Nars Chang
Professional Title: Instructor of Mandarin Chinese
Areas of Academic Focus and Expertise:
Mandarin Chinese
Representative List of Recent Courses Taught:
Mandarin Chinese I,Mandarin Chinese II, Mandarin Chinese III
Education: BA, Foreign Language and Literature, National Taiwan University / Chinese Instructor certified by ALLEX Foundation (Alliance for Language Learning and Educational Exchange)
There is an old saying in Chinese: “Everything is difficult at its start.” This may be especially true for beginners in Chinese language. But I also believe that learning Chinese should be fun, and that anyone who puts their mind to it can succeed. As a language teacher I believe that language should be taught in culture, and that students are the center of a language class. To begin with, we will emphasize speaking and listening comprehension. Students’ performance, based on what they prepare before the class, will be the focus of our Mandarin Chinese classroom. The in-class practice and exercises aim to enhance students’ listening and speaking skills and to facilitate their ability to interact with Chinese speakers. This pattern of preparation and in-class practice will help students overcome the common barriers to beginning Chinese, and establish confidence and familiarity at an early stage.
As a native Chinese speaker from Taiwan, I got my BA in the Dept. of Foreign Language and Literature at National Taiwan University. I received my language teacher training at the ALLEX Chinese Teacher Training Institute at Portland State University in 2011. Before becoming a Chinese teacher I had more than ten years working experience in the fields of business development, marketing, operations and management, and I have experience traveling throughout Asia, Europe and South America. I believe that the combination of study in the academic environment and life experience outside the classroom together make the best preparation for students in their careers and future life.