Media Chinese · East Asian Languages And Cultures
I gained a more nuanced understanding of Chinese grammar and media-specific vocabulary.
How to read news articles and blog posts in Chinese.
Practical Chinese language: media reports (articles, TV reports, etc.) and analysis + discussion thereof, with associated words and syntax
This course has truly been instrumental in not only deepening my love for Chinese, but also improving my skills at the same time. Through a vast array of texts provided by Meng Laoshi, the class discussions generated have allowed me to learn a lot more about Chinese politics, Chinese culture, and more significantly, how media – at the centre of both of these fields, plays a significant role in "controlling" the public narrative （a new phrase I have learnt to describe this -- "主旋律",哈哈,谢 谢老师！）. To strengthen whatever is taught in class, Meng Lao Shi has also calibrated assignments that really reinforce our learning – whether that's through the daily quizzes or through the one-on-one oral sessions with our TA. Overall, I have truly learnt so much from this class – both in terms of language and in terms of my knowledge of China as a whole.
I learned new vocabulary and grammar, as well as information about current events and politics in China. I also learned how to read news articles.
Learned how to summarize news in Chinese more effectively, read Chinese news articles better, and vocabulary that's used in Chinese media.
If you care about politics, international affairs, or anything related to modern Chinese society this class is a must.
By the end, students who invest their time into this course are able to read a large majority of Chinese-centric and Chinese-language articles, as well as conduct rudimentary-intermediate conversations (in terms of the complexity of language, not content) about them. In this sense, Media Chinese accomplishes its stated goal of offering students a thorough exposure to Chinese culture and practical language skills.
If you're interested in learning about Chinese culture/politics/the role media plays in politics, take this course!!!! Having completed both parts of this Media Chinese course, I can truly say that Meng Lao Shi is the best teacher I've had at Columbia. Her standards are high but they are also extremely reasonable – the workload is light, she is always readily available to chat in office hours, and the materials – while challenging, also provide a lot of food for thought. I could not recommend this class enough! Even if you think your Chinese skills aren't great (mine definitely wasn't when I first joined the class), Lao Shi really grades based on the effort you put into the class; In my experience, as long as you put in effort, and you engage with the materials, you'll definitely improve over time (the way Lao Shi has designed her syllabus really ensures that you get the chance to practice daily, while never practicing TOO much as to get sick of the subject). tldr, take this class!!! You won't regret it!!!
I thought it was super interesting and useful. We got to discuss real life matters instead of learning textbook vocabulary that are rarely used. We also got to know our classmates very well which I enjoyed.