(CHNS 201 & 202) Text: New Practical Chinese Reader 2 Years: Fall 2015-Spring 2016
Course Description: Chinese 201 and 202 continue to build up students' language skills through larger vocabularies, longer and more complex texts, and a wider range of topics, such as travels, sports games, technology, etc. Students follow the characters of the stories to experience various occasions and learn to communicate in larger, more diverse communities.
As coordinator of the CHNS 101 classes in 2014, I helped launch the PLaCE (Purdue Language and Culture Enrichment)/CHNS Language Partner Program, which aimed at helping students engage in cross-cultural experience by pairing Chinese learners up with freshmen and sophomore students from China. I designed the worksheets for CHNS 101 with an emphasis on popular culture, embedding language learning in cultural exchange. With the favorable feedback from students we continued the program at the 200 levels, which opened up to me greater possibilities of a communicative, student-centered learning environment, as I could encourage my students to teach the class what they had learned from their language partners. Letting students talk boosts their confidence and interest in challenging materials, and it is inspiring to see how much my students are willing to learn in order to better interact with their peers in the next exchange. As a proponent of active learning, I cherish the glittering moments when students share their free thoughts, lately acquired skills, and new friendships.