STARTALK Mandarin Language
Summer Camp

Camp-wide Theme and Special Projects for Summer 2010
This year we will focus the language curriculum around the theme of "FAMILY". With each language class sharing one theme across the board, the vocabulary, dialogue topics, camp-wide projects and activities are interconnected to facilitate students speaking Chinese to each other. Also, each week has a theme around which camp-wide projects will revolve. The themes are: The Forbidden City, Folk Arts of China, and Ceremonial Drumming. We will also conduct an "Oral History" project where students in the camp will interview the many, native-speakers we have on campus.

Novice Chinese (PRFTRN 018):
"Who am I"

Designed for students with minimum Chinese background, this intensive course will develop the basic skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing with a focus on listening and speaking. Upon completion of the course students will be able to greet and respond to greetings, introduce themselves, friends and family members, and express their likes and dislikes in many topic areas. They will also be able to describe their physical features, and share such facts as birthdates, ages, family trees, nationalities, and home addresses. Participants will understand Chinese zodiac, complete with animal symbols of their birth years. They will also understand and respect different family values by comparing and contrasting families in China and America. One goal is to develop an interest in the language and a motivation to continue to study Chinese after completing this course.

Intermediate Chinese, Part 1 (PRFTRN 022):
"We are Family"

This course is designed for students with 1-2 years of prior Chinese language learning experience in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The focus will be on listening and speaking, expanding vocabulary and understanding Chinese culture. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to talk about family members, introduce their names, age, nationality, professions, hobbies and physical conditions. They will also use thematic knowledge and skills to exchange personal information such as their interests in sports, hobbies, daily activities and by comparing Chinese and American family traditions, values and birthday celebrations. They will learn what connects people from China and around the world. Students will improve communication skills through role-playing, lab work, and real-life exercises.

Intermediate Chinese, Part 2 (PRFTRN 094):
"My Home and Family Environment"

This course is designed for students with 2-3 years of prior Chinese language learning experience in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The focus will be on listening and speaking, expanding vocabulary and understanding Chinese culture. Students will be able to conduct conversations on general topics in a comparatively fluently manner and pace using the proper social conventions. Upon completion of the course, student will be able to express their personal backgrounds and needs and conduct conversations in routine tasks, such as giving a house or neighborhood tour. Topics will cover the role that geomancy (feng shui) plays in balancing harmony between people and the environment, learning and describing the physical layout of a home and furniture, and negotiating rental housing. Writing exercises will use complicated sentence structure.

Advanced Chinese, Part 1 (PRFTRN 022):
"My Family and Community"

This course is designed for students with 3+ years of prior Chinese language experience. It provides further study of Chinese through student centered activities and guided communications, in both writing and speaking, with the goal of providing a total immersion experience. The main topics include contemporary family life, the evolution of the Chinese family, community living and more. With a focus on reading and writing, students will learn to use advanced sentence structure and idiomatic expressions in writing exercises. Furthermore, the course will explore Sino-American cultural differences and analyze the dynamic role of language in culture with the purpose of raising cross-cultural awareness while developing proficiency in the target language.

Housing

The Mandarin Language Summer Camp is a residential program for students living 25 miles or further from Bentley University in Waltham, MA. A limited number of rooms have been reserved for students requiring accommodations.