Dr Lijing Shi TW3 601H

Students should have successfully completed LSE Level 1 fast track course LN712 or have learned equivalent content, see description of "Communicative content" and "Structural Content" of Level 1 Fast track (LN712). Students will have to: Demonstrate full commitment to regular attendance, completion of homework, and all pieces of continuous assessment.Dedicate at least two hours per week for coursework, in addition to classes. Admission into the course after completing the online test and upon tutor’s approval during the Needs Analysis Interview. For anyone who wants to improve Mandarin Chinese. This course may be suitable for re-starters with sufficient knowledge of words and characters.

Course Aim:

• To further develop the ability to use Chinese in all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) effectively for purposes of practical communication at survival level.
• To improve Chinese pronunciation.
• To consolidate and expand knowledge of Chinese characters.
• To deal with a range of predictable simple language tasks using a limited linguistic range to meet the needs of differing but familiar situations and topics.
• To establish the skills, language and attitudes required to promote and facilitate further study of Chinese.
• To prepare students for the equivalent of A2 CEFR.

The course is focused on the following communicative functions:

• Greetings.
• Introducing yourself and others.
• Talking about job, nationality, identity.
• Asking for permission.
• Looking for someone.
• Making comments and suggestions.
• Meeting people for the first time.
• Talking about one’s study.
• Introducing your family.
• Talking about one’s university.
• Asking about someone’s age and birth place.
• Celebrating birthday.
• Solving language problems.
• Understanding Chinese currency.
• Shopping and bargaining.
• Talking about likes and dislikes.
• Expressing one’s ability.
• Talking about one’s health.
• Expressing need or desire.
• Renting a house.
• Making a complaint or an apology.
• Expressing holiday greetings.

This course will introduce the basics of Mandarin in the following grammatical areas:

• Word order in Chinese sentences.
• Sentences with ‘是’.
• Sentence with a verbal predicate.
• Attributives expressing possession.
• Yes/no questions.
• Use of adverbs.
• Sentence with ‘有’.
• Propositional phrases.
• Sentences with double objects.
• Serial verb phrases.
• Alterative questions.
• Model verbs.

The course will also introduce 350 words and 120 Chinese characters.

16 hours of classes in the MT. 22 hours of classes in the LT. 2 hours of classes in the ST.

This is a 40 hour-course. Please refer to the LSE timetable for course teaching arrangements.

Key textbook:

New practical Chinese Reader, textbook + workbook, vol. 1, by Liu Xun, Beijing Language and Culture University Press, 2007 (the textbook comes with DVD or audio materials)

Recommended Readings:

Chinese for Busy Learners (Lessons 6-12),Concise English-Chinese, Chinese-English Dict., Commercial Press/Oxford University Press 1986.

Beginner’s Chinese Script by E. Scurfield and Song Lianyi (Teach Yourself books), 1998.

Basic Chinese - A Grammar and Workbook by Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington. Routledge. 1998.

Continuous assessment (50%) in the MT and LT.
Oral examination (30%) and in class assessment (20%) in the LT.