Zhongqi Shi
Senior Lecturer in Chinese
Office: 626 Kent Hall
Office Hours: MTR 9:55-10:10 AM, 11:30-12:00 PM or by appointment
Phone: 212-854-0660
Email: zs2132@columbia.edu
Educational Background
PhD: Cognitive Science in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
MA: Applied Linguistics, Beijing Language and Culture University
BA: Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Beijing Language and Culture University
Classes Taught
CHNS GU4012 Business Chinese I
CHNS GU4013 Business Chinese II
CHNS GU4112 Advanced Business Chinese I
CHNS GU4113 Advanced Business Chinese II
CHNS UN3003 Third Year Chinese I
CHNS UN3004 Third Year Chinese II
CHNS UN2205 Second Year Chinese I
Research Interests
AI and Technology-Enhanced Language Learning
Chinese for Professional and Specific Purposes
Second Language Motivation and Teacher–Student Relationships
Corpus-Based Research and L2 Language Development
Curriculum Design and Experiential Learning
Zhongqi Shi is Senior Lecturer in Chinese in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University, where he has taught since 2005. He previously served as Associate Director of the Chinese Program and Coordinator of East Asian Language Programs.
His teaching and research focus on Chinese for professional and specific purposes, AI- and technology-enhanced language learning, second language motivation, and curriculum and program development. He has received multiple Provost’s Teaching and Learning Grants for pedagogical innovation at Columbia, supporting projects that have explored podcasting, video-based reflection, AI-assisted job interview preparation, and AI-powered conversational learning. His work on an AI-assisted chatbot for Business Chinese was featured by Columbia’s Center for Teaching and Learning in its “Faculty Voices on AI in the Classroom” series and as a Faculty AI Use Case on Columbia Magazine.
His publications address Business Chinese, second language motivation and development, and technology-enhanced language learning. His recent book, Embracing Change: A New Era in Chinese Teaching (《应变：中文教学新思路》), was published by Cheng & Tsui in 2026.
Shi has held a number of leadership roles in the Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA-US), including President and Vice President, as well as chairing the ACTFL–CLTA Conference Program, the AI for Chinese Special Task Force, and the Media and Publicity Committee.
Selected Publications
Books on Chinese Language Teaching and Pedagogy
Shi, Z. (2026). 《应变：中文教学新思路》 Embracing Change: A New Era in Chinese Teaching. Boston, MA: Cheng & Tsui Co., Inc. ISBN 978-1-62291-770-9.
Shi, Z., & Qiu, Z. (2009). 《中文可以这样教》 Teach Chinese This Way. Beijing: QunYan Press. ISBN 978-7-8025-6051-2.
Selected Journal Articles and Book Chapters
Guan, D., & Shi, Z. (2026). Business Chinese Curriculum Development: An Analysis of Course Types and Pedagogical Approaches. In L. Y. Chen & C. M. Tu (Eds.), New Developments in Chinese for Specific and Professional Purposes.
Shi, Z., Tian, Y., & Liu, R. (2025). 美国高校中文教师的岗位特点与职业素养—基于招聘启事的分析和研究 [Characteristics and Professional Competencies of Chinese Language Instructors in U.S. Higher Education: An Analysis of Job Postings]. Journal of Language Governance, 3, 85–98.
Shi, Z., Du, Y., & Yu, W. (2025). Podcasting and L2 Listening: Impacts on Behavior and Attitude in Chinese Language Learners. Journal of Technology and Chinese Language Teaching, 16(1), 118–144.
Shi, Z., & Li, S. (2024). From Mock Interviews to Real Job Interviews: Assessing the Efficacy of Business Chinese Instruction. Foreign Language Annals, 1–20.
Shi, Z., & Yuan, Q. (2023). Machine Learning-Based Investigation of Syntactic Complexity Measures in Foreign Language Acquisition. Chinese as a Second Language, 58(3), 262–298.
Shi, Z., & Guan, D. (2022). 基于三维调查的商务汉语核心教学内容探讨 [An Investigation of Core Content of Business Chinese Instruction: A Three-Dimensional Perspective]. International Journal of Chinese Language Teaching, 3(1), 36–56.
Shi, Z. (2021). 专用汉语教学需求分析：从理论到实践 [Needs Analysis in Teaching Chinese for Special Purposes: From Theory to Practice]. Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology, 3(2), 84–94.
Shi, Z., Yuan, Q., & Guan, D. (2019). 1997–2017年商务汉语教学探索与实践: 热点与反思 [1997–2017 Business Chinese Teaching and Research Overview]. International Chinese Language Education国际汉语教育, 4(4), 6–19.
Selected Textbooks
Winning Strategies (V1): Learning Business Chinese through Real Companies 《商务中文案例教程—策略卷》. China Translation & Publishing Corporation, 2015. Editor-in-Chief/First Author.
Winning Strategies (V2): Learning Business Chinese through Cross-Cultural Cases 《商务中文案例教程—文化卷》. China Translation & Publishing Corporation, 2015. Editor-in-Chief/Co-author.
Understanding China: Advanced Chinese Reader 《理解中国—高级汉语教程》. Peking University Press, 2014. First Author.
Excellent Chinese: Business Practice 《卓越汉语—公司实战篇》. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2010. First Author.
