Course Syllabus (Spring, 2012)

Course Description:

Chinese films are used as “culture text” through which students learn about Chinese traditions, values, and customs in a visualized way that is different from conventional text reading. This course is designed for advanced Chinese language students to gain language and culture proficiency through different genres of movies that reflect its history, society and people’s values. Students will develop language learning skills that require independent study methods. This approach will benefit students to learn Chinese on their own through movies they might watch in the future. Students will be expected to watch the film, understand the plot while developing a deeper understanding of the Chinese culture and history. Each student will develop and improve their conversational and comprehensive skills, as well as articulate their ideas verbally and on paper.

Course Objectives:

(1) Increase language proficiency through vocabulary extension, dialogue clips, reading and writing blogs, and classroom discussions all on the movies shown in class.

(2) Gain cultural knowledge through in depth observations of the films, reflection of what happened in the movie, and comparisons between American and Chinese ways.

(3) Be able to acknowledge and appreciate different genres of Chinese movies, Chinese actors, and producers and be able to discuss about the movies you like or dislike with native Chinese speakers.

Grading:

Host Movie Presentation 40%

Class Participation 20%

Quizzes 10%

Midterm and Final Exams 10%

Final Reflection Paper (Host Movie) 10%

Blog 10%

Course Organization:

(1) Before the term starts, students choose, or will be assigned, a movie he/she will work on over the whole term. The first two movies will be presented by Sun Laoshi/guess speakers as samples and student presentations will begin in week three.

(2) At least two weeks before you present your movie, you will schedule a meeting with Sun Laoshi to work on your Movie Introduction Slides, Vocabulary List, Conversation Worksheets, Question Worksheets, and Movie blog post.

(3) We will cover one movie each week. A new movie will be introduced Friday afternoon which will be facilitated by the host student in charge of this movie. Movie Introduction Slides must be handed out to the rest of the class.

(4) Over the weekend students are required to watch the movie again and finish Conversation Worksheets. Students must send to Sun Laoshi (Deadline: Sunday midnight). Also, students must prepare for Monday's vocabulary quiz.

(5) Mondays are Vocabulary Days.

(6) Answer Question Worksheets and post it on Class Blog (Deadline: Tuesday midnight). Also comments on others’ blog posts at least five of them (Deadline: before Wednesday class).

(7) Wednesdays will be Discussion Days.

(8) Post your own blog post of the class notes blog for each movie before the new movie starts.

Course Requirements:

Attendance and Participation: If you do not attend class, you will not be hearing and speaking Chinese, the most important aspect in developing proficiency in a second language. Attendance is therefore required. A good participation grade requires students to volunteer to speak and, also, raise and answer questions without the instructor's request.

Be responsible for your own movie and other students’ learning: Each new movie will be introduced on Friday. So make sure to prepare your presentation well so that the other students can understand the message you deliver. Remember, other students' learning depends on your work on your film. Handouts must clearly written in Chinese, proofread, and easy to comprehend.

Students will be expected to prepare for the quizzes and have all homework assignments and questions prepared for discussion.

Blogs: This course is integrated into Blog. Your Student Blog will consist of all the movie posts we see in this class and it will be presented as your learning outcome (introduction to the movie, vocabulary and sentences). Actively comment on other students' posts, and follow the deadlines for your personal posts. Each week I’m going to post questions on our Class Blog((http://ncchinesefilm.blogspot.com). These 5-10 questions are designed by the Host Student. Each student is supposed to submit the answers as the “Comments” and then comment on others' comments too. This will help focus class discussions on Wednesdays. These submissions will have a deadline before class, that way all the students can read them. Due to the nature of these assignments, late homework will not be accepted.

Final Paper: At the end, students will write one final reflection paper. Students will write a three page paper on their own movie discussed in class. Grades will be based on content and grammar. Students will have an opportunity to revise their essays for grade increase along the way. More specific details about the content of the paper will be discussed later on throughout the course.