University Bulletin (2020-2021)

• Master of Arts in Teaching Chinese

Brandeis University’s one-year Master of Arts Program in Teaching Chinese at the College Level (MTCC) prepares students to be instructors of Chinese language and culture at colleges or other institutions that offer Chinese medium content courses.

The MA Program in Teaching Chinese at the College Level (MTCC) provides:

• Instruction in class design, theory, and practice for effective teaching of Chinese language and culture for American learners
• Training in pedagogy, allowing students to successfully teach Chinese language, society, and culture courses of various levels, including computerized and internet-based instruction
• Chinese language teaching experience under the tutelage of renowned faculty within and outside campus

Master of Arts in Teaching Chinese at the College Level

Knowledge

The program offers its students:

1. The general principles and theories of foreign language instruction.
2. The most updated and proven efficient and effective theories and practice of Chinese language instruction.
3. The pedagogy of teaching English medium courses on Chinese and Asian cultures for American learners.

Core Skills

The program will train its students the following skills:

1. Chinese language course design with detailed syllabus and daily schedule
2. Lecture class (larger class) instruction
3. Drill class (smaller class) instruction
4. Assignment and assessment (both oral and writing)
5. Computerized instruction, organization of computerized class activities, and design of computerized assessments.
6. Textbook and other teaching material designing and compiling
7. Research that is closely linked with classroom instruction
8. Content focused instruction in Chinese for Chinese immersion schools/programs

Social Justice

The program helps its students set up their career mission: To promote the mutual understanding between the West and East by teaching Mandarin, one of the foreign languages with the most strategic significance and making more and more American learners of the Chinese language to reach the true advanced level.

Graduate Outcomes

1. Demonstrate the ability to create Chinese courses by completing a course design project and being involvement in Brandeis course design. Each student will be assigned to write two detailed course proposals (one proposal for a lower level course and one for a high level course). Students will also help improve the design of two Brandeis Chinese language courses.
2. Demonstrate excellence in classroom instruction by teaching in Brandeis classrooms as intern instructors. Each student will be assigned to co-teach at least two courses (one lower level and one higher level). By listening the feedbacks from advisers who observe the classes and from the language learners, students will go on improving their instruction until reaching the standard of efficient and effective Chinese instructor set by the program and gaining a final evaluation score at least 4.5 out of 5 from the language learners.
3. Demonstrate research ability through a class-related final project and participation in national and/or regional conferences and symposiums on Chinese instruction. Each student will be assigned a special topic for a final project which is in line with the development of Brandeis Chinese courses, especially computerized Chinese instruction.
4. Demonstrate ability of teaching contents courses in Chinese by participation in special projects. Each student will need to be involved in the design of a content course taught in Chinese, which may be appropriate for either secondary education or the college level.

For the undergraduate study of Chinese, please see the course listing in the Courses of Instruction below.

The MTCC Program is a specially-designed second master’s program. It is open to applicants who already have, or expect to have before matriculating at Brandeis, a master’s degree in teaching Chinese as a foreign language or related field.

Ideally, applicants should have:

• A foreign master’s degree in teaching Chinese as a foreign language (while at Brandeis, students will be pursuing their second master’s degree)
• Skills in some of the following: second language acquisition, testing, language teaching, course design and pedagogy, applied (Chinese) linguistics, and/or Chinese literature
• Experience of teaching American students (through programs such as Harvard Beijing Academy, Princeton in Beijing program, Columbia in Beijing program, Columbia in Shanghai program, Duke in Beijing program, ACC program, CET program, or Alliance program)
• Class teaching video
• Competitive scores on the TOEFL or IELTS
• Two letters of recommendation

The general requirements for admission to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences apply to candidates for admission to this program.

Yu Feng, Director of the Chinese Language Program and Director of Graduate Studies for the Master of Arts Program in Teaching Chinese
(German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature)

Xiwen Lu, Undergraduate Advising Head for the Chinese Language Program
(German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature)

Pu Wang
(German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature)

Jian Wei
(German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature)

Program of Study

Required courses:

• CHIN 140a Yin Yu Tang Documents, Decoding the Late Qing and Early Republic Writings
• CHIN 201a Chinese Pedagogy I
• CHIN 202b Chinese Pedagogy II
• CHIN 211a Chinese Practicum I
• CHIN 212b Chinese Practicum II

Students must take two of the following three courses and another course relating to Chinese history, culture, art or society taught in English such as FA 70b, FA 197a, HIST 182b, POL 148a, REL 151a.

• CHIN 100a Introduction to Chinese Literature: Desire and Form
• CHIN 130b China on Film: The Changes of Chinese Culture
• HIST 80a Introduction to East Asian Civilization

Students will be assigned to teach beginning and advanced Chinese language courses in order that they are ready to teach Chinese language courses at all levels successfully.

Capstone Project

Each student must complete a Chinese course design project. Work toward this capstone project will be undertaken with the advisor.

Residence Requirement

Two semesters residency is required.

For the degree of Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Education with a concentration in Chinese (MAT Chinese), please see Education for more information.

CHIN 10a Beginning Chinese I
Four class hours per week.
Mandarin is taught in this intensive course, intended for students with no previous knowledge of Chinese. Class meets four days per week plus one section of individual conversation. It offers training in basic Chinese grammar, speaking, aural comprehension, reading and writing. Chinese characters, and the "pinyin" phonetic system as a tool for learning Chinese. Usually offered every fall.
Yu Feng or Jian Wei

CHIN 20b Continuing Chinese
Prerequisite: CHIN 10a. Four class hours per week.
Continuation of CHIN 10a. Usually offered every spring.
Jian Wei

CHIN 29b Pathways for Chinese Literacy
For students who have significant bilingual background in Mandarin Chinese or a non-Mandarin dialect (e.g., Cantonese). Emphasizes reading and writing skills, but standard Mandarin pronunciation and grammatical structure are also stressed. Usually offered every spring.
Xiwen Lu

CHIN 30a Intermediate Chinese
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 20b or equivalent. Four class hours per week.
Development of skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, including the writing of short essays. Usually offered every fall.
Xiwen Lu

CHIN 40b Advanced Intermediate Chinese
[ fl hum oc ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 30a or equivalent. Four class hours per week.
Continuation of CHIN 30a. Usually offered every spring.
Xiwen Lu

CHIN 98a Readings in Modern Chinese
Prerequisite: CHIN 40b or equivalent.
A continuation of CHIN 40b. Includes an introduction to readings in modern Chinese literature. Usually offered every year.
Staff

CHIN 98b Readings in Modern Chinese
Prerequisite: CHIN 40b or equivalent.
A continuation of CHIN 98a. Usually offered every year.
Staff

CHIN 100a Introduction to Chinese Literature: Desire and Form
[ hum nw oc ]
Taught in English. No Chinese language capabilities required.
Introduces Chinese literature, focusing primarily on Chinese "classical" literary traditions and their metamorphosis in modern times. Usually offered every second year.
Pu Wang

CHIN 105a Advanced Conversation and Composition I
[ fl hum oc wi ]
Prerequisite: A grade of C- or higher in CHIN 40b or the equivalent.
Designed for advanced students who wish to enhance and improve their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing through listening and reading authentic or slightly modified materials, discussing and writing on various topics of Chinese society and culture. Usually offered every fall.
Staff

CHIN 105b Advanced Conversation and Composition II
[ fl hum oc wi ]
Prerequisite: A grade of C- or higher in CHIN 105a or the equivalent.
Designed for advanced students who wish to enhance and improve their speaking proficiency and writing skills. Speaking skills will be developed through guided conversation, discussion of texts and films, and oral presentation. Exercises and essays will be used to improve students' writing skills. Usually offered every spring.
Staff

CHIN 106b Business Chinese and Culture
[ fl nw wi ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 40b or equivalent. Does not meet the requirement in the school of humanities.
An advanced Chinese course where students develop their language proficiency and cultural knowledge in professional settings such as the workplace. The course is conducted entirely in Chinese and is designed for students who want to sharpen their language skills and reach a higher level of proficiency in which they are able to read newspapers, magazines, or professional documents, as well as to improve their communicative ability and enhance their self-confidence in Chinese workplaces. Usually offered every second spring.
Staff

CHIN 120a Readings in Contemporary Chinese Literature: Advanced Chinese Language
[ fl hum wi ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 105a or equivalent.
For advanced students of Chinese, an introduction to contemporary Chinese short stories from the 1990s and later. Focuses on significant expansion of vocabulary and grammar, and on providing students an opportunity to develop and polish both oral and written skills through class discussion, presentations, and writing assignments. Usually offered every fall.
Staff

CHIN 120b Readings in Contemporary Chinese Literature: Advanced Chinese Language II
[ fl hum wi ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 120a or equivalent.
Continuation of CHIN 120a. Study of contemporary Chinese short stories from the 1990s and later. These stories not only represent new literary themes and linguistic expressions, but also reflect the modernization, commercialization, and urbanization that is transforming China. The course improves students' knowledge of the language, as well as enhancing their understanding of Chinese society and culture. Usually offered every spring.
Pu Wang

CHIN 126a Advanced Conversational Chinese
[ fl hum oc ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 105b or equivalent.
For advanced students of Chinese, this course further develops their Chinese speaking proficiency in both information and formal styles. The course is conducted entirely in Chinese and is designed for students who want to improve their communicative ability in Chinese. Focuses on significant expansion of vocabularies, grammars, and genuine expressions used by Chinese in their daily life, as well as enhancing students' understanding of Chinese society and culture. Usually offered every year.
Jian Wei

CHIN 130b China on Film: The Changes of Chinese Culture
[ hum nw ]
Taught in English. All films viewed have English subtitles.
Focuses on the enormous changes under way in Chinese society, politics, and culture. Helps students to identify and understand these fundamental transformations through a representative, exciting selection of readings and films. Usually offered every second spring.
Staff

CHIN 136b Chinese Modernism in International Context
[ hum nw ]
Taught in English.
Examines the origins, recurrences, and metamorphosis of modernistic styles and movements in twentieth-century Chinese literature, film, fine art, and intellectual discourses. Usually offered every second year.
Pu Wang

CHIN 140a Yin Yu Tang Documents, Decoding the Late Qing and Early Republic Writings (I)
[ fl hum nw ]
Prerequisites: CHIN 120a and 120b, or permission of the instructor.
Teaches fundamental skills to decode the late Qing and early Republic writings in print or in hand-writing by recognizing and translating the Yin Yu Tang documents. Students of this course will also gain knowledge of Chinese society and culture of this period. Usually offered every year.
Yu Feng

CHIN 165a Chinese for Life Science: Study of Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs with Contemporary Science
[ fl oc ]
Prerequisite: CHIN 105b or equivalent. Does not meet the requirement in the school of humanities.
Helps students increase Chinese proficiency in the fields of life science such biology, biochemistry, neuroscience, and medicine, especially the skills of reading life science papers in Chinese; and widens and deepens students' knowledge of life science by learning the most important discoveries of Chinese scientists in applying contemporary western science to the studies of traditional medicinal herbs. Although this course is not just limited to biology, neuroscience, or chemistry majors, good knowledge of life science will be essential to success. Usually offered every year.
Jian Wei

CHIN 200a Practical Chinese Phonetics, Lexics, Syntax, and Pragmatics
Prerequisite: Fluency in Chinese and ability to read Chinese books and articles. Required of all students in MAT Chinese.
Focuses on the fundamental characteristics of modern Chinese language with emphasis on pronunciation and grammar structure. Usually offered every year.
Xiwen Lu

CHIN 201a Chinese Pedagogy I
Required of all students in MAT Chinese and MTCC.
Equips students with the most advanced and updated skills in teaching modern Chinese with an emphasis on beginning and intermediate levels. This course covers a great range of topics to ensure efficient and successful instruction. Usually offered every year.
Yu Feng

CHIN 202b Chinese Pedagogy II
Prerequisite: CHIN 201a. Required of MTCC students.
Continuation of CHIN 201a. Emphasizes the instruction of advanced Chinese. Two important sets of theories and practice will be introduced and discussed, the Four Subsystem Theory and Prosodic Theory. Task-based teaching on an advanced level, contents-centered textbook, and correction of advanced composition will also be discussed. Usually offered every year.
Yu Feng

CHIN 211a Chinese Practicum I
Corequisite: CHIN 201a. Enrollment limited to MTCC students.
Students design course plans, additional reading, visual and audio materials, assignments, etc to teach the lecture and drill sessions of beginning Chinese. Class observation and student feedback are components of this class. Usually offered every year.
Yu Feng

CHIN 212b Chinese Practicum II
Corequisite: CHIN 202b. Enrollment limited to MTCC students.
Students design course plans, additional reading, visual and audio materials, assignments, etc to teach the lecture and drill sessions of advanced Chinese. Class observation and student feedback are components of this class. Usually offered every year.
Yu Feng