In Chinese：多伦多都市大学 Duōlúnduō Dūshì Dàxué

The Chang School of Continuing Education

CCHN101, Sec. 310 “Introductory Chinese I “

Winter 2024: Jan. 17th – April 18th

Course Information

● Instructor Name: Dr. John Edward Stowe 司徒祥文(司徒老师 Sītú lǎoshī)

● Class Meets: Wednesdays 6-9 pm online (via Zoom).

● Office Hours: Before or after class, or make a Zoom Appointment via email.

● Course Website: https://www.torontomu.ca/llc/

● Email Address: jstowe@torontomu.ca Best means of contact.

Email Policy
In accordance with the Policy on TMU Student E-mail Accounts (Policy 157), TMU requires that
we use only TMU e-mail or gmail accounts for communication between faculty and students in
this course. Note: All hotmail.com e-mail will be deleted without being opened. Put CCHN101
and section number in the Heading. In general, all email messages will be responded to within a
day or two. Saturday and Sunday are reserved for study and reflection; therefore, the instructor
will respond to all weekend email messages on Monday.

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Course Description
This course is designed to help a novice with no prior background in the Chinese language to
develop basic functional communication abilities in all four language skills in spoken Mandarin
and written Simplified Chinese characters. By using the standard Hànyŭ Pīnyīn phonetic system,
students will learn to make statements, ask questions, respond to questions and create
conversations. We will cover all 15 lessons in the HSK Level 1 Course Textbook.

This is a Lower-Level Liberal Studies elective course.

Respect and Manners

In order to collectively create a positive learning environment, it is essential that all of us
(instructor and students) create an environment that fosters mutual respect and intellectual
contributions. While course material may sometimes be challenging or controversial, everyone
in the class is expected to express their ideas in a thoughtful and mutually respectful manner.

Land Acknowledgement
Toronto is in the “Dish with One Spoon Territory.” The Dish with One Spoon is a treaty between
the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory and
protect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations and peoples, Europeans and all newcomers
have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect. The “Dish” or
sometimes it is called the “Bowl” represents what is now southern Ontario (from the Great
Lakes to Quebec and from Lake Simcoe into the US). We all eat out of the Dish – all of us that
share this territory - with only one spoon. That means we have to share the responsibility of
ensuring the dish is never empty; which includes, taking care of the land and the creatures we
share it with. Importantly, there are no knives at the table, representing that we must keep the
peace.

Course Requirements
This course is being taught remotely via Zoom. Therefore, students
- - must have access to a strong internet service.
- - Zoom will be used for in-class lectures and conversations during office hours.
- - Interacting in the new language is key. For this reason, the use of a camera is a requirement
for all courses offered by the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. Please make
sure your computer is equipped with a mic and webcam, ready to use for synchronous classes
(follow the camara/mic etiquette discussed in the first day of class), for oral presentations, class
discussions, and oral exams.
- - are required to be available to answer questions in Mandarin and interact with their fellow
classmates in break-out groups during the class period.

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- - must be available on the day and at the time as scheduled on RAMSS.
- - If you have any questions, please contact me.

Teaching Methods
TMU uses both a Collaborative and Communicative Approach to learning. Student-teacher and
student-student interaction play a significant role at this stage of development as a learner.
Practicing Introductions [of self to others] as well as creating Oral Skits [giving simple culturally
appropriate language] not only enrich the student’s learning experience but also increase the
student’s confidence in speaking Mandarin.

In class we use the 汉语拼音 Hànyŭ Pīnyīn Romanization Phonetic System because it is used in
China as well as all over the world to teach Chinese as a Foreign Language [CFL] in universities
and colleges. It is also used in the Library of Congress, the United Nations, and the Chinese
Language Teachers Association.

Weekly reference to D2L is required for this course. Please use your TMU e-mail address and
password. With your ID card, you have access to D2L where many useful handouts, exercises,
Chinese character handouts, etc. are posted. Both In-class and Out-of-class exercises should be
written on this Chinese Grid Sheet Paper, and each character should be written in Simplified
characters with Hànyŭ Pīnyīn below each character. Students will need to read and write in
Simplified Characters. The exercises on D2L will provide materials for practicing the language in
the classroom.

Course Materials
Required Textbook:

Jiang, Liping. Standard Course HSK 1. Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture Press, 2013. [1
MP3 audio CD Included]. A kindle version of this text is available online for purchase. Our
Textbook: ISBN: 978-7-5619-3709-9 is required for daily in-class oral and written work. A hard
copy of the textbook is available online and in the TMU Bookstore. I highly recommend
a hard copy, which is usually less than US $15. https://www.purpleculture.net/hsk-standard-
course-1-with-audios-p-17661/ The CD is extremely important to learn Chinese well.

Optional Materials
Chai, May-Lee and Winberg Chai. China A to Z: Everything you need to know to understand
Chinese customs and culture. NY: Plume, (2007) 2014. ISBN: 978-0-14-218084-6.
McGraw-Hill’s Chinese Pronunciation. Toronto: McGraw-Hill, Live ABC, 2009.

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 ISBN: 9780071627368, 0071627367 = an excellent source. Shows location of tongue.
eText ISBN: 9780071627368, 9780071785464, 0071785469.
Seligman, Scott D. Chinese Business Etiquette. NY: Warner Books, 1999. Highly
Recommend. ISBN: 978-0446673877. We will talk about Chinese Etiquette.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to greet someone in Mandarin Chinese, ask
about a person’s name, make statements about family members, talk about today’s date, talk
about a desire such as drinking tea, ask about where a person works, ask permission to do
something, ask about the time, ask about the weather, make a statement about what a person
is doing right now, and make statements about shopping. In addition, students will able to
recognize and write 150 Simplified Chinese characters that they have learned in the course.

Enriched Student Learning Experience

At TMU, the faculty members strongly support an education that is not limited to textbooks and
lectures. Living in an extremely diverse city, we encourage students to take advantage of the
rich knowledge and perspectives of their classmates within each course. These conversations
are meant to broaden the perspective of all students.

Global Learning and Internationalization

At TMU, we also encourage all students to share their knowledge and experiences with their
classmates. At the same time, we encourage our TMU students to go abroad and learn from
others in the world through many exchange programs and joint research projects. We all win
when we learn from others within Canada as well as within the world at large.

Expectations
Attendance: Active Participation in each class is a key factor to becoming successful as a learner
of a foreign language. Listening to the audio recording and preparing the lessons before coming
to class is also very important. Active Participation is defined as having a textbook, studying it
before class, answering questions in each class session, doing all the Written Assignments
assigned in class as well as posted on D2L, and always being prepared for each class.

Time Required: In general, to do well in the course most students should review, practice and
study at least 6-8 hours before each class meeting. It is ideal to listen to the audio the recording
for an hour a day, two to three days a week, in preparation for each class session. The more
time put in to learn, the higher proficiency that one can reach.

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Exemptions: Those who have studied Chinese previously and can read and write more than 150
Chinese characters (Traditional or Simplified) will NOT be allowed to take this course for credit.
You may qualify for CHN201 or higher. 要 是 有 人 已 經 會 寫 100 個 漢 字 ， 那 位 不 適 合 上
CHN101. 那就犯了 Academic Misconduct. (Taking a course in a foreign language in which a
student already has proficiency is perceived of as Academic Misconduct by the university.)
Often the student is dropped from the course and a letter is placed in the student’s academic
record. To be clear, I am sure that this situation will not apply to anyone in this course. If you
have any questions at all, please talk to me on the first day of the course.

Permission to take the course

First, before registering for a foreign language course at TMU, each student must take a
placement assessment and be placed into a course. Within a few days, the Academic
Coordinator will send the student an email with the appropriate course in which to register.
Second, submit to your instructor the completed the Information/Survey Sheet. Only students
with approval from the instructor or Academic Coordinator will be allowed to stay in the
course. If you have any questions, please contact jstowe@torontomu.ca

If you have not taken the placement assessment, please visit the website
https://www.torontomu.ca/llc/ [Go to the bottom of the page]

Topics and Course Schedule

Week Date Topic Readings

 Before class: Submit the Information  要是有人已經會寫 100
Sheet onto D2L. Any questions about 個漢字，那位不適合上
Wednesday suitability for the course, contact your CHN101. 那就犯了
Week 1 instructor ASAP. Academic Misconduct.
Jan. 17th
 Actively Participate in a two-hour Zoom See me.
session during class time.  Read Jiang, Less. 1-2
 Go Over Basic Sentence Patterns. before coming to class.

Week 2  Practice Chinese Phonetics  Read Jiang, Less. 3-4

[汉语拼音 Hànyŭ Pīnyīn] before coming to class.
 Go over Lesson 1: 你好 Nǐ hǎo. (Greetings  Study the Basic Sentence
and Introduction) Structure Handout
 Go over Lesson 2 谢谢你 Xièxiè nǐ (Thank  Ask 5 classmates the
you/Goodbye)

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 Wednesday  Practice Lesson 3: 请问, 你叫什么名字？ Questions in Written
Qǐngwèn, nǐ jiào shénme míngzì? Assignment # 1.
Jan. 24th (Excuse me, what’s your name?)  Upload Assignment # 1
 First, Orally - go over the Written on D2L before Week 3 for
Assignments feedback.
 Second, Write out Assignment # 1 and
upload on D2L.

 Practice L 4: Making a statement.  Review Less. 1-4 and

 Practice asking and responding to “What  Ask 5 more classmates the
Wednesday is your name?” “Which country do you Questions on Written
Week 3 come from?” Assignment # 1.
Jan. 31st  Upload Assignment # 2 on D2L before
Quiz # 1 on (Less. 1-4) which is sent out
on Wednesday, Feb. 7th after the lecture.

 Practice Asking 5 classmates: For all quizzes and tests, do not

请问，你汉语老师是哪国人？ consult Google, a relative, or a
Qǐngwèn, nǐ Hànyǔ lǎoshī shì nǎ guórén? friend. That would be
(Which country does your Chinese Academic Misconduct.
Wednesday language teacher come from?) All students have 24 hours to
Week 4  Go Over and Practice Lesson 5: 她女儿今 take each quiz in this course.
Feb. 7th
年二十岁。Tā nǚ'ér jīnnián èrshí suì. (Her Upload Quiz # 1 (Less. 1-4) on
daughter is twenty years old this year.) Thursday, Feb. 8th by midnight.
 Note: only information from this course
will receive credit for CCHN101 (HSK 1) on
any test or course evaluation.

Chinese New Year, the year of the Wooden Dragon: 甲辰龍年, begins on Saturday.
龍/龙 lóng (dragon); 木 mù (wood); 陽/阳 yáng (masculine)
Feb. 10th In the Chinese sexagenary cycle 二零二四年 = 甲辰 (jiǎ chén) 龍年
The sexagenary cycle, also known as the Stems-and-Branches or gānzhī (Chinese: 干支),
中国春节 is a cycle of sixty terms, each corresponding to one year, thus a total of sixty years for
Saturday
one cycle, historically used for recording time in China and the rest of the East Asian
Zhōngguó cultural sphere. The sexagenary 60-year cycle was used to label years, months, days and
Chūnjié times as early as the Shang dynasty, although the cycle for months, days and time are no
longer in common use today. This year is the Wooden Dragon - # 41 甲辰 (jiǎ chén).

Week 5  Go over Lesson 6: 我会说汉语。Wǒ huì  Read Jiang, Less. 5-6

shuō Hànyǔ. (I can speak Chinese.) before coming to class.
Wednesday  Practice Lessons 5 and 6.  Begin Your Self-
 Prepare for 4-5 sentences for your Mid- Introduction.
term Oral: Self-Introduction

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 Feb. 14th

Study Week is Feb. 18-24. The TMU campus is closed, and no classes will meet.

 Go over Lesson 7 今天几号？Jīntiān jǐ  Read Jiang, Less. 7-8

hào? (What’s the date today?) before coming to class.
Wednesday  Go over Lesson 8 我想喝茶 Wǒ xiǎng hē  Cultural Assignment 10%
chá. (I’d like to drink some tea.) due Friday, March 1st
 Practice using Measure Words: 个 (ge –  See D2L for details.
Week 6
Feb. 28th generic M. W. for things), 口 (kŏu -
mouth), 杯 (bēi - cup), 本 (bĕn - volume),
位 (wèi), 块 (kuài – dollars/pieces).

 Practice Lessons 7 & 8.  Read Jiang, Less. 7-8

 Practice your Self-Introduction in class before coming to class.
Wednesday with the instructor and 5 students.  Upload Quiz # 2 (Less. 1-
Week 7 Upload Assignment # 3 (on Less. 5-8) on 8) on Thursday, March 7th
March 6th
D2L before Test # 2. by midnight
 Listen to John’s Sample Self-Introduction  Upload Oral (Self-
on D2L and prepare your own. Introduction) by Sunday,
March 10th by midnight
 Go over Lesson 9 你儿子在哪儿工作？Nǐ  Practice Lessons 9 - 10.
érzi zài nǎ'er gōngzuò? (Where does your  Read D2L Handouts on
Wednesday son work?) Chinese Prepositions
Week 8
 Go over Lesson 10 我能坐这儿吗？
March 13th Wǒ néng zuò zhè'er ma?
(Can/May I sit here?)

 Go over Lesson 11 现在几点？Xiànzài jǐ  Read Jiang, Less. 11-12

diǎn? (What’s the time now?) before coming to class.
Wednesday  Go over Lesson 12 明天天气怎么样？
Week 9
Míngtiān tiānqì zěnme yàng? (What will
March 20th the weather be like tomorrow?)
 Upload Assignment # 4 (on Less. 9-12)

Week 10  Practice Lessons 9-12.  Upload Quiz # 3 (Less. 9-

 Go over Lessons 13: 他在学做中国菜 12) on Thursday, Mar.
Wednesday 呢。Tā zàixué zuò zhōngguó cài ne. 28th by midnight
 (He is learning to cook Chinese food.)
March 27th
 Practice Asking Questions about what
someone is doing.

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  Go over and Practice Lessons 14:她买了  Read Jiang, Less. 13-14
不少衣服。Tā mǎi le bùshǎo yīfú. (She before coming to class.
Wednesday bought a lot of clothes.)
Week 11  Upload Quiz # 4 (Less. 13-14) on Thurs.,
April 3rd April 4th by midnight

 Go over and Practice Lessons 15：我是坐  Read Jiang, Less. 15

飞机来的。Wǒ shì zuò fēijī lái de. (I came before coming to class.
Week 12 Wednesday by plane.)  Upload Oral # 2 by
 Review Chinese Radicals 7-15 and Sunday, April 14th
April 10th Measure Words. (by midnight)
Wednesday  Note: Final Exam (Less. 1-15) sent out on All written work must be
Week 13 Wednesday at 6 pm. Upload on submitted by April 18th in
April 17th Thursday, April 18th by midnight. order to receive credit.

Feedback on the first Written Assessment will usually be posted as soon as it is uploaded. Results of
Quiz # 1 (10%) will be posted soon after it is uploaded. All Written Assignments will be given full credit
upon completion. The last date to receive any credit for any work for this course is April 18, 2024.

Evaluation Component Percentage of

Final Grade

Four (4) “hand-written” Assignments in Simplified characters on Grid 15%

Sheet paper. Uploaded onto D2L.

Four Quizzes (4 x 5% each) – Feb. 7th, March 6th, Nov. 4th, April 11th 20%

Cultural Assignment – Try to Upload by Thursday, March 7th. 10%

Mid-term Oral (Self-Introduction) – Listen to sample on D2L. Try to Upload 10%

on D2L by Sunday, March 10th by midnight.

Final Oral – Upload on D2L by Sunday, April 14th. 15%

Written Final Exam – sent out on Wednesday, April 17th 30%

Upload test on D2L by Thursday, April 18th by midnight

Total: 100%

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University Policies

Students are required to adhere to all relevant university policies found in their online course shell in
D2L and/or on .

Important Resources Available at Toronto Metropolitan University

 The Library provides research workshops and individual assistance. If the University is open,
there is a Research Help desk on the second floor of the library, or students can use the Library's
virtual research help service to speak with a librarian.

 Student Life and Learning Support offers group-based and individual help with writing, math,
study skills, and transition support, as well as resources and checklists to support students as
online learners.

 You can submit an Academic Consideration Request when an extenuating circumstance has
occurred that has significantly impacted your ability to fulfill an academic requirement. You may
always visit the Senate website and select the blue radio button on the top right hand side
entitled: Academic Consideration Request (ACR) to submit this request.

For Extenuating Circumstances, Policy 167: Academic Consideration allows for a once per
semester ACR request without supporting documentation if the absence is less than 3 days in
duration and is not for a final exam/final assessment. Absences more than 3 days in duration
and those that involve a final exam/final assessment, require documentation. Students must
notify their instructor once a request for academic consideration is submitted. See Senate Policy
167: Academic Consideration.

 If taking a remote course, familiarize yourself with the tools you will need to use for remote
learning. The Remote Learning Guide for students includes guides to completing quizzes or
exams in D2L Brightspace, with or without Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor, using
D2L Brightspace, joining online meetings or lectures, and collaborating with the Google Suite.

Accessibility
This course is accessible to students with all types of abilities. All students need to have access to D2L
and be able to upload material as requested. If there is a lock-down at the university or if we need to go
virtual (teach via Zoom), then students will need access to Zoom to complete the course. For now, we
are only teaching in person. If there are any concerns at all, please contact the instructor.

Academic Accommodation Support

 Academic Accommodations (for students with various abilities) and Academic Consideration (for
students faced with extenuating circumstances that can include short-term health issues) are

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 governed by two different university policies. Learn more about Academic Accommodations
versus Academic Consideration and how to access each.

 Learn more about Academic Accommodation Support. Learn how to register with AAS.

Missed Classes
When possible, students are required to inform their instructors of any situation which arises during the
semester which may have an adverse effect upon their academic performance, and must request any
consideration and accommodation according to the relevant policies as far in advance as possible.
Failure to do so may jeopardize any academic appeals.

Health certificates – If a student misses the deadline for submitting an assignment, or the date of an
exam or other evaluation component for health reasons, they should notify their instructor as soon as
possible, and submit a TMU Student Health Certificate AND an Academic Consideration Request form
within 3 working days of the missed date. If you are a full-time or part-time degree student, then you
submit your forms to your own program department or school.

Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual observance – If a student needs accommodation because of religious,
Aboriginal or spiritual observance, they must submit a Request for Accommodation of Student Religious,
Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance within the first 2 weeks of the class or, for a final examination,
within 2 weeks of the posting of the examination schedule. If the requested absence occurs within the
first 2 weeks of classes, or the dates are not known well in advance as they are linked to other
conditions, these forms should be submitted with as much lead time as possible in advance of the
absence. Both documents are available at
https://www.torontomu.ca/senate/forms/relobservforminstr.pdf.

Academic Accommodation Support – Before the first graded work is due, students registered with the
Academic Accommodation Support office (AAS) should provide their instructors with an Academic
Accommodation letter that describes their academic accommodation plan.

Academic Integrity
TMU’s Policy 60 (the Academic Integrity policy) applies to all students at the University. Forms of
academic misconduct include plagiarism, cheating, supplying false information to the University, and
other acts. The most common form of academic misconduct is plagiarism – a serious academic offence,
with potentially severe penalties and other consequences. It is expected, therefore, that all examinations
and work submitted for evaluation and course credit will be the product of each student’s individual
effort (or an authorized group of students). Submitting the same work for credit to more than one
course, without instructor approval, can also be considered a form of plagiarism. Also, submitting work
similar to materials found on ChatGPT or similar sights will be considered suspicious of Academic
Misconduct and may be referred to the Academic Integrity Office (AIO). Students who are found to have
committed academic misconduct will have a Disciplinary Notation (DN) placed on their academic record

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(not on their transcript) and will normally be assigned one or more of the following penalties:
 A grade reduction for the work, ranging up to an including a zero on the work (minimum penalty
for graduate work is a zero on the work)
 A grade reduction in the course greater than a zero on the work. (Note that this penalty can
only be applied to course components worth 10% or less, and any additional penalty cannot
exceed 10% of the final course grade. Students must be given prior notice that such a penalty
will be assigned (e.g., in the course outline or on the assignment handout)
 An F in the course
 More serious penalties up to and including expulsion from the University

The unauthorized use of intellectual property of others, including your professor, for distribution,
sale, or profit is expressly prohibited, in accordance with Policy 60 (Sections 2.8 and 2.10).
Intellectual property includes, but is not limited to: Slides, Lecture notes, Presentation materials
used in and outside of class, Lab manuals, Course packs and Exams. For more detailed
information on these issues, please refer to the Academic Integrity policy and to the Academic
Integrity Office website.

Wellbeing Support

At Toronto Metropolitan University, we recognize that things can come up throughout the term that
may interfere with a student’s ability to succeed in their coursework. These circumstances are outside of
one’s control and can have a serious impact on physical and mental well-being. Seeking help can be a
challenge, especially in those times of crisis.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 911 and go to the nearest hospital emergency
room. You can also access these outside resources at anytime:

 Distress Line: 24/7 line for if you are in crisis, feeling suicidal or in need of emotional support
(phone: 416–408–4357)

 Good2Talk: 24/7-hour line for postsecondary students (phone: 1-866-925-5454)

 Keep.meSAFE: 24/7 access to confidential support through counsellors via My SSP app or 1-844-
451-9700

If non-crisis support is needed, you can access these campus resources:

 Centre for Student Development and Counselling: 416-979-5195 or email csdc@torontomu.ca

 Consent Comes First – Office of Sexual Violence Support and Education: 416-919-5000 ext 3596
or email osvse@torontomu.ca

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 Medical Centre: call (416) 979-5070 to book an appointment. We encourage all Toronto
Metropolitan University community members to access available resources to ensure support is
reachable. You can find more resources available through the Toronto Metropolitan University
Mental Health and Wellbeing website.

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