Notre Dame Beijing launches book talk series on “Pedagogy and Perspective in International Chinese Instruction”

In 2026, Notre Dame Beijing launched the Book Talk series to provide Notre Dame faculty and scholars with a platform to present their research, engage with scholars in China, and explore future collaboration, including possible co-authored publications.

The book talk, titled “Pedagogy and Perspective in International Chinese Instruction,” was successfully held at Notre Dame Beijing on July 4, 2026. Sponsored by Notre Dame Beijing, the event examined grammar pedagogy and cultural narratives, featuring two major works co-authored by faculty members from the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Notre Dame.

Professor Yongping Zhu (University of Notre Dame) presented A Student Grammar of Chinese (Cambridge University Press, 2023). In his 30-minute presentation, Professor Zhu outlined the core goals and significance of his book project within the field of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. Using engaging and accessible language, the volume examines the Chinese sound and writing systems, word formation rules, parts of speech, and sentence structures, while demystifying complex syntactic patterns and special constructions that typically challenge non-native learners. Professor Ying Lu (Beijing Union University) joined as a discussant to further explore effective pedagogical strategies for Chinese grammar instruction.

Next, Professor Jincheng Liu (University of Notre Dame) and his co-authors, Professor Chih-p’ing Chou (Princeton University) and Professor Xin Zou (NYU Shanghai), presented Small Things Writ Large (Princeton University Press, 2026), an intermediate reader exploring China’s rapid evolution through minor social phenomena. The authors reflected on 40 years of the Princeton University Chinese Language Program curriculum, analyzing how the pedagogical portrayal of China has evolved from a critical lens to one of nuanced, multi-dimensional understanding. Together, the presentations offered a comprehensive look at the changing landscape of Chinese language and culture education within the Princeton Model.

Jingyu Wang, executive director of Notre Dame Beijing, said: “Through this program, we hope to showcase the academic achievements of Notre Dame faculty to international audiences while supporting further research collaboration and co-authored publications with scholars around the world. We are grateful to Professor Yongping Zhu and Professor Jincheng Liu for sharing their research at Notre Dame Beijing’s inaugural Book Talk.”

The book talk received 363 registrations from participants representing 230 institutions and organizations across 24 countries and regions, including the United States and China, sparking lively exchanges and meaningful debates on handling nuanced social topics in the language classroom.

Beyond celebrating two landmark publications, the book talk served as an invaluable platform for academic dialogue. By bridging fundamental linguistic theory with innovative cultural pedagogy, the event inspired educators to adopt systematic, effective teaching methods that elevate students' language proficiency while actively cultivating their critical thinking skills—leaving a lasting, positive mark on the field of International Chinese Education.