FAQ

General Questions

How do I order copies of Encounters?
How do I register?
I forgot my username and/or password. What should I do?
What is the difference between examination access and adopted access?

Technical Questions

The video says “server not found.” What do I do?
The video is buffering frequently. How do I make it stream faster?
Can I watch the videos and listen to the audio on my iPad?
My internet access doesn’t support video streaming well. What are my other options?
Is there a difference between “play episode” and “play video”?
How do I play the subtitles for the dramatic episodes?
My question is not mentioned above. Who do I contact?

Access Code Questions

What is an access code?
How do I get an access code?
When does my access code expire?
Can the 24 months be split to allow more than one student access for a shorter period?
My access code is not working. What should I do?
I have questions about the Student Book. Who do I contact?

Instructor Questions

What is a Class Test?
How do I order examination/desk copies of Encounters?
I have questions about the Annotated Instructor’s Edition. Who do I contact?
Why does the Encounters program teach Simplified and Traditional characters simultaneously?
What are the ACTFL Proficiency Standards for Level 1 and Level 2?
How does Encounters align with AP courses?
What is the recommended time spent on each unit?
Will there be an intermediate and/or advanced level of Encounters?
My question is not mentioned above. Who do I contact?
 

 


General Questions

How do I order copies of Encounters?

Students can visit the How to Buy page to view the full program offering.

If you are an instructor and would like to purchase copies of any book in the Encounters program, contact your campus bookstore about placing orders for Encounters with Yale University Press/Triliteral LLC. To order books directly, call 1-800-405-1619.

If you are interested in ordering exam or desk copies of any book in the Encounters program, send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu or leave us a message through the Contact page.

If you are a student and would like to purchase copies of any book in the Encounters program, visit your campus bookstore. Encounters books are also available at major booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 

How do I create an account?

 

Go to EncountersChinese.com and click on Create an Account in the top, right corner of the screen. Fill out the required information, including school name and course name, and then submit. All students and instructors must create accounts before they can access the audio, video, and online resources associated with each Student Book.

 

I forgot my username and/or password. What should I do?

 

During registration, the Encounters website uses your email address as your default username. If you cannot remember your username, please send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu or leave a message through our Contact page. Please click here if you have forgotten your password.

 

What is the difference between examination access and adopted access?

 

Instructors interested in exploring the Encounters program for potential adoption can receive 30 free days of Examination access to the website. This includes access to all of the audio, video, and online resources associated with all of the Student Books. If you are interested in adopting the program, you can receive Adopted access, which is one year of free access to all of the audio, video, and online resources associated with all of the Student Books. These options are only available to instructors. If you are student, please enter your student access code in the appropriate field of the registration form.

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Technical Questions

The video says “server not found.” What do I do?

This could be a problem with your internet connection or with one of the videos on the website. Please make sure your IT department adds the RTMP port as an exception in their firewall. The port number is '1935' by default.  If you have any further questions, please send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu with subject line “VIDEO: SERVER NOT FOUND.” Our Encounters Support Team will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

The video is buffering frequently. How do I make it stream faster?

The fastest way to stream the video is with a direct internet connection. Wireless connections may be spotty due to internet traffic.

 

Can I watch the videos and listen to the audio on my iPad?

Yes! The Encounters media player is now compatible with the iPad. This means that you can watch any video (e.g. dramatic episodes, cultural videos, video exercises) or listen to any audio (e.g. rap songs, podcasts, audio exercises) directly on your iPad.

 

My internet access doesn’t support video streaming well. What are my other options?

One option is to use a school or institutional computer with a direct internet connection. Another option is to purchase the Encounters DVD Lab Pack, which contains all of the audio and video material for Student Book 1 or Student Book 2. Purchase of DVD Lab Pack 1 ensures student and instructor access to the Encounters multimedia content independent of an internet connection.  
If you have any further questions regarding video streaming, please send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu with subject line “VIDEO: STREAMING PROBLEMS.” Our Encounters Support Team will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

Is there a difference between “play episode” and “play video”?

Each Encounters unit offers three different types of video content. The first is the “Dramatic Episode:” a 10-15 minute chapter video taken from the feature-length film that comprises the core of the Encounters program. These episodes are filmed on location and follow a number of characters as they experience Chinese language, culture, and society. The second is the “Cultural Bits Video:” interviews with the authors and producers of the Encounters program about cultural information relevant to the unit in question. Finally, there are the “Exercise Materials:” short, animated video clips that are directly linked to exercises in the corresponding unit in the Student Book.

 

How do I play the subtitles on the dramatic episodes?

The Encounters website video player now offers optional subtitles in English, Pinyin, Simplified, and Traditional Chinese characters for each dramatic episode in Student Book 1 and Student Book 2. If you are a Windows/PC user, please go to the relevant dramatic episode and click on the "CC" button in the bottom-right of the video player. If you are a Mac user, please open the video player in full screen, and then click on the "Subtitles" bubble in the bottom-left of the video player.

 

My question is not mentioned above. Who do I contact?

Send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu. Our Encounters Support Team will get back to you by email or by phone as soon as possible.

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Access Code Questions

What is an access code?

An access code is the unique identifier for your subscription to EncountersChinese.com. Your access code is found on the inside cover of your Student Book. Enter your access code during the registration process to gain access to the full media program related to your Encounters Chinese Language and Culture textbook. The access code has an expiration date, so be sure to use your access code once you begin your course. Additional access can be purchased if necessary at the here.

 

How do I get an access code?

Your access code is found on the inside cover of your Student Book. You can also purchase a new access code here.

 

When does my access code expire?

Each access code has an expiration date of 24 months from the date that you entered it into your Encounters website account. If your code came from the inside cover of a new copy of a Student Book, then your code has an expiration date of one year. If you purchased your code from the access code shopping cart, then your code has an expiration date of one year. You can always check on the expiration date of your account on your My Account page.

 

Can the 24 months of access be split to allow more than one student access for a shorter period?

No. Each access code grants access for the the duration of the 24 month period to a single user. Codes cannot be shared or redistributed to additional users.

 

My access code is not working. What should I do?

If you purchased the textbook new…
The access code is case-sensitive, so be sure that you are inputting the code exactly how you see it in your book.  If you are still having trouble, contact us at encounters.chinese@yale.edu.

If you purchased the textbook used…
The access code is a unique identifier for that book, so you will be unable to use it if the access code has already been used. You can purchase a new access code to access all the rich media related to the book here.

If you are renting the textbook…
The access code is a unique identifier for that book, so you will be unable to use it if the access code has already been used. You can purchase a new 24 month access code to access all the rich media related to the book here.

 

I have questions about the Student Book. Who do I contact?

Send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu with subject line “STUDENT BOOK 1.” Our Encounters Support Team will get back to you and/or your Chinese instructor as soon as possible.

 

My question is not mentioned above. Who do I contact?

Send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu. Our Encounters Support Team will get back to you and/or your Chinese instructor as soon as possible.

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Instructor Questions

What is a Class Test?

The Class Test section of the Encounters website is for students and instructors interested in testing the Encounters program in their current Chinese classes. To request Class Test Access, send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu with subject line “CLASS TEST ACCESS.” Our Encounters Support Team will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

How do I order examination/desk copies of Encounters?

To request examination/desk copies please click here and submit the appropriate form.

 

I have questions about the Annotated Instructor’s Edition. Who do I contact?

If you are interested in receiving an exam copy or desk copy of the Annotated Instructor’s Edition, please see the above response. If you have any other questions about the Annotated Instructor’s Edition, please send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu with subject line “Annotated Instructor’s Edition.” Our Encounters Support Team will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

Why does the Encounters program teach Simplified and Traditional characters simultaneously?

Only about 20% of the corpus of Chinese characters has been simplified. An overwhelming number of Chinese characters have NOT been changed and still have only one form. Reading both formats and writing only one approximates the facility of native speakers, who can largely read both formats and write only one. To learn more about why the authors chose to include both formats read: "The Benefits of Teaching Simplified and Traditional Characters."

 

What are the ACTFL Proficiency Standards for Level 1 and Level 2?

Encounters is based on the ACTFL proficiency standards. By the end of Student Book 2, or Level 1, students can achieve between an intermediate low and an intermediate mid level and engage in conversations in real-life situations. By the end of Student Book 4, or Level 2, students can achieve between an intermediate-mid and intermediate-high level, and will begin narrating and describing in real-life or creative contexts.

 

How does Encounters align with AP courses?

By the end of Student Book 4 students will be prepared to score a 3 or higher on AP exams.

 

What is the recommended time spent on each unit?

The recommended time for each Student Book is 1 semester for college classes and 1 year for high school classes. The recommended time spent on each unit is between 1 and 2 weeks for college classes and between 3 and 4 weeks for high school classes.

 

My question is not mentioned above. Who do I contact?

Please send an email to encounters.chinese@yale.edu. Our Encounters Support Team will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

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