Shaoyan Qi

Qi Laoshi may come across as stern at first, but once you get to really know her, you can tell how deeply she cares for her students. In terms of Qi Laoshi’s teaching, she would often give us a quizlet set of ~20 words for each class, during the class we would learn about the grammar, watch videos, practice speaking and do mini assignments. Learning Chinese feels like studying 3 languages at the same time (pinyin, simplified and traditional character) but because this was such a positive experience for me, I didn't find it painful to learn. The class size is quite small which meant that she can reach all the students! We also arranged dinners where we go to Chinese restaurants and eat together as a class. Qi Laoshi is always so excited to share stories about her culture. Overall, I would definitely recommend her class!

I admit, I was pretty intimidated of Qi laoshi until I took the time to get to know her outside of class -- and then I realized that she is a very empathetic, warm individual who takes into account a holistic view of your learning style, capabilities, and previous exposure to Chinese. She knows how to apply the pressure in class, and assigns a lot of homework, but for good reason. Chinese is like learning 3 or 4 languages at the same time, between character, tone, grammar, and pinyin memorization. She truly cares about you as an individual, and as long as you persist and genuinely try in her class, she will reciprocate that effort. I can't speak highly enough of her and I look forward to learning with her in the future!

I had Qi Laoshi for an entire year (Chinese Intermediate I and II), and let me just say, she is one of the most inspiring Chinese teachers I have ever had. Although she is somewhat infamous for the rigorous intensity of her Chinese classes, in the end, if you are serious about improving your Chinese language skills, there is no substitute for Qi Laoshi. Mind you, I am extolling her virtues despite the fact that she HATED me. This professor hated my guts and I still have nothing but the warmest regards for her. She is a driven and passionate educator with a demonstrated commitment to ensuring that all of her students succeed. However, she also has extremely high expectations for all of her students. She has to see you putting in the work, otherwise you may unwittingly become the object of her ire. All this being said, if I could go back in time, I would take her class again. I will definitely miss her teaching next year.

Qi Laoshi is good at getting you to learn the material and she brings up grammar and vocabulary beyond the lectures. Instead of going over flash cards or reciting the text, she will often ask thought provoking questions. She starts with an all-business attitude to scare you into studying and being prepared for a challenging class, but she softens up over the semester. Tests are quite hard, but she gives a generous curve.

My overall knowledge of Chinese improved a lot.

I would definitely recommend this course. Jiang Lao Shi is the best! 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Fall 2022 Course: CHNSUN1111_001_2022_3-FIRSTYEARCHINESEW : CHNSUN1111_001_2022_3 - FIRST YEAR CHINESE W Instructor: Tianqi Jiang

The course is sooo helpful to me! It helps me build a clear knowledge constructure about Second Language Acquisition. Every week we have readings about a particular theory or a factor in language acquisition, and write a reflection journal about it. It really let me rethink about what I read this week and how it connects to previous readings, thus I have a comprehensive understanding about SLA. It provides not only one theory but different theories, approaches and hypotheses to view SLA. 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Fall 2021 Course: CHNSGU4904_001_2021_3-ACQOFCHINESEASA2NDLANG : CHNSGU4904_001_2021_3 - ACQ OF CHINESE AS A 2ND LANG Instructor: Shaoyan Qi

2 quizzes a week, oral practice sessions once a week, nightly hw listed on the syllabus plus additional supplementary hw (usually will not overlap), 5 lesson exams, midterm and final oral exam (easier grading for non-Chinese), and a final written exam (easy).

Qi Laoshi will definitely help you learn Chinese to the best of your abilities if you are willing to put in the time and effort that the class requires. I easily spent five hours on Chinese homework/practice on the nights before the class. The work and practice required to do well in this course has been the most physically and mentally exhausting work I have done at Barnard/Columbia, but I loved every minute of it! Qi Laoshi is strict, serious, helpful, and really cares that her students understand the material and do well if they want to. Our class was always ahead of other Chinese classes, and her method of teaching is really thorough and will get you speaking Chinese well even after only one semester. Take this class with Qi Laoshi if you really want to learn Chinese and have a passion for languages.

This class is great. Shaoyan Qi gives you a lot of work and expects a lot from you but it actually pays off. As someone who is horrible with languages I can promise her method is wonderful. She isn't always available to meet with you outside of class but she will answer your emails within the hour and welcomes any and all questions. She's also super nice and understanding of students who don't get it quite as easily as others.