Accessibility statement

LfA Chinese Beginner - LFA00295L

« Back to module search

  • Department: Language and Linguistic Science
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Dan Li
  • Credit value: Information currently unavailable
  • Credit level: LFA
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module summary

This course is aimed at students who have no previous knowledge of Chinese. Over the course of the year it will steadily build the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to learn Chinese and communicate in basic situations. It will focus on developing a communicative competence from beginner level and provide a foundation for further study.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24 to Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

The aim of this module are:

  • to build up basic skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing
  • to develop strategies for learning Chinese
  • to develop interactive skills in familiar situations
  • to introduce and practise the writing system and orthography

Students will engage, individually and in groups, in activities and tasks emphasising three core communicative skills:

  1. reception activities (oral, audio-video and reading comprehension);
  2. production activities (oral and written production);
  3. interaction activities (oral, written and online interaction).

The mediums of instruction are English and Chinese.

Module learning outcomes

  • Ability to understand basic expressions and short, simple informational material and texts on familiar everyday subjects.
  • Ability to produce short phrases and series of simple sentences about familiar everyday subjects.
  • Ability to interact in a simple way, and ask and answer questions on familiar daily topics.
  • Ability to recognise basic cultural differences and to establish basic social contact by using everyday polite forms of greetings, farewells and introductions.
  • Ability to grasp a basic knowledge of the writing system and orthography of Chinese and begin to apply them appropriate to the level.

Module content

Topics may include:

  • greetings and general polite forms;
  • exchanging personal information;
  • talking about one's daily routine;
  • celebrating one's birthday;
  • talking about one's university and major;
  • expressing likes and dislikes.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Departmental - attendance requirement
Attendance requirement		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

Pass/fail & Non-reassessable

Additional assessment information

The course is non-assessed but students will receive an LFA Certificate of Completion if they participate in at least 13 sessions out of 18.

Reassessment

None

Module feedback

Regular homework tasks will provide opportunities for ongoing feedback on progress.

In addition, students will have the opportunity to complete coursework. Its purpose is not to provide a summative assessment of students’ performance but to provide the basis for relevant tutor’s feedback and feedforward.

Indicative reading

Course materials and guided readings will be provided by the module convenors via the VLE at the start of the semester.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.