Chinese 1: Foundations of Communication
Chinese 1: Foundations of Communication – Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing Skills
Grade 9 · 1.0 Credit · English Instruction
Chinese 1: Foundations of Communication introduces students to the fundamentals of Mandarin Chinese, focusing on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This course lays the groundwork for meaningful communication and cultural understanding, using practical vocabulary and everyday phrases to help students develop essential language skills.
Students will engage with tonal pronunciation, Pinyin, basic sentence structures, and simplified Chinese characters. The course uses real-life scenarios, interactive audio resources, and reading passages to reinforce language acquisition and encourage confident communication. Emphasis is placed on mastering key conversational patterns and responding appropriately in both spoken and written formats.
By the end of Chinese 1: Foundations of Communication, students will be able to introduce themselves, ask and answer questions, read short texts, and express ideas in basic written Mandarin. This course prepares learners for continued study in Chinese 2 and builds a solid foundation for AP Chinese and future global interactions.
Grade Level: 9
Credits: 1
Delivery Format: Live Online (1:1 or Small Group)
Duration: Full Academic Year (194 instructional days)
Instructional Language: English / Multilingual
Chinese I introduces students to the Mandarin Chinese language through essential vocabulary, foundational sentence patterns, and an emphasis on correct pronunciation using pinyin. The course builds listening and speaking skills while introducing basic reading and writing with simplified characters. Cultural topics and communication tasks are integrated to prepare students for the HSK Level 1 and 2 exams, aligned with CEFR A1–A2 proficiency.
Core Academic Content
Pinyin and tone mastery
Basic sentence structure (SVO)
Daily life vocabulary: family, numbers, food, time
Greetings, questions, and everyday interaction
Introduction to Chinese characters and stroke order
Instructional Framework
Aligned with HSK Levels 1–2 and CEFR A1–A2
Emphasis on listening and speaking confidence
Integrated vocabulary building and real-life dialogue
Introduction to reading and writing characters
Contextualized language through culture and media
Key Academic Competencies
Basic listening comprehension and pronunciation
Reading and writing 150–300 simplified characters
Conversational skills in personal and classroom settings
Recognizing cultural symbols and everyday expressions
Building linguistic confidence for continued study
Reading and Resource List
HSK Standard Course Books 1–2 (Beijing Language and Culture Press)
Pinyin trainer tools and pronunciation apps
Chinese character writing software and stroke order videos
Short dialogues and vocabulary audio sets
Assessment Structure
Character recognition and pinyin spelling quizzes
Listening comprehension and tone discrimination tests
Basic written responses and translation tasks
Oral dialogues and vocabulary recall
Final project and mock HSK 1–2 proficiency assessment