As the introductory segment of “Chinese + Vocational Skills” textbook series, the teaching objective of this material is to assist learners in acquiring a preliminary understanding of the Mandarin Chinese phonetic system and Pinyin system. This lays a solid foundation for Chinese language teaching in subsequent vocational and technical fields.

The specific teaching contents of this material include:

(1) Standard pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese initial consonants, finals, and tones.

(2) Pinyin representation of Mandarin Chinese initial consonants, finals, and tones.

(3) Basic knowledge of Mandarin Chinese phonetics and fundamental spelling rules as covered in the textbook.

(4) Approximately 170 commonly used vocational skill-related words (these words are just used as a support for phonetic teaching and are not required to be memorized by students).

(5) Initial classroom teaching expressions, including 6 texts, 12 sentence patterns, and 43 vocabulary items.

(6) 18 simple Chinese characters that can initially reflect the basic characteristics of Chinese characters.

Edited by Jiang Liping and revised by Cui Yonghua

Jiang Liping, a professor and doctoral supervisor, serves as Vice Dean of the Research Institute of International Chinese Language Education and Deputy Director of the International Chinese Teaching Research Base at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU). Professor Jiang has published 9 monographs and co-authored works, edited 6 sets of textbooks, and presided over the development of HSK Exam Syllabus (Levels 1–6) and YCT Test Syllabus and Guide (Levels 1–4). She has led 10 major projects, including key projects of the Ministry of Education’s key research bases, projects of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, and overseas cooperation projects. Meanwhile, she has published over 30 academic papers in journals such as Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies and Chinese Language Learning, and has been invited to give lectures, conduct training, or participate in academic exchanges in countries such as the United States, Japan, Thailand, the Netherlands, and Cuba, as well as in Hong Kong and Macao regions.

Cui Yonghua, a professor at BLCU, has been engaged in Chinese teaching and research since 1981. His main research mainly focuses on teaching Chinese as a second language, Chinese grammar, and Chinese information processing. His major works and textbooks include Teaching Research in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Class Teaching Skills for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (co-authored), An Introduction to Design of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, New Concept Chinese (editor-in-chief), and Primary School Chinese (editor-in-chief).

Take the first step in your Chinese learning journey!

1. Conduct meaningful phonetic teaching in the flow of speech to enhance learning interest and strengthen memory effects.

2. Use illustrations to assist teaching, with concise explanations and ample practice. Equipped with a large number of pronunciation diagrams, it helps learners understand the principles of pronunciation. Meanwhile, multiple illustrations are used to establish connections between pronunciation and meaning, facilitating meaningful learning.

3. Arrange the textbook structure according to teaching processes and methods, providing effective guidance for teachers’ instruction.

4. The main teaching content and auxiliary explanatory content are distinguished by different colors, making teaching priorities clear at a glance. 

5. Come with real-person pronunciation video demonstrations, enabling learners to easily follow and imitate, and pronounce authentic Chinese.

This textbook is suitable for a wide range of zero-beginner learners, and is particularly ideal for learners in various vocational and technical majors to conduct systematic phonetic learning before starting their professional studies. It consists of 6 lessons in total, with each lesson taking 3 to 4 class hours.