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Intermediate Chinese (One)

Module description

The module is appropriate for students who have completed successfully module MLM1052 Chinese Beginners or have an equivalent qualification. You will be given a solid foundation of the basic grammatical structures of the language, which will allow you to listen, speak, read, and write at an intermediate level on a variety of topics. You will also learn about the Chinese culture and customs in which Mandarin Chinese is spoken in order to develop the awareness of the language’s background and context.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module is between A2 Basic User and B1 Independent User of the Common European Framework and  aims  of this module are to:

• Consolidate the essential structures of the target language, developing both vocabulary and range of language structures thus equipping students with the linguistic tools to enable them to communicate effectively in everyday situations
• Further develop active and passive language skills, including comprehension skills in listening and reading, productive skills in speaking, and writing
• Deepen your understanding and appreciation of the customs, culture and society of the regions/countries in which the languages are spoken and to develop student awareness of the general social and cultural background of the language

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate competence in the use of an extensive range of grammatical structures of the target language
• 2. Read and write in Chinese characters on both concrete and abstract topics in the target language

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Understand confidently in a wide range of situations including more specialised topics both in listening and orally and produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects in the target language
• 4. Understand the principles of learning a foreign language intensively and organise your learning with some guidance from the tutor

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Make a clear, prepared presentation on a general topic and take an active part in discussions, accounting for and sustaining your views
• 6. Translate passages from a variety of authentic written sources into and out of the target language
• 7. Use available learning aids in a variety of media, such as a reference grammar and bilingual dictionary, to consolidate your learning
• 8. Make progress through developing skills of self-study and application and develop an awareness of and sensitivity to a foreign culture

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that the module will provide a systematic approach to acquiring essential grammar structures in a communicative context and in accordance with the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. It will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Optative verbs
• Sentences with serial verb phrases
• Pivotal sentences
• Subjective-predicate
• Structures as attributives
• Measure words
• Modal words
• Formal and informal passive voices
• Tenses
• Conjunctions
• Compound sentences and clauses
• Structural particles
• Pivotal sentences
• The rhetorical question and comparison
• The Chinese language and China
• Travelling in China
• Health and seeing a doctor
• Chinese food culture and festivals
• Renting a house
• Making  invitations
• Changing money at the bank
• Borrowing and returning books
• Education
• Interests and hobbies

Teaching methods are based on interactive language development tasks, such as pair / group work and role-playing, and include the study of short texts, oral development work and listening comprehension exercises. Learning activities are supported by various media, including audio, video / DVD, and, where appropriate, computer software. The module is taught as far as possible in the target language.      

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – If you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for aÃ?�Ã?¢Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½Ã?�Ã?¯re-assessmentÃ?�Ã?¢Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½Ã?�Ã?¯taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment. 

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

You will only be required to retake any failed assessments. Marks for any passed assessments will be carried forward. If you have failed any assessments but managed to pass the module overall, you will not be allowed to retake the failed assessments. 

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• New Practical Chinese Reader, Textbook 2 Beijing Language University Press, 2012. (2nd Edition)
• New Practical Chinese Reader, Workbook 2 Beijing Language University Press

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=4400

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• Kan Qian, Colloquial Chinese, The next step in Language learning, Routledge (2007)
• Dictionary: Collins Oxford English/Chinese and Chinese/English dictionary

Key words search

Chinese, Intermediate, Mandarin, China