Lesson series

AP Chinese Language & Culture

This course is more than just AP prep, it’s a foundation for reading, writing, typing, and expressing in Chinese with confidence.

  • WASC accredited and College Board approved. Taught with global learners in mind
  • Available in both Traditional and Simplified Chinese

Designed by expert instructors, this class helps students retain what they learn and apply it on test day and beyond. We're beyond prep and we teach like it. Come see the difference.
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Overview

Benefits of our training programs

Get Credit For Classes

Accredited by WASC and approved by college board. We're also undergoing A-G UC approval and work with many charter programs.

3X Industry Mock Exams

We provide more than 13 mock exams throughout the course of the year. We all know practice makes perfect and we'll practice until you sing, sleep, dream Chinese.

2X More Synchronous Classes

While others meet only sparingly and are mostly self study, we meet for two hours weekly for an intensive to go over every aspect of the course. 

Tailored Approach

While most program has one size fits all, our teachers give the white glove service and really work with your child to improve their weakest subjects. Emails are answered fast and weekly assignments are targeted for each student.

Superior Essay Training

Did you know our students write and get graded weekly at least one essay? Teachers go step by step on what can be improved, terms that are better fitted, and grammar corrections.

Award Winning Teaching Methods

Motherly Notes has been awarded by the University of Pennsylvania and Jacob's Foundation for Innovation and Social Impact. You can rest assured you're with a company that cares deeply about how each student learns and we know how to maximize the outcome!
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Our AP Chinese Writing course focuses on mastering the writing section with clarity and confidence.
Each class includes:

  • Learn how to organize your thoughts using proven AP strategies
  • Practice both Email Reply and Argumentative Essay writing formats
  • Expand your vocabulary and use idioms, transition words, and idiomatic expressions effectively
  • Get detailed teacher feedback every week
  • Learn how to brainstorm, outline, and polish your ideas logically
  • Zoom sign on, recordings for review, worksheets all conveniently in your dashboard.

What We Teach

Academic Rigor

Master the CollegeBoard’s 6 major themes with depth and clarity.

Real Communication

Speak and write with confidence, logic, and creativity in real-life topics.

Culture & Thinking

Develop global-minded thinking and cultural fluency—beyond test prep.

Meet Our Educators

A team of AP Chinese specialists committed to student success, curriculum innovation, and joyful learning.

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“We believe every student deserves the tools and guidance to express themselves clearly, confidently, and with joy, both on the AP exam and in life.”

Your child could be next.
Let’s get that 5—together.

Real Results. Real Tools.
Everything your child needs to succeed.
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Curriculum

Welcome to AP Chinese Language & Culture

At Motherly Notes, we believe learning should be transformative and it shows. Our innovative teaching model has earned us national recognition, including awards for educational innovation from the University of Pennsylvania. Our approach is rooted in science-backed methodologies that prioritize deep understanding, authentic practice, and personalized instruction not surface-level memorization.

How We’re Different
Unlike most programs, we go far beyond textbook learning:
  • ✅ 5X More Mock Exams than the typical AP prep program — because performance comes from practice.
  • ✅ Live Instruction Every Week with expert educators for sustained engagement and real-time feedback.
  • ✅ High-Touch Support — our students aren’t numbers. We know your learning style, challenges, and growth goals.
  • ✅ Data-Driven Methods backed by cognitive science to help you retain, transfer, and apply what you learn.
  • ✅ Top Scores our students have taken the AP exams have earned 5s on the AP Chinese Exam through rigorous prep and meaningful engagement.

Our classes are beyond AP as we provide a language and culture experience that prepares you to think, speak, and live in Chinese.

About the AP Chinese Exam
The AP Chinese Language and Culture Exam, administered by the College Board, is designed to measure your proficiency in Mandarin Chinese across interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication.

What It Covers:
  • Listening and Reading Comprehension
  • Interpersonal Communication (spoken and written)
  • Presentational Speaking and Writing
  • Cultural Understanding across six key themes:
  • Families in Different Societies
  • Personal and Public Identity
  • Beauty and Aesthetics
  • Science and Technology
  • Contemporary Life
  • Global Challenges

You'll use real-world language skills, interpreting podcasts, writing emails, comparing cultures, and more, just like a native speaker would.

🗓️ Exam Date:  Friday, May 8, 2026

Mark your calendar and we’ll make sure you walk into that exam more than ready.
If you’re ready to learn deeply, practice boldly, and connect with Chinese language and culture in meaningful ways, this is the course for you.
Welcome to the most high-impact AP Chinese experience available anywhere. Let’s begin.

Course Structure & Themes
Based on the College Board’s Course & Exam Description: the six core themes are:
  1. Families in Different Societies
  2. Personal & Public Identity (Influence of Language and Culture on Identity)
  3. Beauty & Aesthetics
  4. Science & Technology
  5. Contemporary Life (Quality of Life)
  6. Global Challenges (Environmental & Societal Change)
Instruction will focus on the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational, as required by AP standards, with authentic materials, cultural integration, handwriting and keyboarding practice, and varied assessments.
🗓️ Weekly Schedule (Saturdays 2–4 PM PT)

September – November: Foundation (Theme units + skills)
  • Sept 27 – Orientation; Theme 1: Families in Different Societies; vocabulary, listening & reading texts, discussion/interpersonal practice.
  • Oct 4 – Theme 1 continued: reading, writing short emails or narrations, group discussion, handwriting/pinyin practice.
  • Oct 11 – Theme 2: Language & Culture on Identity; vocab, listening selections, interpersonal dialogues, short written assignments.
  • Oct 18 – Theme 2 continued: interpretive comprehension, cultural comparisons assignments.
  • Oct 25 – Theme 3: Beauty & Art; photo‑based discussions, art/audio inputs, writing reflection.
  • Nov 1 – Theme 3 continued: presentational speaking activity (e.g. describing art, beauty standards)
  • Nov 8 – Theme 4: Science & Technology; articles on technology’s effects, debate in Chinese.
  • Nov 15 – Theme 4 continued: listening comprehension, small‑group presentations.
  • Nov 22 – Theme 5: Quality of Life; reading news on education, health; compare Chinese vs. US contexts


December – February: Deepening & first exams
  • Dec 6 – Theme 5 continued; presentational writing (email prompts), interpersonal conversation drills.
  • Dec 13 – Theme 6: Global Challenges; environmental or societal changes; interpretive texts, group debate.
  • Jan 10 – Theme 6 continued; cultural research activity; presentational speaking.
  • Jan 17 – MOCK Exam 1: full-length practice (multiple-choice + free-response) + review.
  • Jan 24 – MOCK Exam 2 + targeted feedback on interpretive & interpersonal.
  • Jan 31 – MOCK Exam 3 + practice on presentational writing/speaking.
  • Feb 7 – MOCK Exam 4 + listening drills from past prompts (story narration etc.)
  • Feb 14 – Review common errors; communicative strategies; scaffolding strategies (inferring, paraphrasing).
  • Feb 21 – MOCK Exam 5 + timed listening/reading sets.
  • Feb 28 – MOCK Exam 6 + cultural presentation practice.


March – May: Intensive review & exam simulation
  • Mar 7 – MOCK Exam 7 + peer presentations and language immersion drills (class almost all in Chinese). 
  • Mar 14 – MOCK Exam 8 + compare/contrast projects (theme-based).
  • Mar 21 – MOCK Exam 9 + handwriting vs. keyboarded writing practice. 
  • Mar 28 – MOCK Exam 10 + cooperative learning activities: role-plays, surveys, group projects. 
  • Apr 18 – MOCK Exam 11 + targeted mini-practice drills (e.g. email response & conversation tasks).
  • Apr 25 – MOCK Exam 12 (full unreleased-style exam) + strategic feedback.
  • May 2 – MOCK Exam 13 (capstone rehearsal), final review, strategies for test day.

Strategies & Assessment
  • Frequent varied assessments: weekly quizzes, dictations, participation, group tasks, mock exams.
  • Pre‑assessment rubrics and scoring criteria shared before assignments.
  • Authentic materials (newspaper articles, videos, podcasts, ads) plus textbooks and online mock exams from College Board.
  • Class conducted almost exclusively in Mandarin, students encouraged to use only Chinese in discussions.
  • Integration of all five Cs: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, communities.

Our Philosophy

At Motherly Notes, we believe learning Chinese should feel like an adventure, not a chore. Our approach is all about immersive, meaningful learning that connects language with real-world knowledge. In our classes, kids explore subjects through engaging stories, thought-provoking texts, and lively discussions—all in Chinese. We focus on building fluency naturally, making Chinese a tool for discovery, not just memorization. With idioms, character learning, and social-emotional insights woven in, kids gain confidence in both language and critical thinking. Learning should spark curiosity, and at Motherly Notes, we make sure it does.
  • Advanced methods for memorizing characters.
  • Scientifically proven methods for learning.
  • Fully interest driven so your child will never get bored.
  • Building people magic so it feels like a playdate.
  • Award winning curriculum design (UPenn, Wharton, Jacobs Foundation awards). 

Time Conversion Chart

Use the charts on the right to convert to your local time zone: 
  • North America West Coast
  • North America East Coast
  • Europe
  • Australia
  • Asia

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About Sign on and Flex Times

Motherly Notes courses are conducted online. All zoom links will be in your dashboard upon sign on. If there are multiple times listed, students are allowed to sign on at any of the given times listed for that day, as all zoom links will be provided in your dashboard.