Short course
Chinese (Mandarin): Beginners – Part 2
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates:
19/01/2027 - 23/03/2027
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£315.00
Join this interactive 10-week course to further develop your basic Chinese (Mandarin) language skills and enjoy exploring the culture.
To support the development of communicative skills, the course offers a balanced progression in speaking, listening, reading, and writing where Pinyin and pronunciation are incorporated with vocabulary and language throughout the course. Each session features practical, meaningful activities - from practice exercises, interactive tasks, and guided listening to problem‑solving scenarios. Learners engage with authentic language, collaborate with classmates, and build confidence through varied, hands‑on activities that mirror real‑world communication.
The course is pitched at level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and completion of the course will help you meet some of the level requirements.
Is this the right level course for you?
New students, who have not completed 'Chinese(Mandarin): Beginners - Part 1', whose proficiency in the language is appropriate for the course level are very welcome.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Level and demands
Pitched at level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Find out more about our language levels.
Course aims
To enable learners to communicate at a basic level with speakers of the target language in a limited range of practical, real-life settings.
Course objectives:
- Develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing for basic everyday communication in the target language.
- Consolidate reading and listening comprehension skills to understand the gist of very short, basic written texts and audio excerpts.
- Familiarise learners with high-frequency vocabulary and grammar structures for basic routine communication.
- Develop an appreciation of the culture and civilisation of the country (or countries) in which the target language is spoken.
Programme details
Course starts Tuesday 19 January 2027
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Tuesdays, 5.00-7.00pm.
The weekly course schedule below is intended to give an overview of the main topic(s) likely to be covered in each session. Please note that these may sometimes change according to the tutor’s discretion to reflect the interests of course participants.
Week 1: 他真高！ (Unit 4/L1)
- Describing people’s physical appearances and occupations
- Cultural corner: about Chinese New Year (Chinese New Year’s Eve & Chinese Zodiac signs)
Week 2: 他真高！ (Unit 4/L2)
- A basic Description of people’s personal profiles
- Extended vocabulary on Chinese New Year
- Cultural corner: More on Chinese New Year (taboos and activities)
Week 3: 他真高！(Unit 4/L3)
- Communicative activities and unit review
- More radicals and characters writing
- Creating a simple personal profile including one’s appearance, age and personeity
- Cultural corner: more on Chinese New Year (Lantern Festival)
Week 4: 这是我的电话号码。(Unit 5/L1)
- Exchanging information about contact numbers and addresses
- Expressions for receiving and ending phone calls
- Continue to learn Pinyin – the tones of 不 and 一
Week 5: 这是我的电话号码。(Unit 5/L2)
- Receiving and responding to simple telephone messages
- Asking for and giving information regarding one’s address
- Cultural corner: order of Chinese addresses
Week 6: 这是我的电话号码。(Unit 5/L3)
- Communicative activities and unit review
- Providing further personal information and contact details
- Chinese character writing
- Cultural corner: Chinese way of thinking from large to small
Week 7: 今天几号？ (Unit 6/L1)
- asking for and saying days of the week and dates
- Invitations and discussing related activities
- Chinese corner: Chinese calligraphy
Week 8: 今天几号？(Unit 6/L2)
- Reading a weekly planner
- Creating a personal calendar including activities each day
- The order of expressing Chinese year, month and date
Week 9: 今天几号？(Unit 6/L3)
- Communicative activities including an event planning and unit review
- Chinese festivals and their dates
- Continue to learn radicals
Week 10: Overall Revision
- communicative activities including role play
- practising radical and characters using traditional Chinese paintbrush
Key grammar points
* Exclamatory Sentence using 真
* Interrogative Sentences using special interrogative words like 谁、多少、多大、几
* Declarative Sentences with adjectives and nouns as predicate
* Sentence with pivotal verbs 请
Key functions
* Describing people’s physical appearances
* Asking for and giving basic information on contact numbers, addresses, personal profile, profession
* Text messaging and making phone calls
* planning an event and offering invitations
* Creating a personal calendar
* Using dates and days of the week
Teaching methods
You will learn through practical activities that encourage the use of the target language. Sessions typically integrate meaningful scenarios, pair and small‑group work, and collaborative problem‑solving in a supportive and friendly environment. The activities bring together speaking, listening, reading, and writing, enabling you to apply the language purposefully in real‑world situations.
The course is designed to build your spoken and listening abilities while deepening your understanding of cultural nuances, etiquette, and everyday usage. We will work with new grammatical structures through meaningful, communicative tasks, and you will continue developing your reading and writing skills both in class and independently through self‑study.
Learning outcomes
By the end of your course, learners will be better prepared to:
- interact in a simple way using a basic range of language in routine everyday contexts;
- understand and respond to basic spoken or recorded language relating to very familiar everyday situations;
- demonstrate comprehension of very short, simple texts containing high frequency vocabulary and basic grammar structures;
- write very short texts to provide basic personal information or simple descriptions.
Assessment methods
You will be set short, optional assignments to consolidate your learning and to allow you to progress at your own pace.
Mrs Zhao Godfrey
Born in the city of Tangshan in North China, Huiqiu Zhao studied English at the University of Shandong. She has been working as a freelance translator, interpreter, teacher and examiner in the UK since 1995.
Certification
Digital badge
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. In order to be issued with your badge, you will need to have attended at least 80% of the course.
After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add this badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee | £315.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Recommended reading
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Library facilities
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are also welcome to use the Library for reference.
- More information about the Library can be found on the Bodleian Libraries website.
- This guide for Weekly Class students also provides further information.
Preparatory reading
- Discover China Student’s Book One / DING, Anqi; CHEN, Xin; JIANG, Lili
Textbooks
To participate in the course fully, you will need access to the following textbook:
- Discover China Student’s Book One / DING, Anqi; CHEN, Xin; JIANG, Lili
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form.
