Chinese (Mandarin) Language Courses

Chinese 1
Students will learn Pinyin, radicals, frequently used characters, word usage, sentence patterns, and grammar. Students will develop basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities in Mandarin Chinese. The students will also acquire the knowledge of Chinese culture and history. This course is for beginning students or non-native speakers only. Text: Integrated Chinese Level One, Part One

Chinese 2
Prerequisite: Chinese 1 with a grade of C or better, or teacher recommendation
This is a continuation of Chinese 1 with a holistic approach to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills of the Chinese language. This course seeks to provide students with the most commonly used Chinese characters and phrases, further understanding of Chinese grammar, and abilities to write short paragraphs. Students will advance the knowledge of Chinese culture and society. At the end of the year, students are expected to conduct basic daily communication in some real-life situations. Text: Integrated Chinese Level One, Part One

Chinese 3
Prerequisite: Chinese 2 with a grade of C or better, or teacher recommendation
This is a continuation of Chinese 2. This course is intended to further develop the four communications skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The emphasis will be on students’ conversational and writing skills in Chinese. Students will expand their conversational skills on most familiar topics. Rigorous practice of spoken and written Chinese will be conducted. The instruction will be conducted in Chinese. Text: Integrated Chinese Level One, Part Two

Chinese 4 Honors
Grades 10 - 12
Prerequisite: Chinese 3 with a grade of C or better, or teacher recommendation
This is a continuation of Chinese 3. The course is a preparation course for AP Chinese. This course is continuingly intended to develop the four communications skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Typing in Chinese is another skill to be addressed. Students will also acquire more vocabulary and grammar patterns. Students will gain some basic knowledge of Chinese literature during the second semester. At the end of the year, students will be able to produce and present their own viewpoints of events by using the Chinese language in both spoken and written forms. The instruction will be conducted in Chinese. Text: Integrated Chinese Level One, Part Two

AP Chinese Language and Culture
Grades 11 - 12
Prerequisite: Chinese 4H with a grade of C or better, or teacher recommendation
The AP Chinese Language class is taught as a 5th year for students who have taken at least 4 years (or equivalent level) of Chinese. The course prepares students to demonstrate their mastery of their Chinese language. This course also provides students with the opportunity for cultural enrichment. The object of this course is to help students master their abilities in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, and to respond to express ideas with accuracy and fluency. Students communicate solely and exclusively in Chinese when speaking and writing. Likewise, their exposure to instruction, reading, and auditory input is entirely in Chinese. In addition, students also prepare for the College Board’s Advancement Placement Examination through study guides and practice tests. Text: Integrated Chinese Level Two, Part One