98-300：Elementary Cantonese Stuco

Fall 2017

Instructors

Patrick Lee 李冠燁 k...@andrew.cmu.edu
Justin Chu 褚邦彦 b...@andrew.cmu.edu

About this Stuco

Cantonese is the language spoken by people in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, and virtually all overseas Chinatowns. There are more than 100 million people speaking Cantonese worldwide, and more than one million are living in the US and Canada. Being able to communicate in Cantonese will allow students to fully immerse in southern Chinese culture when they visit Hong Kong or Guangzhou, and to further appreciate classical Chinese.

In this class, students would be able to learn Cantonese vocabulary and expressions through music, movies and class activities. There will be rich opportunities for student to practice Cantonese conversations. Students will learn to talk about day-to-day situations in basic Cantonese and gain more understanding about Cantonese culture.

No knowledge of Cantonese is required but understanding Mandarin Chinese is preferred and will be greatly helpful.

It’s gonna be fun!

Meeting time

Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. GHC 5222

Piazza page

We have a piazza page.
piazza.com/cmu/fall2017/98300

Course page

We have a course page as well!
(This is it.)

Homework

There will or will not be homework after each class. The homework aims to help you reinforce what you’ve learned in class and serve as a guide to practice. The homework will be fun and interactive.

Midterms and finals

There will be one midterm and one final project. The date of the midterm will be announced later. The test will incorporate some of the forms listed below.

  • Written Test
  • English-Cantonese translation
  • Fill in the blanks (colloquialism)
  • Listening Test
  • Basic Conversations
  • Role Play

The final project is due before the second last class (Apr 25).
The final project is due before the last class starts (May 2).

Attendance & Grading policy

Attendance does matter. As required by the StuCo policy, students with more than 2 unexcused absences will be given an N (No pass) grade. If you cannot attend for any reason, please send emails to both instructors in advance.

  • 40% Participation - Actively participate in class discussions and activities
  • 30% Homeworks
  • 15% Midterm
  • 15% Final Project

How can I pass?

  • Midterm and final will function as means of understanding the performance of the class and providing feedback. The score itself will not decide the final grade. However, completing the midterm and final is required for a passing grade.
  • Student with a grade higher than 60% will pass.
  • Student that shows a considerable improvement in Cantonese can receive a passing grade.
  • Anyone who prepares for and actively participates in the class will also pass.



  • Those who does not actively participate and prepare for class and show no desire for improvement will not receive a passing grade.

CMU Course Policies

All CMU policies are applicable to this class, including those pertaining to academic integrity.