Spring registration underway for low-cost Chinese culture courses

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The Confucius Institute at Western Michigan University is accepting registrations for spring Chinese culture courses that begin the week of Feb. 1.

The 10-week, low-cost courses are open to the public. All of them are taught in English, and they are offered to adults age 18 and older for personal enrichment rather than academic credit.

A half-price tuition discount is offered to those age 55 and older, WMU part-time faculty and staff members, and WMU students. Full-time faculty and staff members at the University pay no tuition. Some courses charge all participants a fee for materials, and those with low enrollment may be canceled.

Spring 2016 course offerings

• Basic Chinese Freehand Style Painting—5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 2 to April 12, 4010 Brown hall. Tuition: $100. Materials fee: $30.
• Intermediate Chinese Freehand Style Painting—2 to 3:30 p.m. Mondays, Feb. 1 to April 11, 3017 Brown Hall. Tuition: $100. Materials fee: $30.
• Intermediate Chinese Language I—5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 4 to April 14, 2021 Brown Hall. Tuition: $100.
• Intermediate Chinese Language II—8:15 to 9:45 a.m. Thursdays, Feb. 4 to April 14, 2205 Dunbar Hall. Tuition: $100.
• Basic Chinese Language—5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 2 to April 12, 4003 Brown Hall. Tuition: $100.
• Chinese Kung Fu (traditional fitness exercises)—5:30 to 7 p.m. Mondays, Feb. 1 to April 11, 2048 Brown Hall. Tuition: $100.
• Advanced Chinese Language—5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 4 to April 14, 4048 Brown Hall. Tuition: $100.
• Basic Chinese Calligraphy—5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 3 to April 13, 2048 Brown Hall. Tuition: $100. Materials fee: $30.

Course instructors

• Ajun He, the instructor for Basic Chinese Language, was a teacher at Beijing Language and Culture University before she came to the United States. She also teaches in WMU's Chinese language program. She received her master's degree from Minzu University in China, majoring in Chinese literature.
• Xiuqin Lin teaches Advanced Chinese Language. She is an associate professor from Capital Normal University who has 20 years of experience teaching Chinese as a second language.
• Zhongmei Lin, the instructor of Freehand Style Painting, was born and raised in an artistic family. She earned a master's degree from the Academy of Art and Design at Tsinghua University and has worked in media for more than eight years.
• Yi Liu, a visiting scholar from Hubei University, teaches Chinese Kung Fu. He is the vice dean of the physical education department at Hubei University, where he has taught Kung Fu to graduate and undergraduate students.
• Baoqing Qian, the instructor for Chinese Calligraphy and Intermediate Chinese Language I, was born and raised in Beijing. She grew up in a traditional Chinese family and was exposed to Chinese art as a young child.
• Mingchen Zhao teaches Intermediate Chinese Language II. She graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University with a master's degree in linguistics and applied linguistics. During her seven years of study at BLCU, she gained extensive knowledge of teaching Chinese as a foreign language and gained a greater understanding of other cultures.

Registration

For more information or to register, visit the Confucius Institute at wmuconfucius.org or contact the institute at @email or (269) 387-3784.

Questions should be directed to Baoqing Qian at @email or (269) 387-3784.

For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.