AP Chinese Syllabus Discussion
After I posted my syllabus online, some teachers sent me questions and comments. I appreciate very much. Here are some questions with "---", and answers follow afterwards.
---I am interested to chat with you how you plan to integrate the 'language' part into these units?
My plan is to integrate language components into the cultural sections. All the material selected will have a language focus. Through the practices of language components, students understand better the cultural themes. I believe that, in this way, language and cultural components can be naturally integrated. Students will not feel bored in just practicing the language part. Of course, it is easy to say.
---Do you start out using a fixed text book, and enhence it with the suggested cultural units? Or is the suggested syllabus the sole content of the class? If latter, I suspect you would devise a complete set of classroom curriculum including language texts and grammar rules?
I don't have one fixed text book for the moment. I will try to merge them together with an emphasis of a language component. This syllabus draft will be definitely revised.
--On the other hand, your AP students might be at a level so advanced that is beyond the most advanced text books available?! Could it be why you focus your AP class on the 'culture' but not the 'language''?
Yes and no. I teach heritage students. Most of them graduated from junior high schools, and some from high schools in Taiwan, Hongkong, and China. It is not easy for me to select a good textbook for them. I am confident that my students will be able to handle the language part quite well but they need to explore more about the Chinese culture. From the workshops and training I received, I realized that most questions or texts in the AP Exam will contain very specific cultural components.
-- If there is no existing publication that can support your syllabus, the burden, then, lies in you to research, construct, compile and integrate all your findings before you custom fit them into your curriculum.
Yes. Your are absolutely correct. However, since I have been teaching Chinese language and culture for over 14 years, I accumulate much resources and material. Furthermore, the Internet provides immense, and up-to-date resources to us. I will let students to explore and create projects appropriate to the units. Student-centered learning is a hot topic now. They are the ones playing the key roles in this course. They will research, construct, compile and integrate all the findings from their learning. With this option, students don't really have any limits to learn the topic of each unit. The only issue is how we can better organize what we can find online in a coherent and productive way. Hopefully, at the end of semester, students can produce some nice material and publications for the future AP course. Of course, next AP class always has a job to replenish and update the material, which is also how language and culture evolve.
I know that my draft is very primitive. I appreciate that you noticed my courage. For that, I would like to thank you again. I need comments like yours to revise my syllabus. Of course, if I can offer some ideas to other teachers, I will feel very happy to do so.
---I am interested to chat with you how you plan to integrate the 'language' part into these units?
My plan is to integrate language components into the cultural sections. All the material selected will have a language focus. Through the practices of language components, students understand better the cultural themes. I believe that, in this way, language and cultural components can be naturally integrated. Students will not feel bored in just practicing the language part. Of course, it is easy to say.
---Do you start out using a fixed text book, and enhence it with the suggested cultural units? Or is the suggested syllabus the sole content of the class? If latter, I suspect you would devise a complete set of classroom curriculum including language texts and grammar rules?
I don't have one fixed text book for the moment. I will try to merge them together with an emphasis of a language component. This syllabus draft will be definitely revised.
--On the other hand, your AP students might be at a level so advanced that is beyond the most advanced text books available?! Could it be why you focus your AP class on the 'culture' but not the 'language''?
Yes and no. I teach heritage students. Most of them graduated from junior high schools, and some from high schools in Taiwan, Hongkong, and China. It is not easy for me to select a good textbook for them. I am confident that my students will be able to handle the language part quite well but they need to explore more about the Chinese culture. From the workshops and training I received, I realized that most questions or texts in the AP Exam will contain very specific cultural components.
-- If there is no existing publication that can support your syllabus, the burden, then, lies in you to research, construct, compile and integrate all your findings before you custom fit them into your curriculum.
Yes. Your are absolutely correct. However, since I have been teaching Chinese language and culture for over 14 years, I accumulate much resources and material. Furthermore, the Internet provides immense, and up-to-date resources to us. I will let students to explore and create projects appropriate to the units. Student-centered learning is a hot topic now. They are the ones playing the key roles in this course. They will research, construct, compile and integrate all the findings from their learning. With this option, students don't really have any limits to learn the topic of each unit. The only issue is how we can better organize what we can find online in a coherent and productive way. Hopefully, at the end of semester, students can produce some nice material and publications for the future AP course. Of course, next AP class always has a job to replenish and update the material, which is also how language and culture evolve.
I know that my draft is very primitive. I appreciate that you noticed my courage. For that, I would like to thank you again. I need comments like yours to revise my syllabus. Of course, if I can offer some ideas to other teachers, I will feel very happy to do so.
posted by AP Chinese at
6:33 PM
1 Comments:
I strongly recommand you two great books for AP Chinese Courses.
AP Chinese Language & Culture - Simulated Tests
http://www.nanhai.com/materials/language-learning/test-preparation/ap-chinese-language-and-culture-simulated-tests.html
Harvest (For AP Chinese)
http://www.nanhai.com/materials/language-learning/test-preparation/harvest.html
By
Mark Zhang, at 9:58 PM
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