Module CFLS1C41: Chinese Stage 4

Department: Centre for Foreign Language Study

CFLS1C41: Chinese Stage 4

Prerequisites

• Successful completion of Chinese Stage 3, HSK3, or an equivalent proficiency, subject to approval by the module convenor. No higher Chinese language entry qualification permitted.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• Any language module offered as part of programmes BA Modern Languages and Cultures and BA Chinese Studies.

Aims

• To consolidate and extend students’ competence in the Chinese language.
• To develop students’ ability to communicate competently on a variety of general and more specific topics
• To develop students’ skills to do research in Chinese and about China.
• To deepen students’ understanding of contemporary Chinese-speaking society and institutions.
• To develop further presentation skills in Chinese.
• To develop further writing and typing skills.

Content

• Functional and notional topics studied at this level will be partly determined by the course book and partly be informed by up-to-the minute current affairs and will address issues related Chinese-speaking society, education system, and family etc.
• Course book materials will be supplemented with multimedia sources. Independent and individual research on the internet will be fostered. Group discussion exercises will promote the basis for the development of confidence, flexibility and fluency in conversations.

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of this module, learners should be able to:
• Demonstrate understanding and active use of intermediate-level grammar and vocabulary, including complex sentence structures and a wider range of kanji. 
• Recognise and apply key discourse patterns and strategies for organising ideas in spoken and written Chinese. 
• Develop awareness of sociolinguistic and cultural conventions in a variety of communicative settings, including formal and informal contexts. 
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of contemporary Chinese-speaking societies.

• On successful completion of this module, learners should be able to:
• Communicate effectively on familiar and some abstract topics, and interact on these topics both in person (speaking) and online (typing), expressing opinions and supporting arguments with reasons and examples. 
• Deliver a structured speech or presentation in (language), demonstrating appropriate pronunciation, register, and non-verbal communication. 
• Comprehend the main ideas and specific information in extended written and spoken texts on a range of topics. 
• Produce coherent written texts using varied sentence structures and cohesive devices, and expressing and discussing views.

• On successful completion of this module, learners should be able to:
• Demonstrate independence in planning and monitoring their own learning across the four skills. 
• Apply intercultural understanding and pragmatic competence in diverse communicative contexts. 
• Respond flexibly and effectively in extended conversations, sustaining interaction and repairing breakdowns when necessary. 
• Critically research and review materials on familiar and unfamiliar topics.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The module is delivered through weekly seminars that combine communicative practice, creative tasks, intercultural exploration, and guided independent study. Activities include individual, pair, and group work; pronunciation practice; listening and reading tasks; presentation; and reflective activities. Digital tools and multimodal resources support engagement and foster learner autonomy.
• These methods help students expand vocabulary, consolidate grammatical structures, use Chinese in everyday and culturally specific situations drawn from Chinese-speaking contexts. They also encourage independent and reflective learning, with frequent interactive tasks which help students gain confidence in responding to others and expressing ideas and views clearly.
• Assessment include three pieces of summative in-course assessments in person, and a number of formative assessment/tasks throughout the year.
• Time dedicated to the In-Year tests factors in turnaround time and will usually be 60-90 minutes in length. Time dedicated to the Oral Examinations also factors in turnaround time. Both forms of assessment are usually done under exam conditions and held in person.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Regular homework/assignments will be given to the students to practise and consolidate what they have done in class and to prepare the following session, some of which will be submitted and marked as formative assignments and regular feedback will be given to the students accordingly.

■ Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.