OBJECTIVES

The School of Chinese Chamber of Commerce’s unique Chinese Language Programs are designed to immerse participants in Mandarin through class instruction, after-class tutoring, language exchange with native Mandarin speakers, and optional electives. The immersion programs integrate all aspects of the language: reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, phonetics, and vocabulary. Accelerated teaching methods allow participants at lower proficiency levels to acquire the language skills needed for effective communication in a short period of time, and advanced students to gain expression proficiency at an abstract level. Topics studied include everyday situations and Chinese culture, society, and history.

LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAMS OFFERED

This immersion program consists of four components: 1) Core language classes 2) language exchange program and 3) electives. These components are designed to allow participants to progress rapidly and gain fluency in the language.

1) Core Language Classes

Accelerated teaching methods allow participants at lower proficiency levels to acquire the language skills needed for effective communication in a short period of time, and advanced students to gain expression proficiency at an abstract level. Topics studied include everyday situations, as well as Chinese culture, society, and history. Listening and speaking skills are emphasized to enable participants to attain communicative proficiency.

Class work focuses on developing oral expression, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, writing, and grammar. Up-to-date materials are used to introduce modern day China, its social and economic life, culture, history, and literature. General aims of the classes are as follows:

Oral Expression Classes: focus on developing participants' oral expression and pronunciation skills. At the lower proficiency levels simple topics related to daily life are taught, and more specialized and complex topics are taught at the higher proficiency levels.
Listening Comprehension Classes: focus on developing participants' listening comprehension skills and the ability to understand the language when spoken at a normal speed.
Reading Comprehension Classes: focus on developing participants' reading skills in both comprehension and speed.
Writing Classes: focus on the fundamentals of the radical system, bushou, composition of characters and stroke orders.
Grammar Classes: focus on the fundamentals of Chinese grammar, sentence structures, expressions, and phonetics.

2) Language Exchange Partners Program
It provides language and cultural interaction between participants and Chinese students, marking the beginning of many lasting friendships. This program provides the perfect opportunity to practice the language and encourages cultural and social exchange. Participants schedule to meet with one another at their convenience.

3) Electives
With the aim of increasing the student's language fluency and awareness of Chinese culture, history, and art, a range of free electives are offered. The number of electives offered varies depending on program duration and may include the following:

Language Focused Electives

Chinese Character Writing: Classes introduce the radical system, bushou, composition of characters, stroke orders and basic characters.
Chinese Songs: Classes introduce Chinese songs including traditional folk and current pop songs. Lyrics are written in pinyin (romanized Chinese characters) and hanzi (Chinese character text). Singing is an excellent way to improve language skills and vocabulary.

Non-Language Focused Electives

Traditional Chinese Massage and Traditional Chinese Medicine: Classes introduce the ancient Chinese concepts and beliefs of what constitutes the human body and illness, and include diagnostic methods and treatments using herbal medicine and massage.
Chinese Painting: Classes introduce elements of the traditional art of Chinese watercolor painting under the guidance of a professional artist.
Calligraphy: Classes introduce the various calligraphy styles and features, participants then focus on perfecting one style of this ancient art form.
Taiji Quan (Taichi): Classes introduce this relaxing and gentle martial art aimed at improving health and overall physical and mental fitness. The basic Yang Taiji style is taught.

These are offered on available basis and are charged by hours.

TEACHERS & TEACHING MATERIALS

Teachers of the programs are native Chinese and each has a degree in teaching Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language. Up-to-date, carefully selected materials are used in class, giving participants valuable information on modern-day Chinese culture and society while at the same time developing their language and communication skills.

PLACEMENT TEST & PROFICIENCY LEVELS

There are 5 main proficiency levels that are further divided. First, participants are placed according to the proficiency level they indicate on the application form. At the start of the program, non-beginners take a written and oral placement test. Second placements are made according to the results of the placement tests.

Expressions	Levels
None	Beginner	(Level A)
More than 800	Elementary	(Level B)
More than 1,500	Intermediate	(Level C)
More than 2,500	Advanced	(Level D)
More than 3,500	Proficient	(Level E)

Beginner (Level A)
Participants attending these classes know fewer than 800 Chinese expressions. They include participants who have never learned Mandarin Chinese, or who have learned Chinese phonetics and a few words but cannot express themselves in complete sentences. Classes focus on teaching basic Chinese vocabulary, sentence structures and grammar using everyday topics. Phonetics, tone exercises and drills ensure that participants learn the correct pronunciation and intonation from the beginning. Participants are introduced to the radical system (Chinese character composition), stroke orders and basic characters.

At the end of short-term programs, participants should be able to engage in simple daily conversation. Programs 12 weeks or longer, aim to enable participants to complete the beginner level progressing into the elementary level. At the end of the year, participants should have completed the elementary level, ready to begin the intermediate level.

Elementary (Level B)
Participants attending these classes know more than 800 Chinese expressions, have a grasp of major sentence structures and have learned Chinese grammar systematically. Classes focus on vocabulary building, sentence structures, listening, reading, and speaking skills. Phonetics, tone exercises and drills ensure that participants learn correct pronunciation and intonation.

At the end of short-term programs, participants should be able to converse on daily topics and express themselves using elementary sentence structures. Programs 12 weeks or longer, aim to enable participants to complete the elementary level progressing into the lower intermediate level. At the end of the academic year, participants should be progressing through the intermediate level.

Intermediate (Level C)
Participants attending these classes know more than 1,500 Chinese expressions and understand elementary Chinese grammar. Conversational exercises teach participants to recount articles in a comparatively fluent and complete manner. Participants are able to converse on general topics and express themselves using more complicated sentence structures. Classes focus on increasing the level of grammar and vocabulary with the aim of enabling participants to express themselves functionally in different contexts. Practical situational texts are used to provide a greater awareness of Chinese culture and society.

At the end of short term programs, participants should be able to express themselves in different contexts using intermediate sentence structures. Programs 12 weeks or longer, aim to enable participants to progress through the intermediate level. At the end of the academic year, participants should have completed the intermediate level progressing through the advanced levels.

Advanced (Level D)
Participants attending these classes know more than 2,500 Chinese expressions. They can discuss general topics, raise complex questions, and express their opinions clearly using correct intonation. Classes focus on vocabulary building, reading, listening comprehension, and conversational skills. Classwork includes reading newspapers and listening to news broadcasts. Participants are taught advanced spoken and written Chinese.

Proficient (Level E)
Participants attending these classes know more than 3,500 Chinese expressions. They are able to read and understand some news from newspapers, periodicals, radio broadcasts, and television. They can express themselves systematically using appropriate expressions and language norms. The curriculum includes listening to and commenting on news reports, television, and radio broadcasts, and discussions and debates of contemporary issues.

TUITION FEE

$210 for the Total Beginner Program.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment is only used for learning feedback and improvement.

HSK Mandarin Chinese proficiency test (recognized worldwide) is an option for you to take. You are responsible for any application fees the HSK test center requires.