Spring 2012 Chinese Language and Culture Classes
Beginning 1/16/2012 for Adults and 1/23/2012 for Children

Do you want to get started learning Chinese? Or keep up the momentum with what you have learned so far? Come join Chinese I and II for children ages 5 – 17 or join us for Chinese I, II, III, or Chinese cultural classes designed primarily for working adults who want to learn Chinese but don’t have time for a college-level class.

INSTRUCTION FOR CHILDREN

Chinese I (Children Ages 5 – 17)

Did you know that Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world? Did you know that Mandarin Chinese is the third most widely spoken language in the United States? This beginning class will teach students the basics of Chinese language including pinyin and characters with an emphasis on widely used phrases, use of high frequency words, common expressions, and cultural lessons as well. The class will be fun, interactive, and assist students in laying a foundation for learning the Chinese language and culture.

Fridays, 10 Weeks, 1 Session a Week, 1 Hour Session, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Instructor:  Wang Hui Hui, hwang7@memphis.edu, 901-678-2595

Course fee: $15 per hour for standard class (5-10 students), $20 per hour for small class (2-4 students), and $30 per hour for individual class (Includes printed and other instructional materials.) Payment must be made by second class.

Chinese II (Children Ages 5 – 17)

Chinese II class is for students who have received at least one full year of Chinese language instruction either in a classroom setting in their school or through the CIUM, private teacher, etc. This class will emphasis learning and understanding the four tones for speaking correctly, introducing additional Chinese characters, practice writing and reading characters, speaking through the introduction of a larger vocabulary, grammar, and Chinese culture.

Fridays, 10 Weeks, 1 Session a Week, 1 Hour Session, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Instructor:  TBA

Course fee: $15 per hour for standard class (5-10 students), $20 per hour for small class (2-4 students), and $30 per hour for individual class (Includes printed and other instructional materials.) Payment must be made by second class.

INSTRUCTION FOR ADULTS

Chinese I (Including Beginning Level A and Level B)

If you are planning to travel to China or are just curious about the Chinese language, this course is an easy and practical way to get started. Beginning level A is for beginners, Beginning B is for those who have at least 100-300 vocabulary words mastered. This course will cover the basic vocabulary, expressions, and simple sentences which are needed to deal with simple conversational situations and communication with Chinese friends. To further develop your Chinese language proficiency, it is recommended that you take Chinese II in order to develop even more effective and practical Chinese speaking ability. Join in this class if you want to have fun and expand your language horizons.

10 weeks, 2 sessions per week, 1 hour per session
Beginning Level A Class: M&W 5:30 - 6:30
Beginning Level B Class: T&TH 5:30 – 6:30

Course fee: $15 per hour for standard class (5-10 students), $20 per hour for small class (2-4 students), and $30 per hour for individual class. (Includes printed and other instructional materials.) Payment must be made by second class.

Beginning Level A:  Mr. Kong Xueyi: stcoons@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2595
Beginning Level B:  Mr. Li Jiayun:  jli8@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2595

Address: 11th Floor, Wilder Tower, University of Memphis

Chinese II (Including Intermediate Level A and Level B)

Building on the foundation laid in Chinese I, this course is designed for those who have completed Chinese I or have already learned a basic Chinese vocabulary, daily communicative expressions and basic sentence structures. Intermediate level A is for those who have at least 300-500 vocabulary words, Intermediate level B is for those who have at least 500-800 vocabulary words. It focuses on learning more expressions and grammatical structure for conversational situations and further improvement of Chinese communicative skills. The situation-based topics in class will provide practical opportunities for learners to familiarize themselves with typical cultural backgrounds for communication with native people within the Chinese community.

10 weeks, 2 sessions per week, 1 hour per session
Intermediate Level A Class: M&TH 5:30 - 6:30
Intermediate Level B Class: T&F 5:30 - 6:30

Course fee: $15 per hour for standard class (5-10 students), $20 per hour for small class (2-4 students), and $30 per hour for individual class (Includes printed and other instructional materials.) Payment must be made by the second class.

Mr. Pengcheng Wei: pwei1@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2595
Address: 11th Floor, Wilder Tower, University of Memphis

Chinese III Advanced

This course is a continuation of Chinese II and is for those who have mastered at least 800 vocabulary words and will include complex sentence structures and situational dialogues in Chinese. It is designed for students who have completed at least two semesters at the Confucius Institute or who have studied elsewhere and have a solid foundation in spoken Chinese.

10 weeks, 2 sessions per week, 1 hour per session
Advanced Classes W – 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Course fee: $15 per hour for standard class (5-10 students), $25 per hour for small class (2-4 students), and $30 per hour for individual class (Includes printed and other instructional materials.) Payment must be made by the second class.
Mr. Pengcheng Wei, pwei1@memphis.eduu, (901 678-2595)
Address: 11th floor Wilder Tower, University of Memphis

CULTURAL CLASSES

Tai Chi (Beginners)

Course Description
Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that has become one of the world’s most popular forms of exercise. Using the ancient Chinese principles of Yin and Yang, Tai Chi uses soft, slow, and continuous movements in order to train the body and focus the mind. Studies have shown that practicing Tai Chi may improve one’s health, reduce stress, and provide relief for ailments such as high blood pressure and arthritis. This course is designed for people over the age of 16 who are looking for low-intensity fitness training and wish to improve their health, concentration, and general well-being.

The course will involve step-by-step instruction that will focus on improving students’ skills in a friendly and relaxed environment. The class will be small (15 maximum) in order to provide students with the opportunity for one-on-one coaching.

Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
10 weeks, 1 session per week, 1 hour per session

Course fee: $30 per hour for standard class (5-10 students). Payment must be made by the second class.

Mr. Wei Pengcheng and Mr. Zhang Xifa
pwei1@memphis.edu, xzhang9@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2595
Address: 11th Floor Wilder Tower, University of Memphis

Traditional Chinese Calligraphy

Course Description
This course aims to acquaint students with the techniques of how calligraphy was taught and learned over centuries in China. Studying calligraphy was as much a physical as a mental exercise, which in its initial stages aimed at the control of breath and posture, and movement of body, shoulder, arm, and hand. The written characters were the result of achieving a certain balance. It is a basic skills-oriented course starting with the origins of Chinese characters and the art of Chinese calligraphy. This course focuses on the basic strokes and forms of written Chinese characters. Students will learn to sit and concentrate on the movement of the brush. The emphasis is on the techniques, methods, and practice of brush writing.

Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
10 weeks, 1 session per week, 1 hour per session

Course fee: $30 per hour for standard class (5-10 students). Payment must be made by the second class.

Mr. Wei Pengcheng and Ms. He Yanhua
pwei1@memphis.edu, yhe1@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2595
Address: 11th Floor Wilder Tower, University of Memphis

Chinese Cooking

Course Description

Do you want to know how to cook Chinese dumplings? What about Chinese noodles? Come join our Chinese cooking class to learn some of the traditional methods for creating delicious, time honored Chinese dishes.

Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Course fee: $30 per hour for standard class (5-10 students). Payment must be made by the second class.

Instructor: TBA

Beginning Abacus and Mental Math 101

Course Description
Did you know that the first calculator was the abacus? Did you know that children as young as three years of age can do complicated computations and math equations based on the tried and true foundation of learning mathematics the Chinese way? Help your child learn how to use mental math and the Chinese abacus to strengthen their mathematics skills and to work quickly and more efficiently. We will learn the basics of adding and subtracting using the abacus and mental math patterns. (Beginning Abacus)

Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
10 weeks, 1 session per week, 1 hour per session

Course fee: $30 per hour for standard class (5-10 students). Payment must be made by the second class.

Mrs. Riki Jackson
riki.jackson@memphis.edu, 901-678-3166
Address: 11th Floor of Wilder Tower