Chinese
evening classes Chinese evening classes Chinese evening classes
Chinese
evening classes
Chinese evening classes Chinese evening classes Chinese
evening
Mandarin Chinese
汉语
普通话
Take a part-time
Chinese course in the heart of Central London on the
University of
Westminster's Modern Languages Evening Programme
Beginner,
Intermediate and Advanced levels
For full-time degree courses with
Chinese contact Dr Manuela von Papen (vonpapm@westminster.ac.uk).
Yunnan
Dali
Panda in Beijing zoo. Photo by Kelin Song
Mandarin is the official
language of China and is based on the northern
Chinese dialects. It is used by upwards of 720
million people in China, or 70 percent of the population. It is
spoken in a huge area of the mainland running diagonally from the
extreme South-West to extreme North-East and also along the entire
eastern coast north of Shanghai.
There are many reasons to learn
Chinese!
Zhouzhang, a village near Shanghai
Firstly, Chinese is the language of nearly one
quarter of the world's population. Secondly, learning
Chinese is an extraordinary and agreeable
experience through which you can immerse yourself in a different
culture. Thirdly, traditional Chinese culture has
also greatly inspired the western world - just think of Marco Polo,
G. W. Leibniz, Max Weber, Franz Kafka, Andre Malraux, Bertolt
Brecht, Ezra Pound, and Luis Borges among others. Lastly, the
People's Republic of China currently boasts the fastest growing
economy in the world and is widely regarded as potentially the
biggest global market in the twenty-first
century.
You can take a part-time Chinese evening
class in Central London at the University of Westminster, just a
few minutes from Oxford Circus.
The University of Westminster has always had
an extensive programme of evening classes for adults. On the Modern
Languages Evening Programme we have beginner, intermediate and
advanced part-time Chinese courses.
Our part-time Chinese
evening classes run from September to May at our Central London
Regent Street campus. They are taught by experienced language
teaching professionals who are native speakers of the language or
equivalent. Adult students of all ages and nationalities from a
wide range of backgrounds take part-time Chinese
courses with us. You can also join a Chinese
evening class in January for the second semester if you already
have some knowledge of Chinese.
To find out on which evening our
part-time Chinese courses are held, which
levels are available this year and class times, see Timetables.
Further information on our Chinese evening classes
All Modern Languages Evening Programme courses are communicative
in nature. Although all 4 skills of reading, writing, speaking and
listening are taught, emphasis is placed on speaking and listening.
The approach of all our staff is to make lessons enjoyable with
varied activities and a friendly atmosphere. Homework is set to
help you progress in your language learning.
Proficiency levels
Below is a guide to the proficiency levels that apply to the
part-time Chinese courses offered on the
Modern Languages Evening Programme:
Grade 1
For those with no previous knowledge of
Chinese. By the end of the year students
will be able to communicate in and understand
Chinese language in a number of practical everyday
matters such as talking about personal and family information.
Grade 2
For those who have some basic knowledge of the language, for
example have finished Grade 1. Students will be able communicate in
and understand the language relating to many practical, everyday
matters by the end of the year. A wider range of topics will be
covered such as work, social life and hobbies.
Grade 3
For those who have studied the language before, for instance up
to GCSE level, or completed Grade 2. Students will be able to
communicate in and understand Chinese language
relating to various aspects of culture.
Grade 4
For those who have a good basic knowledge of the
Chinese language. Students should be able to
give instructions, describe events, and talk about the
future. By the end of the course they will be able to converse
reasonably fluently with native speakers and to discuss personal
and social issues using appropriate structures.
Grade 5
For those who have completed the full range of colloquial
Chinese grammar. This level covers formal
register Chinese and non-personal
issues. Passive skills include reading, translating into
English or retrieving information from listening to formal register
Chinese, ranging in content from simple news to
social/cultural/daily-life issues (e.g. film reviews, recipes,
instruction manuals, education). Active skills include
oral/written summary of information into Chinese from given
material; discussing/debating issues; translation into Chinese, and
writing essays arguing for and against particular issues.
Grade 6
For those who have already embarked on formal
register Chinese. Passive skills include
reading, translating into English, or retrieving information from
listening to formal register Chinese on more
sophisticated/complex issues (e.g., environment, immigration, human
rights). Active skills include oral/written summary of
information into Chinese from given material; discussing / debating
issues; translation into Chinese, and writing essays arguing for
and against particular issues.
Course books
Grade 1
Text book: Conversational Chinese 301 (chapters 1-20).
Grade 2
Text book: Conversational Chinese 301 (chapters 21-40)
Grade 3
Text Book: Hanyu Jiaocheng, volume II-A (chapters 31-38)
Grade 4
Text Book: Hanyu Jiaocheng, volume II-B (chapters 39-45)
Grade 5 & Grade 6
No text book is used – instead, the course makes use of a
variety of materials from various sources, e.g. newspaper articles
and AV-materials.
Teaching approach
New vocabulary and constructions are presented orally using
communicative methods, with strong emphasis on speaking and
listening. The aim is to teach the grammar without over-emphasising
it or forcing the pace. Where necessary, explanations in the book
are supplemented by handouts.
Other activities
If students are interested, trips can be organised to a
Chinese event, restaurant, etc.
Keeping students informed
Staff use various ways to help students revise, or catch up if
they have missed classes. Students also receive news of
Chinese-related events and important course
information (term dates, information on assignments, etc).
Staff profiles
Our Chinese lecturers are all experienced and
have been with the University of Westminster for a number of years
- senior lecturer Lillian Chia since 1986. Zhao Zhen has taught in
China and since 1997 in the UK. Liao Li-Yun has taught
Chinese since 1999, and Rong Guo since 2004.
If you cannot find the information you are
looking for on our website, please contact Programme Director
Marianne Sharp on sharpm@westminster.ac.uk or
by telephoning 0207 911 5000, ext. 2060.