Class information

LC 111 & LC 112 – Elementary Chinese 1 and 2

24 students

There are two classes composed of novice level Chinese language learners. Most of LC 111 students have no prior experience learning Chinese and LC 112 students have taken Chinese 111 and obtained a grade above C. The students in both classes are from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds.

Project overview

The project aims to integrate identities and mental health with Chinese language teaching by encouraging the use of positive language that help students develop a more positive attitude towards their own identities and the identities of those around them, such as their families, friends, people in their communities and so on. Language is powerful in that it carries with it an abundance of nuances and connotations that represents how people view the world and themselves and shapes one’s thoughts and mind.

Why did you select this project? How does it relate to identity and purpose?

As the Chinese saying goes, “A good word makes people warm like a fire in the cold winter, while a bad one hurts people seriously just like snowing in the summer.” Using positive language can provide students with love and care, nurture their minds and souls, heal some of their traumas, and thus motivate them to learn more actively and effectively. Therefore, this project attempts to consciously take advantage of the benefits of using positive language to help students speak better, learn better, and develop better.

What advice do you have for other faculty who would like to implement a similar project?

Be a positive and caring person and it’ll be natural when you try to create a positive classroom environment for your students.