secretheart Posted October 24, 2008 at 04:58 AM Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 at 04:58 AM Hello! I've recently heard about the Short-Term [sUMMER] BLCU program and have lots of questions Is it possible to get a language certificate for the Short-Term BLCU program? Are the classes all taught in Chinese w/ Chinese texts/instructions? Is it possible to study there even without prior knowledge of any spoken Chinese? Is there time to be able to enjoy and tour Beijing while doing the program? If anyone could help me out than that'd be great. Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bokaypure Posted November 4, 2008 at 12:04 PM Report Share Posted November 4, 2008 at 12:04 PM Hello!I've recently heard about the Short-Term [sUMMER] BLCU program and have lots of questions Is it possible to get a language certificate for the Short-Term BLCU program? Are the classes all taught in Chinese w/ Chinese texts/instructions? Is it possible to study there even without prior knowledge of any spoken Chinese? Is there time to be able to enjoy and tour Beijing while doing the program? If anyone could help me out than that'd be great. Thanks so much! Secretheart, hope I'm not too late ... I'll be attending the 5 weeks course in BLCU in December so I'm pretty much just as in the dark as you are. But through extensive reading in the forum and some educated guessing, I think: - Yes, classes will be taught in Mandarin with minimal use of English. - Upon registration of classes, you will be assessed of your level of Mandarin. So if you know not a word of Mandarin, fear not. Many people know zilch of Mandarin and yet were able to pull through so I think you'll be fine! - Will you be able to see Beijing while studying? My suggestion, come as early and leave as late as permitted. Otherwise, if you are just doing the Regular course of study rather than the Intensive one, then you should be fine. I'm sure the Uni arranges some excursions for your class and you have the entire Summer there in Beijing, Go somewhere every weekend and you'll see the whole of Beijing in no time. A good thing to do though is to plan your sight-seeing. Don't waste your whole weekend in a shopping mall if you're really pressed for time. You get the idea .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jikolp Posted November 18, 2008 at 05:56 PM Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 at 05:56 PM Hi there! I may also go to BLCU this summer for a 4-week course. However, I´m thinking about an intensive one. I know it means a lot of work, but I don´t mind, I usually always end having to do self-study because of slow classwork, so I would not mind a wilder pace. ;) Anyway, my question would be exactly what kind of exercises does the placement test contain. I would want to prepare for it a little, I don´t want to end up in heavy beginner class... Also, what textbooks are used?? New Practical Chinese Reader or Hanyu Jiaocheng maybe? Or.....? How can you pick up your textbooks? Are there excursions for short-term students as well? Extra classes? Do short-term students have a language partner? (Can I choose, or they choose me?) How could you manage your time to be able to hang around Beijing a little (I don´t want to go to bars etc., just walking, talking, shopping a little, taking photos - I´m not the party type:oops:)? I would also be interested in your experience with summer courses, if you have attended one! Thanks a lot! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kante Posted November 24, 2008 at 09:40 PM Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 at 09:40 PM i was at BLCU in the last summer as well. the placement test was not uniform, we did not go through the same test... it depends on the teacher you are sent to. i was tested my a mrs wang and the test was pretty easy. i was supposed to read some pinyin syllables and after that to read some chinese characters. finally she asked me some things in chinese which i was able to respond to easily some friends told me that there had been different tests as well. the book we used in intensive course was "说汉语" (B-Level) which i do not consider to be the best way to learn chinese. i hated the texts, as they contain words like "working system" 工作制 which you will never need. the university offers a tour to the great wall once a month. they'll bring you to mutianyu, a pretty place. i went there on a very foggy day, so i could not see that far. this trip is for free, for others, e.g. trip to shanghai or inner mongolia, you have to pay a fee. if you are a scholarship student, i advise you to look for a better room. they will first probably put you in dorm 1 which is really awkful. dirty, stinky toilets (chinese styles) without light (in the evening the toilets were dark!), broken showers, and the rooms reminded me of a prison cell. moreover, the other people living in that dorm looked rather like criminals than students... so: after you have arrived, go to the registration centre and have a look at your room. if it is okay to you, stay there. if not, pay the money which results from the more expensive other dorms and feel more convenient. but maybe you ain't no scholarship student and can choose your home on your own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowdh Posted November 25, 2008 at 08:29 AM Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 at 08:29 AM Is it possible to get a language certificate for the Short-Term BLCU program? Yes by memory, you get a bit of paper but not sure how much weight it carries... Are the classes all taught in Chinese w/ Chinese texts/instructions? this depends on your level. the A level classes are the lowest level and are taught alot in English... I was in B level and they were in Chinese with very little English (usually to explain a word or perhaps to name a grammar point) Is it possible to study there even without prior knowledge of any spoken Chinese? Yes it is... they will give you a little test to see what your level is and then place you in the appropriate class Is there time to be able to enjoy and tour Beijing while doing the program? Oh yeah there is... classes in the morning then sight see in the afternoon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nithya.anupindi Posted November 26, 2008 at 05:54 AM Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 at 05:54 AM I am also planning to attend the BLCU Short term Chinese Language Program 2009 from Feb 19th to Jul 1st. I am planning to apply in the next 2-3 days. Is it too late to apply for the same? According to the website the deadline for the application is Jan 9th,2009. I have read somewhere on the net that the one needs to apply much before the deadline to get in. I would be applying almost 40 days before the deadline. Can someone who has gone through the application process or knows about the it please help me out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erhanisguzar Posted December 20, 2008 at 02:32 PM Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 at 02:32 PM hi i will also be in feb-july 2009 prog. of BLCU and the person i am in contact with told me that i have time till 9 jan....so u r not late don't hurry or panic....but i hesitate about BLCU because there are a lot of foreigner...is BFSU better?? i know BLCU is best but i need more chinese and less foreigners to learn chinese better...i am waiting for a reply from BFSU, i will share that too...c u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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