Course Syllabus
Syllabus: Elementary Mandarin Chinese I
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Course Description
Chinese 101 is an elementary Mandarin Chinese course designed for students with no prior knowledge of Chinese. It provides a foundation for all four language skills, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The focus of the course is on communicative competence and accuracy. Special attention is given to Pinyin, the official system for representing Mandarin with the Roman alphabet, and tones, which are crucial to the mastery of Mandarin Chinese, and everyday speech patterns.
- Course Name: CHIN 101-1: Elementary Chinese
- Department: World Languages and Cultures
- Current Semester and Year: Fall 2023
- Credit Hours: 4
- Course Format: Face to Face
- Course Meeting Time: M-Tu-W-Th 9:55-10:45
- Class Location: Pearson 2137
- Course Prerequisites:
This class is an introductory course in Mandarin Chinese designed for students with no prior knowledge of Mandarin Chinese.
Students who have completed three or more years of high-school world language study may not enroll in or receive credit for 101-102 in those languages; credit may be obtained by passing the appropriate Exam for Credit or by completing an advanced sequence (200-level or higher) in that language.
Students who have completed two years but less than three years of a single high-school world language may not enroll in a 101 course in that language. These students may enroll in either a 102 course in that language, or in the case of Spanish, Span 97. Before enrolling in either Span 97 or a 102 language course, students are recommended to take the on-line placement test available at https://language.iastate.edu/start-here/. After completing the online placement test, students who believe that they have extenuating circumstances may appeal to the Department of World Languages and Cultures in order to request enrollment in a 101 language course.
For advising questions, please talk to one of the department advisors: Patrick Johnson (pat@iastate.edu) or Jenn Topp-Segar (jents@iastate.edu)
Instructor Information
Instructor: Jennifer Macasek
Email: jmacasek@iastate.edu
Phone: n/a
Office location: Pearson 2114 (cubicle on the far left in the back)
Student hours: (on-campus/virtual) Mondays 3:15-4:15, Wednesdays 4:15-5:15 or by appointment.
Office hours are usually first come first serve. If you need to meet at a specific time within my office hour period, we can schedule an appointment via email. If you have a time conflict with my office hours, please email me to schedule a time outside of office hours. Office hours are a great opportunity to practice speaking Chinese, discuss study skills, and ask questions we may not have time to answer in class.
You can contact your instructor in the following ways:
- General announcements will be posted via Canvas announcements. Properly configure your Notification Settings in Canvas to receive notifications.
- By email. I may not check email after 5pm or on weekends. On weekdays I will respond to your email within 24 hours, and weekend emails will be addressed on Monday. For complicated questions, it is best to come talk to me in office hours.
Course Objectives (COs)
Upon completing this course, students will be able to do the following:
CO 1: Engage in simple conversation in Chinese on topics covered in the textbooks and be understood by speakers of Chinese who are very accustomed to interact with language learners.
CO 2: Demonstrate understanding of short, simple conversations and narratives in Chinese (live or recorded material) on familiar subjects narrated by native speakers at a slower-than-natural speed.
CO 3: Demonstrate understanding of very short simple texts in Chinese and find predictable information and vocabulary in simple everyday familiar topics such as advertisements, menus, maps, name cards, and brochures.
CO 4: Write short, simple notes and messages in the target language, by recombining learned vocabulary and structures to form simple sentences on very familiar topics.
CO 5: Demonstrate beginner-level awareness of Chinese cultural values, beliefs, and tradition.
Course Materials
List any required and optional materials, such as books, instructional guides, websites, simulations, interactive games, mass media publications, peer reviewed journals.
Follow a specific reference style guide, such as APA, MLA or Chicago. At minimum, reference the author or owner name, date of publication, title, and the URL or source, such as publisher.
Required materials
Integrated Chinese (Simplified character) Textbook, Level 1. Cheng & Tsui Company. 4th Edition
Integrated Chinese (Simplified character) Workbook, Level 1. Cheng & Tsui Company. 4th Edition
Integrated Chinese (Simplified character) Character Workbook, Level 1. Cheng & Tsui Company. 4th Edition
Note: You may buy the textbook and workbooks at the ISU Bookstore or online. I encourage you to buy the paper books as we will be working with the textbook and workbook closely in class. It's often easier to have the paper book as a reference. However, if you prefer a digital version of the textbook, that is fine. Make sure you have a tablet or laptop to work with the texts in class and bring it every day. A phone screen is too small to use effectively. If you buy a digital copy of the workbook you may write homework answers on a separate sheet of paper and turn them in that way.
Optional materials
Grid paper for practicing Chinese characters beyond the space given in the Character Workbook
I recommend students download the free Chinese dictionary app Pleco for looking up new vocabulary words, character stroke order, and example sentences.
Course Requirements Overview
Learning Mandarin Chinese requires regular, active participation in listening, reading, speaking, and writing, both inside and outside of the classroom.
This semester, we will cover the Basics section of the textbook and the first six lessons in the textbook. Each lesson is broken up into a Part 1 and a Part 2. Each week we will cover one lesson part. Each lesson part includes a module with a topic overview and all assignments and due dates. Modules for the following Tuesday will be released the previous Friday by the end of the day. The modules can be found via the right-side menu in Canvas.
Tuesdays, starting in Week 1, we begin a new lesson part. Before Tuesday's class, you should have read through the assigned lesson part and listened to the lesson part audio.
Wednesdays we continue the lesson. Character practice homework is due in class at the beginning of class.
Thursdays we continue the lesson. Pronunciation practice homework is due online by the end of the day.
Mondays, we will have an in-class lesson part quiz and do a comprehensive review of the lesson part. Workbook exercises are due on Mondays in class at the beginning of class.
Every four weeks, we will have an exam. A study guide will be provided at least a week before the exam. The first exam covers relatively simple beginner material (Lessons 1+2) and we will not have a review week. We will have a review session the Friday before the exam. We will have a review week before the second exam (Lessons 3+4), and we will also have an oral exam during that week. The third exam (Lessons 5+6) will be the final exam. We will have a review week during week 15 of the semester. In the final month of the semester, you will also work on a group skit with your classmates and submit a video of your skit during finals week. More details on homework, quizzes, exams, and the skit project can be found below.
Student progress will be assessed through in-class participation, weekly homework, weekly quizzes, three (oral and written) exams, and a final cumulative group skit.
Assessment & Grading Details
Note: Your final grade is the sum of 6 weighted category percentages. Each category grade is based on the percentage of points you obtain within that category. Please read below for details.
In-Class Participation and Attendance 15%
You may be absent up to 6 classes with no penalty. Between 7 and 12 absences, regardless of the reason for the absence, will result in a lowered participation grade. Thirteen or more absences will result in a failing final grade in the course. If you come 10 minutes late to a class or leave 10 minutes early, it will be counted as one absence.
Full preparation for class includes reading the assigned dialogues and grammar explanations, listening to the audio files, and completing assigned homework.
Active participation in class includes arriving on time, coming prepared, active listening during class lectures and discussions, active participation in in-class activities, and demonstrating respect for me and your peers in all class activities.
Because language is best learned through using it, there will be significant amounts of partner and group work in this class. Treating your classmates with respect and supporting each others’ learning is essential to your success in this class.
Teaching Assistant Participation 5%
- Attendance for meetings with the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant weekly is required. Students are expected to meet individually with the teaching assistant for 20 minutes once a week from week 2 to week 14 during the semester. (a minimum of 10 times) At the weekly meeting, the teaching assistant will help make sure that students’ pronunciation and tones are correct and will provide opportunity for students to use what they learned in class to talk.
Homework (30%): Students are expected to devote at least 12 hours per week to the course outside the classroom. Weekly homework assignments include the following:
Reading and listening to the lesson before the new lesson part begins on Tuesday: part of your participation grade.
Workbook listening and grammar practice: 12 points x 13 = 156 points
Character practice: 6 pts x 13 = 78 pts
Pronunciation practice (make an audio recording of the lesson): 5 pts x 13 = 65 points
Free points = 1
Total Points = 300
Homework assignments will be accepted up to 1 week late with a 20% reduction in points. The lowest three homework scores will be dropped.
Mini-Quizzes (10%)
Weekly in-class quizzes will ensure that you are keeping up with course goals both inside and outside of the classroom and will give you additional experience practicing your language skills. For each quiz, you will a) write the characters and pinyin of dictated vocabulary items, along with English equivalents, and b) write responses in characters and/or pinyin to the questions using the vocabulary and grammar you are learning. No quizzes may be made up. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. (10 pts x 10 = 100 points)
Exams (30%)
There is a speaking exam (30pts) and a written exam (70pts) for every two chapters, in week 6 and week 11. There will be a written exam during finals week (100pts). All exams will be during our normal face to face meeting time except for the 3rd written exam which will be at the scheduled final time. No exams may be made up.
Group Skit 10% In the final third of the quarter, you will prepare a group skit that combines the knowledge from lessons 1 through 5 to perform a creative scene with your group members. A dress rehearsal of the skit will be performed during the last week of class. A grading rubric will be shared in Week 12. Your group should submit a video of your skit on the due date of the final: Wednesday 12/13 by 7:30am.
Grade Distribution Summary
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You can accumulate points by participating in the following way:
| Participation area | Total Percentage of grade |
|---|---|
| In-Class Participation | 15% |
| Teaching Assistant Participation | 5% |
| Homework | 30% |
| Mini-Quizzes | 10% |
| Exams | 30% |
| Group Skit | 10% |
| Total Points Possible | 100% |
Grading Scheme
Grading scheme: The table below shows the Canvas default grading scheme. This is a Canvas sample grading schema, and not an institutional grading schema. Make sure the grading schema you describe in your syllabus matches your grading schema in the course-specific settings.
The following grading standards will be used in this class:
| Grade | Range |
|---|---|
| A | 93% to 100% |
| A- | 90% to < 93% |
| B+ | 87% to < 90% |
| B | 83% to < 87% |
| B- | 80% to < 83% |
| C+ | 77% to < 80% |
| C | 73% to < 77% |
| C- | 70% to < 73% |
| D+ | 67% to < 70% |
| D | 63% to < 67% |
| D- | 60% to < 63% |
| F | 0% to < 60% |
Course Policies
Below are sample policies. They may not fitting your course, so please change accordingly.
Feedback
All graded assessments will be returned within 7-14 days of the due date. Character and pronunciation practice will be awarded credit on completion. Feedback will include regular in-class feedback on speaking and pronunciation, and written feedback on workbook writing exercises and exams. We will discuss in-class quiz feedback in class.
Missed and late coursework
It is important to keep up with the pace of this course. Homework assignments will be accepted up to 1 week late with a 20% reduction in points. The lowest three homework scores will be dropped. No quizzes or exams may be made up. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
Attendance
Between 7 and 12 absences, regardless of the reason for the absence, from class will result in a lowered participation grade. Thirteen absences will result in a failing final grade in the course. If you come 10 minutes late to a class or leave 10 minutes early, it will be counted as one absence.
Important note
If at any point during the semester you begin to experience difficulties meeting the above requirements, please get in touch with me as soon as possible. I am happy to work with you in office hours or by appointment to develop strategies for success and/or refer you to university resources if necessary.
Academic Appeal Process
If you become concerned about your instructor's class management, please communicate your concerns with your instructor. Concerns sometimes relate to grading methods, paper turnaround time, and course policies, as examples. I will do my best to address your concerns in a timely manner. If you feel uncomfortable speaking with your instructor, please review ISU's academic appeal process.
Materials Fee and Additional Resources
Materials Fee
Each student enrolled in a 100- and 200- level world language course is assessed a materials and professional support fee of $25.00 per course.
The fee covers the full cost of all instructional audio-visual materials provided to you or used for instruction in the course during the semester as well as the resources provided by the Language Studies Resource Center (LSRC) located in 3142 Pearson. As a student in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, you are encouraged to stop by the LSRC (3142 Pearson Hall) and take advantage of its resources and facilities.
The LSRC gives you access to reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, style manuals, encyclopedias, etc.); worldwide television and radio broadcasts in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Russian and Spanish; magazines; foreign-language films and English-language films on foreign culture (an online catalog with some of these resources is available on our website); computers furnished with software that is particularly useful for your language studies (e.g., spellcheckers, sound editors, language-specific multimedia resources, Skype, etc.) as well as hardware (e.g., headsets, microphones, videoconferencing equipment, etc.); and consumables used for instruction (e.g., digital media used for content distribution or storage, such as publisher authorized copies of CDs). Our website is frequently updated with new resources and events.
Required ISU Syllabus Statement
Free Expression
Iowa State University supports and upholds the First Amendment protection of freedom of speech and the principle of academic freedom in order to foster a learning environment where open inquiry and the vigorous debate of a diversity of ideas are encouraged. Students will not be penalized for the content or viewpoints of their speech as long as student expression in a class context is germane to the subject matter of the class and conveyed in an appropriate manner.
Recommended ISU Syllabus Statements
Academic Dishonesty
The class will follow Iowa State University’s policy on academic misconduct (5.1 in the Student Code of Conduct). Students are responsible for adhering to university policy and the expectations in the course syllabus and on coursework and exams, and for following directions given by faculty, instructors, and Testing Center regulations related to coursework, assessments, and exams. Anyone suspected of academic misconduct will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct in the Dean of Students Office. Information about academic integrity and the value of completing academic work honestly can be found in the Iowa State University Academic Integrity Tutorial.
Accessibility Statement
Iowa State University is committed to advancing equity, access, and inclusion for students with disabilities. Promoting these values entails providing reasonable accommodations where barriers exist to students’ full participation in higher education. Students in need of accommodations or who experience accessibility-related barriers to learning should work with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to identify resources and support available to them. Staff at SAS collaborate with students and campus partners to coordinate accommodations and to further the academic excellence of students with disabilities. Information about SAS is available online at www.sas.dso.iastate.edu, by email at accessibility@iastate.edu, or by phone at 515-294-7220.
Discrimination and Harassment
Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 3410 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, Hotline 515-294-1222, email eooffice@iastate.edu
Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources
Iowa State University is committed to proactively facilitating all students’ well-being. Resources available on the ISU Student Health and Wellness website. (https://www.cyclonehealth.iastate.edu)
Prep Week
This class follows the Iowa State University Prep Week policy as noted in section 10.6.4 of the Faculty Handbook.
Religious Accommodation
Iowa State University welcomes diversity of religious beliefs and practices, recognizing the contributions differing experiences and viewpoints can bring to the community. There may be times when an academic requirement conflicts with religious observances and practices. If that happens, students may request the reasonable accommodation for religious practices. In all cases, you must put your request in writing. The instructor will review the situation in an effort to provide a reasonable accommodation when possible to do so without fundamentally altering a course. For students, you should first discuss the conflict and your requested accommodation with your professor at the earliest possible time. You or your instructor may also seek assistance from the Dean of Students Office at 515-294-1020 or the Office of Equal Opportunity at 515-294-7612.
Contact Information For Academic Issues
If you are experiencing, or have experienced, a problem with any of the above statements, email academicissues@iastate.edu
Disclaimer: The information in this syllabus is subject to change in extenuating circumstances. Changes to the course syllabus will be provided in writing and announced via course-wide announcements.
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Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|