Chinese 2 A/B
Students continue their study of Chinese by further expanding their knowledge of key vocabulary topics and grammar concepts. Students not only begin to comprehend listening and reading passages more fully, but they also start to express themselves more meaningfully in both speaking and writing. Each unit consists of a new vocabulary theme and grammar concept, reading and listening comprehension activities, speaking and writing activities, multimedia cultural presentations, and interactive activities and practices which reinforce vocabulary and grammar. There is a strong emphasis on providing context and conversational examples for the language concepts presented in each unit. Character recognition and practice are a key focus of the course and students are expected to learn several characters each unit. However, pinyin is still presented with characters throughout the course to aid in listening and reading comprehension. Students should expect to be actively engaged in their own language learning; understand common vocabulary terms and phrases; use a wide range of grammar patterns in their speaking and writing; participate in conversations and respond appropriately to conversational prompts; analyze and compare cultural practices, products, and perspectives of various Chinese-speaking regions; and take frequent assessments by which their language progression can be monitored.