Online Chinese Language Education
Types of Online Programs by Media
Podcasts
CI-MSU will provide podcasts of a series of video- and audio-based Chinese learning materials of both beginning-level and intermediate-level. All the materials are organized in coherent stories with language and culture explanations and are suitable to long-term systematic learning of Chinese. There will also be a series that focuses on the issues relevant to living, working and visiting China. This series can serve as a nice introduction of Chinese language and culture for those who want to prepare for their visit to China. Moreover, there will also be a series that is developed specifically for preschoolers and children. In addition to those existent materials, podcasts of adapted daily broadcasts from TV and radio stations will also be provided. Those podcast materials will be available in the coming month.
China Panorama
China Panorama series is published by China Central Radio and TV University, Audio & Visual Press of China Central Radio & TV University. It consists of six series:
Approaching Chinese
Intermediate Chinese
Chinese for Tourism
Chinese for Business
Phonetic Introduction
Let's Enjoy Chinese
The Approaching Chinese series (the Beginner Level) guide learners step by step, starting with the teaching of basic vocabulary, phrases, and grammar. Each phrase comes with several scenarios common in Chinese culture. The Intermediate Level sets different vignettes in everyday Chinese life, and follows with detailed explanations of vocabulary, usage, grammar, and sentence structures. This series is good for secondary students learning Chinese in non-Chinese speaking countries, because students will grasp how to use phrases and how to communicate in different situations.
Chinese for Tourism and Chinese for Business are organized this way: a scenario, new words and expressions, a story, and reading comprehension checks, all appropriate for tourists and business people. This series not only immerses learners into more advanced language, but also surrounds them with Chinese traditions, popular tourist sites, and culturally sensitive business strategies. This series is a must to watch if you plan to visit China either for tourism or on a business trip.
The Phonetics and Let's Enjoy Chinese series offer learners’ tools enabling them to further learn formally or pick up Chinese casually. Enjoy this beautiful, melodic, and pictographic language.
Classes Available by Levels
Online Mandarin Chinese Courses for Secondary Students: CI-MSU will offer a complete series of high-quality Mandarin Chinese courses to middle and high school students through the Michigan Virtual High School. The series includes eight courses for high school students (grades 9 through 12) and six courses for middle school students (grades 6 through 8). The first course for beginners will be offered in the fall of 2006.
Online Mandarin Chinese Courses for Adults: CI-MSU will offer online Mandarin Chinese courses for adults that include general language and culture education as well as language and culture courses for specific purposes (for example, business, tourism, and education).
Online Chinese Language and Culture Appreciation Course Series: CI-MSU also plans to develop a series of introductory courses for elementary, middle, and high school students. Unlike the other language courses, this series of courses will focus more on Chinese society, geography, economy, history, philosophy, and literature and will also include an introductory language component. The purpose of this series is to help students gain a better understanding of China.
Online and Multi-media Chinese Language Programs for Young Children: CI-MSU will develop a series of online and multi-media materials to support Chinese language learning for young children. This series will be comprised primarily of video and game based Chinese language and culture learning materials that will be delivered through DVDs and computer programs.
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