Newcastle University > Undergraduate > Find a Degree > Module

• Offered for Year: 2020/21

• Module Leader(s): Miss Melissa Fang
• Other Staff: Ms Linda Cheng, Miss Hanna Burdorf, Mrs Shirley Knott

• Owning School: Modern Languages
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Aims

(1) To provide students with sufficient language competence to cope with the linguistic demands of real life in general, personal, social and business contexts.
(2) To develop an appropriate level of inter-cultural sensitivity in students, enabling successful interpersonal communication in a range of different situations.
(3) To continue to provide students with the necessary skills to become better language learners.

You will build upon the achievements made during your year abroad, increasing your knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical structures at intermediate and post-intermediate levels. By the end, you will be conversing confidently and naturally, orally and in writing, in language appropriate to a range of situations.

Outline Of Syllabus

Roughly equal emphasis will be placed on reading, listening, speaking and writing skills. Grammar will be taught throughout in order to improve all four skills, using an integrated task-based approach. Topics will include a wide range of social, cultural and political trends and issues relevant to contemporary China.

Every week you will have 5 scheduled teaching hours which incorporates activities such as reading, grammar, writing, speaking, C-E translation.

Every week you will also have 2 structured guided learning hours including:

1.Listening: Listening materials and task sheets to enable you to practice the grammar points, vocabulary, sentence patterns through listening exercises. You are expected to complete the task sheets, check the answers, and conduct reflective learning before online submission.

2. Reading and Writing: We will provide extra reading and writing tasks to reinforce your reading and writing skills.

Teaching Methods

Please note that module leaders are reviewing the module teaching and assessment methods for Semester 2 modules, in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. There may also be a few further changes to Semester 1 modules. Final information will be available by the end of August 2020 in for Semester 1 modules and the end of October 2020 for Semester 2 modules.

Teaching Activities

Jointly Taught With

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Intermediate and post-intermediate grammatical structures and vocabulary are introduced and consolidated, using a task-based, communicative approach. Reading skills (skimming for gist; scanning for detail) are introduced and practised via classroom tasks involving pair and group work. Writing skills are introduced in class and practised outside the classroom in creative assignments set by the lecturer.

In order to ensure that 274 hours of independent guided study takes place, each contact hour is followed by homework assignments relating to what has just been introduced/practised. There is a minimum homework submission requirement of 70%, with this percentage being calculated every 6 weeks. Where appropriate, individualised formative feedback is provided (e.g. for writing assignments involving a creative element).

Oral and aural skills are practised throughout the course in task-based activities and via oral presentations.

THIS MODULE IS TAUGHT AND ASSESSED IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE (SIMPLIFIED CHARACTERS).

Assessment Methods

Please note that module leaders are reviewing the module teaching and assessment methods for Semester 2 modules, in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. There may also be a few further changes to Semester 1 modules. Final information will be available by the end of August 2020 in for Semester 1 modules and the end of October 2020 for Semester 2 modules.

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams

Exam Pairings

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The portfolio of written coursework provides motivation for independent learning and allows students to monitor their progress. The formal written examination combined with listening component, and oral examination provide a summary assessment.

Knowledge of intermediate and post-intermediate grammatical structures and vocabulary are assessed in all assessed work. Knowledge of the orthographic system is assessed by portfolio of written coursework and formal written examination, while that of the phonological system is assessed in formal written exam and oral examination.

Regular vocabulary and grammar tests are necessary in order to allow students to acquire competence steadily. It also provides students with the opportunity to have constant feedback on their performance.

Reading Lists

• CHN4010's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• CHN4010's Timetable