Interactive Chinese Grammar

A teacher talks to a student sitting at a desk, with speech bubbles showing orange squares and a star above them.

The Interactive Chinese Grammar (ICG) project offers a series of short, structured video lessons across two YouTube channels—one for traditional Chinese and one for simplified Chinese. Each channel features 144 videos, covering 20 units ranging from novice to intermediate levels.

Key Video Features

  • Concise Lessons: Each video lasts between 2 and 6 minutes, focusing on a single, specific point of Chinese grammar.
  • Structured Format: Lessons follow a consistent structure, starting with an opening topic identification and an advance organizer to outline the content.
  • Comprehensive Instruction: Each mini-lesson includes illustrated vocabulary, grammar explanations, examples in context, and comprehension check activities.
  • Interactive Exercises: Videos are accessed through a PlayPosit shell, which provides integrated quizzes to help learners demonstrate and reinforce what they have learned.
  • Multimodal Approach: Content is made accessible through hand-drawn illustrations, animated sequences that clarify sentence word order, and Pinyin transliterations for pronunciation support.
  • Dual-Audio Presentation: Lessons feature voiceovers by native-English speakers, with Chinese examples provided by a native-Chinese speaker.
Students speaking chinese

Pedagogical Approach

The Interactive Chinese Grammar lessons are versatile, supporting various teaching contexts. They enable a flipped classroom model, allowing students to study structures independently and use class time for communicative activities. The lessons also provide a functional foundation for further language development and foster self-directed learning. Students can use them to preview, supplement, or review material at any stage of their studies, including advanced courses.

The curriculum comprises 20 units organized by theme and complexity, guiding learners from novice to intermediate proficiency—equivalent to one year of university instruction. Each 2- to 6-minute mini-lesson focuses on a single structure, encouraging student agency and engagement.

Enhanced Student Learning

  • Students have access to as many as three exercises per mini-lesson via PlayPosit.
  • Quiz responses are not recorded, but students receive immediate feedback, with guidance on how to review the mini-lesson.
  • Instructors have the flexibility to use the provided exercises or create their own using PlayPosit or a similar account.
  • Videos can be embedded in course management systems, allowing instructors to track student comprehension through recorded quiz responses.
  • Providing students with direct access to the YouTube videos fosters individualized learning and self-regulation.

Access to Lessons

Chinese instructors may utilize these lessons for their language curricula or courses at no cost. To comply with copyright requirements, educators are required to register and consent to specific usage terms before gaining access. These terms include a commitment not to distribute the resources to other faculty members. Once registered, instructors can provide students with access by including links within their learning management systems or course syllabi.

Registration

Complete the ICG Registration Form to gain access to the materials. You must agree to the copyright notice in order to access the lessons.

Copyright Notice

I hereby acknowledge that the video lessons are the intellectual property of the Regents of the University of Minnesota. Furthermore, I recognize that I have been granted permission to use these materials in my courses and will give appropriate credit to their creators.

Creative Team

  • Hai Liu, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
  • Dan Soneson, PhD, Director Emeritus, Language Center
  • Adolfo Carrillo Cabello, PhD, Technology Enhanced Language Learning Specialist, Language Center
  • Diane Rackowski, Technical Coordinator, Language Center
  • Wei-Hsuan Lo, Teaching Specialist, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
  • Selena Philaphendeth, Undergraduate Student (Chinese)

How to Cite this Project

Liu, H., Lo, W-H., Soneson, D., Philaphandeth, S. & Carrillo Cabello, A.. [Interactive Chinese Grammar]. Copyright [2020] by the Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota. Retrieved from the youtube channel ICG Interactive Chinese Grammar simplified.