Social Perspective : An Intermediate-advanced Chinese Course

Social Perspective is a course set over one academic year for intermediate learners of Chinese. In two volumes, it focuses on developing learners’ language competency to a high advanced plus/advanced level (ACTFL/CEFR B2-C1) through exploring social issues in contemporary China.

The textbook draws upon the discussion of a wide range of current social issues in China to provide students with a real-life background to increase their debating and written skills. Volume II explores six topics: demographic issues, ‘love’ and ‘sex’, technology, medical care, the economy and education. The textbook is written in fluent, accurate and high-quality Chinese language which is conveniently broken down to highlight all the important language elements (expressions, vocabulary, phrases and grammar). This course will equip students with language production capability at an advanced level and prepare students for the transition from academic study to employment.

Each lesson includes a wide range of language drills and exercises designed to quickly improve learners’ oral expression and conceptual understanding through group discussions, essays, presentations, bidirectional translation and critical reflection. Online resources such as lesson text audio, videos, independent learning resources and supplementary reading material are also included at www.routledge.com/9780367652173.

Written by a team of highly experienced teachers, Social Perspective is the ideal course to progress intermediate students to an advanced level. Academics and researchers with an interest in Chinese contemporary social issues will also find this a useful tool for further language study.

Yi Ning is Associate Professor and has nearly 30 years of teaching experience in Chinese language at the University of Leeds. She was in charge of Chinese teaching in East Asian Studies for more than 15 years until her retirement in 2017.

Jing Fang has an MSc in Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh. She is a Lecturer in Chinese with 31 years’ experience teaching Chinese literature and language. Since 2000 she has been teaching at the University of Oxford. Before that, she taught for ten years at the University of Edinburgh.

Wei Shao is a Lecturer and the BA Chinese Programme Director at Cardiff University. He has taught in the BA Chinese programmes at the Universities of Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield as well as the Open University. Wei has an MA in Teaching Chinese as Foreign Language from the University of Sheffield.

Zhengrong Yang is a qualified Lecturer of Chinese Language and Culture with nine years’ experience and is currently a Tutor of Chinese Language and Culture at the University of Leeds.

Esther Tyldesley has a BA in Chinese Studies from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Applied Translation Studies (Chinese) from the University of Leeds. She is a Teaching Fellow in Chinese and Translation at the University of Edinburgh.