Beyond the Basics
Combining thought-provoking conversation topics with a communicative approach, this textbook and accompanying audio recordings emphasize the spoken language by encouraging serious dialogue among students. Task-based activities encourage genuine, active communication and create a meaning-centered atmosphere for intermediate and advanced learners.
Through discussing subjects related to their upbringing, politics, music, and the meaning of life, students learn to express themselves descriptively, quizzically, philosophically, and opinionatedly. While eliciting spontaneous responses, this course contextualizes linguistic patterns and makes suggestions for active engagement in the classroom.
Beyond the Basics also features a special Teaching Methodology Index, which provides teachers with objectives, teaching procedures and techniques specific to each lesson, and additional activity ideas.
General Resources
"Beyond the Basics" Answer Key
Real People on Real Topics: Video Materials for "Beyond the Basics"
Professor Jianhua Bai, the co-author of Beyond the Basics, has created these 20 short video clips to accompany the text. The clips feature native Chinese speakers discussing topics related to the lessons in the book. Instructional guides, listening questions with automatic feedback, and transcripts of the videos are provided.
http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Mll/Chinese/BBVideo/