the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading and
writing in Chinese, with a focus on listening and speaking skills. The study of the
Chinese Language will provide students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes
essential to becoming an effective participant in an increasingly diverse society. We will
establish a foundation for the continued study of the language and provide students with
a basic understanding of China’s geography, citizens, current issues, and culture.
Students will be aware of the cultural differences between China and America, one
example of which will be to correctly use “polite words” in appropriate situations.
Course Materials
Text:
Zhēn Bàng!, EMC Chinese 1, EMC Publishing, LLC
*At no point will students be allowed to write in the textbook, as they are in limited supply and must be
used by next year’s students! You must come up with the answers yourselves, so allow others the privilege
of doing the same.
Recommended but optional:
Dictionary:
Oxford Chinese Dictionary. Manser, Martin H. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2004.
ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary. DeFrancis, John, ed.
Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2003.
Commonly-used Chinese Proverbs:
ABC Dictionary of Chinese Proverbs. Rohsenow, John D. Honolulu:
University of Hawaii Press, 2002.
Web Resources:
NCIKU: www.nciku.com
Growing up with Chinese:
MDBG: www.mdbg.net
http://cctv.cntv.cn/lm/learningchine
Zhongwen: www.zhongwen.com
se/program/index.shtml
Skritter: www.skritter.com
Course Content
In the first year Chinese, students learn to communicate orally through selected
functions and topics. The students learn to communicate through the three modes of
communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational modes. Students learn to
apply grammatical principles of the language to form new sentences in meaningful
exchanges and real world situations. Cultural information about China is integrated
through various language-based activities focusing on the perspective, practices, and
products of the Chinese language.
Specific Content Skills: Chinese Level 1
Demonstrate knowledge of the basic structure of the world language, such as characters,
components, and radicals.
Master the phonetic system and tones (that is to say that they will be able to distinguish
the initials and finals and pronounce the four tones plus the neutral tone correctly).
Communicate orally on selected topics related to self, family, school, friends, leisure, and
food in the target language.
Distinguish between the vowel and consonant sounds and symbols of English and those
of the world language—and the use of the character system
Listen to the target language using the interpretive mode of communication.
Interpret text and conversation while responding orally with proper pronunciation in
the FL to: teacher or recorded questions based on text, curriculum topics, themes,
authentic materials, interactions initiated in the classroom relating to everyday
situations in the foreign culture.
Read with understanding materials in selected text, dialogues, magazines, selected
poems and poetry, reading selections, as well as those reading s created by the teachers
using familiar vocabulary and grammar.
Recognize the meaning of some new words in reading passages through context as found
in beginning level magazines, poems, and selected reading passages.
Write sentences from oral practice, dictation, selected real-life scenarios using correct
spelling, including accent marks.
Write several sentences giving information about oneself or a friend.
Describe a friend and basic objects that are selected by the teacher.
Discuss in English or the FL similarities and differences between American and the
foreign culture with respect to customs, holidays, foods, education, etc.
Use discussion and authentic materials to help students refine their perspective on the
target culture and to interpret meaning of current events, historical moments, cultural
practices and products.
Comprehend simple statements and questions to gain a general understanding of the
main idea of extended but simple narratives and conversations.
Ask and answer questions using the open, closed, and “ma” forms of questions and to
initiate and respond to simple statements and engage in simple face-to-face conversation
within the vocabulary and structure appropriate to the communicative situations and
functions.
Read and understand simple signs, numbers days, weeks, months and sentences with
limited vocabulary. To read specially prepared paragraphs containing learned
grammatical patterns and basic vocabulary items.
Write learned characters with mostly correct stroke orders and to recognize radicals.
Also, students will write the mastered vocabulary and structures in simple sentences and
phrases. (Although errors may sometimes occur in character production, writing can be
understood by native speakers.)
wǒ
Use affirmative and negative structures and to express what they like or dislike with “我
x ǐ huān
w ǒ b ù x ǐ huan
喜 欢 ” and “我不喜 欢 ”.
Describe someone, using a limited number of words for body parts and appropriate
adjectives.
Utilize some basic functions of a Chinese word processing system.
Correctly use a number of measure words and use and understand time words and
adverbs in correct positions. To master verb-object compounds.
Grading Policy
Assessments (test, quizzes, project, etc.)
Classwork
Homework
45%
35%
20%
Please note that the Final Exam will be worth 200 points, which is double the value
of other exams
100-90
A
89-80
B
79-70
C
69-60
D
Below 60
E
Classwork and Homework Policy
All assignments must be submitted on time. Late assignments submitted within three
days of returning to school with an excused stamped and signed yellow slip by the
Attendance Officer will be considered for full credit. Late assignments submitted within
three days without proper documentation from the Attendance Officer will only be
considered for a highest possible grade of 50%.
Exam and Quiz Policy: Exams and Quizzes will be made up when the student returns
to school if the exam or quiz was announced prior to the absence. Otherwise, the exam
or quiz will be made up during the following class period after the student returns from
an excused, documented absence. Class cuts will not be considered for makeup grades.
ACTFL Standards
The World Languages Department asks its teachers to use the 5 C’s when planning a
lesson. While these categories do not affect a student’s grades directly, it is important to
understand what is looked for by the instructor.
Communication
The Communication portion encompasses any activity having solely to do with speaking
the language. For example: oral presentations, discussions, conversations, etc.
Cultures
The Cultures portion encompasses any activity whose primary concern is with the target
country’s food, music, celebrations, art, etc.
Connection
The Connection portion encompasses current events, geography, mathematics,
biographies, history, etc.
Comparisons
The Comparisons portion encompasses any and all comparisons made between our own
culture and China’s culture, including foods, vocabulary, holidays, etc.
Communities
The Communities portion encompasses surveys, videos, simulated community activities,
etc.
Quarterly Topics:
By the end of quarter one, students will:
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Learn and identify the benefits and careers relevant to the study of the Chinese
language.
Develop an understanding of the strategies for learning Chinese.
Follow simple classroom instructions in Chinese.
Locate China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan on a map and recognize geographical
areas.
Create a Chinese name:
a. Recognize their Chinese name orally and in written form.
b. Write their Chinese last name and first name in both characters and
Pinyin.
c. Describe the meaning of their name in Chinese. Read Chinese words in
the Pinyin system.
Read Chinese words in Pinyin pronunciation system.
Describe and distinguish four tone marks used in the language system.
Greet friends.
Say farewell to friends.
Introduce yourself and family members.
Express gratitude.
By the end of quarter two, students will:
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Describe the Chinese educational system and a typical school day in a Chinesespeaking country.
Describe the origins of the Chinese language, differences between certain
dialects, and Mandarin/Putonghua.
Demonstrate knowledge of the basic structure of Chinese characters.
Write basic strokes and know the stroke order of Chinese characters.
Recognize and describe some traditional Chinese characters and their simplified
evolutions.
Write words in the Pinyin pronunciation when words are spelled through
dictation.
Identify themselves by country of origin.
Count and write numbers 1-100, 1,000, and 10,000.
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Identify classroom members and relationships in Chinese.
Introduce others.
Inquire about the sports activities of friends.
By the end of quarter three, students will:
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Communicate on the topic of Chinese festivals and compare these festivals to
holidays in the United States.
Write and express congratulations and vocabulary associated with the Chinese
New Year.
Write more extensive phrases and sentences in Pinyin pronunciation when
words are dictated.
Write the simple and the most commonly used components and radicals of
Chinese characters.
Describe and identify the different colors in Pinyin pronunciation.
Use numbers 1-100 in a functional way (money, dates, age, etc.).
Speak phrases using counting and measurement words (ge, ben, zhi, etc.).
Talk about friends and ask about the languages that they are learning.
Inquire about the quantity of items.
Communicate possession and inquire about the owner of property.
By the end of quarter four, students will:
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Use the Chinese-English/English-Chinese dictionaries to look up words.
Introduce oneself in a skit that includes: a greeting, age, nationality, interests, and
gathering information from others.
Use birthday congratulatory phrases and sing the birthday song in Chinese.
Describe the relationship between birth dates and the Chinese zodiac.
Express that they are looking for someone.
Express their personal mood and feelings.
Review and demonstrate competency in objectives presented from first quarter to
fourth quarter.
Special Days
If the class continues on schedule, there will be special days incorporated to enhance the
course curriculum. These may include, but are not limited to: course-related films,
picture slides and film clips, guest speakers, mini-lessons on Chinese painting and/or
calligraphy, an exploration of Chinese music and musical instruments, the celebration of
Chinese holidays, and a day for Chinese snacks and games.