Module CFLS1C51: Chinese Stage 5

Department: Centre for Foreign Language Study

CFLS1C51: Chinese Stage 5

Prerequisites

• Successful completion of Chinese Stage 4, HSK4, 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 widen further knowledge and skills of Chinese language and develop linguistic competence to a higher standard.
• To enhance students’ communicative proficiency in Chinese further, both in writing/typing and oral (presentation and interaction).
• To develop students’ skills to do research in Chinese and about China on any interested topic.
• To broaden the knowledge and understanding of both traditional and contemporary China and Chinese-spealing countries.
• To develop further intercultural awareness, not just with Chinese and Chinese speaking cultures, but also with any different cultures.

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 to Chinese-speaking society, politics, values, and cultures 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 the module, learners should be able to:
• Demonstrate understanding and accurate use of complex grammatical and stylistic features of Chinese, including written and spoken registers appropriate to different audiences. 
• Use an extensive range of vocabulary to discuss complex social, cultural, and contemporary issues. 
• Show critical awareness of cultural perspectives and discourse conventions in Chinese communication.

• On successful completion of the module, learners should be able to:
• Communicate fluently and appropriately in extended discussions, debates, and formal presentations on both familiar and abstract topics. Interact confidently in both spoken (in-person) and written (online) communication, presenting complex ideas and arguments clearly, with nuanced reasoning, and engaging in critical exchanges with appropriate tone, style, and register. 
• Deliver a well-organised public speech or presentation in Chinese, conveying complex ideas clearly and persuasively. 
• Understand the main ideas and finer details of authentic spoken and written materials across a range of genres and registers. 
• Produce clear, coherent, and well-structured texts expressing viewpoints and supporting arguments effectively.

• On successful completion of this module, learners should be able to:
• Take full responsibility for their language learning and self-evaluation, integrating linguistic, cultural, and strategic competences. 
• Demonstrate intercultural awareness and adaptability in nuanced communication. 
• Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to sustain communication and engage confidently with complex or unfamiliar material.

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.