Demystifying the Chinese Language
| Abstract |
"The main purpose of this unit is to demonstrate to students that the Chinese language, though in many ways different from the English language with which they may be the most familiar, actually shares common principles with the English language. We assume that familiarizing students with the Chinese language will reduce its "strangeness" for non-Chinese-speaking people. In this sense, the central goal of this unit is not that students learn Chinese, however worthy such a goal might be. Rather, we hope that, through a series of exercises which actively involve students with Chinese, students will engage in the process of demystifying the Chinese language." (text taken from SPICE)
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| Notes |
$34.95
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| Year of Publication |
1995
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| Number of Pages |
129
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| Publisher |
Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education
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| Citation Key |
bibcite_8230
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Curriculum Unit
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Reviews
Please login to review this resourceDemystify The Chinese Language is a nice, complete package
Timothy A. McVeagh
Pittsburgh Central Catholic HS
Studio Art/Art Appreciation 9 - 12
Demystifying The Chinese Language is a curriculum unit designed for both elementary and secondary school students. I chose this material because the revised edition is well presented in its design and has cover graphics that invite you to look inside. The overall objective of the unit is not to teach the Chinese language, but to breakdown some of the barriers that are associated with the language. The unit uses a sequence of seven lessons that actively involve the students in the formation and understanding of Chinese written characters. There are a variety of handouts included with the lesson for the students to use as a reference material for some of the hands on activities. The handout 17A (Shan Dynasty Characters) and handout 17B (Character Combinations) provide translations for some of the more common characters and are particularly well designed and easily understandable, even for the grade school level students. I have a second grader at home. The unit also includes some flash cards that can be presented in the old fashion method or converted to a transparency or PowerPoint. I was most appreciative of the fact that no prior understanding of the Chinese language is necessary by student or teacher. This makes approaching the subject for all far less intimidating. This is especially true for the younger students. I believe that the unit has potential for use with a variety of subjects, because many of the symbols have historical and sociological connotations. I would highly recommend it when teachers are trying to work across the curriculum.
