Publisher's Synopsis
With a focus on the specific needs of children learning Chinese as a foreign language, the "Chinese for Young Beginners" program is designed for children between the ages of seven and fifteen years old. This textbook series creates a context for a stimulating and interactive learning environment, where Chinese listening, speaking, reading and writing skills are acquired through language usage in real life situations. Age appropriate and enchantingly illustrated, "Chinese for Young Beginners" textbooks attempt to fill the gap between the increasing demand for learning Chinese at an early age and the lack of teaching materials relevant to children's daily life, cultural environment and imagination. While Book 1 cultivates language sense and lays a solid foundation with vocabulary, character writing, listening and conversational skills, Book 2 is written with the goal of extending students' ability to communicate their daily life experiences. It contains ten lessons, which cover youth-oriented conversations about sports, school life, food, family, friendship, shopping, communication, pets, etc. The special features of this textbook include: - Language game/activity-based exercises that engage students in developing new language skills while having fun - "How do you say it in Chinese?" sections that provide examples of situational usage of Chinese words and phrases commonly used in conversations - Quizzes, puzzles and substantial exercises that enhance listening and reading comprehension - Various approaches that assist students in picking the right words and phrases to make correct sentences - Translations from English to Chinese, and vice versa, to build Chinese writing skills - 600+ new words/expressions The author of the "Chinese for Young Beginners" series, Bill Li, specializes in teaching Chinese as a foreign language. Bill was a faculty member of the Chinese as a Foreign Language Department of Shanghai International Studies University, and a published author on Chinese language teaching material, methodology and evaluation. Bill has taught students of all ages from around the world in both China and USA. He has a Master's Degree in Applied Linguistics from Shanghai International Studies University, and a Master's Degree in Communication from the Annenberg School for Communication of the University of Pennsylvania. Bill has over twenty years of corporate experience in USA. The "Chinese for Young Beginners" series also introduces an emerging young talent, Candace Tong-Li, the author and illustrator of seven picture books, six of which were created for children learning Chinese. Her drawing "Cows" appeared on HighlightsKids.com when she was seven, and her illustrations for two feature stories ("The Sparrow" and "Freedom Run") were published in "Stone Soup" magazine before she turned thirteen. Candace created both the cover and interior illustrations for "Chinese for Young Beginners 2" when she was fourteen. Her seemingly simple artwork is filled with a whimsical sense of humor and an enchanting spirit.
