MANDARIN COURSES: FALL 2025

All courses are ONLINE.

Course times are in EASTERN TIME ZONE.

  • Signing up for any Mandarin language course will grant you access to our weekly Language and Culture seminars. The purpose of these seminars is to provide students with background knowledge about the linguistic diversity, history, society, and cultures of Sinophone communities.

    Registered participants will receive the seminar schedule and topics via email. Attendance is highly encouraged for Mandarin learners, as essential knowledge will be covered in the introductory seminars during the first few weeks.

    Some of the seminar topics that will be covered:

    • Naming the Chinese Language(s): “Dialects”, Scripts, Standardisation and State Policy

    • The Dragon and the Eagles: China and Russia throughout history

    • Buddhism and Islam

    • Regulating Superstition, Ritualizing the Nation: Religion and State Power in 1930s China

    • Gendered Time and Memory: How Rural Women Remember Maoist China

    • Inventing Ethnicity? The Politics of Ethnic Classification in Modern China

    • The Memory Machine: Cultural Production and the Making of China’s Industrial Northeast

      And more!

  • Description: Intended for students with no background in Mandarin or any other Chinese language, this course provides an introduction to Mandarin as a second/foreign language. Students study a minimum of 150 Chinese characters in Simplified and/or Traditional Chinese.

    Day/time: 3:10 - 5:10 PM, Sundays, August 31st to November 23rd (no class on October 12th)

    Instructor: 思伊 Sīyī

  • Description: The course prepares students to handle simple, routine tasks and engage in basic conversations in Mandarin. Students will learn to understand and use simple, frequently used sentence structures and phrases related to familiar topics. Students will work towards recognizing at least 300 Chinese characters in either Simplified or Traditional Chinese.

    Day/time: 11:10 - 1:00 PM, Sundays, August 31st to November 23rd (no class on October 12th)

    Instructor: 思伊 Sīyī

  • Description: The course is intended for students who wish to understand short, simple texts containing high-frequency vocabulary, expressions and sentence structures. Students will be able to design and find specific, predictable information in simple communication, such as a fundraising event poster. Students will also be able to understand and write short and simple texts for everyday communication, working towards recognizing at least 450 Chinese characters in either Simplified and/or Traditional Chinese.

    Day/time: 11:10 - 1:00 PM, Saturdays, August 30th to November 22nd (no class on October 11th)

    Instructor: 思伊 Sīyī

  • Description: Intended for students who are conversational in Mandarin but have no knowledge in reading or writing. This literacy course provides an introduction to the Chinese orthography system, the most common radicals and characters (in Simplified and Traditional). Students will aim to acquire 450 to 600 characters through reading, writing and typing practices.

    Day/time: 6:10 - 8:00 PM, Thursdays, August 28th to November 20th (no class on October 9th)

    Instructor: 思伊 Sīyī

  • Description: This course is for students who are conversational in Mandarin and have basic reading skills but want to improve their fluency. Students will engage in in-depth discussions on familiar topics, such as hobbies, travel, work, and health. Example learning activities include articulating thoughts, describing emotions, and proposing questions to facilitate conversation. Students will read short to medium-length texts, such as stories and social media posts, and practice writing coherent messages. Listening exercises will help with understanding fast speech and nuanced language, while speaking practice will focus on improving pronunciation and developing complex sentence structures to navigate more challenging interactions confidently.

    Day/time: 

    • Session 1: 6:10 - 8:00 PM, Wednesdays, August 27st to November 19th (no class on October 8th)

    • Session 2: 3:10 - 5:10 PM, Saturdays, August 30th to November 22nd (no class on October 11th)

      Instructor: cherrie

  • Description: This course is intended for students who are already conversational in Mandarin and possess functional reading abilities, but wish to develop stronger language skills. We will focus on discussing moderately complex topics and acquiring new information in Mandarin. Example learning activities will include analyzing medium-length opinion pieces and argumentative essays, as well as composing coherent arguments. Listening exercises will enhance understanding of complex topics presented in natural speech, while speaking practices will focus on articulating personal stances and carrying a meaningful conversation.

    Day/time: 

    • Session 1: 6:10 - 8:00 PM, Thursdays, August 28th to November 20th (no class on October 9th)

    • Session 2: 3:10 - 5:10 PM, Sundays, August 31st to November 23rd (no class on October 12th)

    Instructor: cherrie

  • Description: This course is designed for Mandarin learners who aim to achieve advanced proficiency. Students will refine their language skills to comprehend complex texts, express nuanced ideas, and engage confidently in formal social contexts. Learning activities will include analyzing intricate texts, writing argumentative essays, and discussing complex topics related to political education, social justice movements, history, and culture.

    Day/time: 3:10 - 5:10 PM, Saturdays, August 30th to November 22nd (no class on October 11th)

    Instructor: 思伊 Sīyī