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.

Mandarin I introduces students to the language and culture of China. This course develops basic reading, speaking, listening and writing abilities in Mandarin Chinese. Students gain an understanding of the customs and culture of historical and modern China. They develop accurate pronunciation through the Pinyin system and through dialogues in which they discuss daily activities using a broad vocabulary base. Chinese I offers a solid foundation of Chinese characters. Students read selections with and without the use of Pinyin and write simplified Chinese characters in simple sentences. The five National Foreign Language Standards are incorporated throughout this course.

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

Course Number	0458
Grade Level	9,10,11,12
Pre-Requisite	None
Application and/or Audition Date	None
Credits	10
VCHS Graduation Credit	World Language
UC Approval	Yes E Course (LOTE)
Fees	None