Mandarin Chinese I Intensive

What Is the Mandarin Chinese I Intensive?

The Mandarin Chinese I Intensive is a twelveweek, fulltime program designed for beginners who want rapid, solid progress in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Classes meet five days a week, four hours per day, with a blend of classroom instruction, interactive activities, and guided practice.

Students finish the course with the ability to:

• Introduce themselves and hold basic conversations.
• Pronounce the four tones correctly.
• Read and write 150+ commonly used characters.
• Understand everyday vocabulary and simple sentence patterns.

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum follows a communicative approach, emphasizing meaning before form. Each week focuses on a thematic unit (e.g., greetings, family, food, travel). Core components include:

• Pronunciation & Tones: Pinyin drills, tonepair exercises, and audio feedback.
• Vocabulary Building: Flashcards, spacedrepetition software, and contextual roleplays.
• Grammar Foundations: Simple sentence structures, measure words, word order, and question forms.
• Character Writing: Stroke order practice, radicals identification, and short composition tasks.
• Listening & Speaking: Audio clips, dictation, pair work, and minipresentations.

Assessment is continuous: weekly quizzes, a midterm oral test, and a final project where students create a short video introducing themselves in Mandarin.

Who Should Enroll?

This intensive is ideal for:

• College students needing a solid base before advanced courses.
• Professionals planning a shortterm assignment in China.
• Travel enthusiasts who want to converse confidently during trips.
• Anyone motivated to learn Mandarin quickly and willing to commit fulltime for three months.

No previous Mandarin experience is required, but a willingness to practice daily is essential.

Learning Environment

Classes are held in a modern language lab equipped with:

• Interactive whiteboards for realtime annotation.
• Headphones and microphones for accurate pronunciation feedback.
• Access to a digital library of authentic Chinese media (songs, news clips, short films).

Instructors are native Mandarin speakers with teaching certifications and at least two years of experience in intensive language programs.

Schedule & Logistics

Duration: 12 weeks (MondayFriday)

Hours per day: 4 (10:00am 2:00pm)

Location: 200 Language Center, Room 305 (City Center)

Tuition: $2,400 (includes all materials, lab access, and a takehome workbook).

Space is limited to 18 students to ensure personalized attention.

Why Choose This Intensive?

Speed & Depth: The fulltime format compacts a semesters worth of content into three months without sacrificing mastery.

Practical Focus: Realworld dialogues and cultural notes prepare learners for immediate use.

Supportive Community: Small class size fosters peer interaction and study groups that continue beyond the course.

Clear Pathway: After completion, students can progress to Mandarin Chinese II (Intermediate) or enroll in specialized courses such as Business Mandarin or HSK preparation.

Student Testimonials

I was able to order food, ask for directions, and even make small talk with locals during my twoweek trip to Shanghai. The intensive really jumpstarted my confidence. Maya L., Marketing Analyst

The teachers corrected my tones immediately. By the end of the program I could write my name and a short diary entry in Chinese characters. Diego R., Graduate Student