I know how busy you all are right now. I want to alert you to a resource that we are making available to help Chinese instructors and students access online video explanations of Chinese grammar, primarily aimed at first-year learners.
In the environment of the COVID-19 pandemic, many language instructors are being asked to conduct their classes remotely. Resources to do so may be scarce, especially for languages such as Chinese. In the spirit of sharing online resources, the Language Center and Dr. Hai Liu from the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Minnesota are making available a series of interactive grammar instruction videos designed to accompany materials in the Integrated Chinese Level One textbooks. The Interactive Videos Lessons for Chinese Grammar were designed to introduce a grammar topic with examples as explanation outside of class that would lead to language use in a communicative context in class, following a flipped classroom model.
Each video covers one aspect of Chinese grammar, and runs between 1 and 5 minutes. Most videos are less than 3 minutes in length. Altogether, we have created a set of roughly 160 video mini-lessons using simplified Chinese characters and a parallel set using traditional characters. The videos can be used in any order, but they are organized to correspond with the twenty chapters in the textbook. Interactivity is conducted through Playposit. Each video contains 3 comprehension checks with feedback, along with an opportunity for learners to review the presentation. Currently, we are set to share links to the set using simplified characters.
An example mini-lesson can be found at
https://api.playposit.com/go/share/489988/400136/0/0/L12F--SimplWe will provide a list of links to the mini-lessons upon request. These links can be embedded in a course management system or shared with students in a number of ways. The Playposit interactions are for student use, and the instructor does not receive reports on student work.
Since the Playposit interface accesses original videos residing in YouTube, we could also make available the original YouTube videos upon request.
It is hoped that these materials might help instructors conducting remote classes present specific elements of Chinese grammar and serve as a basis for further communicative activities.
Please send requests for access to the mini lessons to
icg@umn.eduThe interactive
This project was made possible with the support of the CLA Language Center, LATIS Academic Innovation Grants, and the Chinese Flagship Program at the University of Minnesota.
The materials were authored by Dr. Hai Liu and WeiHsuan Lo and produced by staff at the CLA Language Center. We are grateful to Dr. Stephen Tschudi (NFLRC, University of Hawaii) for his feedback on multiple iterations of this project.
Please share this message with Chinese instructors at your institution or in your contact circle.
with best wishes,
Dr. Dan Soneson, Director, CLA Language Center
Dr. Hai Liu, Lecturer and author, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Dr. Adolfo Carrillo Cabello, CLA Language Center, Project Manager