World Language

Mandarin II

Please note that both the US Foreign Service Institute and the Defense Language Institute categorize Chinese as a difficult language for native English speakers to learn. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages says that it takes 4 times longer for students studying Chinese to achieve the same level of proficiency as students studying Level 1 languages (Spanish, French, Latin, etc.). Students selecting Chinese courses may need to take into account additional study time to achieve success.

This course advances the work of the first year in all skills. Instruction is conducted in Mandarin approximately half of the time.  The primary goal continues to be oral proficiency. More advanced reading and writing activities are integrated into the program, as well as further exploration of the culture and history of China. To ensure a smooth transition, some Pinyin is removed in Chinese II so that students read the Mandarin words directly. Topics for second-year learning include colors and clothing, weather and holidays, hobbies, a student’s daily routine, school subjects, and making telephone calls. The students learn to express themselves using more sophisticated language structures.

This course is taught and students are evaluated using simplified characters rather than traditional.

Course Number	0416
Grade Level	9,10,11,12
Pre-Requisite	Grade of C or higher in Chinese (Mandarin) I
Application and/or Audition Date	None
Credits	10
VCHS Graduation Credit	World Language
UC Approval	Yes E Course (LOTE)
Fees	None