HS4571: Introduction to Chinese Language

CHEN, Yi-Hsun (Richard)

yhrchen@iitm.ac.in
yhrchen.iitm@gmail.com
Class Hours: 3 hours/week (S slot)
Venue: HSB 336
Office Hours: by appointment

Description
This course targets the students who are interested in starting to learn Mandarin Chinese (in the
traditional version), ready to make efforts in learning the language, and wish to develop the
knowledge as well as experiences the culture of Han Chinese society.

Objectives
1. The one-year course (including the Introduction course and Chinese II) provides students with
elementary level of Chinese characters (approximately 300 characters in total).
2. Students can function in basic social interactive conversations, understand and express one's self
regarding certain topics such as identity, interest, places and time, transportation, schedule
arrangement, etc.
3. While the vocabulary building is meant to prepare the students to maximise usages of total 50
grammar points, there will be equal emphasis on the pronunciation skills in order to be understood by
native speakers.
4. The cultural activity which carries the mission to induce empathy of the Chinese mentality by
decoding the language and culture practice will be also part of the class and increase the fun part of
language learning.
5. For both registered students and auditors, certificate will be awarded by Taiwan Education Centre
(India) to those who meet the passing requirement of the course.

Organization
The best way to learn a language is to use the language as much as possible. Therefore, the
attendance of the course, classroom participation and assignments are valued during the course. Students
are required to finish their assignments before the next session. During each session, students will be
asked to interact with each other, do a short presentation or share their personal experience. Cultural
events and activities will be introduced during some of the sessions.

Grading
Classroom participation and quiz: 25%
Assignments: 15%
Mid-term exam: 20%
Final exam: 40%

Copyright 2016 Taiwan Education Centre in India. All rights reserved.

Notice
1. I dont see any other more efficient way to learn the language than coming to class. If you disagree or
cant make your commitment to this course, please choose another course.
2. Classroom activities are extremely important for ones learning process in the language. Students who
miss class without adequate proof more than 5 times will fail the course automatically.
3. For attendance records, students should submit adequate proof for a sick/necessary leave, email me
before or within 6 hours after the class.
4. Make-up classes can be provided only to students who miss the class with an adequate proof. The
make-up class will be provided to at least 3 students together and it is subject to the availability of
the instructor. Please schedule the make-up class with the instructor within 48 hours after the missing
class.
5. Students who do not finish their weekly assignments over 3 times will not be permitted to sit in the
mid-term and final exam. Late submission of the assignments will not be accepted and will be
treated as not submitted. Also, plagiarism of assignments is not allowed. Assignments once caught
plagiarised, the whole grade of assignments will be 0.
6. To pass the course, you must achieve at least 60% in the total mark with no less than 50% in the
mid-term and the final exam.

Text books and References

Practical Audio-visual Chinese, Zheng Zhong and Tsai Fong Books, 2nd Edition.
A Course in Contemporary Chinese: Book I. Mandarin Training Center, National Taiwan Normal
University, 2014.
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: a practical guide. Claudia Ross and Jing-heng Sheng Ma,
Routledge, 2006.
Oxford Starter Chinese Dictionary. Yuan, Boping and S. Church, Oxford University Press, 2000.

Temporary Syllabus
Week

Date

Aug. 04

Session

Topic

Introduction to the course

Introduction to Mandarin language

2
Aug. 08

Greetings
Pronunciation I

Aug. 11

Pronunciation II
Chinese Valentines

Copyright 2016 Taiwan Education Centre in India. All rights reserved.

Aug. 15
3

No class - Independence Day

Aug. 18

Name
Pronunciation III

Aug. 22

Nationality
Pronunciation IV

Aug. 25

Formal conversation
Pronunciation V

Aug. 29

Basic number
Pronunciation revision

Sept. 01

Days and recreation

10

Sept. 05

No class - Ganesh Chaturti / Teachers day

Sept. 08

No class - Quiz 1

Sept. 12

No class - Idul Zuha (Bakrid)

Sept. 15

10

Numbers
Time and date

Sept. 16

11

Moon festival

Sept. 19

12

Introducing someone

Sept. 22

13

Revision

Sept. 26

14

Revision

Sept. 29

15

Mid-term exam

Oct. 03

16

Feedback on mid-term

Oct. 06

17

Hobbies and weather

Teachers Day

Oct. 10

16

No class

Oct. 13

17

Family members and basic location

Double Tenth Day

11

Copyright 2016 Taiwan Education Centre in India. All rights reserved.

Oct. 17
12

13

No class - Quiz 2
Oct. 20
Oct. 24

18

Ask and answer questions

Oct. 27

19

Negation sentences

Oct. 31

20

Purchasing and bargaining

(Retrocession Day)

Nov. 3

21

Indefinite numbers

Nov. 7

22

Describing nouns
Possessive DE

Nov. 10

23

Revision

14

15

Nov. 14
16
Nov. 17

No class - Guru Nanaks Birthday

24

Final exam

Note: The above syllabus may change according to the students learning process.

Copyright 2016 Taiwan Education Centre in India. All rights reserved.