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Chinese VI: Development of Communication Skills

Code: 105867 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2504012 Spanish and Chinese Studies: Language, Literature and Culture OB 3

Contact

Name:
Xiaoyan Guo
Email:
xiaoyan.guo@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

It is an intermediate level subject, of consolidation, development and improvement, which requires knowledge of all the basic aspects of phonetics, grammar, and the structure of writing characters.
It is assumed that students have learnt the contents taught in the previous Chinese subjects (Chinese I, II, III, IV and V).


Objectives and Contextualisation

Chinese VI: Development of Communicative Skills aims to expand the knowledge of the structures of the modern Chinese language, as a complement to the basic knowledge acquired in first and second year, the consolidation of basic knowledge of the Chinese grammar, the expansion of vocabulary, the improvement of pronunciation, oral and written expression, the development of the ability to read and understand intermediate-level texts, as well as the improvement of expressive skills in oral and written language. Despite being a language subject, the course also aims to make students aware of Chinese culture and its sociocultural aspect in Chinese-speaking societies.


Competences

  • Analyse the phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, lexical and semantic properties of the Spanish language and the Mandarin Chinese language.
  • Compare Spanish and Chinese from a literary and linguistic knowledge of both languages.
  • Demonstrate the capacity to work autonomously, engaging in self-analysis and self. Criticism.
  • Describe the linguistic foundations on which the standards of Spanish and mandarin Chinese are based.
  • Evaluate the influence of cultural references in Chinese studies in interlinguistic and intercultural communication.
  • Produce written texts in Mandarin Chinese at an intermediate level (B1, B2).
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Understand and produce spoken texts in Mandarin Chinese at an intermediate level (B1, B2).
  • Understand texts written in Mandarin Chinese at an intermediate level (B1, B2).

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply lexical, morphosyntactic, textual and rhetorical knowledge and knowledge of linguistic variation.
  2. Apply strategies for understanding spoken text in different fields at an intermediate level (B1, B2).
  3. Apply strategies for understanding written texts from different fields at an intermediate level (B1, B2).
  4. Apply strategies to acquire cultural knowledge of China to be able to communicate.
  5. Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
  6. Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
  7. Describe linguistic aspects of Chinese using a non-specialist informative tone.
  8. Describe linguistic aspects of Chinese using specialised terminology.
  9. Ensure quality standards for your own work.
  10. Identify the need for cultural knowledge of China to be able to communicate.
  11. Identify tools and instruments for autonomous learning of the Chinese language and to solve linguistic problems.
  12. Integrate and apply cultural knowledge of China to be able to resolve communication processes.
  13. Integrate cultural knowledge for solving communication problems.
  14. Interpret the communicative intention and meaning of written texts in different subject areas.
  15. Produce spoken texts at an intermediate level (B1, B2) that are appropriate to the context and linguistically correct.
  16. Produce written texts at an intermediate level (B1, B2) that are appropriate to the context and linguistically correct.
  17. Recognise basic structures in Chinese and describe them using adequate terminology.
  18. Resolve interferences between working languages.
  19. Solve problems of intercultural communication.

Content

Discover China 3 (student book and exercise books) will be studied in depth. Complementary materials will also be used. The contents can be grouped into:

The contents of five lessons from the textbook entitled New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (student book and exercise books) will be studied in depth. Complementary materials will also be used. The contents can be grouped into:

Phonological and graphemic:

  • application of the Pinyin transcription system in learning new vocabulary by writing
  • consolidation of the basic principles of writing: character structure identification; decomposition into different components (semantic parts, phonetic parts); stroke order, number and type
  • recognition of traditional Chinese characters
  • typing Chinese into electronic devices

Lexis and morphology:

  • Review and extension of frequently used keys.
  • Recognition and writing of new characters introduced in the lessons studied.
  • Comprehension and use of new vocabulary introduced in lessons studied. 

Grammar (morphosyntactic level): 

  • Expressing "even" using 甚至
  • Expressing "be worth" using 值得
  • Expresssing purpose using 为了
  • Stating causes using 由于
  • Expressing influences using 受…..影戏那个
  • Noun phrases with 以
  • Expressing "unbearable" 受不了
  • Stating extreme consequences using 造成
  • Describing impressions using 好像
  • Expressing limited choices using 不是…….就是
  • Sentence-initial adverbs 幸好,可惜,其实

Communicative and sociocultural skills:

  • Asking for and giving opinions through reasoning
  • Agreeing and disagreeing
  • Asking for and checking information
  • Giving reasons and expressing regret
  • Expressing hospitality and appreciation
  • Giving polite responses
  • Understanding accomplishments and achievements
  • Identifying notable events in a life story
  • Understanding airport check-in information
  • Confirming and correcting information
  • Understanding a news report about extreme weather
  • Identifying the location of rooms, househould items and facilities
  • Understanding hospitality
  • Understanding a diary entry
  • Understanding cultural differences regarding proper topics of conversation

Encyclopaedic and instrumental knowledge:

  • Basic general knowledge about the Chinese language
  • Introduction to certain aspects of Chinese culture directly or indirectly related to the language mastering, such as tea houses, famous mountains in China, traditional Chinese medicine, etc.

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Reading comprehension, writing, oral comprehension, speaking and lectures 52.5 2.1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
Type: Supervised      
Different kinds of exercises, correcting exercises, clearing doubts (either individually or in group) 33 1.32 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
Type: Autonomous      
Study and practice of new vocabulary, preparation of writing and speaking exercises, reading comprehension exercises 34.5 1.38 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

Training activities are divided into directed activities, supervised activities and autonomous activities.

  • Guided activities: the teachers explain the most important contents of each unit, read aloud and oral and written comprehension exercises, oral expression exercises, practice of grammar points and new vocabulary and review of the given subject. This will be the ideal space to clarify doubts of common interest. The activities will be varied, of different types (oral and written, individual and in group) and, in some cases, evaluable.
  • Supervised activities: include the practice of written oral comprehension and oral and written expression, as well as the resolution of exercises.
  • Autonomous activities: they consist of the practice of calligraphy, the study of characters and vocabulary, the preparation and revision of new texts and grammar points, as well as the resolution and self-assessment of exercises through the solutions that will be posted. on the virtual campus. For each teaching unit the student must dedicate around 50 hours of study, including supervised activities and independent work (preparation, practice through exercises and revision). Given the contents and structure of the subject, it is essential that you regularly devote weekly time to preparing the new subject, doing the exercises and revising the given subject. this dedication of the students is presupposed for the good follow-up of the rhythm of the subject.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Exams 70% 5 0.2 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
Portfolio 30% 25 1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

Assessment

Continuous assessment

Students must provide evidence of their progress by completing tasks and tests. Task deadlines will be indicated in the course schedule on the first day of class. All activity deadlines are indicated in the subject's schedule and must be strictly adhered to.

Portfolio (30%) consists of compositions, group activities, vocabulary tests and other kinds of exercises.

There will be two exams: one in the middle of the term (30%) and the other one at the end of the term (40%).

Related matters

All information on assessment, assessment activities and their weighting is merely a guide. The subject's lecturer will provide full information when teaching begins.

Review 

When publishing final marks prior to recording them on students' transcripts, the lecturer will provide written notification of a date and time for reviewing assessment activities. Students must arrange reviews in agreement with the lecturer. 

Missed/failed assessment activities 

Students may retake assessment activities they have failed or compensate for any they have missed, provided that those they have actually performed account for a minimum of 66.6% (two thirds) of the subject's final mark and that they have a weighted average mark of at least 3.5.

The portfolio cannot be retaken or compensated for. Under no circumstances may an assessment activity worth 100% of the final mark be retaken or compensated for.  

The lecturer will inform students of the procedure involved, in writing, when publishing final marks prior to recording them on transcripts. The lecturer may set one assignment per failed or missed assessment activity or a single assignment to cover a number of such activities. 

Classification as "not assessable" 

In the event ofthe assessment activities a student has performed accounting for just 25% or less of the subject's final mark, their work will be classified as "not assessable" on their transcript. 

Misconduct in assessment activities  

Students who engage in misconduct (plagiarism, copying, personation, etc.) in an assessment activity will receive a mark of “0” for the activity in question. In the case of misconduct in more than one assessment activity, the students involved will be given a final mark of “0” for the subject. 

Students may not retake assessment activities in which they are found to have engaged in misconduct. Plagiarism is considered to mean presenting all or part of an author's work, whether published in print or in digital format, as one's own, i.e. without citing it. Copying is considered to mean reproducing all or a substantial part of another student's work. In cases of copying in which it is impossible to determine which of two students has copied the work of the other, both will be penalised.

 

Single assessment

This subject may be assessed under the single assessment system in accordance with the terms established in the academic regulations of the UAB and the assessment criteria of the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting.

Students must make an online request within the period established by the faculty and send a copy to the teacher responsible for the subject, for the record.

Single assessment will be carried out in person on one day during week 16 or 17 of the semester. The Academic Management Office will publish the exact date and time on the faculty website.

On the day of the single assessment, teaching staff will ask the student for identification, which should be presented as a valid identification document with a recent photograph (student card, DNI/NIE or passport).

Single assessment activities

The final grade for the subject will be calculated according to the following percentages:

  • Oral expression test 30%
  • Written expression test 25%
  • Test of all other skills 30%
  • Portfolio with exercises decided by the teacher 15%

Grade revision and resit procedures for the subject are the same as those for continual assessment. See the section above in this study guide.

More Information: https://www.uab.cat/web/studies/undergraduate/academic-information/evaluation/what-is-it-about-1345670077352.html


Bibliography

Textbook

Discover China 3. Libro de texto + libro de ejercicios. Editorial: Macmillan Education.

Reference works:

Casas-Tost, Helena; Rovira-Esteva, Sara (Eds.). 2015/2021. Guia d’estil per al tractament de mots xinesos en català. Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament de Cultura. Biblioteca tècnica de política lingüística, 2. ISBN: 978-84-393-9241-5. DOI: 10.2436/15.8040.02.1. URL: https://ddd.uab.cat/record/133473

Casas-Tost, Helena; Rovira-Esteva, Sara (Eds.). 2015. Guía de estilo parael uso de palabras de origen chino. Madrid: Adeli. URL: https://ddd.uab.cat/record/180644 

López Calvo, F.; Zhao, Baoyan. 2013. Guía esencial de la lengua china. Madrid: Adeli Ediciones. 

Ross, Claudia; Sheng, Jing-Heng. 2006. Modern Chinese grammar: a practical guide. New York: Routledge. 

Yip, Po-ching; Rimmington,Don. 2014. Gramática básica del chino. Madrid: Adeli Ediciones. 

Yip, Po-ching; Rimmington, Don. 2015. Gramática intermedia del chino. Madrid: Adeli Ediciones. 

 

Supplementary readings

Rovira-Esteva, Sara. 2010. Lengua y escritura chinas. Mitos y realidades. Barcelona: Edicions Bellaterra.

 


Software

Online resources:

eChinese Tools: Mil y una herramientas para aprender chino: https://dtieao.uab.cat/txicc/echinese/  

Casas-Tost, Helena; Gay-Punzano, Lourdes; Guo, Xiaoyan; Nie, Lingzhi; Paoliello, Antonio; Rovira-Esteva, Sara; Vargas-Urpí, Mireia. 2024.
e·Chinese Plus: Platform to practice Chinese. Available on: https://dtieao.uab.cat/gelea2lt/echineseplus.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Chinese second semester morning-mixed