Welcome to Chinese I! You're about to embark on a journey of learning the second most spoken language in the world. 

In this course, you will study the fundamentals of Mandarin Chinese: conversation, basic writing, listening and reading comprehension, vocabulary building, grammar, and culture. This course fosters understanding of Chinese-speaking people through cultural comparison and development of written and spoken communication. It will enhance your perspective of humanity.

No prerequisites or prior knowledge are needed.

The following guidelines are intended to provide a quick overview of the course for prospective students. After the semester begins, please refer to the comprehensive syllabus and schedule posted on Blackboard. 

1. One version of the textbook: Either Simplified OR Traditional (NOT Both)

Integrated Chinese Volume 1 Textbook (4th ed.), Yuehua Liu and Tao-chung Yao et al. Boston: Cheng & Tsui Company. 

Traditional Text: ISBN 9781622911349

Simplified Text: ISBN 9781622911356

2. One version of the workbook: Either Simplified OR Traditional (NOT Both)

Integrated Chinese Volume 1 Workbook (4th ed.) 

Traditional Text: ISBN 9781622911318

Simplified Text - ISBN 9781622911363

Please feel free to contact your professor if you are not sure which version to choose. 

Grading System

Please note:  students must receive a grade of C or better in order to continue with Chinese 1412.

Tests and Final Exam

The tests and final will be administered online through BlackBoard using Respondus Lockdown Browser. Learn more: Respondus Lockdown Browser Student Quick Start Guide. 

• Test One covers pinyin and Lessons 1-2; 
• Test Two covers Lessons 3-4; 
• Test Three covers Lessons 5-6; and 
• The Final is comprehensive and covers Lessons 1-8. 

Regular and careful preparation for and review of each lesson is the best way to prepare for the tests and the Final. Make-up tests due to special circumstances will need advance notice given to and approval by the instructor. 

Oral Tests

You will have an oral test for every two lessons and a final comprehensive oral exam. Guidelines, dates, and time will be given during the semester prior to the exam. Make-up tests due to special circumstances will need advance notice given to and approval by the instructor.

Class Participation

You are expected to be in class as scheduled and participate in group activities. 

Please follow the schedule closely to find out the dates for submitting homework, tests, and final exam. 

Class Outline

Please refer to the class schedule on Blackboard for details on the content of each class as well as assignment and test deadlines. 

This course allows students to attend lectures virtually or in person on any Tuesdays from 11:00 to 12:50 PM.  This class also offers one class meeting virtually on Thursdays 11:00- 12:50 PM. Students are required to attend these lectures.

During the semester, you can switch between showing up in-class or online at any point in time during our Tuesday's meetings. 

This HyFlex course is not self-paced. It starts and ends in the same academic term as on-campus courses, and it has due dates and deadlines for various assignments, tests, projects, etc. assigned by your instructor. All work (including assignments and tests) must be completed by the due date set in the syllabus. Final grades will not be posted until the end of the semester regardless of when you finish all your tests and assignments.

Tests will be given and taken on BlackBoard using Lockdown Browser. Students are required to download Respondus Lockdown Browser.

Learn more: Respondus Lockdown Browser Student Quick Start Guide

Other than class meeting and tests, these class activities will also be conducted through Blackboard: handout distribution, homework assignments and submissions, and discussion forum. Your instructor also send announcements to the class via Blackboard relating to schedule changes, special reminders, other notices and information. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have access to your ACC email account and Blackboard and set up alerts on discussion forums if needed.

This class will emphasize all four language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The grammatical explanations will be given at a level that will help students achieve all four skills at the elementary level. Students will sometimes be required to work in pairs or small groups virtually. Your active participation in the class is required for the success of the class.

You are expected to learn the phonetic system during the first two weeks. Accuracy of pronunciation will be emphasized throughout the course by focusing on grasping the phonetic sound and tone of all the words and expressions learned. Recorded assignments will help you grasp the pronunciation of the phonetic symbols.

A portion of each class will be spent learning the Chinese writing system and students are expected to practice writing at home. The Workbook and Character Workbook assignments will be helpful in developing listening, reading, and writing skills. The online audio links will aid you in the comprehension and pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese.

At the end of Chinese 1411, students should be able to do the following:

CRITICAL THINKING:

-Analyze a written or spoken passage in Mandarin Chinese to understand the context, including time, location, and references to different characters and draw inferences about the content of passages.

-Utilize brainstorming and appropriate sequencing and visualization techniques to organize their writing.

-Utilize language creatively to talk about their interests, friends and families, home life, and studies.

-Compare and contrast between traditional Chinese cultures and their own, regarding greetings, addressing each other, family structure, expressing love, ways to decline or reject an invitation, and etiquette when dining out or being a host and a guest.

-Discuss and explain the linguistic and cultural diversity in the Chinese society.  

TEAMWORK (Interpersonal Skills):

-Interview and present classmates, and tell information about them.

-Create dialogues with partners talking about their daily lives and other topics related to them.

-Help one another with pronunciation, sentence structures, and vocabulary.

-Brainstorm in groups to plan an activity

-Discuss perspectives on cultural differences with partners or groups

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (Civic and Cultural Awareness):

-Compare and contrast aspects of the formation of names, dates/times, and mailing addresses in Chinese with their own society.

-Compare and contrast the use of basic kinship terms in the Chinese society with their own.

-Identify and articulate the appropriate way to reject and decline invitations or ideas based on common courtesy, etiquette, and gestures in the Chinese society.

-Compare and contrast strategies of showing politeness and hospitality in the Chinese society with their own.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY:

-Reflect on their personal interest and goals in learning Mandarin Chinese.

-Acquire effective study habits for language learning.

-Utilize various resources outside of class to practice Mandarin Chinese.

-Demonstrate time management skills by successfully completing assignments and tests on time.

COMMUNICATION (Written, Oral and Visual Communication):

-Accurately pronounce words based on their phonetic formation, including tone.

Within the scope of content and vocabulary covered in Chinese 1411,

-Demonstrate the ability to comprehend short written dialogues and reading passages.

-Demonstrate the ability to ask and answer questions in affirmative nature, questions with “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “who,” as well as tag questions.

-Demonstrate the ability to comprehend the main idea, as well as specific details.

-Generate and articulate statements in writing or speaking to greet, discuss your family, hobbies, food and drink preferences, and daily routine, make appointments, and comment on your performance in familiar activities.

Attendance/Class Participation

This is a synchronous online class with regular required class meetings. You are expected to be in class as scheduled and be prepared for each lesson. Please follow the schedule closely to find out the dates for submitting tests. The material that will be covered in each class is indicated in the attached schedule; make sure that you review the old material first before you study the new material before coming to class.

By College policy, regular and punctual class attendance is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class. Due to the emphasis on oral practice, attendance is mandatory and will be checked daily. Departmental policy allows instructors to drop students with more than three absences. Leaving class prior to class dismissal without the instructor’s approval will be counted as an absence. Foreign language classes are very interactive and you will be required to participate regularly in class and group activities.

Withdrawals

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the rolls should they decide to withdraw from the class.  The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary.  If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date.  The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester is November 21, 2024.  The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status.  Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a W) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.

Missed or Late Work

No homework overdue for one week will be accepted. Students are responsible for keeping track of their assignment status and making sure that assignments are submitted successfully to the Blackboard. Students should inform the instructor promptly of any issue that have caused problems or delay to their assignment submission.

All assignments must submitted to Blackboard as instructed instead of by email.

Incompletes

If there is a documented extenuating circumstance after the last day to withdraw, then you may be eligible for an incomplete. The student must be in good standing and have a C or higher. The student must consult with the instructor and the final decision will be at the instructor’s discretion. 

1. Prior to the end of the semester in which the I is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date.  This meeting can occur virtually or in person.  The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.

2. The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student.  The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement.  A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.   

3. The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above.  This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester.  

4. Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded.  

5. When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F. 

If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.”  Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.

Please visit College Policies and Student Support Services page.