Mandarin Courses

CHINESE 1 (Mandarin)

Grade: 9-12 Duration/Credit Year / 10 Credits
UC/CSU: Yes; “e” - World Languages

This course is an introduction to the Mandarin language and culture. It is designed for students who have not previously studied Mandarin. The goal of this course is to help students acquire basic communicative skills in the context of useful daily conversation through individual participation and group  29 interaction. Students will learn the Chinese phonological system, the basic conversational topics, vocabulary and grammar. They will also learn how to read and write Chinese characters.

CHINESE 2 (Mandarin)

Grade: 9-12 Duration/Credit Year / 10 Credits
UC/CSU: Yes; “e” - World Languages
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of Chinese 1

In this course, the students will continue the process begun in the first year course. Students will develop better presentational skills, master the pin-yin pronunciation, and acquire more characters writing and Chinese culture. Students continue to develop needed skills in reading for content, beginning to develop basic skills in composition, and developing the ability to speak spontaneously.

CHINESE 3 (Mandarin)

Grade: 9-12 Duration/Credit Year / 10 Credits
UC/CSU: Yes; “e” - World Languages
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of Chinese 2

This course is designed for students who have previously studied Mandarin for two or more consecutive years. Students will continue to develop their communication skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Rigorous practice of spoken and written Mandarin will be conducted. Students will continue to acquire skills for maintaining more complex conversations in Chinese.

CHINESE 4 H (Mandarin)

Grade: 9-12 Duration/Credit Year / 10 Credits
UC/CSU: Yes; “e” - World Languages. Note: passing the course with a C- or higher fulfills the two-year UC/CSU requirement.

Fourth year Mandarin class is an Honor course. In this course, students will develop better presentational skills, acquire more characters writing and learn more Chinese culture. Students continue to develop needed skills in reading for content, develop skills in writing e-mails, letters, coherent compositions with a clear progression of ideas, and developing the ability to speak with rich and appropriate vocabulary and idioms.

AP CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (Mandarin)

Grade: 9-12 Duration/Credit Year / 10 Credits
UC/CSU: Yes; “e” - World Languages.
Prerequisite: Students must complete Chinese 3 with an A or satisfactory completion of Chinese 4 H.

This course is designed to prepare students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the three communicative modes: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. It also addresses the other four goals: cultural competence, connections to other school disciplines, comparisons between Chinese language and culture and those of the learners, and the use of the language within the broader communities beyond the traditional school environment. It brings the students to a level where they are able to satisfy most survival needs and many social demands. Students will study Chinese festivals and customs, leisure activities, media, current events, art, health concerns, education, environmental concerns, dining, social norms, and extra-curriculars of teenage life.