Course Syllabus
University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
Chinese in a Global Society I
CHI101| Fall 2021 | 4 credits
12:05-1:00 pm M W F @ Wimberly 210 | T or Th online asynchronous
Course Overview Course Schedule Course Policies Campus Policies Student Resources
Course Introduction
Welcome
Hello and welcome to CHI 101! My name is Hongying Xu, but you can call me Xu/ Lao_ shi-, which is the Chinese way to address their teacher. Take a few minutes to watch this video to learn a little more about me and how I envision us approaching this course. Then, read through the course information below. It's my hope that you engage with this page as your orientation to this course. If you have any questions about the information on this page, please do not hesitate to email me hxu@uwlax.edu .
Course Overview
Catalog Description
This is a Chinese language course for beginners. Its aim is to help students develop communicative competence in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing as well as the cultural context in which they are used. This course lays the foundation for learners to further their study of Chinese by introducing the Chinese pronunciation system, writing system, basic vocabulary and sentence structures for use in essential everyday situations through various forms of oral and written practice.
Program Learning Outcomes
- This course is first of the sequential required courses of the Chinese Proficiency Certificate. Generally speaking, the goal of this course is to help you reach the novice-low to novice-mid level as described in the Proficiency Guidelines released by American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) in 2012.
Course Learning Outcomes
- Specifically, by the end of this course, you will be expected to:
- Understand some highly practiced language on learned topics, especially when contexts strongly support understanding, and speech is clearly audible or repeated;
- Understand written language on learned topics with visual or contextual clues
- Use a limited number of highly practiced words and expressions for familiar topics;
- Ask and respond to highly predictable questions with words, lists, and memorized phrases
- Show linguistic accuracy when using memorized words and phrases
- Can be understood with some difficulty by sympathetic interlocutors
- Communicate knowledge of cultural products and practices
- Use memorized culturally appropriate formulaic expressions, gestures, and basic writing conventions
- Use communicative strategies to facilitate communication, including use of visual support, gestures, and indication of lack of understanding
Final
Fri, Dec 17 7:45-9:45 am
Instructor
Hongying Xu, PhD, Assistant Professor, (She/her)
Email: hxu@uwlax.edu
Phone: 608-785-8312
Office Hours:
M & W 1:30-2:30 pm; T 2:30-3:30 pm @ Graff Main Hall 311C (my office)
Virtual appointments via Zoom are an option. Email me to set up a virtual meeting.
You are welcome to contact me via email or call my office, but my preferred method of contact is via emails. You are welcome to reach out to me at any time, for any reason. I check my emails several times during the week days. However, if you email me after 9:00 pm, please expect to hear back from me within 24 hrs on the next work day.
Learning Materials
Required textbook (available from textbook rental): Integrated Chinese 4th Ed. Volume 1 (: 中文听说读写 1) Textbook (Paperback, Simplified) (Yuehua Liu, Tao-chung Yao et al) Publisher: Cheng & Tsui
Required workbook (you need to purchase it either at the school bookstore or online): Integrated Chinese 4th Ed. Volume 1 (: 中文听说读写 1) Workbook (Paperback, Simplified) (Yuehua Liu, Tao-chung Yao et al) Publisher: Cheng & Tsui
Learning Environment
Format
CHI 101 is a hybrid course that meets three times a week face-to-face in Wimberly 210 and one day online asynchronously. This course also uses the Flipped Learning model, an instructional approach “in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space (classroom) to the individual learning space (outside of classroom), and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning environment” (https://flippedlearning.org/definition-of-flipped-learning/ )
Content
This course will start with an introduction of the Chinese pronunciation system, followed by an introduction of the writing system. After that, we will start the units. Each unit has a particular topic and is presented in two short dialogues. We will learn how to “do things” in Chinese (e.g. to introduce yourself) after we study the dialogues as examples.
I post modules on Canvas by content. There is a module on pronunciation and writing system. Then there is a module for each unit. In each module, I have the following pages:
- Learning objectives: I list what you will be expected “to do” after you learn that unit
- Assessments: I state how you will be assessed in terms of those learning objectives
- Learning resources: I post everything you need to learn the unit, including audio recordings, slides, screencast videos, infographics, videos, etc.
- Unit daily schedule: I post what we will do for each day in class, and what assignments are due before class and what assignments to complete after class. All the tasks will be linked to this page. Please check this page regularly.
Tasks & activities
Unlike subject courses, which have bigger projects due with a longer interval, language classes usually have smaller tasks more frequently. CHI 101 is no exception. It is best that you set aside 40 minutes to 1 hour each day during the weekdays to study Chinese. Here are the tasks that you usually complete outside of class:
- Listen to audio recordings of new vocabulary and then record yourself reading them
- Help yourself get familiar with new vocabulary by using strategies you feel work best for you (we will discuss strategies and share them) so that you won’t feel lost in class when you hear them or try to use them
- Study some grammar structures by using the materials provided: you can watch some interactive videos; or you can download my slides and take notes while watch my screencast videos that walk you through the slides; or you can read grammar notes from the textbook
- You will submit a study report to share with me how you feel about the new grammar structures. It includes a few questions on the new grammar structures to help yourself valuate how well you understand them. It is totally fine and normal if you still feel a bit confused. Submit your questions in your report. We will have a Q&A session at the beginning of the class.
In class, we usually spend the majority of time practicing using new vocabulary and grammar to complete some communicative tasks in groups, pairs, or as a whole class. We will spend some time at the beginning of the class to address any issues you have after you study the materials on your own.
Expectations
What you can expect from me:
- I will treat you with dignity and respect and be flexible to support your individual needs.
- I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful manner.
- I will provide a variety of assignments to ensure your learning needs are met.
- I will be actively present in your learning.
- I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.
- I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
- I won't be perfect. I am human and will make mistakes at times. I will view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.
What I will expect from you:
- You will treat me and your peers with dignity and respect.
- You will strive to be an active participant in this course and aim to meet due dates.
- You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
- You will contact me if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
- You will strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to practice with you.
- You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups, expect them. We will get through them together.
- You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human and mistakes are part of learning and growing.
Course Schedule
Please note this is a semester schedule and is subject to change. Please refer to more specific schedules from the "Daily Schedule" page in each module. I will you notify students of changes in class and in announcements on Canvas. Please subscribe to announcements so that you will get timely notifications. Since we meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, please expect that we have tasks due the night before. I try my best to avoid tests on Mondays.
Week & Units |
Tasks |
|---|---|
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Week 1 9/6-10 Introduction (1) |
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Week 2 9/13-17 Introduction (2) |
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Week 3 9/20-24 Introduction (3) |
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Week 4 9/27-10/1 Unit 1 |
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Week 5 10/4-10/8 Unit 1 |
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Week 6 10/11-15 Unit 2 |
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Week 7 10/18-22 Unit 2 |
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Week 8 10/25-29 Mid-term review |
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Week 9 11/2-5 Unit 3 |
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Week 10 11/8-12 Unit 3 |
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Week 11 11/15-19 Unit 4 |
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Week 12 11/22-26 Unit 4 |
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Week 13 11/29-12/3 Unit 5 |
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Week 14 12/6-12/10 Unit 5 |
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Week 15 12/13-15 Review |
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Course Policies
Grading Policy
The breakdown for your final grade is as follows:
Percent of Final Grade |
|
|---|---|
Preparation & participationIt includes your class attendance, your participation in class, your meeting with your conversational partners |
15% |
AssignmentsIt includes your study reports and some exercises from the workbook |
30% |
Unit written assessmentThere will be a written test of each unit, including the introduction unit |
15% |
Unit oral assessmentThere will be an oral project of each unit. The project can be individual presentation, or a role-play. |
20% |
Midterm and final projectsThe mid-term is an individual project and the final project is a group project |
20% |
Total |
100% |
Participation Policy
It is my wish for every student to succeed in this class, so participation is a substantial part of your overall grade. You will earn full participation points if you:
- Arrive promptly
- Listen attentively
- Keep electronic devices in your backpack until instructed to use them
- be on task during pair work and group activities
- try your best to use Chinese and are willing to take risks (making mistakes is part of learning)
If you have attendance or participation questions or concerns, I encourage you to contact me as early in the semester as possible.
Grading Scale
Grade |
% |
GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A | 100 to 91%* | 4.0 |
| AB | < 91% to 87% | 3.5 |
| B | < 87% to 82% | 3.0 |
| BC | < 82% to 77% | 2.5 |
| C | < 77% to 70% | 2.0 |
| D | < 70% to 60% | 1.0 |
| F | < 59% to 0% | 0.0 |
*Knowing that to start learning a language that is distant from your own is not easy, I adjusted the normally used scale for the letter grades by lowing two points of each grade letter.
Late Submission Policy
The success of out class meetings depend on your completion of tasks before you come to class. So I highly encourage you to stick with the due dates of each assignment. However, I understand that life happens, so I accept late homework as long as it is submitted before we start the next unit. You are eligible for a reduced grade for late submission.
If you foresee any issues with meeting deadlines or have health/family concerns that crop up during the semester, please reach out to me and we can work together to come up with an alternate delivery time or method. Extensions will be managed on a case-by-case basis, but generally, do not expect extensions unless there are extenuating circumstances.
Expectations for Graded Work
I provide feedback and/or scores on assignments that require individualized grading. Generally, I return work within 14 days from the date the work was due. I will notify you if I am unable to grade the work within the 14-day timeframe, and will identify a revised return date. If you submit work after the due date, it may not be returned within 14 days.
Your graded coursework will be returned in compliance with FERPA regulations, such as in class, during my office hours, or via the course management system through which only you will have access to your grades.
COVID-19 Statement
All UWL students are encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19. All students are required to be masked in classrooms and other indoor campus communal spaces. Campus-wide mask guidance may change during the semester. Students with COVID-19 symptoms or reason to believe they were in contact with COVID-19 should call and consult with a health professional, such as the UWL Student Health Center (608-785-8558), regardless of their vaccination status. Students who are ill or engaging in self-quarantine at the direction of a health professional should not attend class. Students in this situation will not be required to provide formal documentation and will not be penalized for absences. However, students should:
- notify instructors in advance of the absence and provide the instructor with an idea of how long the absence may last, if possible.
- keep up with classwork if able.
- submit assignments electronically.
- work with instructors to either reschedule or electronically/remotely complete exams, labs, and other academic activities.
- consistently communicate their status to the instructor during the absence.
Instructors have an obligation to provide reasonable accommodation for completing course requirements to students adversely affected by COVID-19. This policy relies on honor, honesty, and mutual respect between instructors and students. Students are expected to report the reason for absence truthfully and instructors are expected to trust the word of their students. UWL codes of conduct and rules for academic integrity apply to COVID-19 situations. Students may be advised by their instructor or academic advisor to consider a medical withdrawal depending on the course as well as timing and severity of illness and students should work with the Office of Student Life if pursuing a medical withdrawal.
Academic Success and Overall Health
At UWL, we support your academic success and overall health. We know that students often experience a range of stressors that can impact learning and well-being. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health concerns,or could benefit from effective academic strategies, there are free and confidential resources available to enrolled students through the Counseling & Testing Center (CTC). To learn more, visit CTC’s website or call 608-785-8073.
Inclusivity Policy
I wish to confirm my conviction that a college campus must be a safe place for the discussion of ideas. As such, each member of the class should treat one another with tolerance for ideas discussed from a variety of perspectives. I respect the dignity of every person and will not allow discrimination against anyone based on religion, age, disability, ethnic origin, race, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation.
Religious and Cultural Observances Policy
I strongly encourage you to honor your cultural and religious holidays. If you have a religious or cultural observance that coincides with this class (meetings and/or due dates), let me know by email at least two weeks in advance of the intended date of absence. Please let me know so that we can make a plan to ensure that you do not fall behind in class while you are celebrating a religious or cultural observance.
Campus Policies
UWL Syllabus Policy Information & Statements
UWL encourages students to know the campus’ important policies related to Covid-19 health statement, academic integrity & misconduct, religious accommodations, sexual misconduct, student concern procedures, students with disabilities, and veterans & active military personnel. These policies and statements can be found on the Syllabus Information website.
Individual instructors will articulate course requirements and any additional policies in the course syllabus and/or on a Canvas site associated with the course. UWL also encourages students to take advantage of the campus’ many and varied student success resources; a listing is found on the UWL Student Success website.
Academic Integrity & Misconduct
Academic misconduct is a violation of the UWL Student Honor Code and is unacceptable. I expect you to submit your own original work and participate in the course with integrity and high standards of academic honesty. When appropriate, cite original sources, following the style rules of our discipline.
PLEASE NOTE that whenever a grade penalty is imposed due to academic misconduct, the instructor is required to write a letter documenting the misconduct. Copies are sent to the student, to the Office of Student Life (where the letter remains on file in the student’s record), and to the Dean of the student’s College. Refer to UWL Student Handbook for a detailed definition of academic misconduct, and for possible sanctions and consequences. The Office of Student Life can also assist.
Plagiarism or cheating in any form may result in failure of the assignment or the entire course, and may include harsher sanctions. Refer to the Student Handbook (Student Code of Conduct, Academic Misconduct) for a detailed definition of academic misconduct.
For helpful information on how to avoid plagiarism, go to “Avoiding Plagiarism” on the Murphy Library website. You may also visit the Office of Student Life if you have questions about plagiarism or cheating incidents. Failure to understand what constitutes plagiarism or cheating is not a valid excuse for engaging in academic misconduct.
UWL Policies & Supports
Course Access
Access to course materials in Canvas may cease after the term ends. If you wish to archive materials for your personal records or portfolio you should do so as you progress through the course. As a general rule, you should always save local copies of course-related work. To avoid disasters, you should also save important files to external media or cloud storage.
Inclusive Excellence
UWL’s core values include “Diversity, equity, and the inclusion and engagement of all people in a safe campus climate that embraces and respects the innumerable different perspectives found within an increasingly integrated and culturally diverse global community." If you are not experiencing my class in this manner, please come talk to me about your experiences so I can try to adjust the course if possible.
Name/Pronouns
I will do my best to address you by a preferred name or gender pronoun that you have identified. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. UWL has a preferred name policy and UWL’s Pride Center is available for additional assistance.
PRO@UWL (Progress Report Online via Navigate)/Student Success Policy
If I notice that you are experiencing difficulties early in the semester (e.g., low assignment scores or limited participation), I may provide you feedback through Navigate, UWL's success system, and you will receive notification indicating that I have entered feedback. I encourage you to meet with me and/or utilize helpful campus resources listed on UWL’s Student Success website.
Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI)
UWL conducts student evaluations electronically. Approximately 2 weeks prior to the conclusion of a course, you will receive an email at your UWL email address directing you to complete an evaluation for each of your courses. In-class time will be provided for students to complete the evaluation in class. Electronic reminders will be sent if you do not complete the evaluation. The evaluation will include numerical ratings and, depending on the department, may provide options for comments. The university takes student feedback very seriously and the information gathered from student evaluations is more valuable when a larger percentage of students complete the evaluation. Please be especially mindful to complete the surveys.
Student Resources
Academic Services and Resources at UWL
UWL has an array of supports for your success, and the website below makes sure you know about all of them. Please take the time to investigate the resources available, via the Student Success website. If you would like help finding what you need, please do talk with me.
Technical Support
For tips and information about Canvas visit the UWL Canvas Guide for students; this site also links to the 24/7 Canvas support. Check your browser compatibility with Canvas. If you are having Canvas login issues or need general computer assistance, contact the Eagle Help Desk.