Detailed Introduction to the Short Term Spoken Chinese Textbook Series

I. Basic Information

• Textbook Name: Short Term Spoken Chinese
• Chief Editor: Ma Jianfei
• Publisher: Beijing Language and Culture University Press
• Publication Date: The second edition of the “Beginner’s Edition (Volume 1)” was published in July 2005.
• Target Audience: Chinese language learners, especially short-term international students in China.

II. Textbook Structure and Content

1. Systematic Composition:
   • The textbook series consists of five volumes: Beginner’s Edition, Basic Edition, Intermediate Edition, Advanced Edition, and Upper-Intermediate Edition, catering to the needs of international students with different Chinese proficiency levels.
   • Each volume focuses on basic communication topics related to daily life and studies, providing essential communication skills.
2. Content Characteristics:
   • The first five lessons of the Beginner’s Edition are dedicated to pronunciation, forming a self-contained system for learners to choose from.
   • Lessons 6-30 are the main texts, covering the most commonly used vocabulary, sentence patterns, and communication topics from the vocabulary and grammar syllabus.
   • Each lesson is accompanied by corresponding videos, including animation, text, new words, grammar, exercises, and homework sections.
   • The total video length is 940 minutes, with 94 videos, each approximately 10 minutes long.
3. Teaching Language:
   • Considering the learners’ Chinese proficiency level, the textbook uses English as the instructional language, facilitating comprehension for non-native speakers.

III. Textbook Features

1. Practicality:
   • The content of the textbook closely revolves around daily life and studies, aiming to enhance learners’ spoken Chinese communication skills.
   • The communication topics provided are practical and commonly used, enabling learners to quickly apply them in real-life situations.
2. Systematicness:
   • The textbook series forms a complete series from beginner to advanced levels, ensuring learners can progressively improve their Chinese proficiency.
   • Each volume covers language elements such as pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar, comprehensively developing learners’ Chinese abilities.
3. Multimedia Assistance:
   • Paired with video learning, the learning process becomes more vivid and intuitive.
   • The video content is rich, including animation, text, and other forms, enhancing learners’ interest and effectiveness in learning.

IV. Conclusion

Short Term Spoken Chinese is a spoken Chinese textbook series specifically designed for short-term international students in China. It aims to enhance learners’ spoken Chinese communication skills, with practical and systematic content. Paired with multimedia learning materials, it is a valuable resource for both beginners and learners seeking to further improve their spoken Chinese proficiency.