Chinese 8

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Time commitment totals 170 hours.

CHIN20027 Chinese 7 or equivalent.

New students will have their appropriate entry point determined by the Chinese Program, based on evidence of prior learning and/or results of a placement test as required. Please refer here for further information.

CHIN10004/CHIN30015 Chinese 8 (formerly known as Chinese 4B).

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject is for students who have a Chinese-speaking background and minimal literacy skills. It aims to help students make the transition from beginning level textbook Chinese to a more advanced level where they can not only deal with original Chinese materials intended for native-speakers of the Chinese language, but also learn how to effectively analyse various socio-cultural issues related to present-day China.

Students will develop their ability to communicate in Chinese at an advanced level and their analytical skills of the Chinese language by engaging with a range of social-cultural topics associated with contemporary Chinese society and culture. Student expertise in the utilisation of both linguistic and cultural resources will be further developed through reading Chinese texts addressing each of socio-cultural situations, writing and presenting opinion pieces on current socio-cultural or socio-political issues in Chinese, conducting newspaper reading comprehension tasks, and participating group discussions. The study of Chinese texts will be supported by brief English passages, video, audio and additional reading materials introducing the cultural topics.

On completion of this subject, students will:

• improve their skills in the comprehension of written Chinese
• be able to read independently, comprehend authentic written and audio-visual media in various styles, extract information from materials, and analyse that information in both writing and speaking
• be familiar with key socio-cultural themes that inform the construction of Chinese society at both local and national levels
• acquire skills to extract information from complex specialised materials written in Chinese, and render those accurately into English
• be able to expand their experience of Chinese writing styles, and further develop their skills in translation at an advanced level
• be able to discuss social and cultural issues relevant to contemporary China, and express their views on a range of issues, affiliated with key cultural situations, in both writing and speaking

• Homework and class writing tests (weekly throughout semester) 10%
• A mid-semester test (mid-semester) 15%
• An analytical piece of written work 650 words (Week 10) 10%
• A 20-minute oral presentation (Week 12) 15%
• A 2-hour written examination (during examination period) 50%

Hurdle requirement: Class attendance is required for this subject; if you do not attend a minimum of 80% of classes without an approved exemption you will not be eligible for a pass in this subject.

Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

New step - Intensive Reading Course of Intermediate Chinese Vol. III (Xia), by Yuan Liangzhen and Zhang Yanhua. Bejing: Peking University Press, 2007.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

• acquire public speaking skills through tutorial and seminar discussion and class presentations
• be able to apply their Chinese language skills and socio-cultural understanding to issues of public debate
• be able to further develop analytical skills in cross-cultural interaction through active and purposeful communication gained in the course
• be able to engage in critical debate over a range of socio-cultural and socio-political issues relevant to present-day China
• be able to conduct independent research and analysis over a range of issues concerning China, and articulate their opinions in Chinese in writing and speaking
• further develop analytical skills in cross-cultural interaction through active and purposeful communication gained in the course

New students will have their appropriate entry point determined by the Chinese Program, based on evidence of prior learning and/or results of a placement test as required. Please refer here for further information.