Elementary Chinese I

This course is an introduction to basic Chinese grammar, vocabulary, usage, and the writing system for students with little or no background in the language. The course seeks to help students acquire the rudimentary knowledge of Chinese and develop basic skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the language. By the end of the course, students are expected to have a good command of the pronunciation system and basic grammar, to be able to conduct daily conversation in simple Chinese, and to read and write short passages. Through learning the language, students gain an initial understanding of some Chinese social and cultural phenomena.