Ray's Foreign Languages Training School Chinese Language Programs   
  

AIM
Ray's unique Chinese Language Program is designed to immerse participants in Chinese through class instruction, after-class tutoring, language exchange with native Mandarin speakers, and optional electives. The immersion programs integrate all aspects of the language: reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, phonetics, and vocabulary. Accelerated teaching methods allow participants at lower proficiency levels to acquire the language skills needed for effective communication in a short period of time, and advanced students to gain expression proficiency at an abstract level. Topics studied include everyday situations and Chinese culture, society, and history.

FEATURES
 
· Total immersion in the Chinese language
· Small classes averaging 10 students
· Total Beginner to Proficient classes available
· Recommendation for advanced study in famous universities you choose
· Intensive language classes
· Free after-class language tutoring
· Free Electives: language and non-language focused
· Language Exchange Program with native speakers
· Free excursions, and activities
· Ray's credit

LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAMS OFFERED 
These immersion programs consist of four components: 1) core language classes 2) after-class tutoring and 3) electives. These components are designed to allow participants to progress rapidly and gain fluency in the language.

1) Core Language Classes
The core language classes integrate all aspects of Chinese including reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, phonetics and vocabulary. Accelerated teaching methods allow participants at lower proficiency levels to acquire the language skills needed for effective communication in a short period of time, and advanced students to gain expression proficiency at an abstract level. Topics studied include everyday situations, as well as Chinese culture, society, and history. Listening and speaking skills are emphasized to enable participants to attain communicative proficiency.
Participants are required to state whether they wish to study at Ray's school. The options will differ in tutoring.

 Curriculum

Class Times

Between 9am to 11am and 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday (20h/week)

A complete class schedule is provided after placement testing during the first week of the program.

Class work focuses on developing oral expression, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, writing, and grammar. Up-to-date materials are used to introduce modern day China, its social and economic life, culture, history, and literature. General aims of the classes are as follows:

Oral Chinese: focus on developing participants' oral expression and pronunciation skills. At the lower proficiency levels simple topics related to daily life are taught, and more specialized and complex topics are taught at the higher proficiency levels.
Chinese Listening: focus on developing participants' listening comprehension skills and the ability to understand the language when spoken at a normal speed.
Chinese Reading: focus on developing participants' reading skills in both comprehension and speed.
Chinese Writing: focus on the fundamentals of the radical system, bushou, composition of characters and stroke orders.
Chinese Grammar: focus on the fundamentals of Chinese grammar, sentence structures, expressions, and phonetics.

2) Language Tutorial
A unique feature of Ray's immersion programs is the provision of free after-class tutoring every weekday afternoon for extra language coaching, homework assistance, and conversational practice. Tutoring has proven effective in advancing students' linguistics skills. Supervisors also monitor individual students' progress.

3) Electives
With the aim of increasing the student's language fluency and awareness of Chinese culture, history, and art, a range of free electives are offered in the afternoons. The number of electives offered varies depending on program duration and may include the following:
Language Focused Electives
· Chinese Character Writing: Classes introduce the radical system, bushou, composition of characters, stroke orders and basic characters.
· Chinese Songs: Classes introduce Chinese songs including traditional folk and current pop songs. Lyrics are written in pinyin (romanized Chinese characters) and hanzi (Chinese character text). Singing is an excellent way to improve language skills and vocabulary.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM
This unique program aims to immerse participants in the Chinese language, culture and way of life by combining Chinese language classes, tutoring and optional electives with the following free additional Total Program features.
· Activities with Native Chinese Speakers
　　Activities with Chinese students and native speakers are held throughout the program in order to facilitate the use of Chinese and encourage cultural and social exchange. Activities may include: Ping-pong, Bonfire parties, Disco nights, games nights and more.

· Social Activities
　　A wide range of activities are organized throughout the program including the welcome lunch, Disco night, basketball, Chinese movie, and so on. The social events are provided free.
 
DISCOUNT TRAVEL 

Discounted tour packages to places of interest such as Xi'an, Inner Mongolia, Shanghai, Datong and Zhengzhou are available to participants. Full package tours for the weekend or the week, covering train tickets, hotel, food, English speaking guide, admission to major attractions, meals and transport range from as little as USD 100 to 300.

TEACHERS & TEACHING MATERIALS 
Teachers of the programs are native Chinese and each has a lot of experience in teaching. Up-to-date, carefully selected materials are used in class, giving participants valuable information on modern-day Chinese culture and society while at the same time developing their language and communication skills.

PLACEMENT TEST 

Expressions	Levels
None	Beginner	(Level A)
More than 1,500	Intermediate	(Level B)
More than 3,000	Advanced	(Level C)

PROFICIENCY LEVELS 
Beginner (Level A)
Participants attending these classes know fewer than 800 Chinese expressions. They include participants who have never learned Mandarin Chinese, or who have learned Chinese phonetics and a few words but cannot express themselves in complete sentences. Classes focus on teaching basic Chinese vocabulary, sentence structures and grammar using everyday topics. Phonetics, tone exercises and drills ensure that participants learn the correct pronunciation and intonation from the beginning. Participants are introduced to the radical system (Chinese character composition), stroke orders and basic characters.
At the end of short-term programs, participants should be able to engage in simple daily conversation. Programs 12 weeks or longer, aim to enable participants to complete the beginner level progressing into the elementary level. At the end of the academic year, participants should have completed the elementary level, ready to begin the intermediate level.
Intermediate (Level B)
Participants attending these classes know more than 1,500 Chinese expressions and understand elementary Chinese grammar. Conversational exercises teach participants to recount articles in a comparatively fluent and complete manner. Participants are able to converse on general topics and express themselves using more complicated sentence structures. Classes focus on increasing the level of grammar and vocabulary with the aim of enabling participants to express themselves functionally in different contexts. Practical situational texts are used to provide a greater awareness of Chinese culture and society.
At the end of short term programs, participants should be able to express themselves in different contexts using intermediate sentence structures. Programs 12 weeks or longer, aim to enable participants to progress through the intermediate level. At the end of the academic year, participants should have completed the intermediate level progressing through the advanced levels.

Advanced (Level C)
Participants attending these classes know more than 3,000 Chinese expressions. They can discuss general topics, raise complex questions, and express their opinions clearly using correct intonation. Classes focus on vocabulary building, reading, listening comprehension, and conversational skills. Class work includes reading newspapers and listening to news broadcasts. Participants are taught advanced spoken and written Chinese.

PROGRAM DATES AND FEES 

Two months study of international student costs 200 USD. For start dates and shorter or longer durations, please contact rayadmission@hotmail.com

Designed to focus on developing spoken Chinese and fluency, programs are complemented by after-class tutoring, electives, and language exchange with a native speaker (see description above). The curriculum is designed based on the needs of each proficiency level and the program duration. Modern teaching methods focus on instilling linguistic, practical, and cultural aspects of the language as well as the Chinese way of life. Class work using everyday topics and interactive teaching methods ensure that participants achieve the goals of each proficiency level and progress rapidly.

Designed with a similar structure and content to the Short Term Programs, these programs consist of core language classes; 20 hours a week for the semester program, complemented by after-class tutoring, electives, and language exchange with a native speaker (see description above). These programs are ideal for those who wish to devote a significant amount of time to learning and mastering the language. Participants improve rapidly in the language and become well acquainted with the Chinese lifestyle and customs. Class work combined with after-class tutoring, electives, excursions, and activities ensures a comprehensive learning experience.