Media Chinese (4th Year Level)

Course Description

Media Chinese is designed for students who have successfully completed at least three years of Chinese language studies at the college level, and who are interested in obtaining a deeper understanding of Chinese society, culture, and politics through Chinese media. Organized around a range of topics on China’s political, economic, and social issues, the course builds advanced learners’ Chinese media literacy by systematically exposing them to Chinese broadcast news, online news, blogs and videos, TV shows, and movies. Each course topic integrates authentic audiovisual and print materials from different media sources. The course aims to improve learners’ four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with a stronger emphasis on building their listening comprehension and speaking abilities than traditional Chinese courses do. In addition to learning the formal vocabulary and grammatical structures commonly used in Chinese media and the more colloquial expressions found in dramas, students will also learn about some of the major issues facing modern China.

Course Objectives

By the end of the spring semester, students are expected to be able to–
• read and listen to basic media publications and programs with greater ease.
• summarize, orally or in writing, information that they have listened to or read.
• express their own opinions about various issues with greater linguistic sophistication.
• gain a better understanding of both Chinese culture and some of the country’s major  political, economic, and social challenges.

Course Readings & Material Fees:

• A course reader prepared by the instructor (including transcription of audiovisual materials, online texts, vocabulary, grammar, and discussion questions).
• Miscellaneous English articles that address the topics covered in the Chinese materials.
• Material fees: $20~$25/semester.

Media Sources

• CCTV News Broadcasts 中国中央电视台新闻联播
• China Digital Times 中国数字时代
• New Tang Dynasty Television 新唐人电视台
• Radio Free Asia 自由亚洲电台
• Voice of America 美国之音中文网