AP Mandarin Course Description​

​

AP Chinese Prep Course (Oct 2025 – May 2026)

​

This coaching-style AP Chinese course prepares students for the May 2026 AP Chinese Exam, aiming for a top score of 5. Meeting once per week for two hours (24 sessions), the course provides a systematic review of the ~2000-word AP-level vocabulary range and develops the deep cultural understanding required across the exam’s six themes: Families & Communities, Personal & Public Identities, Science & Technology, Beauty & Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, and Global Challenges.

​

Students will practice all four skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—through weekly quizzes, monthly tests, and two full-length mock exams. Every activity mirrors real AP exam tasks (interpersonal speaking, presentational speaking, cultural comparison, persuasive essays, authentic listening and reading). With a strong focus on both language mastery and cultural fluency, students build the accuracy, confidence, and critical thinking skills necessary to succeed on exam day.

 

1. Vocabulary Growth (2000+ Words)

​

• Weekly Target: 20–25 new words, thematically grouped.

• Cumulative Goal: ~450–500 new/reviewed words during the course, added to students’ existing base (~1500+).

• Integration: All new vocab is immediately applied in speaking, writing, and cultural comparison tasks.
   

 

2. Cultural Fluency

• Each theme (Families, Identities, Tech, Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, Global Challenges) taught with authentic cultural materials (articles, videos, proverbs, idioms).

• Students practice cultural comparisons in nearly every class — a key AP speaking task.

• Monthly tests and mock exams include at least one culture-focused prompt.
   

 

3. Weekly Quizzes (Short-Term Wins)

• Vocabulary + one AP mini task at the start of class.

• Keeps students accountable for steady growth.

• Builds “test warm-up” habits — just like exam conditions.
   

 

4. Monthly Tests (Medium Checkpoints)

• Rotate skills: listening, reading, writing, speaking.

• By February, students will have practiced every section of the AP exam multiple times under timed conditions.

• Coaching feedback is tied to the AP rubric for clarity.
   

 

5. Mock Exams (Final Push)

• March: Full-length AP mock exam, scored with AP rubrics.

• April: Final AP mock exam, including full feedback + personalized improvement plan.

• Builds exam stamina, time management, and confidence.
   

 

6. Coaching & Feedback Loop

• Immediate corrections after each quiz/test.

• Individual tracking of vocab mastery, grammar accuracy, and skill performance.
   

Students receive personalized strategies to close gaps and push performance toward a score of 5.

​​

​

Minimum Student Level Requirements for AP Course

• At least 3-4 years of formal Chinese study (middle / high school) Or

• Equivalent to Intermediate Mid-High on the ACTFL scale Or

• Roughly aligned to HSK 3-4

​