This course aims to enhance your overall language skills on a variety of daily topics in authentic context, with a focus on raising intercultural awareness and cultural humility. It seeks to strengthen your language performance from sentence to discourse level with emphasis on listening, speaking, reading and writing. Relevant contemporary issues in Chinese-speaking societies will be covered and practiced in various tasks. Different genres may be used to foster learner’s autonomy.

The format of the 6-hour class comprises listening and speaking section (Wednesday and Friday), and reading and writing section(Monday). For the listening and speaking section, CHLA 8220A is based on interactive learning from video and audio featuring native speakers, and from the instructor and other classmates. For the reading and writing section, after the spoken course, highest-frequency characters and words will be systematically introduced in context. Reading exercises will train students to connect the dots-known characters and words, to enhance their reading comprehension.

The course is designed not only to help you grasp conversational and listening skills through, but also enhance understanding of content knowledge of Chinese modern society and Chinese culture. Assignments include different forms of listening exercises, performing and acting, discussion, oral presentations, grammar exercise sheets, writing a summary or comment, etc.

Prerequisite for entering this course is determined by students' performance on the placement test administered before classes begin. Your language proficiency level, not the length of your previous studies, is the key factor in placement.