Chinese Upper Intermediate Step 1 (Monday)

This course is the first step in completing the upper intermediate level in Chinese. In this course, you will learn to discuss your views, report information and statistics, and narrate events or stories. The course focuses on language used in everyday life and workplace settings, helping you build confident communication skills in both formal and informal situations.

There are two hours of teaching per week over ten weeks.   Through interactive classroom activities, you will continue developing your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Typical class activities include short recitations, small-group role-plays, responses to short texts, contributions to group discussions, and handwriting and typing practice. Cultural elements are integrated throughout the course to help you explore Chinese-speaking communities, everyday customs and social interactions.

You will need to buy a textbook (see below), and you will also need access to a computer or another device with an internet connection in order to use our learning platform.   

If you have fully engaged with all the learning activities and have attended regularly, by the end of the course, you should be able to:

•    Express viewpoints and develop arguments for or against a topic.  •    Analyse and interpret complex figures related to data or surveys.•    Produce clear and detailed text describing an event or narrative. •    Demonstrate insights  into contemporary Chinese society, including workplace culture, interpersonal relationships, and traditional family structures.

The above list is indicative and may be subject to change. The required textbook covers four levels of the course.          

You will need to buy the following textbook online via the link.  

•    Wu. Z., (2023). New Contemporary Chinese 4. Beijing: Sinolingua. 

This course is the first step on our upper intermediate level and is open to anyone who completed Chinese Intermediate Step 3 or equivalent. If you are unsure of your level, please reach out to the Confucius Institute for Scotland to arrange an assessment.  

We welcome all and are committed to fostering a positive culture and sense of community among learners and staff. We expect learners to treat others with dignity and respect. Learners must be aged 16+. Learners under the age of 16, with a minimum age of 14, are also welcome, but must be accompanied by a parent/guardian throughout the class. If you have a disability, learning difficulty, health condition, or personal circumstances which may affect your learning, please let us know so we can make appropriate adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. 

Wherever possible, we mainstream adjustments in line with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy. Learners will have limited access to the University’s student support services.

You need to have completed Chinese Intermediate Step 3 or equivalent. If you are unsure of your level, please reach out to the Confucius Institute for Scotland to arrange an assessment. You will need basic digital skills, such as using a computer and navigating a website, in order to access the course learning platform.

Booking is available until 23:59 the day before the course is due to start, unless the course is full or cancelled.