Reference Materials

Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language

Eve — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:17:08 +0000

Just as the demand for Chinese language programs is growing across North America, schools are facing a shortage of trained teachers and a host of challenges. How can teachers meet the needs of a complex classroom filled with both Chinese heritage learners and those completely new to Chinese? How can Chinese teachers from diverse backgrounds adapt to a North American teaching environment and expectations?

Designed to help teachers create and execute strong, sustainable K-16 Chinese language programs, this ground-breaking resource book is the first of its kind specifically written for teachers of Chinese as a foreign language. It contains essays written by a diverse group of experienced educators in the field. Essays are divided into three main sections: 1) Teaching Chinese in Context, 2) Teacher Knowledge and Pedagogical Decisions, 3) Challenges and Strategies for the North American Classroom.

Features:

Perfect as a course book for pre-service and in-service teacher training programs.
Contains just the right blend of theory and practice---includes relevant theories as well as hands-on classroom methods, examples, and innovations.
Addresses not only how to teach the language, but also how to create and sustain a sequenced, articulated curriculum---especially relevant as the demand for new Chinese programs continues to rise.
Stresses application of both ACTFL national content standards and Chinese language standards.

By taking an issues approach as well as highlighting specific techniques and principles that will guide Chinese language teachers in making appropriate decisions in their classrooms, this book is an indispensible resource for teachers striving for excellence in the Chinese language classroom.

Essay Topics:

The Importance of Standards (Michael E. Everson, University of Iowa)
Bringing Culture into the Chinese Language Classroom through Contextualized Performance (Matthew Christensen, Brigham Young University)
Focusing on the Learner in the Chinese Language Classroom: Moving from "Talking the Talk to "Walking the Walk" (Cynthia Ning, University of Hawaii)
Teaching Chinese Orthography and Discourse: Knowledge and Pedagogy (Yun Xiao, Bryant University)
Teaching Listening and Speaking: An Interactive Approach (Xiaohong Wen, University of Houston)
Literacy Development in Chinese as a Foreign Language (Michael E. Everson, University of Iowa)
Teaching Chinese as a Heritage Language: Keys to Success (Yun Xiao, Bryant University)
Technology in Chinese Language Teaching and Learning (Tianwei Xie, University of California, Long Beach, and Tao-chung Yao, University of Hawaii)
AP Chinese Language and Culture: Pedagogical Implications and Applications (T. Richard Chi, University of Utah)
Linking Curriculum, Assessment, and Professional Development: Challenges of a K-16 Articulated Program (Madeline K. Spring, Arizona State University)
Understanding the Culture of American Schools and Managing the Successful Chinese Language Classroom (Leslie Schrier, University of Iowa)

Order now at a special introductory price:

Cheng & Tsui Chinese Measure Word Dictionary

Laurel — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:01:27 +0000

A herd of geese, or a flock? A stick of gum, or a tablet? A jug of wine, or a glass?

Just as English nouns often need classifiers, so do Chinese nouns require the correct “measure word.” Ready access to the hundreds of varying measure words is key to speaking and writing polished Chinese, but even advanced students sometimes struggle to find the right one for a particular noun or context.

Here is the essential resource for every student concerned with accurate and fluent usage: the Cheng & Tsui Chinese Measure Word Dictionary. This new and unprecedented reference work is the only dictionary that allows you to search entries in three different ways: by measure word, by Chinese noun, and by English noun. Entries comprise the most frequently used measure words and nouns, including vocabulary from the Integrated Chinese textbook series.

This useful guide features:

个 Section 1: Chinese measure words, with example nouns and usage notes

个 Section 2: English nouns, arranged alphabetically, with corresponding Chinese measure words

个 Section 3: Chinese nouns, arranged alphabetically, with corresponding Chinese measure words

Accessible and one-of-a-kind, the Cheng & Tsui Chinese Measure Word Dictionary is an indispensable reference for all students of modern Chinese.

Chinese Grammar Made Easy

ginevra — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:40:22 +0000

Chinese Grammar Made Easy provides instructors with classroom-tested techniques for helping students understand Chinese grammar. Based on research conducted by a team of 25 experienced language teachers, this book proceeds from the principle that students attain fluency and mastery of a foreign language by continually practicing it in real-world, communicative contexts.

Features:

Clear and concise explanations of the 150 most frequently used grammar concepts
Various exercises that reinforce each grammar point
Meaningful, interactive dialogues that actively engage students
Step-by-step teaching instructions for helping students use grammar correctly

A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar

ginevra — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:52:08 +0000

This third volume in the widely acclaimed, best-selling Japanese grammar dictionary series introduces students to advanced-level Japanese grammar. The book offers approximately 230 key grammar items with extensive explanations in both English and Japanese. A great supplement and comprehensive resource, especially for reading advanced-level materials such as newspapers, professional journals, technical/business/legal documents, academic papers, and literature.

Contents:

Special topics include adjective classification in Japanese, interpretations of N1 no N2, concepts of politeness and formality, meanings of rhetorical questions, metaphorical expressions, and number marking in Japanese.
Main Entries were selected by examining upper-level materials, and offer detailed explanations of meaning and usage, several examples of authentic usage per entry, and in-depth comparisons between the target expression and expressions similar to it in meaning or form.
English and Japanese indexes allows for easy reference. The Japanese index also refers to all main entries and related expressions within all three volumes of the series.

Streetwise Guide Beijing

Eve — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:38:18 +0000

Get off the tour bus and onto the streets with this user friendly guide to the “Real Beijing.” Streetwise Guide Beijing includes comprehensive maps, restaurant listings and a bilingual menu guide, bus listings, must-see location information and much more. Full of bright illustrations, this guide is organized by city section and highlights the local color of that area. A traveler’s survival guide, detailing manners and other topics of interest, is also included in this comprehensive volume.

Yan Zhenqing

Eve — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 21:09:51 +0000

Calligraphy is not only a method to communicate written thoughts, but also an ancient art form of the highest esteem. Along with poetry and painting, calligraphy holds a central place in the aesthetic traditions of classical Chinese art, and it has been practiced by emperors, scholars, and ordinary citizens alike. The East Asian Arts Ancient Chinese Calligraphy series provides a concise introduction to the most famous calligraphers of classical China. Each book includes clear, full-color photographs and close-ups that provide insight into the calligraphy master's classic writing style. A short essay at the end of each book summarizes the unique work of the artist and his views on life and art.

Hanyu Da Cidian CD-ROM

chengtsu — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:07:03 +0000

This is simply the most comprehensive and extensive electronic Chinese dictionary available in the market today. Making full use of the potential of its digital format, the Hanyu Da Cidian contains 18,014 head words, 336,706 words and phrases, 23,383 idioms, 501,040 definitions, and 861,956 citations. Users can get instant definitions by placing their cursor over a word, or employ more than 20 search methods in looking up a desired word, including Wild Card search. Each entry has real-voiced recorded pronunciation in Mandarin, ((ital)) Hanyu Pinyin((ital)) pronunciation, phonetic notation, radicals, stroke count, and stroke order. Dacidian uses standard putonghua pronunciation. NOTE: This is a Chinese to Chinese dictionary with NO English.

Min. req. (Windows only): Microsoft Windows Vista/XP/2000; Traditional Chinese Version; Pentium III or above; 400MB or above hardisk; double speed or above CD-ROM drive, sound card and speaker, 256 colors VGA or above.