Adults Language Classes

This course is designed for absolute beginners with little or no knowledge of Chinese Mandarin. This class will introduce the phonics of Chinese Mandarin, sounds and tones, using the pinyin Romanization system. Upon completion, students will be expected to establish a solid foundation in Chinese pronunciation (initials, vowels and most importantly, the tones). In addition, students will easily master about 80 basic Chinese characters, most of which are very commonly used to construct other characters. Students are also expected to be able to conduct short daily conversations, including greetings, expressing gratitude, and introducing themselves and others, etc.

The textbook required for this course is Road to Success: Threshold.

* Please purchase the required textbook(s) on Amazon or directly from the publisher’s US office, Phoenix Tree Publishing, and enter code DSTY15 at checkout for a 15% discount at www.phoenixtree.com.

This course is a continuation of Beginner Chinese 101 and will continue to build on the pronunciation and tones taught in Beginning Chinese 101. In addition, this course will cover the topics of making acquaintance, describing oneself, making appointments, discussing everyday situations, asking various types of questions, making suggestions or comments, etc.

The textbook required for this course is Road to Success: Lower Elementary, Vol.1 (Lessons 1-6).

* Please purchase the required textbook(s) on Amazon or directly from the publisher’s US office, Phoenix Tree Publishing, and enter code DSTY15 at checkout for a 15% discount at www.phoenixtree.com.

This course is a continuation of Beginner Chinese 102 and will continue to introduce new vocabulary and sentence patterns. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to communicate about daily necessities, including shopping, making a purchase, and going to the bank, among many others.

The textbook required for this course is Road to Success: Lower Elementary, Vol.1 (Lessons 7-12).

* Please purchase the required textbook(s) on Amazon or directly from the publisher’s US office, Phoenix Tree Publishing, and enter code DSTY15 at checkout for a 15% discount at www.phoenixtree.com.

This course is a continuation of Beginner Chinese 103 and will bring students to a high beginner level. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to talk about daily activities, going to the movies, taking classes, and discussing sports.

The textbook required for this course is Road to Success: Lower Elementary, Vol.2 (Lessons 13-17).

*Upon completion of this level, students may be eligible to take the HSK 1.

* Please purchase the required textbook(s) on Amazon or directly from the publisher’s US office, Phoenix Tree Publishing, and enter code DSTY15 at checkout for a 15% discount at www.phoenixtree.com.

This course is a continuation of Beginner Chinese 104 and will continue to introduce new vocabulary and sentence patterns. Topics to be covered include directions and locations, talking about personal skills, and describing sickness.

The textbook required for this course is Road to Success: Lower Elementary, Vol.2 (Lessons 18-22).

*Upon completion of this level, students may be eligible to take the HSK 1.

* Please purchase the required textbook(s) on Amazon or directly from the publisher’s US office, Phoenix Tree Publishing, and enter code DSTY15 at checkout for a 15% discount at www.phoenixtree.com.

This course is a continuation of High Beginner Chinese 105 and will continue to introduce new vocabulary and sentence patterns. Topics to be covered include style of clothing, making comparisons on weather, food, and cities. New grammar and sentence patterns include the reduplication of verbs, the complement of manner, and making comparisons, among many others.

The textbook required for this course is Road to Success: Lower Elementary, Vol.2 (Lessons 23-28).

*Upon completion of this level, students may be eligible to take the HSK 1.

* Please purchase the required textbook(s) on Amazon or directly from the publisher’s US office, Phoenix Tree Publishing, and enter code DSTY15 at checkout for a 15% discount at www.phoenixtree.com.

Following Heritage Chinese Beginner I, this course is designed specifically for heritage Chinese students who possess speaking skills but limited reading and writing skills in Chinese. More complex and functional vocabulary words, sentence patterns and systemic review of grammar will be practiced through reading texts on various culturally related topics. Writing is also an important part of the training in this class.

The textbook required for this course is Contemporary Chinese for Heritage Learners: An Introductory Text Simplified Character Version 2nd Edition, Lessons 9 – 14.

* Please purchase the required textbook(s) on Amazon.

This class is a continuation of Intermediate Chinese 201. Students will learn how to express exclamation and other emotions, explain issues, and describe resultative events.

The textbook required for this course is Road to Success, Elementary Vol 1 (Lesson 5-8).

*Upon completion of this level, students may be eligible to take the HSK 2.

This class is a continuation of Intermediate Chinese 202. Students will learn how to make emphasis and comparison in a more complex way, describe events in the future, talk about experience, and so forth.

The textbook required for this course is Road to Success, Elementary Vol 1 (Lesson 9-12).

*Upon completion of this level, students may be eligible to take the HSK 2.

This class is designed for students who have learned about 1,000 words and structures or have taken intermediate-level classes at China Institute but want to improve conversational skills. The class will help students speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in informal conversational and business settings. The class is highly conversational and interactive, with a focus on live conversations and discussions to achieve fluency in spoken Chinese.

NO textbook is required to purchase for this class. Materials will be provided in class.

This course is a continuation of Heritage Chinese Intermediate II. It is designed specifically for heritage Chinese students who possess speaking skills but limited reading and writing skills in Chinese. It will introduce more functional vocabulary and sentence patterns and phrases. It will also provide a systemic review of grammar through reading texts on various cultural topics. Writing is also an important part of the training in this class.

The textbook required for this course is HSK Standard Course, HSK 4A下 (Lesson 11-15).

This course serves as a bridge between the Heritage Chinese Intermediate courses and the Heritage Chinese Advanced series. It is designed for heritage learners who have strong speaking skills but wish to further develop their reading, writing, and discourse-level communication abilities. The textbook integrates language learning with an in-depth exploration of everyday Chinese cultural practices and the values embedded within them.

The curriculum is structured around the cultural and behavioral frameworks introduced in the textbook. Each lesson features rich texts, new vocabulary, and functional sentence patterns, followed by scenario-based dialogues that illustrate common communicative situations and culturally appropriate discourse strategies. Students will also participate in cross-cultural communication modules that explore culturally grounded ways of speaking and behaving, and complete oral and written tasks that enhance their pragmatic awareness. Through this design, the course systematically strengthens students’ ability to understand and use Chinese in authentic social contexts, providing a strong foundation for advanced-level studies in the future.

Required Textbook: Acting Chinese: An Intermediate–Advanced Course in Discourse and Behavioral Culture, (1st Edition)《行为汉语》, Lesson 6-10.

This course is designed for students who have finished Level 306 at China Institute or anyone who has achieved an overall high intermediate level of proficiency in the Chinese language.

The textbook required for this course is HSK Standard Course 5A (上) (Lessons 7-12).

*Upon completion of this level, students may be eligible to take the HSK 4 or 5.

This advanced-level course is designed for students who have completed Advanced courses 301–308 at China Institute or equivalent advanced Chinese reading courses. It is also suitable for learners who have achieved an overall advanced proficiency in Chinese and wish to further strengthen their language skills through in-depth engagement with authentic literary texts. The course is especially well suited for students interested in modern Chinese literature and the social realities reflected through literary expression.

Using Literature and Society: An Advanced Reader of Modern Chinese (revised edition, 2016), published by Princeton University Press, the course adopts an innovative approach that integrates advanced language training with cultural and social analysis. Students will read a diverse selection of essays, short stories, and one play by some of China’s most influential modern writers, including Lu Xun (鲁迅), Lin Yutang (林语堂), Liang Shiqiu (梁实秋), and Wang Meng (王蒙).

Through close reading and discussion, students will not only refine their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and interpretive skills, but also explore key social and cultural issues in modern China. From a sociological perspective, the selected texts examine topics such as population and family dynamics, ethics and marriage, the lives of intellectuals, and the challenges faced by ethnic minorities, offering valuable insights into Chinese society through literature.

Required textbook:
Literature and Society: Advanced Reader of Modern Chinese, published by Princeton University Press, revised edition, 2016. Literature: Lessons 1-5.

This course is designed for students with high-intermediate to advanced proficiency in spoken and written Chinese, a vocabulary of over 2,000 words, and a solid foundation in core grammar. It incorporates materials from a widely used online platform, integrating listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through authentic, structured, and level-appropriate content drawn from contemporary Chinese media and culture. Students will engage in tasks that connect multiple language skills using news-based lessons, curated vocabulary, grammar explanations, and audio resources. With full access to this online learning platform through the China Institute’s subscription, instructors will guide students in strengthening their overall communicative competence and building confidence in using Chinese in real-world contexts.

You can review a sample lesson from the website here.

NO textbook is required to purchase for this class. Materials will be provided in class.

This advanced-level course is designed for adult learners who have achieved an overall advanced proficiency in Chinese, particularly in reading, and who wish to further develop their speaking fluency, accuracy, and sophistication. Students are expected to complete assigned readings before each class and come prepared to actively participate in discussion and debate.

Reading materials are drawn from recent news articles and commentaries on contemporary issues related to China, including the economy, politics, social challenges, cultural trends, and China–U.S. relations. Class time is devoted primarily to in-depth discussion, debate, and analysis of these texts, with an emphasis on expressing nuanced opinions, supporting arguments, and engaging with diverse perspectives in Chinese.

The course aims to strengthen advanced reading comprehension, expand topic-specific vocabulary, and enhance students’ ability to discuss complex, real-world issues in Chinese with clarity and confidence. At the same time, students will gain a deeper understanding of the social, political, and economic forces shaping China today.

No textbook purchase is required. All reading materials will be provided by the instructor.

This course is designed for individuals who have completed the advanced course Levels 301-304, and preferably, the Advanced Reading course (Book: Reading into a New China) as well at CI. It is also suitable for those who have attained an overall advanced proficiency in the Chinese language and wish to further their studies by engaging with more advanced texts. The selected textbook for the course, Anything Goes (《无所不谈》), is part of one of the most popular book series published by Princeton University Press. Anything Goes is an advanced modern Chinese language textbook that focuses on newspaper commentaries. The text selections are primarily sourced from local and overseas Chinese newspapers and magazines, covering topics related to economic, cultural, social, and political changes since the reform and opening up of China in the early 1980s.

The class will feature a highly interactive format, with students actively participating in discussions centered around a wide range of thought-provoking topics on contemporary China. The course aims to develop advanced skills in reading comprehension and enhance professional speaking abilities, including discussion and oral presentation.

The required textbook for this course is the Revised Edition of Anything Goes (《无所不谈》), published by Princeton University Press in 2011, Lessons 19 – 21.