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Australian Curriculum Version 8.4 in Queensland

F-10 Australian Curriculum Chinese

Australian Curriculum: Chinese

This section provides direct access to the complete Australian Curriculum: Chinese.

Language Learning Space

Resources for teachers and students

Context statement

China's official language is Modern Standard Chinese, or Putonghua (the common or shared language) in Chinese. The language is also referred to as Hanyu, the spoken language of the Han people, or Zhongwen, the written language of China. In Taiwan it is more usually called Huayu (Hwayu), the spoken language of people of Chinese ethnicity. This term is also used in Singapore.

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PDF documents

Resources and support materials for the Australian Curriculum: Languages - Chinese are available as PDF documents.

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Please select a Pathway and Sequence to display year/band levels

Foundation to Year 2

Foundation to Year 2 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Children enter the early years of schooling with established oracy skills in one or more languages and varying degrees of early literacy capability. For young students, learning typically focuses on their immediate world of family, home, school, friends and neighbourhood. They are learning how to socialise with new people, share with others, and participate in structured routines and activities at school. Typically, they have little to no experience of Chinese language and culture.

Chinese language learning and use

The systems of writing and speaking in Chinese are distinct. The sights and sounds of Chinese are also quite distinct from English. Students therefore are immersed as much as possible in the sounds and spoken words of Chinese, the meaning of which is made clear through participation in active listening and action-related talk, gestures, dramatisation and games. Students are introduced to common characters associated with routines and their immediate experience, and draw on explicit models to communicate.

Contexts of interaction

Students socialise in structured situations and activities in the classroom and at school, with a focus on topics such as self, home, family, and daily routines. They begin to explore Chinese language and culture by participating in experiences such as celebrations; where relevant, they identify similarities and differences between Chinese culture and their own and other cultures.

Texts and resources

Students engage with a variety of texts and text modes, including picture and caption books, songs, cartoons and movies. They hear the different sounds of Chinese in stimulus material such as stories read aloud, multimedia resources and internet sites.

Features of Chinese language use

Learners are immersed in listening to, viewing and reading Chinese. They become aware of Chinese as an alternative code to English and that other languages exist within their own classroom, their country and overseas. They begin to recognise the importance of tone in Chinese speech and observe that the sounds of Chinese can be encoded in Pinyin using familiar letters. Students view characters through appropriate text types that may be glossed in Pinyin. They learn to recognise characters that represent familiar objects and ideas and convey significant cultural meanings.

Level of support

Visual displays, gesture, and specific and concrete contextual clues are continuously used to support understanding. Teachers model correct language use, which provides the main source of students' development in Chinese. Learners will experiment with various software and technologies as communication tools.

The role of English

English is used by teachers and learners as appropriate for clarification, reflection, questioning and explanation, to support learners to comprehend and acquire Chinese.

Foundation to Year 2 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Participate in class routines, structured conversations and activities using teacher-modelled tones and rhythms

[Key concepts: self, family; Key processes: participating, imitating, listening] (ACLCHC001 - Scootle )

  • reproducing the sounds used in greetings, for example, 早, 你好，王老师,、 再见
  • listening to and engaging with the rhythms and sound patterns in conversations with teachers and peers, mimicking and practising the tones
  • responding to teacher talk and instructions, for example, 站起来 and 请坐
  • participating in games through action, for example, Simon Says (老师说)
  • using pictures and prompt cards to participate in conversations
  • introducing classmates (for example, 我叫Anna。我五岁) and expressing gratitude, for example, 谢谢
  • learning to use gesture in communication to help convey meaning, for example, using Chinese finger gestures to show numbers
  • sharing personal information about oneself and family with peers, for example, 我有弟弟。我爱我的妈妈
Interact with simple written texts in familiar contexts to contribute to class discussions

[Key concepts: self, family; Key processes: reading, planning] (ACLCHC002 - Scootle )

  • collecting examples of common Chinese characters found in familiar settings such as signs and labels, for example, 八 (8),面 ('noodles'), 春 ('spring')
  • discussing the differences between the Roman alphabet and characters, for example, compare the sound and shape of each
  • labelling images of family from a provided list of characters, for example, 妈妈，爸爸，哥哥，妹妹
  • recognising and copying high-frequency characters relating to family and number, and noticing the formation and spacing of characters
  • recognising the differences in describing family members in Chinese and English, for example, 'brothers' can be 哥哥 or 弟弟 in Chinese
  • labelling and illustrating a class photo wall of a shared event or visit

Informing

Locate information about family and familiar events from spoken and visual sources and convey this information in simple visual and oral texts

[Key concepts: self, family, information; Key processes: describing, conveying] (ACLCHC003 - Scootle )

  • using teacher scaffolding (for example, 'We are going to listen for the information about the boy's family members: what words might be used?') to predict content before listening to spoken texts
  • matching information heard with pictures or other visual clues, such as identifying colours and fruit in game and real-life situations
  • sequencing pictures to describe events, guided by the teacher
  • responding to questions and retelling information obtained from listening to and viewing scaffolded models of texts, such as a video clip or an avatar of a Chinese student
  • practising tone, actions and gestures that support meaning to share information
  • expressing preferences, for example, 喜欢，不喜欢
Locate and present information about familiar objects, people and personal interests using visual and contextual cues

[Key concepts: self, family, home, routines; Key processes: obtaining, processing] (ACLCHC004 - Scootle )

  • tracing, copying and practising using individual characters, such as the numbers 1–10 (一， 二， 三， 四， 五…)
  • cutting and pasting characters from a provided set to make a mini book
  • selecting characters to label pictures and make a greeting card or postcard

Creating

Respond to and create simple Chinese stories, songs and rhymes, reproducing rhythm and sound patterns to express feelings

[Key concept: imagination] (ACLCHC005 - Scootle )

  • viewing cartoons or segments of movies based on traditional Chinese stories, such as 《大闹天宫》
  • performing songs and dances in groups, for example,《朋友就是你》 and 《生日快乐》
  • reciting poems and nursery rhymes
Create short imaginative written texts using images and copied characters

[Key concepts: morality; Key processes: illustrating, copying] (ACLCHC006 - Scootle )

  • creating storyboards for well-known Chinese stories such as Mulan or Pangu (盘古)
  • captioning or labelling illustrations on storyboards, practising the strokes of high-frequency characters
  • participating in the shared reading of books, making predictions about characters and events from the cover and illustrations
  • listening to Chinese idiom stories and retelling these stories using illustrations

Translating

Identify equivalent or similar Chinese words or phrases for familiar objects or terms in English

[Key concepts: similarity, difference; Key processes: translating, connecting, interpreting] (ACLCHC007 - Scootle )

  • matching words and phrases spoken in Chinese to images, objects or words in English, such as classroom objects (书包， 笔), to develop vocabulary
  • stating the English equivalent of common expressions in Chinese (for example, phrases such as 对不起, 没关系; 谢谢，不谢) for the benefit of classmates
  • explaining the meaning of Chinese words to classmates
Identify common Chinese characters and words in Pinyin using contextual cues

[Key concepts: self, family, home, routines; Key processes: interpreting, analysing, copying, tracing, shaping] (ACLCHC008 - Scootle )

  • experimenting with using high-frequency Chinese sounds to transcribe simple common words into Pinyin, such as 我 wŏ
  • developing a class list of contextual cues such as images, text structure and other features that would help with understanding meaning
  • typing known or given list of Pinyin words into an online dictionary to turn the Pinyin into characters to express good wishes, such as 'Happy birthday' (zhὺ nĭ shēng rì kuài le◊ 祝你生日快乐！)
  • using flashcards to indicate likes and dislikes, for example, 喜欢 / 不喜欢

Reflecting

Notice aspects of Chinese language and culture that are 'new' or 'interesting', and observe how relationships influence language use and own identity

[Key concepts: self, family, home, routines; Key processes: observing, comparing] (ACLCHC009 - Scootle )

  • examining the meanings behind Chinese family names and other related vocabulary
  • having a shared meal of 饺子，春卷 etc. and appreciating cultural diversity in the school community
  • responding to questions by sharing with students in Chinese sister school personal information related to identity, for example, name, family name, zodiac sign, family members
  • comparing learning in English with learning in Chinese, for example, learning about syllables and components
  • presenting a collage or poster which represents aspects of their identity, using text and images
  • observing interactions to notice cultural aspects such as use of voice to show courtesy, how disagreement is expressed, or smiling so as not to offend while saying 'too expensive'
  • expressing personal responses to aspects of culture encountered when viewing images, such as of classrooms, home environments or street scenes in diverse contexts, responding to teacher prompts (for example, What do you see …? What do you notice …? How do you celebrate …?), and relating to own experience

Systems of language

Reproduce the four tones and recognise how they can change the meaning of words (ACLCHU010 - Scootle )

  • noticing the tonal nature of spoken Chinese and using gestures to enhance the differentiation of tones
  • applying tones to diverse sounds in Chinese to express different meanings, and recognising differences between words with different tones, for example, 妈 mā and 马 mǎ
  • practising the pronunciation of syllables that are unique to Chinese, such as 女 nǚ, 下 xià
  • working with classmates and teachers to identify initials (b, p, m, d, t, g, k etc.) that are similar to English consonants (f, l, n, v)
Recognise Chinese characters as a form of writing and Pinyin as the spelled-out sounds of spoken Chinese (ACLCHU011 - Scootle )

  • differentiating Chinese characters from other forms of written expression, for example, the Roman alphabet, visual images (drawing)
  • recognising that each character has meaning, and exploring the connection between meaning and form, for example, pictographs such as 人 ('person'), 日 ('sun')
  • examining which initials and finals can be guessed from English, for example, 'mama' as opposed to 'gege'
  • copying or tracing characters with attention to stroke order and direction
  • identifying syllables that make up Chinese words, such as 小/老/鼠 (xiǎo/lǎo/shǔ), and understanding that words such as 熊猫 (xióng māo) have two syllables, with each syllable having a meaning
  • making connections between words sharing a common syllable/morpheme, for example, 小狗、小猫、小朋友
  • building new words by combining familiar meanings such as 红+苹果
Understand that Chinese sentences have a particular word order (ACLCHU012 - Scootle )

  • replacing words in modelled sentences to express a personal meaning, for example, replacing 弟弟 in 我有弟弟 with 妹妹 to say 我有妹妹
  • stating the subject of a sentence, for example, 我爱妈妈 is about 'I', and 妈妈爱我 is about 'Mum'
  • recognising that simple statements in Chinese tend to follow English word order, but that questions do not, for example, 'Do you have a cat?' versus 你有猫吗？
  • recognising that sometimes the verb 'to be' is left out in Chinese sentences, for example, 我五岁 rather than 我是五岁
Engage with familiar text types to predict meaning (ACLCHU013 - Scootle )

  • viewing samples of children's books, and identifying headings and images, appreciating their role in supporting understanding of texts
  • comparing similar texts in Chinese and English (for example, a poster for a movie, such as 《功夫熊猫》) and identifying major elements of the Chinese text

Language variation and change

Recognise that Chinese is a major community language in Australia (ACLCHU014 - Scootle )

  • exploring the range of languages spoken in Australia and identifying people in the local community or in the media who speak a different language, for example, 'My mum's friend is from China, and she speaks Chinese'
  • discussing why there are different languages spoken by Australian families and by classmates
  • knowing that Chinese is spoken not only in China but also in other areas of the world, including Australia
Identify the features of formal language used in familiar contexts, such as at school (ACLCHU015 - Scootle )

  • using titles to address teachers in Chinese, such as 王老师 instead of Ms Wang
  • responding to expressions commonly encountered in Chinese classrooms, such as 起立 and explore the cultural meanings behind these

The role of language and culture

Describe how people use different languages to communicate and participate in cultural experiences (ACLCHU016 - Scootle )

  • identifying interesting facts, for example, finding out what are the biggest celebrations in China and Australia, and comparing these celebrations
  • engaging with the traditions and customs, festivals, celebrations and food of Chinese communities, recognising the value of learning about another culture in learning a new language
  • participating in a shared meal, a New Year celebration or a Chinese performance, commenting on the experience and listening to the sounds of Chinese
  • comparing gestures and body language associated with language use in different cultures, for example hand gesturing for emphasis and encouragement or recognising taboos within Chinese communication, such as pointing directly at someone

Foundation to Year 2 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 2, students use spoken and written Chinese to communicate with teachers and peers. They participate in structured and routine interactions, such as using 谢谢， 再见， 请, using learnt sounds, formulaic phrases, and verbal and non-verbal responses. They respond to and receive information, for example, 你好， 你好吗？ They follow simple instructions, including 排队， 请坐， 不要说话.. They use the four tones of Chinese but not always with accuracy. Students respond to short predictable imaginative and informative texts, expressing simple likes and dislikes (喜欢， 不喜欢). They can match characters to the meanings and sounds of familiar words, including numbers (八…), colours (红…) and family members (爸爸， 妈妈). Students use strategies such as imitation and basic contextual cues for comprehension. They create simple informative and imaginative texts by selecting and practising learnt characters and familiar words and phrases to describe, list, label and caption.

Students recognise that Chinese is a major language in Australia. They identify its distinctive systems of writing and speaking. They recognise the tonal nature of Chinese and know that characters are formed by strokes. Students differentiate between the Pinyin and characters associated with familiar objects in their immediate environment. They recognise the use of tone marks in Pinyin. They are aware of the word order of simple sentences. They recognise the conventions for using Chinese to communicate with family, friends and teachers. They recognise the similarities and differences between Chinese and Australian contexts, language and culture. They can identify themselves as learners of languages.

Foundation to Year 2 Work Sample Portfolios

Years 3 and 4

Years 3 and 4 Band Description

The nature of the learners

At this level children are developing awareness of their social world and memberships of various groups, including of the Chinese class. They benefit from varied, activity-based learning which builds on their interests and capabilities and makes connections with other areas of learning.

Chinese language learning and use

The systems of writing and speaking in Chinese are distinct. Because of the role of character learning and its impact on reading and writing, learners can accomplish a higher active use of spoken language than written language. As a result, engagement with Chinese language is primarily through speaking and listening. Learners practise using Chinese through participating in action-related talk, and completing tasks while relying on teacher modelling, prompts and repetition. Students respond non-verbally to spoken Chinese in the classroom, and their understanding of Chinese is dependent on context, and on teacher intonation, gestures and facial expressions. They repeat speech and sounds from frequent and consistent teacher modelling and produce texts using familiar words or phrases.

Contexts of interaction

Likely contexts of interaction focus on everyday educational experiences and students' personal, family and social environments. These familiar contexts are represented in the classroom in structured and scaffolded situations.

Texts and resources

Key text types and contexts include short predictable texts, photo biographies, correspondence, and structured and scaffolded situations. Students engage with a variety of Chinese language texts, including short audiovisual texts, plays, fables, rhymes, songs and dance, extending their use and comprehension of Chinese language and culture. Students also produce simple oral and written texts. They are exposed to a wide range of Chinese voices and settings through the use of multimedia texts, simulations and performances.

Features of Chinese language use

Students discover the distinctive features of the spoken language and begin to use Pinyin and tone marks to practise syllables and tones they encounter in new words. They recognise that letters in Pinyin and English produce different sounds using different spelling conventions. Printed texts used in the classroom are mainly presented in Pinyin but may be glossed with characters. Students use Pinyin to write, knowing that characters represent the real form of writing in Chinese. They use a variety of communication modes, including oral communication in English and Chinese as well as mime and gesture.

Level of support

Chinese language use is scaffolded and prompted by the teacher, and teacher modelling of correct language use is the main source of oral and written language acquisition.

The role of English

English is used where it supports comprehension of and participation in Chinese interactions, and when discussing issues of comparison and contrast between languages and cultures.

Years 3 and 4 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact with teachers and peers in social and class activities, exchanging ideas and opinions, using correct tones

[Key concepts: friendship, play, relationships; Key processes: participating, noticing, recognising, listening] (ACLCHC017 - Scootle )

  • giving personal information, facts and opinions in response to questions about people and aspects of daily life such as pets (我的狗很可爱), interests, routines and activities
  • expressing opinions and commenting on personal experience using familiar expressions (for example, 很棒。 太好了。我不喜欢…), and turn-taking (该你了) in class games
  • contributing to class activities by asking for (我可以…吗？) and giving permission (可以), apologising and excusing (对不起), raising hand and using phrases such as 老师，我不懂 to request assistance in learning activities
  • initiating conversations in familiar social contexts by greeting participants and introducing themselves (for example, 你好，我叫James，我八岁，我住在悉尼), displaying appropriate social manners to enhance communication
  • giving information in response to questions such as 你的弟弟几岁？, and responding to turn-taking signals such as 该你了 or pauses
  • following the teacher's instructions to participate in learning activities, for example, 我们听 Sam 说一说
  • reporting group activity results to each other and the teacher, for example, Michael 喜欢打篮球，Sophie 喜欢游泳
Exchange simple correspondence with teachers and peers to contribute suggestions and arrange activities

[Key concepts: family, friendship, exchange; Key processes: participating, noticing, recognising, responding, listening] (ACLCHC018 - Scootle )

  • exchanging simple correspondence such as notes, postcards and text messages
  • using ICT to adapt or create drawings to support written communication in cards, posters and visual displays
  • adapting teacher-modelled language and using word lists to correspond with others, for example, creating cards to express good wishes and season's greetings to friends and family members (生日快乐, 母亲节快乐)

Informing

Obtain and process information about significant people, places and events from spoken and visual sources, and convey this information using learnt phrases and key words

[Key concepts: significance, self, family, neighbourhood, environment; Key processes: participating, noticing, recognising, responding, listening] (ACLCHC019 - Scootle )

  • identifying commonly used terms for daily activities such as 你几点睡觉？ to contribute in an online discussion with sister-school friends
  • describing people, places and things using actions and gestures, for example, to create a video clip to describe the school
  • planning and presenting short reports about holidays, special events and places using photos, illustrations, captions, diagrams
  • listening to short spoken texts containing some unfamiliar language, identifying key information, for example, name and phone number of speaker in a voicemail message, or the names, year level and age of Chinese children in a short interview
Locate factual information from sources and report this information to a known audience using learnt characters

[Key concepts: information, topic; Key processes: obtaining, processing, interpreting] (ACLCHC020 - Scootle )

  • identifying key words in familiar text types (for example, a floor plan, map or calendar) by recognising textual features (for example, bigger font for the name of the capital city on a map) and using other visual clues
  • identifying and locating familiar characters or words in texts, and discussing the purpose and meaning of a text, for example, food packaging, a restaurant menu
  • creating posters using learnt characters to inform others, for example, about a special event or a favourite person

Creating

Respond to and create simple imaginative texts using voice, rhythm, and appropriate gesture and action

[Key concept: imagination; Key processes: feeling, participating, noticing, recognising, responding, listening] (ACLCHC021 - Scootle )

  • performing plays in groups, using puppets and props, with allocated roles (such as 《十二生肖的故事》, 《饥饿的毛毛虫》), and using gestures and other movements to enhance the impact of performance, for example, using facial expressions to demonstrate emotions during a play
  • viewing performances such as a song and dance show for children and identifying features of language, for example, rhyming in 小燕子，穿花衣，年年春天来这里
  • creating own representations of familiar songs (小星星), poems and stories with a focus on varying voice, rhythm, gesture and action
  • reading excerpts of 童谣 and comparing Chinese-specific expression with English version, such as 小猫怎么叫,喵喵喵。小狗怎么叫，汪汪汪。小鸡怎么叫，叽叽叽。小鸭怎么叫，嘎嘎嘎。小羊怎么叫，咩咩咩
  • singing familiar songs from both cultures, such as 《小星星》，《说哈罗》,《猜拳歌》 or 《狼与小孩》, to memorise words and sounds and for enjoyment
  • expressing own feelings, likes and dislikes in response to Chinese stories, songs and poems, and asking for classmates' feelings
Create short written imaginative texts using simple characters and short sentences

[Key concepts: characters, events, plot; Key processes: participating, noticing, recognising, responding, listening] (ACLCHC022 - Scootle )

  • comparing the themes and content of nursery rhymes (童谣) (such as 小蜜蜂， 嗡嗡嗡， 飞到东， 飞到西； 小白兔， 白又白， 两只耳朵竖起来； 小燕子， 穿花衣， 年年春天来这里), for example, noting the frequent appearance of particular animals in 童谣 and recognising how this relates to traditional agricultural life
  • creating a storyboard to describe characters and key events in planning a story
  • creating plot diagrams using characters provided by teacher to annotate diagram
  • using pictographs such as 马, 田，山 to create cartoons to illustrate a story
  • designing play props and costumes appropriate to the context and setting of a story read or listened to in class, and identifying traditional Chinese clothes and accessories

Translating

Translate the meanings of important everyday words using contextual cues

[Key concepts: context, celebration; Key processes: participating, recognising, responding, listening] (ACLCHC023 - Scootle )

  • explaining words and phrases to peers or the teacher, using gestures and actions to help convey meaning, such as facial expressions to express dislike or disappointment, agreement or enthusiasm
  • explaining meanings of colloquial phrases used on specific occasions (for example, 恭喜发财 to give New Year wishes), and discussing how such wishes are expressed in English
  • choosing words to translate information into Chinese, recognising different meanings for the same word, for example 哥哥 can be used to refer to an older male friend as well as older brother
Find English equivalents of common expressions in Chinese and vice versa

[Key concept: equivalence; Key processes: translating, explaining] (ACLCHC024 - Scootle )

  • reading bilingual signs, comparing Chinese words to their English equivalent, and recognising how key characters in expressions contribute to the overall meaning, such as 上 in 好好学习，天天向上
  • identifying meanings of Chinese words and phrases that do not translate directly (word for word), for example, 属 、 岁、马马虎虎

Reflecting

Reflect on how aspects of personal identity are expressed in Australian and Chinese contexts

[Key concepts: self, belonging; Key process: reflecting] (ACLCHC025 - Scootle )

  • preparing a self-introduction and discussing the concept of 'self'/我, exploring questions such as 'What makes me special in my family? In my class? In my school?', for example, 我叫 Tina, 我是妹妹。我上三年级，我的老师是王老师
  • prioritising information when talking about self, for example, 我叫Kate before 我八岁
  • sharing information about one's zodiac animal sign in Chinese and discussing in English the cultural significance of such information, for example, 我属龙

Systems of language

Recognise the tone-syllable nature of spoken language, and compare Chinese and English sounds (ACLCHU026 - Scootle )

  • explaining the use of Pinyin as a learning tool to reflect the sound of Chinese spoken language, and recognising sounds associated with individual letters and syllables, differentiating, for example, qī , piě, rán and qù from English sounds for such letters and syllables
  • listening to and viewing simple conversational exchanges, recognising tone-syllables and experiencing the differences between Chinese and English intonation
  • recognising when and why some tones are not expressed in some contexts, for example, repetition of syllables in 'Mama', neutral tone on second syllable
  • listening to and reading out loud a nursery rhyme with strong Chinese prosodic features such as 《小老鼠，上灯台》
  • engaging in activities to raise tonal awareness, such as competing with classmates to read a tongue twister (妈妈骂马) and using hand gestures to help pronounce different tones
Reproduce key Chinese characters from familiar contexts using stroke types and sequences, and component forms and their arrangement (ACLCHU027 - Scootle )

  • engaging with a range of basic characters and components and exploring their individual meanings, for example, 大 , 小，足，手
  • exploring the process of character construction, including counting the number of strokes, describing the shape of strokes, differentiating between similar strokes, and following general rules of stroke order
  • making connections between basic characters and related component forms (for example, radicals like 手 and 扌;人 and 亻), and recognising the number and arrangement of components in a compound character, for example, that 众 has three components and 打 has two components, that 亻(standing person) is on the left-hand side
  • exploring the concept of 'word' in Chinese and knowing that each character is a meaningful unit (morpheme) that is used to make up 'words' such as 白菜 (white + vegetable), 好朋友 (good + friend + friend), 男生 (male + student)
  • making connections between key morphemes in familiar words, for example, fruit group 水果、苹果 、果汁; vehicle group 汽车、火车、车子
Use nouns, adjectives and simple sentences to record observations (ACLCHU028 - Scootle )

  • exploring basic sentence structure in Chinese, consisting of subject–verb–object, and learning to analyse sentences in both Chinese and English, for example, 'What's the subject in the sentence "My mum drives a car"? How about in the Chinese sentence 我看书? Do sentences work the same way in Chinese and English?'
  • recognising grammatical features and how their use differs in Chinese and English, for example, the lack of articles in Chinese; that adjectives can be used as verbs; limited use of the verb 'to be' (是)
  • following patterns of word order and sentence structure and using negation when creating sentences to express own meanings, for example, replacing the subject pronoun in 我喜欢绿色 to create the sentence 我妈妈不喜欢绿色
Identify similarities and differences in the organisation of simple familiar texts (ACLCHU029 - Scootle )

  • reading familiar text types in both Chinese and English (for example, menus, calendars, songs and TV cartoons), and explaining how the content and features of the text suit its purpose, for example, the menu has pictures of dishes to help the customer understand what kind of food it is
  • recognising Chinese texts (for example, Chinese film posters and newspapers), and discussing how the textual features are organised, including the headings, images and fonts, and the cultural significance of such texts
  • applying knowledge of text features to help locate key information, such as identifying details relating to name, age and nationality across diverse examples of social media profiles and print information forms
  • discussing a range of predictable texts with teachers and peers to perceive common components (radicals) in complex characters such as 'woman' (女) and 'water' (氵)

Language variation and change

Recognise that Chinese is spoken by communities in many countries (ACLCHU030 - Scootle )

  • investigating the use of Chinese in Australian communities and in countries and regions where diverse forms of Chinese are widely used, for example, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, USA
  • interviewing people in their community who speak Chinese, such as 妈妈的朋友, and finding out how the person learnt and used Chinese in their home country and in Australia, for example, 'How did you learn to speak and write Chinese? Do you speak Chinese every day in Australia?'
  • recognising characters used in specific cultural events (for example, 福 in various forms of New Year decoration, such as paper cut-outs, folk art, couplets), and identifying how the form might change, for example, asking why 福 is sometimes presented upside dow
Identify the likely contexts and features of informal and formal conversations involving known participants of different ages, genders and social positions (ACLCHU031 - Scootle )

  • comparing conversations between peers/friends with conversations between teachers/authorities, for example, 你/您； 坐吧！/请坐！
  • viewing and listening to the opening of conversations in a range of situations, and finding key words participants use, noticing how these chunks of language can change depending on the situatio
  • finding examples of the openings of informal and formal conversations in Chinese films, soap operas and children's cartoons, and practising using these openings in conversation with teachers and friends

The role of language and culture

Identify how terms are used to indicate relationships and express aspects of culture that may be different from their own (ACLCHU032 - Scootle )

  • participating in exchanging good wishes in celebrations such as 龙年快乐, and comparing cultural practices of celebration from around the world
  • exploring the use of language and symbolic images during cultural events, and describing the cultural meaning represented, for example, looking at the use of the colour red during Chinese New Year and in good wishes of 红红火火 and asking why red is so widely used during celebrations in China; What is the cultural connotation of 红？
  • discussing possible reasons why Chinese family names are placed before given names, and exploring the cultural meaning of various Chinese names, for example, 静 ，明， 勇
  • exploring the more complicated Chinese kinship relationships, and learning to address family members with a title rather than by their given names, for example, drawing a family tree and labelling each member with their Chinese title

Years 3 and 4 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 4, students use spoken and written Chinese in simple personal interactions with familiar participants about self, family, people, places, routine, school life, and their own interests and preferences, for example, 你叫什么名字？ 你上几年级？ 你有狗吗？ 你喜欢什么运动？ They use appropriate pronunciation, tone, gesture and movement and some formulaic expressions. They use modelled questions to develop responses, for example, 你的哥哥几岁？， 他是谁？， 你住在哪里？， 这是什么？ They respond to and create simple informative and imaginative texts for familiar audiences (for example, 狼与小孩) by selecting learnt words and characters. Sentences are short and follow the basic subject–verb–object structure with occasional use of adjective predicates, for example, 这是红色的苹果.. Learners use familiar words in Pinyin, or presented in characters in texts. Numbers are used in relation to age and family members, and to quantify objects with measure words such as 一个男生，两个姐姐，三只狗.

Students explain why Chinese is a globally important language. They understand that Pinyin provides access to the sounds of the spoken language. They identify features of the Chinese writing system, including the range of strokes and their sequences in character writing, and explain how component knowledge can assist in learning characters. They are aware that each character is a meaningful unit (morpheme) that is used to make up words. They recognise familiar word order in Chinese sentences. They notice similarities and differences between the patterns of the Chinese language and those of English and other familiar languages. They recognise that languages change with time and due to influences such as globalisation and technology. Students recognise that diversity of context and participants influence how meaning is communicated, and apply this knowledge to their own communication. They notice how cultural differences may affect understanding between people.

Years 3 and 4 Work Sample Portfolios

Years 5 and 6

Years 5 and 6 Band Description

The nature of the learners

At this level students are expanding their social networks, experiences and communication repertoire in both their first language and Chinese. They continue to need guidance and participate in structured, collaborative tasks that both recycle and extend language. Students are gaining greater independence and becoming more conscious of their peers and social context. They are gaining awareness of the world around them. Learners are noticing similarities and differences between Chinese language and culture and their own.

Chinese language learning and use

The systems of writing and speaking in Chinese are distinct. Because of the role of character learning and its impact on reading and writing, learners can accomplish a higher active use of spoken language than written language. As a result, engagement with Chinese language is primarily through speaking and listening. With teacher support, students begin to use Chinese to communicate their own ideas and participate in collaborative decision making. Learners engage in exploration of patterns and features of the language, talking about and making connections between known languages and cultures and comparing different ways of communicating in familiar contexts.

Contexts of interaction

Likely contexts for interaction are related to students' personal, family and local environments, and their everyday educational experiences. They communicate with peers, teachers, known adults, and with other students in their class. The settings for interaction move to a more public context and include more participants. Students begin to move from socialising in the here and now to planning and organising future events.

Texts and resources

Text types include print and online news and media, blogs, advertisements, catalogues, popular music and drama. Texts presented in characters are generally glossed in Pinyin. Students write in characters to correspond with others in letters, and use Pinyin input systems to generate a variety of texts in digital format.

Features of Chinese language use

Engagement with oral language includes active listening; observing interactions between speakers in everyday contexts; and using the spoken language in songs, rhymes, stories read aloud, and games. Learners ask and answer questions, describe people and objects, and recount events. They speak with attention to the sounds and tones of words, using formulaic language and applying their knowledge of familiar language structures in new contexts. Students map character forms onto their familiar oral vocabulary, and recognise and name characters in context. They record and learn new vocabulary by using word lists in Pinyin, and use Pinyin to prepare drafts of spoken texts.

Level of support

Chinese language use continues to be scaffolded and prompted by the teacher. Teachers' modelling of correct Chinese language use is the primary source of learners' increasing Chinese oral and written language acquisition.

The role of English

The use of English is necessary for discussion, reflection and explanation, and for the continued development of learners' knowledge base and intercultural capability.

Years 5 and 6 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Initiate interactions with peers and known adults to plan and organise social activities

[Key concepts: community, leisure, nature, recreation; Key processes: planning, organising, transacting] (ACLCHC033 - Scootle )

  • experimenting with language choices to convey emotions and attitudes such as excitement and interest when events or ideas are suggested, including making arrangements, welcoming, congratulating, complimenting and praising
  • exchanging information and opinions in class discussion, responding to questions such as 你喜欢运动吗？, and expressing agreement and disagreement with others' opinions (for example, 对，我也很喜欢运动); making sure that other participants are included in interaction, for example, 我去过法国，你呢？
  • participating in role-plays relating to shopping scenarios, and specifying quantity or type of item when selecting from options, for example, 三斤苹果，一包糖
  • completing transactions by confirming prices (for example, 多少钱？五块八) and exchanging money, recognising Chinese currency
  • preparing performances celebrating important events in the Chinese calendar to present at school assemblies to raise community understanding of aspects of Chinese culture, such as a taiji performance, a lion dance, or a Spring Festival song such as 《恭喜恭喜》
  • assisting in organising and hosting visitors from a sister school or guest speakers to raise school community awareness of the importance of learning Chinese
  • seeking permission from the teacher or peers to participate in activities or to be excused, for example, 我可以去喝水吗？
  • responding to the teacher's questions with actions or answers (for example, answering the question 懂了吗？), and requesting or borrowing items from others using appropriate language such as 我想看看你的书，好吗？
Exchange correspondence and create simple written material to plan future activities and events and contribute ideas

[Key concepts: friendship, community, recreation; Key processes: collaborating, exchanging] (ACLCHC034 - Scootle )

  • preparing and creating photo-stories with captions to present personal information and aspects of personal experience (such as friends and classmates, extracurricular activities, daily routine, and holiday experiences) for new classmates or for class blog
  • creating short texts such as emails, letters and text messages to interact with others, for example, to invite, congratulate or thank someone
  • producing short texts such as descriptions of a place, or the rules of behaviour for different events, situations or activities
  • participating in shared blogs, exchanging information with students from sister school, for example, 你好，我叫Ann, 我是澳大利亚的学生
  • using emoticons such as >_<||| in digital communication to enhance meaning conveyed
  • using digital media to produce a publicity flier for an upcoming cultural or sporting event such as 汉语比赛

Informing

Obtain and process specific information from multiple spoken sources, selecting and sequencing appropriate content for specific audiences

[Key concepts: public, private; Key processes: comparing, collaborating, recording, identifying, describing] (ACLCHC035 - Scootle )

  • identifying specific information related to places, for example, listening to a weather forecast, recognising the names of familiar cities (such as 北京，上海), and recording the weather conditions and the temperature
  • using textual clues such as 听一听小明的一天 to predict possible content when listening to spoken texts, and preparing to hear key information such as time and activities
  • listening to and viewing a range of informative texts to identify key points, for example, answering questions from classmates about the procedure and main ingredients for cooking a Chinese dish from a cooking show
  • presenting a short talk using information gathered from multiple sources, for example, investigating 南京的天气 by interviewing the teacher and listening to a podcast of a weather forecast
  • supporting presentations with pictures, charts or graphs as appropriate, for example, using bar charts to show data on 澳大利亚的语言
Locate key points in written informative texts, summarising the points to report to known audiences

[Key concept: information; Key processes: reading, viewing, summarising, analysing] (ACLCHC036 - Scootle )

  • locating key information in texts such as timetables, calendars, brochures or advertisements, using clues such as organisation of content, for example, 星期一，星期二 etc. listed on the top row of a timetable
  • reading familiar texts, such as shopping catalogues, understanding key phrases such as 八折, and working out the final price of an item
  • recognising markers of time (for example, 第二天) in a sequence of events to monitor information flow and assist with reading for overall meaning
  • creating a poster to convey information to Chinese peers (for example, about a local city or popular tourist site) with pictures, maps, data, words and sentences
  • selecting from word lists to create informative texts such as signs, slogans and notices, using electronic tools such as a digital dictionary to extend own expression

Creating

Engage with characters and points of view in short imaginative texts, express personal opinions and create simple spoken imaginative texts

[Key concepts: character, viewpoint; Key processes: connecting, expressing, responding] (ACLCHC037 - Scootle )

  • singing popular songs, exploring the intended meaning of lyrics and the use of stylistic devices such as 比喻 （我爱你,我爱你， 就像老鼠爱大米） or 重复 （我是女生，漂亮的女生，我是女生，爱哭的女生）
  • retelling stories read by the teacher in Chinese and sequencing actions (using 然后), or explaining the cause of an action (using 因为)
  • expressing personal opinions on TV programs or music videos, for example, 我很喜欢中国的 rap
  • participating in performances such as 诗朗诵 and applying specific prosodic features such as 'tone flow' (抑扬顿挫) to enhance the effect
  • creating short plays or skits and taking on roles in imagined scenarios such as a shopping trip, fashion show, or visiting or hosting a Chinese friend
  • reading short stories in groups, and summarising the story and conveying the emotions and opinions of characters using, for example, 最、非常、太
  • reading aloud phrases such as 哎呀！天哪！ that are used to highlight the characters reactions to situations or the actions of others.
Create written imaginative texts, describing characters and sequencing events, using scaffolded models of texts, learnt characters or word lists for support

[Key concepts: character, narrative, sequence; Key processes: connecting, expressing, responding] (ACLCHC038 - Scootle )

  • experimenting with storytelling techniques by following provided models of narrative texts, for example rewriting 她有七色花，红色，蓝色，白色… and replacing 花 with 气球 and writing 她有七色气球，红色，蓝色，白色
  • using digital media to create an imaginative story to share with peers and Chinese-speaking contacts, using both language and images to achieve particular effects, for example, using 重复（很大很大的球; 走啊走啊走啊)
  • plotting a storyline, considering: Who is the main character? How can I make this character interesting to readers? How can I sequence my story to grab the reader's attention?
  • collaborating to create alternative endings to well-known stories using learnt sequences and word lists for support

Translating

Interpret and translate simple texts used for everyday purposes, identifying actions, words and phrases that do not readily translate into English

[Key concept: equivalence; Key processes: interpreting, translating] (ACLCHC039 - Scootle )

  • identifying how best to interpret key words when translating English texts into Chinese, for example, the use of 是 after first-, second- and third-person pronouns; numbers with measure words; possessives with 的; plurals
  • viewing spoken interactions in Chinese between peers or in texts (for example, viewing a segment of a movie), and interpreting the meaning of the dialogue as well as comparing and discussing culturally determined manners or behaviour displayed in the interaction
  • differentiating between word-by-word meaning and intended meaning when translating from Chinese into English, for example, the word-by-word translation of 我喜欢一个人看书 is 'I like one person to read', but it means 'I like to read alone'
  • comparing own translation of short texts (such as brand names, signs, slogans and billboard advertisements) to others', and evaluating the effectiveness of own translation
  • recognising the role that gesture plays in oral interaction, including emblematic (hand) gestures, gesturing for emphasis and encouragement, and taboos within Chinese communication, such as pointing directly at someone
  • identifying Chinese symbols in print and digital texts (for example, the longevity symbol), and developing ways to convey the culturally attached value when expressing the meaning of these symbols in English
Create own bilingual texts such as signs, displays and posters

[Key concepts: equivalence, idiom; Key processes: translating, identifying, discussing] (ACLCHC040 - Scootle )

  • producing bilingual posters to promote a healthy lifestyle, such as 健康食品
  • designing bilingual signs (characters/Pinyin/English) to post on key buildings and rooms around the school that convey short messages such as descriptions of the place or the rules in that place
  • developing strategies for using bilingual (Chinese–English and English–Chinese) dictionaries in both print and digital forms to assist with translation

Reflecting

Describe aspects of own identity and reflect on differences between Chinese and English language and culture, identifying how this knowledge can help their intercultural exchanges

[Key concepts: similarity, difference, culture; Key processes: comparing, contrasting] (ACLCHC041 - Scootle )

  • using appropriate forms of address in interactions, including nicknames for friends, greetings such as 嘿、哈罗、吃了吗、校长好, and courtesy phrases when agreeing, thanking, apologising, refusing, declining and leave-taking, for example, 谢谢, 不客气, 对不起，没关系
  • presenting short spoken texts to peers and to Chinese-speaking people in other contexts via digital media, sharing culture-specific aspects of own identity (for example, 我是希腊人，我周末学希腊语 or football club membership) and discussing their significance
  • defining own identity by describing relationships with others, for example, friendship groups (我的朋友是 Lisa 和 George，我们都很聪明), ethnic group (我是德裔澳大利亚人)
  • engaging with Chinese speakers through organised school activities (such as through a video-conference with students at a Chinese school, or welcoming visitors to own school), observing moments when difficulties are experienced in communication and reflecting on the cause of the difficulty
  • sharing with peers personal experiences of interacting with Chinese speakers, for example, 'I was really nervous and forgot how to say…'
  • observing interactions between Chinese speakers, and discussing the context and language use (for example, a family eating out in a restaurant, noticing the environment, seating arrangements, and how dishes are ordered and presented) and comparing to their own experience

Systems of language

Discriminate between similar or related syllables and words by listening with attention to intonation, stress and phrasing (ACLCHU042 - Scootle )

  • recognising familiar language spoken by different voices
  • recognising and discriminating between homonyms in Chinese (for example, shì — 是 and 室), relying on contextual cues to assist understanding, and differentiating syllables with different tones, for example, shì (是) and shí (十)
  • connecting the sound of spoken Chinese with the spelling and tone marks of Pinyin, for example, reading out words written in Pinyin with attention to Chinese pronunciation and tone; using Pinyin to record the sound of words or sentences encountered
Identify how character structure, position, and component sequences relate the form of a character to its particular sound and meaning (ACLCHU043 - Scootle )

  • decoding characters by analysing their structure and the number of components, and recognising familiar components
  • applying their knowledge of characters to learn to read and write new characters, and developing strategies for learning, for example, making connections between characters with a common component (你、他、们)
  • identifying different meanings of key morphemes used in different contexts, for example, 天，日，二/两，你好 versus 好玩
Form sentences to express details such as the time, place and manner of an action and to sequence ideas (ACLCHU044 - Scootle )

  • developing knowledge of metalinguistic terminology, discussing, for example: What is the plural form? How do we know it's plural when reading in English? Can we tell when we read a Chinese word?
  • recognising that in Chinese, verbs convey tense without verb conjugation, for example, explaining why 有 can mean 'have', 'had' and 'will have'
  • comparing the use of tenses in English and Chinese, for example, how future tense is often expressed through time phrases in Chinese (我明天去北京，下个星期去上海)
  • identifying the use of adverbial phrases, and extending understanding of sentence structure using subject–time–place–manner–verb–object, for example, 我星期一上学。我在墨尔本上学。我走路上学
  • examining the clauses of a sentence in Chinese and noticing how they are linked coherently, for example, 他叫王晓明，(他) 是我的朋友 (i.e. no subject/pronoun)
  • applying processes of discourse development, including joining (也、 和), contrasting (但是) and sequencing (就) information
  • using alternative language to clarify intended meaning, for example, saying 我不胖不瘦 when they don't know the phrase 中等身材
Notice how the features of text organisation vary according to audience and purpose (ACLCHU045 - Scootle )

  • describing the major features of familiar text types in Chinese, and experimenting with analysing Chinese texts, for example, recognising the 'problem' and the 'resolution' in a narrative
  • identifying the purpose and intended audience and context (for example, digital, online or face to face) of a range of familiar texts
  • exploring features and conventions of Chinese text, including lack of word spacing or use of punctuation, and variability in text direction, and comparing texts in traditional characters with texts in simplified characters
  • understanding the use of Chinese-specific punctuation, such as double quotation marks to signal a quote

Language variation and change

Understand that Chinese is characterised by diversity in spoken and written forms (ACLCHU046 - Scootle )

  • knowing that Putonghua is the standard spoken language used in China and the main Chinese language taught in other areas of the world
  • understanding that there are simplified and traditional Chinese characters, and exploring examples of both forms to identify differences, for example, 门 and 門
  • exploring how the Chinese language has changed in response to modern life, such as the inclusion of English terms in everyday language; recognising 'borrowed words'/借词 in Chinese from English (for example, 咖啡、 澳大利亚), and in English from Chinese (for example, tofu), and discussing how and why these types of words are introduced
  • noticing the use of English words or phrases in Chinese interactions (for example, 拜拜, or a few words of English in a Chinese pop song), and discussing the reason for the 'code-switching'
  • examining the role of myths, legends and 成语 in contemporary language use (for example, reading texts containing 成语, such as 井底之蛙，画龙点睛 within 成语故事) and discussing their intended meaning, and the cultural importance of employing classical language in contemporary contexts
Examine how language is used to clarify roles and relationships between participants in interactions (ACLCHU047 - Scootle )

  • comparing values and beliefs across cultures and identifying how Australian cultural values such as mateship are expressed through language
  • exploring the nature of the concept of 'family' in Chinese culture and how this influences relationships between individuals, for example, addressing adults as 叔叔 or 阿姨

The role of language and culture

Explore the ways in which everyday language use reflects culture-specific ideas, such as the influence of age, gender and social position on language choices (ACLCHU048 - Scootle )

  • exploring cultural values conveyed in expressions relating to celebrations, for example, by asking: 'In the colloquial phrase 合家团圆, what is 团圆? Why wish people 团圆？ Does this have the same meaning in Australian culture? What's the relationship between the language use and the Chinese values in this phrase?'
  • applying appropriate choices of pronouns and labels when referring to others in interactions, for example 您/你； 小张/张晓琴

Years 5 and 6 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 6, students use spoken and written Chinese to initiate and maintain interactions. They describe and give information about themselves and their preferences, their environment, experiences and interests, for example, 我很喜欢唱歌。我的学校很漂亮。我觉得澳大利亚是很好的国家. They use simple questions (for example, 请问… ? 你是哪国人？你会说汉语吗？) and seek clarification, for example, … 对吗？ They access information from a range of print and digital resources (for example, 课文，菜单，宣传单，图样，地图，课程表， 日历，行程表， 天气预报) and summarise key points in order to inform others and organise activities, for example, 我们这个星期六去打球, 好吗？ They engage with a range of imaginative texts. They use intonation and stress to engage audiences and participants. They translate everyday expressions (for example, 好久不见 or 不谢) and use context to assist with interpretation. They produce short informative and imaginative texts. Sentences include details of time (for example, 八点，十二月二日，星期五), place (for example, 在澳大利亚，在墨尔本，在家) and participants, for example, 我的朋友， 小明的哥哥. They use prepositions and possessive clauses, including 的. They use a range of verbs, including verbs of identification and existence (是), and some modal verbs (喜欢 、 会) to express interest or ability; they negate with 不 or 没. They use simple connectives such as 和 and conjunctions to connect ideas.

Students explain the nature of tone-syllables, for example the role of tones in meaning making. They recognise the features of the Chinese writing system and apply their knowledge of the formation of characters in their own writing. They use Pinyin to transcribe spoken language. They identify how the relationships of participants and context affect interactions. They identify the features of familiar text types in Chinese and use these features to assist in interpreting meaning. They recognise that variations exist within the Chinese spoken and written language, and identify examples of this, particularly within their own community. They recognise and describe features of Chinese culture reflected in communication practices, and apply this knowledge to their own interactions with Chinese people.

Years 5 and 6 Work Sample Portfolios

Years 7 and 8

Years 7 and 8 Band Description

The nature of the learners

These years represent a transition to secondary school and students in this pathway are continuing to study Chinese bringing with them a capability to communicate, with some assistance, about their immediate world and China.

Chinese language learning and use

The systems of writing and speaking in Chinese are distinct. Because of the role of character learning and its impact on reading and writing, learners can accomplish a higher active use of spoken language than written language. As a result, engagement with Chinese language is primarily through speaking and listening. Students use Chinese for self-expression, to access new information and to share their knowledge and experiences with others. Pinyin remains an important tool for learning the sound of new words, associating sounds with characters, and creating digital texts in characters.

Contexts of interaction

Students actively use Chinese in a range of everyday contexts for purposes such as socialising with peers, transacting and getting things done, sharing information and engaging in performance with a range of known participants, including native speakers and peers.

Texts and resources

Students explore a range of written texts, developing strategies to interpret meaning where not all characters are known. They read, respond to and create digital texts, including blogs, biographies and opinion pieces, using a variety of technologies and software.

Features of Chinese language use

Chinese is the language of instruction and interaction, and is used in more elaborate ways as students extend their knowledge of the grammatical system and its use through spoken and written communication. Students experiment with language, exploring how cultural meanings are expressed. They analyse how messages are conveyed across languages, and apply their skills in mediating between Chinese and English in different contexts and situations. Classroom discussions focus on exploring and extending their range of contexts and audiences as they develop their personal communication skills.

Level of support

Students are supported to develop increasing autonomy as language learners and users, to self-monitor, and to adjust language in response to their experience in diverse contexts.

The role of English

English is used as appropriate to allow for explanation and discussion on issues associated with analysis of language, reflection on experiences, and comparisons across languages and cultures.

Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Initiate and sustain interactions with peers and familiar adults to plan and arrange activities or social events in the context of the school or local community, and vary spoken language in response to the needs and demands of other participants

[Key concepts: event, celebration, experience; Key processes: transacting, negotiating, suggesting, requesting, explaining] (ACLCHC049 - Scootle )

  • participating in conversations about personal experiences, expressing opinions about what is common to these experiences, for example, 我们的老师教我们很多东西。我们都很喜欢他
  • comparing feelings about music, TV programs or sports, and asking questions to seek ideas, request repetition, clarify meaning (for example, 你喜欢看电视，不是吗？) and enhance mutual understanding, for example, A: 我不太喜欢听流行音乐，我更喜欢摇滚乐,因为摇滚乐很有意思。B: 古典音乐怎么样？古典音乐也不错
  • negotiating with peers in relation to school policies and procedures, by affirming, accepting, clarifying, suggesting and recommending, for example, 小明，明天去动物园要穿校服吗？
  • visiting Chinese-owned stores in the local area and specifying number or nature of items required; requesting, negotiating and accepting prices; and completing transactions, for example, 我们什么时候去…？， 我们去哪儿买？， 我们要买什么？
  • participating in class role-plays of shopping scenarios, including expressing opinions about quality of goods (for example, 这条红色的裤子真好看), making comparisons with the same product or service from other retailers or service providers (for example, 他要一百块，你要一百三十块), and expressing satisfaction or dissatisfaction with price, for example, 太贵了
  • negotiating with classmates to determine an appropriate gift for an overseas visitor, acknowledging ideas and opinions of others and expressing agreement (for example, 好的) or disagreement, and offering alternatives, for example, 我觉得巧克力不好，考拉拼图怎么样？
Correspond with peers and other familiar participants to plan activities, and compare opinions on and attitudes towards different cultures

[Key concepts: relationship, experience, community; Key processes: sharing perspectives, exchanging, corresponding] (ACLCHC050 - Scootle )

  • exchanging personal information via social networking sites, for example, 你是哪国人？你喜欢学习汉语吗？
  • sharing information about life in different cultural contexts, expressing ideas and opinions, for example, 中国人喜欢吃米饭，澳大利亚人喜欢吃面包，你呢？
  • sharing opinions about school or family life, including 我的学校，我的老师，我的好朋友， 我的一家人, and linking ideas to explain and support a position or view, for example, 我的姐姐喜欢音乐，也很喜欢体育； 我除了踢足球以外，还打板球。我觉得运动很有意思

Informing

Analyse and summarise relevant information obtained from a range of spoken sources and convey this information to known audiences through a range of texts

[Key concepts: fact/fiction, representation, perspective, choice; Key processes: summarising, identifying, comparing, sequencing] (ACLCHC051 - Scootle )

  • documenting specific details of events, customs and lifestyles presented in multimodal sources such as video clips and face-to-face interviews in order to summarise the information, for example, 中国人很喜欢喝茶， 澳大利亚人喜欢喝咖啡
  • listening to and viewing celebrity interviews, news reports and documentaries to identify key information such as names of people and places, time and date, attitude and opinions, for example, 秦始皇，西安，北京， 星期三，…很可怕，我很喜欢她，她是一个很棒的演员
  • listening to and viewing factual spoken texts and paying attention to voice, gesture and language choice to identify the strength of opinion or degree of emotion expressed, for example, recognising strong dislike expressed in 我一点儿也不喜欢 compared to 我不喜欢
  • interviewing teachers or other familiar adults about their experiences (for example, 他小时候每天都骑自行车) and presenting this information to the class, quoting the source of information [有人说；她告诉我；根据这个节目介绍
Locate, classify and organise relevant information, including analysing data in simple diagrams, tables and graphs, and re-present this information for known audiences

[Key concepts: lifestyle, change, trends, place; Key processes: summarising, comparing, contrasting] (ACLCHC052 - Scootle )

  • comparing travel brochures to identify places of interest, public transport information and activities
  • recognising the word/phrase boundaries in 我们学校/有/二百八十七个学生 and applying knowledge of Chinese information-sequencing rules, for example, using the knowledge that Chinese speakers organise information from most general to most specific in order to locate details in a Chinese address
  • identifying the common organising categories in tables or graphs, for example, deducing that 国籍 means 'nationality' by determining the meanings of 中国，澳大利亚 etc. in a table column

Creating

Engage with imaginative texts, observing how characters, emotions and attitudes are portrayed, express opinions about these aspects of an imagined experience and apply this knowledge in their own performances and texts

[Key concept: emotion; Key processes: expressing, responding, performing] (ACLCHC053 - Scootle )

  • identifying how features of performance, including the use of posture, movement, voice, images and sound, are used to convey different emotions and attitudes, for example, 她跑得很快; 音乐听起来很轻快; 森林里很暗; 我很害怕
  • writing a short dialogue about an emotion and performing it in groups
  • expressing and justifying their music preferences, for example 我喜欢这首歌，因为歌词很美
  • producing short performances, for example, a skit about celebrating Spring Festival, a simple lyric for a song about school life, or a rap about being a student of Chinese
  • noticing how emotion is expressed in song, film or poems and discussing its impact on listeners and viewers
  • reflecting on the language, beliefs and values of characters in traditional and modern literature and Chinese popular culture, and comparing different students' responses to the same story, event, character or place, for example, viewing excerpts from contemporary films and discussing personal responses to and the sociocultural context of the film
Create written imaginative texts to describe experiences involving imagined people and places

[Key concepts: imagination, creativity, emotion, love, hate; Key processes: expressing, responding] (ACLCHC054 - Scootle )

  • collaboratively creating stories with imagined characters and settings, capturing the characters' experiences in different cultures, for example, 《James在上海》
  • writing a creative account of an imagined experience with Chinese visitors in the local community, such as hosting a Chinese student or taking a tour group to a local sporting event
  • writing a recount of an adventure, for example, 《xxx历险记》
  • using descriptive language to set the scene and capture the reader's imagination, for example, describing the sound of traffic and the smell of breakfast stalls on a busy morning in a Chinese town
  • exploring how alternative words can be used to convey varying attitudes and degrees of emotion towards people, places and events, for example, 我真高兴。你快乐吗？他很幸福!

Translating

Translate texts for different audiences varying the language to explain key points for these different audiences

[Key concepts: equivalence, meaning; Key processes: translating, experimenting, comparing] (ACLCHC055 - Scootle )

  • identifying the challenges of translating some concepts (for example, 'descendant of dragon', 龙的传人), and developing strategies to overcome these challenges, for example: What is lost in translation? Why can't we just translate word for word? Why does context matter?
  • translating short phrases or texts, noting culture-specific words and phrases and discussing alternatives, equivalence or non-equivalence
  • discussing reasons for producing different versions of texts for different audiences
  • describing the impact of subtle differences in language use and the way meanings are implied rather than explicitly stated, for example, the use of 吧 to indirectly reject or refuse others in 我能来看看你吗？ --- 不太好吧？
  • avoiding literal (word-for-word) translations when trying to convey the intended meaning, for example, mediating a response to a compliment such as 你的衣服真漂亮。 ---- 哪有啊?
  • reading bilingual signs in places such as restaurants, shops, pools, schools, hospitals and construction sites (for example, 出口 — 'exit', 入口 — 'entrance'), determining the effectiveness of the English translations and analysing possible reasons for such interpretations
  • comparing word choices for warnings across languages, and discussing ways language is used to convey rules, expectations and permission, for example, comparing 闲人免进 to 'Staff Only'
  • exploring a range of dictionaries, including online translation tools, and considering how these tools help or hinder in Chinese learning
Create short bilingual texts on topics of personal interest and on key content from other learning areas and provide subtitles or commentary to assist meaning

[Key concepts: bilingualism, identity; Key processes: translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC056 - Scootle )

  • translating special terms from their favourite subjects into Chinese, for example, 加、减、乘、除
  • producing bilingual instructions for classmates, explaining how to perform a particular activity relating to their favourite game or subject
  • preparing a voiceover text in Chinese for a video presentation about the Chinese language program or the school environment and adjusting anything that is unclear before voice recording

Reflecting

Reflect on the cultural significance of how different groups and members of groups name themselves and are represented by others

[Key concepts: identity, group, name; Key processes: describing, considering, reflecting, developing] (ACLCHC057 - Scootle )

  • comparing Chinese and western cultural symbols, for example, the symbol of the dragon, 龙 across western and Chinese cultures
  • sharing information about their own membership of diverse groups and exploring how this is expressed in Chinese, for example, 每年春节小明的妈妈都会包饺子。安娜的妈妈每年圣诞节都烤火鸡
  • exploring the role of language in the formation and expression of identity, for example: Why does my classmate go to Chinese school on Saturday? Why do I speak Chinese to my teacher but feel strange speaking it to my classmates?
  • analysing expressions of identity encountered in Chinese texts and interactions, and comparing these with their own assumptions about Chinese people and with their own expressions of identity, for example, 龙的传人 (descendant of dragon)
  • identifying the differences of meaning of multiple terms use to convey a similar concept, for example, comparing representations of foreigners in 外国人有一些不同的习俗 to 老外都很奇怪
  • reflecting on their own cultural values and norms, comparing them to those of Chinese speakers, and asking, for example: Which of my own values are non-negotiable, and which Chinese values do I feel I should validate and support?

Systems of language

Examine differences in sounds and tones, and patterns of sound flow in speech (ACLCHU058 - Scootle )

  • discriminating between sounds heard in oral discourse, including the range of vowel and consonant combinations, for example, 'qin' versus 'qing' and 'chi' versus 'ci'
  • examining the diverse meanings of words that share similar sounds (for example, the many meanings of the sound 'shi'), and learning how to differentiate between 同音词 and 近音词 in different contexts, for example, 买东西/卖东西
  • comparing examples of regional variations in pronunciation, for example, the Beijing use of 儿 and the southern pronunciation of 'shi' and 'si'
  • listening to interactions between unfamiliar voices at diverse speeds or levels of clarity to develop auditory and comprehension skills
Interpret texts by inferring meaning from common character components or position of components, and analyse how reliable this method is in translating (ACLCHU059 - Scootle )

  • estimating the probable sound and meaning of characters based on understanding of familiar radicals and phonetic sides when reading unfamiliar texts, for example, 鸡 鸭 鹅 莺； 但 担 旦 胆
  • analysing characters containing a common component or side, for example, explaining the features of position, phonetic function and range of sounds in the characters 请 清 情 晴 精 睛 猜
  • describing characters to classmates by naming their components or sides in sequence, for example, 亻 ('standing man') on the left, 言 ('words') on the right ＝ 信
  • exploring the use of diverse character-morphemes to express similar ideas (for example, identifying multiple characters for 'food' — 饭、菜、食、餐), and organising and classifying words containing these characters to understand their context of use, for example, 早饭、中国菜、食物、餐厅
  • recognising the two-syllable preference in Chinese nouns, and applying this understanding when reading for meaning in words with suffixes such as 学校、学生、学习
  • exploring the nature of common idioms (成语) and inferring their meanings based on the meanings of individual morphemes and contexts of use, for example, 年年有余、人山人海
Identify and apply features of Chinese grammar and sentence structure to organise and sequence ideas in oral and written texts (ACLCHU060 - Scootle )

  • comparing ways in which tense is expressed in Chinese, for example, 了 to indicate completion; 完 to indicate the achievement of a desired result; 想 to indicate intention; verb negation (没有) to indicate incomplete past; and 正在 to indicate action in progress
  • exploring the use of diverse time expressions and ways to sequence events in time, for example, 先…然后; 一…就…; …了，就…;才; 第一；然后
  • comparing the functions of prepositions, and discussing the importance of context when determining their meaning in texts, for example, 跟；对；给
  • exploring and applying the use of conjunctions to sequence and connect ideas when constructing texts, for example, 不但…而且…；虽然…但是…
  • using different ways to negate ideas depending on degree of formality or emphasis, for example, 我不是…；我哪儿有…？；我没有办法…；我不能…；不行; 别 ; 不准
Analyse how authors adjust features of different text types for different purposes and audiences (ACLCHU061 - Scootle )

  • comparing diverse genres with similar topics (for example, 生日会的安排 and 我的生日日记), recognising the differences in purpose, focus of information and language choice
  • analysing and explaining the organisation and development of ideas or an argument in a range of genres, including textual features such as paragraphing

Language variation and change

Investigate the extent and dynamic nature of Chinese language use locally and globally (ACLCHU062 - Scootle )

  • exploring the ways in which Chinese language use is fostered among local communities and the use of Chinese in local media such as community radio, TV, newspapers and magazines
  • exploring the use of 普通话 as a lingua franca in Chinese-speaking communities, and identifying terms used in different regions to express a similar idea, for example, 普通话 versus 国语；达人 vs 高手
  • viewing words in 繁体字 in familiar contexts and applying their understanding of the simplification process to determine the possible meanings and the 简体字 equivalent, for example, 个-個;说-說; 边-邊
  • discussing the use of 繁体字 and 简体字 in Chinese-speaking communities today, including the revival of 繁体字 and the spread of 简体字 in diverse communities
  • examining how globalisation is impacting on Chinese values and language use, for example, how responses to praise are shifting to reflect a western concept of gratitude (谢谢) rather than the modesty of the past (哪里哪里)
  • reading texts consisting of 名人名言 (such as 孔子说：有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎), and discussing the cultural meaning of the quote and how it is relevant to contemporary language use
Explain how the Chinese language adapts to social and technological changes (ACLCHU063 - Scootle )

  • enquiring into the use of internet language, including numerical representations of words (for example, 55555 = 呜呜他在哭) as a means of private communication among youth
  • exploring the use of mobile phones and the internet to replace old ways of communication, for example, texting or emailing New Year greetings instead of going to 拜年 in person
  • comparing features of correspondence and the circumstances in which some forms of correspondence are preferred, for example, why 贺节短信 is popular as a way to save time and money
  • exploring the ways in which new words and phrases are incorporated into everyday communication in Chinese, for example, how English expressions of emotion (去 happy 吧) are used in chat forums and text messaging, and how Pinyin abbreviations are used to replace characters (L P = 老婆)
  • examining how the adaptation of words reflects and encourages cultural change, for example, gender equality is reflected in the use of 妳 to address females and 他们 to include both men and women

The role of language and culture

Compare and reflect on how cultural contexts influence the way language is used within and across communities (ACLCHU064 - Scootle )

  • identifying the things they take for granted in communication (for example, a shared understanding of gesture, body language and nuances), and reflecting on how these aspects may be interpreted differently by others
  • discussing how language use varies between communities, and reflecting on how communication is shaped by a community's geographical location, languages and cultures, for example, 计算机 / 电脑， 哪儿 / 哪里
  • reflecting on how particular words of cultural significance may be interpreted differently by others, for example, 'mate' in Australian context and 兄弟 in Chinese context
  • inferring the relationship of participants in a spoken interaction by observing word choices and gestures, for example, 老张 / 张校长/张小明, and asking: What titles and terms of address are used for individuals in Chinese? How do these titles compare to English practices?

Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 8, students use spoken and written Chinese to sustain interactions in a range of social and personal contexts. They exchange ideas and opinions, for example, 你要去看电影吗？；我们可以六月份一起去. They summarise the main points of information about known content from a range of spoken and print sources (for example, 电视节目，podcast, 电话留言，广告， 老师推荐的网站，书籍，图书馆目录，游记), and convey the relevant information in a range of texts. Students respond to and create simple imaginative and informative texts. Sentences generally contain two or more ideas connected by cohesive devices (for example, 不但…而且…； 因为… 所以…), as well as time expressions (for example, 先…再…), and tense markers such as 了、完 to sequence events and ideas. Students make comparisons (for example, 比; 跟…一样), and provide explanations or reasons for opinions or decisions, using phrases that order and link their ideas. They use reported speech to refer to the ideas of others, for example, 他们认为. They speak with attention to pronunciation, tone and phrasing, using intonation and pitch to add emotion or emphasis to their message. They demonstrate intercultural understanding by varying their language use for different audiences and purposes.

Students describe the distinctive spoken and written language systems of Chinese using metalanguage. They know that character components can contribute to both sound and meaning of words and they understand how they can be combined to make different words, for example, 中国， 城， 中国城. They identify features of text types such as letters, emails, descriptions and narratives. Students identify how information is structured in Chinese texts, and understand the importance of cultural and contextual cues to correct interpretation of meaning. They explain how features of Chinese culture impact on communication practices, and reflect on their own interactions with Chinese-speaking people.

Years 9 and 10

Years 9 and 10 Band Description

The nature of the learners

At this level, students bring prior knowledge of Chinese language and culture, and a range of language learning strategies to their learning. They are increasingly aware of the world beyond their own and are engaging with youth, social and environmental issues. They are considering their future pathways and choices, including how Indonesian could be part of these.

Chinese language learning and use

Students use Chinese for self-expression, to obtain information and present a point of view to others, identifying subtle differences in word use and manipulating language for different purposes and audiences. Pinyin remains an important tool for learning the sound of new words, associating sounds with characters, and creating digital texts in characters.

Contexts of interaction

The likely contexts for interaction are extended to encompass the exchange of information and opinions on topics that will assist students to develop a deeper appreciation of cultural practices and traditions in diverse Chinese-speaking communities'. Learners interact with a broader range of Chinese speakers, using the spoken language to participate in discussions and other interactions.

Texts and resources

Text types include short informative texts from various websites, opinion pieces from personal blogs, and online chat forums conducted in Chinese with users in diverse locations. Students access information and explore texts written in Chinese, developing strategies to interpret meanings where not all characters are known.

Features of Chinese language use

Learners engage in cross-cultural communication and reflect on their own experiences in Chinese. Classmates work collaboratively to exchange information and ideas relating to contemporary issues or events and to share their life experiences. They use creative and expressive language in narratives to express their imagination.

Level of support

Learners are supported to develop autonomy as language learners and users, to self-monitor, and to adjust language in response to their experience in increasingly diverse contexts. They access characters and vocabulary from a range of print and digital resources and online and print dictionaries.

The role of English

Chinese is the language of instruction and interaction. Some discussion and reflection are necessarily carried out in English, but learners at this level are beginning to express

Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Exchange and elaborate on suggestions and opinions in spoken interactions related to planning and negotiating activities and events, adjusting spoken language for familiar and unfamiliar participants, purposes and contexts

[Key concepts: celebrity, leisure and recreation, built and natural environment; Key processes: planning, negotiating, deciding] (ACLCHC065 - Scootle )

  • participating in discussions and expressing personal opinions on issues relevant to contemporary youth (such as 教育，环境，科技，文化), displaying levels of politeness or assertiveness as appropriate to context, for example, 我希望 versus 我要; 你最好 / 你应该 versus 你一定要
  • inviting others to voice opinions and eliciting alternative positions by asking questions such as 你怎么看？你觉得呢？你同意吗？, and responding to verbal and non-verbal cues (including silence) from participants
  • acknowledging others' ideas, views and opinions when expressing agreement or disagreement (for example, 好的、我同意), and challenging others' opinions using rhetorical questions or concessionary or emphatic phrases, for example, 你说的有道理，可是…；你怎么可以说…?；你说的不对
  • commenting on transaction experiences and acknowledging the work of others, for example, 谢谢你的帮助，但是如果你…就更好了
  • planning group events such as an excursion to Chinatown and persuading others to get involved and contribute in different ways, for example, 我们去中国城可以吃到中国的小吃，你不是很喜欢吃早茶的吗？你来决定我们去哪个饭店吧
Sustain and extend written exchanges about places, future plans, and contemporary social issues and activities

[Key concepts: relationships, values, beliefs, attitudes, future, work; Key processes: analysing, evaluating] (ACLCHC066 - Scootle )

  • introducing a topic or issue for discussion with others (for example, the importance of China to Australia's economy, the growth of Chinese tourism in Australia, or ways to promote a better understanding of China in Australian schools), and leading the discussion in a manner likely to elicit ideas related to possible scenarios or outcomes
  • referring to information stated, or requesting or providing further details in order to clarify or confirm the ideas or views of others, for example, 你说澳洲人对中国的印象是…
  • discussing issues, suggesting alternative solutions and making decisions using levels of formality and respect appropriate to audience and purpose, for example, 我觉得这样做更适合；…可以吗？
  • following online media conventions and experimenting with terms such as 楼主 to refer to participants of the shared digital space

Informing

Analyse, compare and present perspectives on topics of interest, identifying the different ways emotions, intentions and ideas are expressed

[Key concepts: celebrity, leisure and recreation, place, education, youth, space; Key processes: comparing, contrasting, negotiating, deciding, persuading] (ACLCHC067 - Scootle )

  • discussing differences in the way events are reported in different media sources, such as local and national Chinese TV news programs
  • collating and analysing data on life in Chinese communities (such as positive and negative experiences of adjustment to life in Australia, impressions of Australian education system, and perspectives on the Australian national character) by interviewing Chinese speakers and utilising a range of graphic organisers to collate and compare ideas from diverse sources and perspectives
  • presenting or supporting a personal position or view by reconstructing information from diverse sources, summarising key points, and using quotes or supporting information, acknowledging diverse perspectives and sources of information and the views of others by using reported speech, and using forms of presentation appropriate to the subject matter, for example, using charts or images to support text
  • gathering information on an issue from different sources and reporting on it to others, using tools such as tables, graphic organisers and charts, and discussing whether the information is similar or different in different sources and why
  • extracting details and main ideas from texts, making judgments about their relevance and discussing contrasting points of view, for example, selecting the main events from an article, identifying core data from interviews, identifying gist and main point/s of a spoken interaction, or analysing different interpretations of meaning in a conversation
  • comparing different perspectives on the same event or on a topical issue such as intergenerational relationships, the environment, or food choices
  • making presentations on aspects of cultural practices and lifestyles in Chinese communities, providing a balanced perspective and avoiding stereotyping, for example, 很多中国人…；据报道，百分之三十的人口…
  • creating and displaying posters to raise peers' awareness and help promote the messages of charity organisations conducting work in China
  • sharing own interest in people, places and events in the Chinese world by reading about places and historical figures (such as 秦始皇, 毛泽东) and writing articles for the school newsletter to inform others, recommending further reading and websites (Chinese and English)
Collate and present different perspectives on a range of issues from different sources

[Key concepts: ideograph, issues, career, future; Key processes: extracting, collating, identifying] (ACLCHC068 - Scootle )

  • exploring websites designed for non-Chinese audiences, identifying relevant information on research topics such as 中式饮食，娱乐活动, and comparing sources, differentiating between fact and opinion, and identifying information which is not credible or which is too value-laden
  • reading and sharing key information from diverse authors, making connections between the author's opinion and attitudes towards particular topics (such as 中国的独生子女) and their background and experiences
  • sharing ideas on sources of information and explaining ways to utilise these sources, with examples or data to support their opinions
  • preparing visual displays of data or information gathered from personal research to share with Chinese-speaking peers on features of lifestyle or experiences of Australian young people, for example, educational opportunities, outdoor and sporting activities across the seasons, or a typical weekend for an Aussie teenager

Creating

Engage with a range of performance-based imaginative texts, and respond by discussing attitudes portrayed, expressing opinions, explaining themes, discussing characters, and considering language use and cultural meanings, and apply this knowledge to create imaginative texts

[Key concepts: imagination, creativity, emotion, love, hate; Key processes: expressing, responding] (ACLCHC069 - Scootle )

  • viewing episodes of popular TV programs, such as sitcoms from mainland China, Taiwan and other regions, sharing opinions on characters and plot (for example, 我不懂他们为什么吵架。他真的很烦人，我特别不喜欢他), and relating the situations and contexts in the TV program to similar events in their own life, for example, 如果我是她…; 我觉得他最好…
  • listening to popular Chinese songs, comparing themes and content to those of songs popular in Australia, and discussing how popular culture reflects social issues, for example, 家庭的关系 (family relationships)
  • creating own dramatic performances to entertain others, with a focus on accuracy of tone and rhythm appropriate to choices in language and gestures
  • creating plays with plots that reflect personal opinions on topics of interest (for example, 旅行，未来), using props to support storytelling, and experimenting with language, image and sound to convey complex ideas and enhance audience appreciation
  • presenting own version of a familiar story or event, for example, collaborating to create a voiceover for a segment from a familiar TV show or commentating a youth sporting event
  • reading narratives (for example, personal histories and extracts from teenage fiction) and writing a journal to share personal reflections on the ways of life and experiences portrayed and expressed, providing reasons for their opinions, for example, 这个故事非常…比如说…你一定要看这本书！
Create written imaginative texts that express aspects of Chinese culture for different audiences and identify how some concepts can be readily translated between Chinese and English and some do not

[Key concepts: values, tradition; Key processes: creating, expressing, reading, writing] (ACLCHC070 - Scootle )

Translating

Translate a range of Chinese texts and identify how some concepts can be readily translated between Chinese and English and some do not

[Key concepts: semantics, syntax: Key processes: translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC071 - Scootle )

  • identifying core values implicit in interactions in Chinese and explaining these to English speakers, for example, describing the language of celebration, including the origins, significance and meanings of commonly used expressions such as 福如东海、年年有余
  • describing interactions, showing consideration of 面子, and discussing the differences in the significance of 面子 when the interaction occurs interculturally
  • interpreting key ideas conveyed in Chinese texts, discussing how to maintain the sentiment and intention of authors when retelling or summarising these in English, and understanding why this is important in translation
  • reading everyday Chinese texts encountered in shop brochures, product packaging and advertising; identifying challenges involved in conveying meaning in English; and explaining word choices and textual features employed to enhance meaning
Create bilingual texts, identifying similarities between Chinese and English syntax and vocabulary, and explaining how these similarities can be used when transferring culture- or context-specific ideas from Chinese into English

[Key concepts: similarities, cultural positioning, sensitivity; Key processes: translating, captioning] (ACLCHC072 - Scootle )

  • producing bilingual displays about Chinese language, culture or contemporary society to share learning and knowledge with the whole school community, for example, a poster display on Chinese characters, on earthquake-prone areas such as Sichuan, on youth cultures in China, or on the Chinese community in Australia
  • creating own texts in Chinese and exploring how word choices impact on the subtlety or accuracy of intended meaning
  • considering ways of exemplifying ideas to ensure effective mediation of ideas or information as opposed to word for word translation, for example, 谢谢您！— 不谢！('Thank you!' — 'You're welcome!')
  • using alternative ways of expressing meanings when communicating complex ideas, for example, 一个孩子 for 独生子女
  • using print and online dictionaries to expand their own linguistic repertoire and convey subtle meanings when creating own texts, understanding the risks of word-for-word translation

Reflecting

Compare the experiences of young Australians with those of young people in Chinese-speaking communities, reflecting on how these diverse experiences affect individuals' identity, attitudes and beliefs

[Key concepts: behaviour, youth, lifestyle, social distance; Key processes: comparing, contrasting, reflecting] (ACLCHC073 - Scootle )

  • constructing texts and participating in interactions with young Chinese which involve sharing aspects of their own identities as young Australians, for example, 中国的年轻人喜欢什么运动？澳洲人喜欢游泳、打板球和打橄榄球
  • comparing own experiences and opinions with those of Chinese youth encountered in diverse texts and contexts, for example, exploring how young people feel about school: What is universal? What is culturally specific? What is environmental? Why do we do things a particular way? 大部分澳大利亚的学生功课压力没有那么重；很多中国学生在食堂吃饭
  • viewing texts related to the experiences of young Chinese speakers (for example, 偶像剧), and discussing aspects of their life, world or values conveyed, asking, for example: What assumptions or generalisations are made? How does this impact on our perception of Chinese youth? Does this reflect the reality of Chinese youth?
  • exploring diversity within Chinese identity and becoming more aware of this when interacting with Chinese speakers, for example, understanding that calling Chinese speakers 中国人 does not reflect the diversity of Chinese speakers' identities
  • engaging in interaction with Chinese speakers and reflecting on how their own language choices are perceived by Chinese speakers, for example: Is my communication culturally appropriate? Should I adjust language and gesture to help convey meaning more appropriately and effectively?

Systems of language

Explain differences in intonation, rhythm and sounds when listening to speakers of different ages, genders and social positions (ACLCHU074 - Scootle )

  • exploring changes in neutral tone and identifying patterns to aid their own pronunciation and flow of expression, for example, the use of neutral tone for the second syllable when it repeats or does not contribute to the meaning of the first syllable (妈妈、孩子)
  • experimenting with tone changes and reflecting on the impact on fluency when speaking, for example: Can I speak more quickly? Do my words sound less forced and more natural?
  • exploring the role of emphasis, stress and rhythm in expressing subtle meanings in interactions
Relate prior knowledge of character form and function to infer information about the sound and meaning of unfamiliar characters (ACLCHU075 - Scootle )

  • identifying familiar components and characters in different fonts and handwriting, including calligraphy and cursive forms of handwriting
  • describing orthographic features of new characters encountered, including the structure, sequence and relationship of components, and explaining connections evident between form, sound and meaning
  • recognising that characters may have multiple sounds (i.e. 多音字) and multiple meanings
  • identifying the meanings of abbreviations, and analysing examples of abbreviations alongside their original forms to identify the ways in which abbreviations are formed in Chinese
  • examining and explaining the relationships between characters and word meanings when encountering new vocabulary
  • recognising commonly seen prefixes and suffixes (including 老，子，儿) and identifying the functions of the words
Analyse and examine how effective authors control sentence structure and use language to engage their audience (ACLCHU076 - Scootle )

  • comparing the use of words that rely on interpretation of context to convey the intended meaning (such as 让、给), for example, listening to and reading several extracts from texts which use the same word in a different way
  • expressing conditions (for example, 如果…就); expressing cause and effect (for example, 为了…); and expressing the condition, quality or result of an action, for example, 坐得下、 说得对、 做完、买到
  • justifying opinions and building logical arguments by expressing additional information and providing reasons (for example, using 不但…而且…；除了…以外；另外), and introducing contrasting views to others using elements such as cohesive devices, for example, 不是…而是…；不过；虽然…但是…
  • exploring the ways in which language can be manipulated to make ideas more objective, for example, removal of personal pronouns and opinions
  • examining the use of noun phrases in Chinese and experimenting with omitting nouns (zero subjects) in their own communication
  • experimenting with the use of 成语 and famous sayings to substantiate ideas in Chinese
  • experimenting with 的 as a subject modifier to express ideas that would contain relative clauses in English, for example, 我昨天买的书不太贵
Compare the purposes, text structures and language features of traditional and contemporary texts (ACLCHU077 - Scootle )

  • exploring the use of repetition to add emphasis and strengthen ideas, for example, 不同的国家有不同的文化
  • viewing different types of texts on similar topics and recognising differences in discourse of oral and written texts, especially language used, such as 昨天街上人很多。昨天街上人山人海
  • analysing features of text structure (for example, layout, expression and tone) and rhetorical devices (for example, metaphor and exaggeration) used to convey a persuasive argument or position

Language variation and change

Explain the dynamic nature of the Chinese language and how changes over time are influenced by local and global contexts and cultures (ACLCHU078 - Scootle )

  • recognising traditional characters encountered in the local Chinese community and making note of the simplified character version
  • exploring examples of types of simplifications and ways of associating traditional characters with known simplified forms, for example, whole simplifications (为-為), part substitutions (汉-漢) and half simplifications (说-說)
  • exploring the role of code-switching by Chinese speakers, including the use of acronyms and English words, and how Chinese authorities are trying to limit the use of these terms in the media
Explain how language defines people's roles as outsiders or insiders in groups and cultures (ACLCHU079 - Scootle )

  • experimenting with internet language to communicate with peers in a class blog and recognising the value of technology in exploring and constructing own texts
  • considering how they can be more inclusive in their own language use, for example: What questions can I ask to understand others better? What words are best to be avoided? How can I express my opinion without causing offence?
  • examining the use of inclusive language and how ideas are framed, for example, the impact of positive versus negative framing on how meaning is interpreted across languages and cultures, such as 足下留情，小草常青 versus 'Keep off the grass'
  • exploring the contexts and implications of terms used to identify others, for example, 老外、 华侨、 华裔、 大陆人、 华人、 中国人、 少数民族

The role of language and culture

Analyse the ways in which language choices reflect cultural practices and values and how language is used to express familiarity and distance between participants in interactions (ACLCHU080 - Scootle )

  • exploring how known languages influence their own communicative preferences, such as reflecting the values of one culture when communicating in another, for example, differences in the use and frequency of 'thank you' and 谢谢
  • making connections between their first language and how it influences communication in additional languages, for example: Why do Chinese speak English in certain ways? What features of my first language influence how I speak Chinese? How does this affect mediation of ideas between languages?
  • interacting with people of different ages and positions, varying language and level of formality according to relative status, for example, using appropriate ways to accept or decline requests, compliments or suggestions (你能不能帮我一点忙？---- 对不起，我没有空; 您找谁？- 你爸爸在家吗？)
  • examining how concepts such as humour and humility are conveyed in Chinese, and discussing how these may be perceived by non-native Chinese speakers
  • reflecting on taboos in language use and how these can impact on communication across cultures, for example: Is it okay to ask someone's age in China? Why do numbers and colours matter? What are we superstitious about in Australia? What hand gestures are acceptable with Chinese speakers? What can I joke about?
  • defining familiarity and distance as they relate to language use

Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 10, students use spoken and written Chinese to sustain extended interactions with familiar and unfamiliar participants in a range of contexts (for example, interacting with Chinese-speaking students online; using Chinese to ask about items in a local Chinese grocery). Students use pinyin to transcribe spoken texts and use characters to create written texts. They identify key ideas and compare information from multiple sources (such as 新闻，访谈，podcast, 纪录片) to develop and substantiate their own position on topics of personal interest or issues of broader significance. They exchange ideas and opinions, for example, 为什么学中文很重要？； 澳大利亚的语言；好用的手机app, 我不太同意你的说法，因为…你觉得呢？； 虽然你说得有道理，但是… 所以我觉得… They speak with attention to pronunciation and tone. Students respond to and create a range of short informative and imaginative texts for a variety of audiences and purposes, for example, 什么是最健康的食物？ 如果我…的话 . They use a range of sentence structures and grammatical features to develop cohesion and coherence in these texts, including prepositional phrases to describe participants (for example, 我和 / 跟妈妈去买东西), and adverbs to express time, tense and frequency of events, for example, 总是，还没有. They use conjunctions (for example, 虽然如此…，尽管这样…但是…) and apply a range of stylistic devices such as rhetorical questions, quotes and 成语. They translate texts and produce bilingual texts, recognising that not all concepts can be readily translated Chinese and English. They engage with a range of imaginative texts, for example, 娱乐节目-小品，合唱，音乐录影，流行歌曲比赛，电视片，电影.

Students recognise how writers and speakers, including themselves, make deliberate choices when using language features and text structures. They recognise that language is dynamic and is influenced by time, place, setting, participants and contexts. When interacting with a range of texts they identify how audience and purpose shape their own and others' language choices and interpretation of these texts. They explain how features of Chinese culture and language shape their own and others' communication practices. Students reflect on how their own cultural experience impacts on interactions with Chinese speakers.

Years 9 and 10 Work Sample Portfolios

Foundation to Year 2

Foundation to Year 2 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students will have some exposure to Chinese language and culture in the context of their family and community life. They are likely to have high oracy skills but low literacy skills in Chinese. In the school environment they begin to understand how they use more than one language in their daily lives.

Chinese language learning and use

For background language learners the focus is on making connections between their oracy and literacy. Students use Chinese for most class activities and group responses, participating in active listening and action-related talk, games and play. They will be immersed in the sounds and sights of Chinese. They read short texts, share ideas about daily life and adapt the language they know to different contexts. Classroom interactions are mediated by teacher questioning and interactive talk in Chinese.

Contexts of interaction

Students are exposed to Chinese in the classroom and in their home and local community environments. Classroom experiences are likely to be structured compared to other contexts. Students communicate with peers, teachers and known adults. They begin to engage with Chinese culture through participating in community- and school-based celebrations, song and dance. Contexts are focused mostly on the here and now.

Texts and resources

Background language learners are exposed to a range of texts, including traditional oral texts, picture books, stories, rhyming verse, songs, poetry, multimodal texts and dramatic performances. Learners engage with Chinese language and culture through participating in celebrations.

Features of Chinese language use

Students recognise tones as an important element of Chinese speech and learn how the sounds of Chinese can be encoded in Pinyin, using Roman letters that often convey different sounds than students are accustomed to in English. Students view samples of characters as captions to images and as text in storybooks often defined in Pinyin. They learn to recognise basic character forms that represent familiar objects and ideas and convey significant cultural meanings.

Level of support

Chinese language use is scaffolded, prompted and modelled by the teacher.

The role of English

English is used where appropriate to allow for explanation, reflection and substantive discussion.

Foundation to Year 2 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Initiate interactions, make requests and establish relationships with teachers and peers

[Key concepts: belonging, home, family, friendship; Key processes: requesting, greeting, thanking, introducing] (ACLCHC113 - Scootle )

  • introducing oneself to initiate conversation for example, 我叫 Johnny， 我的中文名字叫小强，你叫什么？, interacting with teachers and classmates, sharing ideas about familiar topics such as family (for example, 我有一个姐姐，一个弟弟) and daily life, for example, 我妈妈会做饺子
  • responding to questions about and describing features of their own world (for example, 我的学校不大) and seeking more information by asking questions such as 你是 Emily 的妹妹吗？
  • using pictures and prompt cards to participate in conversations
  • introducing classmates (for example, 我叫 Anna 。我五岁) and expressing gratitude, for example, 谢谢
Collaborate with others in group activities and contribute to learning activities

[Key concepts: self, family, home; Key processes: interpreting, locating] (ACLCHC114 - Scootle )

  • making suggestions when working together and allocating jobs for members of group, for example, 我们一起唱吧；我们唱，你跳舞
  • following the teacher's instructions and responding to questions with reasons (for example, 我不高兴, 因为我累了), using language appropriate to class context (for example, 老师，我写完了) and making requests in an appropriate manner, for example, 老师，我可以喝水吗？
  • including others and recognising participants in group work, for example, Lisa 是我的好朋友; 我们组有…
  • making cards for special cultural events such as Chinese New Year or personal events such as birthdays, copying short good wishes from modelled text, for example, 生日快乐
  • recognising and copying characters relating to various events described in books, and noticing the formation of characters and spacing
  • collecting examples of common Chinese characters found in familiar settings such as signs and labels, for example, 八 (8), 面 (noodles), 春 (spring)
  • creating drawings to support written communication in cards, posters and visual displays

Informing

Locate information about people and objects from a range of sources, and sequence events

[Key concepts: same, different; Key processes: identifying, sharing] (ACLCHC115 - Scootle )

  • sharing information with the class on topics of interest (for example, 我的宠物), providing information and answering peers' questions, for example, 我的猫很小，有棕色和白色的毛
  • identifying details about people and events heard in media texts, including children's educational TV programs
Convey simple information to peers using illustrations and gestures to support meaning, and respond to questions from others

[Key concepts: family, home, routines; Key processes: greeting, thanking, imitating] (ACLCHC116 - Scootle )

  • presenting their learning by creating pictures and labelling them to elaborate concepts, for example, 春天；中秋节
  • presenting and expanding on details of the topic, and answering peers' questions, for example, 我的猫很小，有棕色和白色的毛
  • presenting their knowledge of places in China and Australia, such as places they have visited or where they have relatives, supported with photographs, for example, 我的奶奶住在北京
  • sharing their knowledge of the world through and responding to questions from others, for example, 中国有什么动物？ 澳大利亚呢？ / 中国大还是澳大利亚大？/ 你抱过考拉吗？
  • creating posters on a cultural topic such as 'Chinese food' and selecting images and texts from magazines, newspapers and brochures to illustrate key ideas with character words such as 好吃
  • identifying familiar words and concepts drawn from recent learning in other subject areas, for example, 数学（形状） and 科学（自然现象）
  • making connections between their knowledge of the world and their Chinese learning to infer meaning of words, for example, to guess the meaning of 尾巴 in 猫有长长的尾巴， 人没有尾巴

Creating

Participate in and respond to performances and shared reading of children's stories, songs and rhymes with a focus on rhythm, gesture and stress

[Key concept: imagination; Key processes: participating, responding] (ACLCHC117 - Scootle )

  • performing songs and rhymes, noticing rhythmic features such as 押韵 and experimenting with stress and gestures to help convey meaning
  • interpreting language, facial expressions and other visual clues to inform own response to characters and stories presented in animations or songs
  • singing 儿歌 and 童谣 and discussing the traditional ideas and morals they convey
  • creating short plays based on extracts from familiar stories such as 《饥饿的毛毛虫, using puppets and props
Create own representations of imagined people or events using illustrations and actions

[Key concept: imagination; Key processes: sharing, experimenting, reading, viewing] (ACLCHC118 - Scootle )

  • expressing opinions about characters or retelling the storyline after viewing or listening to stories, for example, 我觉得…真讨厌！
  • selecting words from lists to produce captions for images related to familiar narratives heard or viewed in Chinese
  • copying from models to convey meanings for a sequence of images, such as creating sequential captions for photos, pictures and paintings
  • using characters and images to convey ideas in imaginative texts, for example, using pictographs such as 马, 田，山 to illustrate an imagined event
  • experimenting with storytelling by rewriting a segment of a modelled narrative text by replacing characters, actions or descriptions of objects

Translating

Explain the English meanings of Chinese words and simple phrases heard or seen in everyday social contexts

[Key concept: belonging; Key processes: translating, moving between] (ACLCHC119 - Scootle )

  • discussing Chinese words or expressions that appear to have no equivalent in English, for example, 不要客气，快吃吧
  • stating the English equivalent of common Chinese expressions, for example, 对不起, 没关系; 谢谢，不谢
  • discussing meanings of colloquial phrases used on specific occasions (for example, 恭喜发财 to give New Year wishes), and exploring how such sentiments are expressed in English
Create simple bilingual vocabulary lists identifying and comparing vowel and consonant sounds in Chinese and English

[Key concepts: bilingualism, vocabulary; Key processes: translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC120 - Scootle )

  • sharing knowledge of Chinese with others, explaining features that differ from English, for example, how periods of the day are defined and word order for date and time
  • comparing ways of communicating and interacting in Chinese and English by identifying similarities and differences in features such as gestures, greetings, titles

Reflecting

Reflect on aspects of their Chinese identity and personal relationships with others

[Key concepts: belonging, place; Key processes: reflecting, observing, noticing (ACLCHC121 - Scootle )

  • discussing the importance to their own identity of speaking Chinese to connect with older relatives, and the wider Chinese-speaking community, for example, 我会说中文，我可以用中文跟上海的爷爷打电话
  • sharing information about their family background, such as country of origin, languages and dialects spoken, and current locations of extended family, for example, 我爸爸是从中国来的。他会说普通话和上海话
  • sharing own likes and dislikes and discussing features that reflect their cultural identities, such as preferences relating to sport and leisure activities, food, and TV programs, for example, 我喜欢吃中国菜，也喜欢吃汉堡包
  • discussing the role of Chinese language and culture in their own lives, such as participation in cultural events, food preferences, or overseas travel

Systems of language

Recognise the four tones and their function in Chinese, and compare consonant and vowel sounds in Chinese and English (ACLCHU122 - Scootle )

  • participating in activities aimed at raising awareness of pronouncing and differentiating between tones and syllables in Chinese and noting differences in own spoken language, for example comparing a recording of own spoken Chinese with other students in the class
  • practising the 'flow' of a sentence in Chinese, using gesture to help demonstrate tone and stress
  • performing or reciting texts with strong rhythmic features such as nursery rhymes or tongue twisters, for example, 《猴子穿新衣》
Recognise that characters are the written representation of spoken Chinese and the morphological nature of Chinese words (ACLCHU123 - Scootle )

  • discussing the range of strokes and the construction of characters, and applying this understanding to differentiate between similar character forms, such as 日 (sun) and 目 (eye)
  • copying characters with attention to the location, direction and order of strokes
  • learning the sound and meaning of commonly seen basic characters (独体字) and components (部件), such as 木 (tree) and 人 (person), and making connections between basic characters and their bound forms (非成字), such as 水 and 氵
  • identifying components and their various forms in different locations within characters, for example, 人 、 从 、 合; 心 、 情 、 思
  • learning that Chinese words are made up of two or more characters, with each character contributing meaning to the word, for example, 大人 (literally 'big person') means 'adult'
  • recognising key morphemes in word groups, for example, 白天、白雪、小白兔
  • identifying meanings of each syllable such as in xuéshēng, xuéxiào of Chinese words encountered
Recognise parts of speech and understand basic rules of word order in simple sentences (ACLCHU124 - Scootle )

  • learning about meta-terms for word types, for example, exploring what is considered a verb in English and in Chinese (for example, adjectival verbs in Chinese)
  • categorising words into word types common across languages, for example, 家人 as noun, 四 as number
  • understanding that as for English there are basic rules of word order in Chinese (subject-verb-object)
Recognise features of various familiar text types in Chinese (ACLCHU125 - Scootle )

  • developing awareness of bilingual texts (for example, picture books, multimedia texts, song and dance DVDs) through immersion in text-rich environments, and noticing features of punctuation and text organisation across languages (for example, spacing between words)
  • comparing familiar texts in Chinese and English and discussing features in common, for example, storybook covers normally consist of book title, image, author's name and illustrator's name

Language variation and change

Recognise diversity in expressions and gestures used in everyday social interaction across cultures (ACLCHU126 - Scootle )

  • observe and participate in interactions with a range of participants, and discuss how different people use language in different ways, for example, a range of ways of greeting and farewelling
  • understanding that gestures can enhance communication but might be interpreted differently by different people
  • learning about etiquette in everyday social contexts, such as how to address adults, for example, 王阿姨好
  • comparing language use among family members (for example, with parents and siblings), and recognising different languages (e.g. Putonghua, a dialect or English) used for different participants, for example, 我跟爸爸妈妈说中文， 跟哥哥说英文
Recognise Chinese as a major community language in Australia and around the world, and understand that language use varies according to cultural background (ACLCHU127 - Scootle )

  • understanding that Chinese is used beyond their immediate and extended family
  • identifying countries and regions in the world where Chinese is used as a major language
  • recognising diversity within Chinese language, including significant regional languages spoken by family or others, such as Cantonese or Shanghainese

Role of language and culture

Recognise differences and similarities in communication across cultures, such as greetings, names and gestures (ACLCHU128 - Scootle )

  • viewing and listening to Chinese and Australian cartoons and identifying similarities and differences
  • examining pictures of different marketplaces and noticing differences between food markets and grocery stores in China and Australia
  • observing what is the same and what is different in their classroom interactions and classroom interactions in China
  • discussing communicative practices across cultures and identifying culture-specific practices (for example 拜年) in Chinese culture, including noting culture-specific phrases used in either Chinese or English
  • recognising various ways in which familiar concepts are expressed in different cultures, such as greetings
  • using non-verbal communication, such as gestures and facial expressions, for example, showing numbers 1–10 with fingers
  • recognising ways in which people express their culture in music, dance, traditional stories, food, games and celebrations
  • recognising visible expressions of identity such as flags, maps, traditional dress, and landmarks
  • exploring cultural symbols and practices through stories, songs, dances, games and crafts

Foundation to Year 2 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 2, students use spoken Chinese to initiate interactions in a range of familiar contexts. They obtain and convey information and experiences relating to their personal world in simple exchanges. They use learned vocabulary, sounds, characters and culturally specific actions and gestures to convey meaning. They exchange greetings, introduce themselves and each other, and express thanks and apologies, for example, 我的中文名字叫小强, 你叫什么? They interact with and create simple predictable imaginative and informative texts such as 我的狗很大，它的尾巴很长, using familiar characters and sounds. They use images, actions and gesture to show that they understand the meaning of words when speaking, listening, reading, viewing and writing.

Students identify the four Chinese tones and their function. They know that there is a metalanguage to describe the distinct writing and speech systems in Chinese. They compare English and Chinese consonant and vowel sounds. They copy and trace characters and identify key components in familiar characters. They identify how their Chinese identity influences some of their language choices when interacting with familiar adults and peers.

Years 3 and 4

Years 3 and 4 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Learners explore how they use more than one language in their daily lives, and use Chinese in relation to their personal world, countries where Chinese is spoken and the world of imagination.

Chinese language learning and use

Students engage with Chinese language through speaking, listening, reading, viewing and writing. They understand more words than they can say or write, and use this knowledge to attempt to say and spell unfamiliar words. Learners use Chinese to participate in action-related talk and to complete tasks. The focus of these activities is still on connecting their background oracy with their literacy.

Contexts of interaction

At this level, students are likely to focus on both formal and informal exchanges in familiar situations with familiar audiences, such as in a range of face-to-face and online/virtual environments where they are able to identify a range of responses. Likely contexts for interaction are situated within everyday educational experiences as well as students' personal, family and social environments. In these contexts they have opportunities to notice that there are similarities and differences in the ways people communicate both within and across cultural groups.

Texts and resources

Students are exposed to a wide range of voices and settings where Chinese is used, including some extended passages in written and oral form. Students are exposed to culturally valued texts, including traditional oral texts, fables, stories, songs and picture books. They encounter various types of print and digital texts, simple chapter books, rhyming verse, poetry, nonfiction, film, multimodal texts and dramatic performances.

Features of Chinese language use

Oral language use draws on topics and concepts encountered in other learning areas, building students' capacity to describe and explore these in Chinese. Students use Chinese to share everyday experiences with each other. They develop literacy skills by beginning to read fables and legends and write stories and recounts. Pinyin is used as a tool to develop students' pronunciation and to assist their understanding of the nature of the spoken language. Students begin to develop orthographic and morphological awareness by exploring the relationship between characters and morphemes.

Level of support

The teacher explores and enhances students' understanding of the similarities and differences between Chinese and English and supports their development of Chinese literacy and oracy. Vocabulary lists and model texts support literacy development.

The role of English

English is used for discussion, reflection and explanation to assist the continued development of learners' knowledge base and intercultural capability.

Years 3 and 4 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact and socialise with peers and teachers to exchange thoughts and feelings about home routines, leisure activities and community events

[Key concepts: recreation, routine, place; Key processes: discussing, sharing, transacting] (ACLCHC129 - Scootle )

  • participating in conversations about home and leisure activities, expressing opinions and comparing experiences relating to hobbies, interests and routines, for example, 你喜欢做什么？ , 我喜欢游泳。, 你几点放学？, 我三点放学，比较早
  • discussing topics beyond the immediate home context, including subjects from other learning areas, for example, 乘法口诀, 名人 and 地理
  • asking questions to seek permission from the teacher, for example, 我可以上厕所吗？ / 老师，我们明天有没有汉语课？/ 老师，我可以用铅笔写字吗？
  • repeating the teacher's instructions to help clarify and maintain class activities, for example, 老师说我们先看这个DVD，再做题
  • initiating and maintaining communication by taking turns (for example, making suggestions such as 我们要不要一起去 or 我们一起去吧) and responding to the suggestions of others in an appropriate manner, such as 好的, or through gesture
  • creating short texts such as emails, letters and text messages to interact with others, for example, to invite, congratulate or thank someone
  • producing short texts such as descriptions of a place or feature or the rules of behaviour for different events, situations or activities
  • participating in shared blogs, exchanging information with students from sister school, for example, 你好，我叫 Ann, 我是澳大利亚的学生
  • using emoticons such as >_<||| in digital communication to enhance meaning
Collaborate in and make decisions about group activities and learning experiences in familiar contexts

[Key concept: collaboration, public life ; Key processes: interpreting, exchanging] (ACLCHC130 - Scootle )

  • participating in group activities and role-plays involving scenarios such as buying food or goods or ordering a meal, and making requests in an appropriate way, for example, 请来…;我想买…; 你有…吗？
  • negotiating details in a transaction, such as stating preferred size, quantity or price, and concluding the transaction with the exchange of currency
  • offering their opinions to help others in transactions, for example, 我喜欢红色的/我最喜欢那个
  • taking collective action to plan and present a cultural item, such as celebrating a festive occasion by performing a song or dance for members of school community
  • discussing cultural items to present for a school event, for example, performing a song, cooking Chinese food or making craft (剪纸, 做灯笼)
  • using digital media to produce a publicity flier for an upcoming cultural or sporting event such as 汉语比赛
  • responding to scaffolding questions about the scientific world in Chinese, for example, answering questions such as 你喜欢下雨吗？; 现在下大雨了， 我们怎么办？; 为什么有人害怕下雨呢？ when learning about rain

Informing

Gather and organise factual information from familiar sources about countries and places

[Key concepts: information, fact; Key processes: obtaining, processing] (ACLCHC131 - Scootle )

  • interviewing familiar people, such as parents, teachers, peers and community members, and appreciating their significance as sources of information about Chinese language and culture, identifying possible sources of information beyond the classroom, for example, 我可以问我的妈妈，因为她去过新加坡
  • gathering information by surveying family and friends about languages spoken, country of origin, or participation in cultural events and leisure activities, and displaying information on frequency charts
  • collating key information to share with others, such as summarising and sharing one aspect of a topic to contribute to a group response, for example, experiences of participating in organised activities involving aspects of Chinese culture (龙舟比赛;剪窗花)
  • making connections between images and charts and the content of texts, and identifying key words to locate information, for example, in the chapter titles of a book
  • identifying key structural words to assist in understanding information, for example, in a procedural text
Convey key points of information to familiar audiences

[Key concepts: information, significance; Key process: obtaining] (ACLCHC132 - Scootle )

  • giving a short presentation to convey information gathered from multiple sources, such as investigating 南京的天气 by interviewing the teacher and listening to a podcast of a weather forecast
  • supporting presentations using pictures, charts and graphs appropriate to the task, such as using bar charts to show data on 学校学生语言背景统计表 / 班上同学使用交通工具统计表
  • reporting information from texts to explain aspects of lifestyle or culture in different communities, for example, TV guide, brochures, advertisements or timetables containing text and images
  • making posters to celebrate a special event such as 端午节, explaining the origins and stories of the festival with others
  • outlining steps in a procedure, using sequential markers such as 第一，第二，第三, for example, sequencing pictures in the correct order to demonstrate how to make dumplings
  • presenting a visual display with supporting text on a topic of personal interest, for example, 我的家，我的宠物，姥姥的家乡，过春节

Creating

Respond to simple fables and legends through discussion of characters and events

[Key concepts: morality; Key processes: creating, responding] (ACLCHC133 - Scootle )

  • engaging with entertainment designed for young children such as TV programs, songs, plays, and games in digital media, and evaluating such forms of entertainment, for example, 我喜欢这首歌,因为它的歌词很美
  • discussing depiction and features of characters in various forms of entertainment, such as differences between characters and how these differences are demonstrated, for example, in the cartoon 《喜羊羊和灰太狼》
  • reading aloud or reciting traditional texts such as poems and rhymes (for example 《咏鹅》 、《静 夜思》、《四和十》), paying attention to pronunciation, prosody and emotion and explaining key ideas in Chinese
  • participating in shared reading and identifying how familiar words are used to express meanings in new contexts, for example, 盘古的眼睛变成太阳， 头发变成星星，血液变成江河湖海
  • presenting stories to peers, paying attention to storytelling techniques such as 停顿; 语气语调; 抑扬顿挫
Create short personal narratives and performances of poetry, song, dance or drama which reflect the culture and traditions of the Chinese community

[Key concepts: imagination, point of view; Key processes: responding, expressing] (ACLCHC134 - Scootle )

  • creating performances in response to legends and other forms of culturally significant literature such as 《盘古开天辟地》, or segments of 《西游记》
  • creating simple narratives of the day in the life of a person, animal or fictional character (for example, 《小狗汪汪的一天》), sequencing events and using supporting images
  • using digital media to create an imaginative story to share with peers and Chinese-speaking contacts, using both language and images to achieve particular effects, for example, using 重复（很大很大的球; 走啊走啊走啊)
  • plotting a storyline, considering: Who is the main character? How can I make this character interesting to readers? How can I sequence my story to grab the reader's attention?
  • considering alternative endings to well-known stories, using learnt sequences and teacher guidance

Translating

Identify common spoken Chinese expressions and discuss examples of actions, words and phrases that do not readily translate into English

[Key concepts: equivalence, idiom; Key processes: translating, identifying, discussing] (ACLCHC135 - Scootle )

  • differentiating between word-by-word meaning and intended meaning when translating from Chinese into English, for example, the word-by-word translation of 我喜欢一个人看书 is 'I like one person to read', but it means 'I like to read alone'
  • designing bilingual signs (characters/Pinyin/English) to post on key buildings and rooms around the school that convey short messages such as descriptions of the place or the rules in that place
  • recognising the role that gesture plays in oral interaction, including emblematic (hand) gestures, gesturing for emphasis and inclusivity, and taboos within Chinese communication, such as pointing directly at someone
  • identifying Chinese symbols in print and digital texts (for example, the longevity symbol), and developing ways to convey the culturally attached value when expressing the meaning of these symbols in English
  • comparing own translation of short texts (such as brand names, signs, slogans and billboard advertisements) to others', and evaluating the effectiveness of own translation
  • developing strategies for using bilingual (Chinese–English and English–Chinese) dictionaries in both print and digital forms to assist with translation
  • explaining in English features of gestures used in Chinese, for example, hand gestures for numbers
  • comparing versions of a common text across languages and identifying issues in conveying meaning, for example, how to render 小心轻放 into English
Translate simple English texts into Chinese and vice versa, using strategies for building vocabulary and interpreting intended meaning of words in English and Chinese

[Key concepts: morphology, bilingualism; Key processes: identifying, translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC136 - Scootle )

  • considering alternative ways of interpreting ideas, such as giving examples, looking for synonyms (近义词), and elaborating on details
  • creating bilingual texts to share with others, for example, adding English to a Chinese New Year poster or couplet, adding Chinese headings to an Australian tourism promotion brochure, adding Chinese to a class weekly timetable

Reflecting

Reflect on their reactions and responses to others when participating in learning and cultural experiences in Chinese and Australian contexts

[Key concepts: identity, place; Key processes: responding, identifying] (ACLCHC137 - Scootle )

  • identifying levels of politeness, respect and formality in diverse contexts, for example, when seeking assistance, when engaging with people of different ages or authority
  • deciding how best to address and refer to others (for example, addressing an older stranger as 姐姐 or 阿姨 in Chinese) and considering how that person would be addressed in English
  • identifying ways in which their Chinese identity is reflected in their daily life and interests, for example, belonging to a sports or hobby group or attending community school
  • considering their linguistic and cultural skills as Chinese and as Australians and how these contribute to their overall sense of identity
  • comparing Chinese and Australian lifestyles such as festivals and celebrations, food staples, preferences and cooking styles, and discussing own engagement with these
  • noticing differences in cultural practices and the protocol for certain events, such as 我去表哥家要先叫人，大姨好，大姨夫好；如果他们要留我吃饭，我要先问妈妈可不可以；如果阿姨叫我多吃一点, 我不能吃太多，最好得客气客气
  • participating in cultural events (for example, watching a China–Australia soccer match, performing a Chinese song to the school community, or celebrating Anzac Day) and reflecting on own reactions

Systems of language

Recognise the tonal features of Chinese in own speech, and understand when and why some tones are not expressed in some contexts and how syllables are decoded from and encoded into Pinyin (ACLCHU138 - Scootle )

  • differentiating between the four tones when speaking, and knowing how to pronounce the 'neutral tone'
  • understanding the aesthetic features of reading out loud 朗诵 and reciting 背诵, focusing on phrasing, stress and intonation of Chinese spoken language
Identify the form, composition and spacing within characters, relating components and their positions to their meaning and sound (ACLCHU139 - Scootle )

  • developing fine motor skills appropriate to Chinese writing conventions (方块字), and learning about Chinese writing conventions, including direction of text and punctuation
  • applying rules of stroke direction and stroke order when writing characters, paying attention to details such as length of a stroke to discriminate similar forms, for example, 土 and 士
  • developing skills in identifying the structure and components of a compound character, for example, 学 has two components and they are of top-and-bottom structure
  • categorising characters with common components (such as 花、草、菜), and making connections between meanings and sounds of components and meanings and sounds of characters, for example, 目 (eye) in 看 (to look at)
  • recognising the use of traditional and simplified characters in the local community (for example, 《大洋时报》 uses traditional characters), exploring texts in both forms of characters and analysing differences in orthography, for example, 门 and 門
  • identifying personal connections with one or both forms of characters, for example, 我妈妈教我写简体字，因为妈妈是从北京来的
  • inferring meaning of unfamiliar words from known morphemes, for example, 学生、学校、小学
  • understanding that a character might have multiple meanings, for example, that 冷 means 'cold' in 冷水 and 'quiet' in 冷清
Develop ways to structure sentences in Chinese to elaborate own ideas (ACLCHU140 - Scootle )

  • elaborating ideas in sentences, including details such as time, place and manner, for example, 星期一我从上海坐飞机到北京
  • learning meta-terms to describe grammar rules in Chinese, for example, the placement of 主语 (subject), 动词 (verb), 名词 (noun) in sentences
  • recognising that there are multiple ways to structure a sentence, such as 我吃了早饭后去学校 and 吃了早饭后我去学校
Recognise similarities and differences in the structure of spoken and written texts that have the same purpose (ACLCHU141 - Scootle )

  • recognising features of various genres, including narratives and explanatory texts, identifying which genres are most suitable for different purposes, for example, 记叙文记叙一个事情，比如说《我最喜欢的假期》
  • identifying differences and similarities in language choices and text structure across spoken and written texts, for example, comparing an announcement with a public notice
  • comparing and differentiating forms of texts based on purpose and audience, for example, asking: What's the difference between a letter and an email? What might be the reasons for such differences?
  • applying cohesive devices in producing imaginative texts, correspondence and informative texts, for example, beginning a story with 很久很久以前

Language variation and change

Recognise how the context of interactions influences language choices (ACLCHU142 - Scootle )

  • addressing others appropriately, for example, using 王老师 with teacher, 张叔叔 with young adult males, nicknames with close relatives (欢欢表妹)
  • differentiating language use based on different functions, for example, making commands (过来！) or making requests (你可以过来一下吗？)
  • discussing differences in language use at home and at school, for example, comparing how to ask for permission to use a computer (老师，我可以用电脑吗？ and 我就是要用电脑！)
Explore diversity in dialects and in contexts in which Chinese is used in Australian communities (ACLCHU143 - Scootle )

  • identifying locations of major dialect groups in China, discussing environmental and historical reasons for the existence of dialects, and appreciating the value of a common language
  • making personal connections with particular dialects of Chinese, asking peers which dialects are spoken in their families, and inviting others to say a few words in their own dialect, for example, 我爷爷说广东话
  • investigating diversity in spoken Chinese and identifying differences in phonology across dialects, for example, exploring greetings in dialects such as Cantonese, Hakka and Shanghainese, and comparing the pronunciation of words
  • accessing local Chinese media such as radio stations, satellite TV stations, and newspapers, and viewing Chinese programs in mainstream media (such as Chinese news programs or websites) to enhance their appreciation of Chinese language use in local media and explore the extent of their comprehension of Chinese used in diverse contexts
  • discussing reasons why Chinese is used in communities within Australia, and making personal connections to these reasons, for example, 我父母是丛香港来的，他们说广东话

Role of language and culture

Explore how the Chinese language represents cultural meanings in specific ways (ACLCHU144 - Scootle )

  • identifying culturally specific terms and phrases, for example, 'mate' in Australian English and 吃了吗 in Chinese, and sharing insights into why particular cultures value certain colloquial language
  • associating the literal and cultural meanings of words and expressions such as 红红火火
  • discussing the contextual and cultural meanings of words that cannot be directly translated into another language, for example, translating 手足 as 'brothers'
  • reading Chinese idioms (成语故事; for example, 《指鹿为马》、《狐假虎威》、《买椟还珠》、《拔苗助长》), and discussing their meanings; exploring the relevance and significance of these idioms to contemporary life and how these phrases are used in daily communication, such as 生日快乐 for birthdays, 大吉大利 for New Year and 团团圆圆 for Mid-Autumn Festival

Years 3 and 4 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 4, students use spoken and written Chinese to initiate interactions and to participate in short exchanges, for example, 你晚饭吃什么？,我学汉语和英语,站起来， 大家听老师说. They organise and convey factual information and share experiences in formal and informal situations, making appropriate choices of characters, words and pronunciation. They use demonstratives such as 这、那、那些 with measure words and verbs to indicate agreement （对，好的）and preferences (要、想、喜欢). They respond to and create short imaginative, informative and persuasive texts for familiar audiences and identified purposes. Students select from known speech patterns to meet routine, procedural and informal conversational needs.

Students know that Pinyin represents spoken language, and map Pinyin against their own speech. They distinguish between the contexts in which tones are expressed and those in which they are not. They identify features of the Chinese writing system, including the range of strokes and their sequences in character writing; and the relationship between components and sound and meaning. Students identify ways of structuring ideas in sentences, including the role of correct sequencing of time and place. They describe features of Chinese language and culture, and compare how ideas are conveyed across languages and cultures.

Years 5 and 6

Years 5 and 6 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students use their bilingual and bicultural capabilities and understandings within the world of their own experience and imagination and draw on some topics from other learning areas. They are extending their knowledge of language structure and of texts.

Chinese language learning and use

Students are immersed in Chinese across speaking, listening, reading, writing and viewing; where practicable, activities may include those designed collaboratively with teachers in other learning areas to provide opportunities for translating or interpreting. Students speak and write in Chinese to express their own interests. They begin to appreciate how their own language use compares to modern standard forms in terms of pronunciation, tone and rhythm. They consciously use aspects of grammar in their language learning and employ a range of implicit and explicit models in response to teacher prompting. They consider audience, purpose, and appropriate language choices in their cultural and communicative practices.

Contexts of interaction

Students actively communicate in Chinese in classroom, school, home and community environments. They begin to interact with other language users via the online environment and other digital forums.

Texts and resources

Students engage with visual media, music, cartoons, stories, games and documentaries. They use multimedia for researching, exploration and collaboration. They create a range of short imaginative, informative and persuasive texts.

Features of Chinese language use

Students learn to analyse new characters encountered in texts, with a focus on mapping these character forms to their known spoken language. Students make comparisons between societies, social structures and belief systems and explore how these are conveyed through language. They discover and discuss diversity in cultural identity and experience. Students explore the Chinese past through texts such as fables and classical stories. Written language use includes reading and comparing Chinese and English children's literature.

Level of support

Correct Chinese language use continues to be modelled by the teacher to support students' oracy and literacy development. Texts often have Pinyin glossaries or include vocabulary lists to support learning.

The role of English

English is used to compare languages and explore complex ideas related to language, culture, learning and concepts from other learning areas.

Years 5 and 6 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact and socialise with peers and known adults, exchanging ideas and opinions about personal experiences and social activities

[Key concepts: place, identity, community; Key processes: negotiating, transacting, arranging] (ACLCHC145 - Scootle )

  • engaging others in conversation and inviting responses on issues relevant to their lives, such as traditional and modern lifestyles and values, and language learning by asking questions such as 你知道澳大利亚的国宝是什么吗？你觉得什么最好玩？
  • participating in class and school debates, acknowledging others' opinions and presenting own with examples and personal experiences, for example, 虽然你说得很有道理，但是如果我们再想一想，如果你也经历过… 那么你也会同意…
  • using social media to maintain contact with classmates and record events in everyday life, by keeping a weekly or daily journal or blog, recording highlights of school or home life or leisure activities (for example, 今天我的足球队又输了，真没劲!), or a holiday experience, for example, 袋鼠岛游记
  • describing and elaborating on details of experiences in correspondence, for example, 这次暑假过得很愉快，我们全家去了巴厘岛。在那儿，我们天天在海边，有时候冲浪，有时候散步
  • composing text messages, emails, letters using appropriate formats and employing appropriate terms to address recipient, for example, 敬爱的王老师 (for a formal letter), 嘿，小王，最近好吗 (for a casual letter or message)
  • responding appropriately to invitations, including by accepting and declining, for example, 谢谢你的邀请，祝你生日快乐。但是我星期日要…对不起，不能参加你的聚会。希望你玩得高兴
Take action, resolve issues, make shared decisions and organise shared experiences

[Key concepts: place, identity; Key processes: interpreting, negotiating, selecting] (ACLCHC146 - Scootle )

  • collaborating to decide on a menu for a class lunch and negotiating items, prices and delivery with a local restaurant, for example, 大家都喜欢吃春卷，那么每个人一个春卷，我们需要二十五个
  • locating suppliers of Chinese learning materials through websites and other sources, for example, 你这本书是在哪儿买的？我们班要买一套图书，中国城的那家中文书店怎么样？ to select a class set of readers
  • listening to or viewing community media such as local Chinese radio or television, and participating in advertised activities, for example, a singing competition or locally organised events
  • researching and arranging a visit by an expert (such as a calligrapher or a taiji master) to visit class and share knowledge to promote Chinese learning in school community
  • captioning bilingual posters to promote community events (such as Chinese New Year celebrations, lion dance performances, visiting performers) and school activities, such as cultural days, assembly items or grandparents' day
  • creating posters and fliers to promote cultural events to the local Chinese community, such as 悉尼艺术节，XXX音乐剧
  • producing a paragraph in the school newsletter to promote an upcoming event

Informing

Locate and compare factual information from different sources about different communities and lifestyles

[Key concept: lifestyle; Key processes: informing, selecting] (ACLCHC147 - Scootle )

  • viewing TV programs, documentaries or interviews with young people such as 《智慧树》, discussing the participants' experiences and comparing with own life experiences
  • investigating aspects of life of Chinese communities overseas, for example, web-chatting with relatives overseas to find out more about own family origins, history or circumstances
  • identifying and selecting visual sources (for example, 优酷, and comparing and contrasting different perspectives on issues, such as how children in different locations in China describe their school experience
  • following an instructional video in order to complete an action collaboratively, for example, watching 如何画中国画, or preparing for a cultural celebration by following video procedures on how to 包粽子 for 端午节
  • representing information in a new format, for example, watching a TV cooking show then converting each step into a written recipe with essential information including ingredients and quantities, and amount of time required
  • selecting appropriate resources to research a topic of interest such as a major place, person or event in Chinese history, and identifying key information to share with others
  • researching a topic by analysing what information is needed, employing Chinese search engines to access a range of sources of information online, and choosing the most suitable sources, for example, 这个网站看上去像正规网站吗？ 这个网站是官网吗?
Plan and present key points of information to familiar audiences

[Key concept: social action; Key processes; presenting, conveying] (ACLCHC148 - Scootle )

  • developing informed opinions to share with others, giving examples (for example, 澳大利亚人说很多语言，比如英语，汉语，法语等等) and comparing information, for example, 中国人口比澳大利亚的多)(我觉得我们应该帮爸爸妈妈做家务
  • working in teams to prepare and present an oral presentation, supported by digital media, related to own school or community or on topics of interest, for example, endangered animals, popular singers in Asia
  • preparing and creating a video clip to share with peers overseas introducing aspects of local culture, including interesting places, history, famous people, and lifestyle, for example, 墨尔本的电车
  • producing a digital display containing text and images to present a personal perspective on life in Australian schools to share with peers overseas
  • creating poster displays using graphics, photographs and illustrations to document and convey ideas related to topics of interest, for example, their country of origin, family tree or favourite sports team
  • collaborating with others to prepare a report for a school or community newsletter about Chinese language learning experiences or activities at day school and community school

Creating

Respond to popular stories and characters from Chinese folklore, sharing opinions on aspects of the storyline, characters and themes

[Key concepts: significance, tradition; Key processes: comparing, responding, creating] (ACLCHC149 - Scootle )

  • exploring various forms of Chinese popular culture in audio or visual media, including 流行歌曲、电影、电视剧、娱乐新闻, appreciating stylistic devices used in popular song lyrics, such as 重复, and comparing them to English songs
  • comparing popular performance across cultures and generations, evaluating performances with attention to the aesthetic values and the influence of Western and Asian popular culture, and comparing the content and language, for example, 我妈妈最喜欢的中文歌是…这首歌唱的是…我最喜欢的中文歌是… …内容和我妈妈喜欢的歌不一样
  • recognising the influence of traditional culture on modern popular entertainment, for example, considering the use of traditional instruments in popular songs, the composition of modern songs from well-known traditional poems such as 《水调歌头•中秋》, and the representation of traditional symbolic meanings such as 孝顺 (filial piety), 礼让 (out of courtesy or thoughtfulness) in modern performances
  • reading children's literature, including fables and traditional stories; exploring values and morality tales such as the concept of 寓意 in 动画片，小人书; and comparing values and morals conveyed through texts across cultures, such as 凿壁偷光，塞翁失马 （你能找到英语中类似的说法吗？你觉得澳大利亚人理解这个故事的寓意吗？）
  • reading extracts from culturally significant children's literature, discussing their personal responses to the characters and storyline, and writing a journal to relate the story to personal experience or express empathy for characters involved
Create short narratives to express the experiences, thoughts and emotions of individuals in imagined contexts

[Key concepts: character, emotion; Key processes: comparing, responding, creating] (ACLCHC150 - Scootle )

  • recounting an imagined encounter with a famous person, or reproducing a scenario where cultural misunderstandings create a humorous outcome
  • collaborating to create dramatic performances to retell classic Chinese stories, such as 《负荆请罪》, or famous stories in other cultures, such as 《丑小鸭》
  • creating narratives to describe imagined experiences, for example, a trip to China, including a visit with a homestay family or an adventure on the Great Wall, or the experiences of a Chinese student visiting Australia
  • creating stories in various literary styles (for example, 记叙文、散文、诗歌), experimenting with descriptive language to convey the intensity of characters' emotions, and events , using written styles of language, for example 我看到好多漂亮的花，有粉红的，雪白的，真是太美了

Translating

Identify and account for the potential loss of subtle meanings from character components and individual characters in compounds when translating into English

[Key concept: meaning; Key processes: translating, interpreting, negotiating meaning] (ACLCHC151 - Scootle )

  • reading Chinese texts such as advertisements and signs that include the translation of some words or phrases, and engaging in class discussion about the merits of translations and alternative ways of representing the meanings expressed in the texts
  • reading children's stories in bilingual form and reflecting on ideas expressed in Chinese and English which may not be readily translated and discussing possible reasons for this
  • observing interactions between speakers of Chinese and attempting to describe the interaction in English, discussing personal interpretations of the meanings conveyed and the cultural messages implicit in the interaction, for example, watching an interaction between a teacher and students in China and contrasting with their own experience in Australia
  • explaining culture-specific concepts such as humility (谦虚) to people from different cultural backgrounds, including examples of when and how 谦虚 should be shown and how it is understood by participants of the communication, for example, when accepting/rejecting appraisal
Create simple bilingual texts for different audiences, explaining features of the different versions and the impact of context

[Key concepts: audience, context; Key processes: identifying, translating, interpreting, negotiating meaning] (ACLCHC152 - Scootle )

  • acting as interpreter for visitors from diverse backgrounds and communicating their message to speakers of other languages, applying strategies such as clarifying, rephrasing and explaining when mediating cultural concepts
  • using a range of resources to assist in creating a Chinese translation of a text, exploring the functions of print and digital translation tools and discussing their strengths and weaknesses

Reflecting

Reflect on the benefits of learning Chinese and English in both Chinese and English interactions

[Key concepts: place, biculturalism, identity; Key processes: observing, explaining, reflecting] (ACLCHC153 - Scootle )

  • noticing and reflecting on how interacting in Chinese feels different to interacting in English, and identifying ways of communicating or behaving that appear culturally specific
  • discussing language choices expected or required in diverse contexts across languages, for example, apologising, congratulating, expressing thanks, declining, rejecting, complaining
  • engaging with Chinese peers in diverse contexts, identifying situations in which misunderstanding or miscommunication occurs and exploring strategies to overcome these
  • recognising signals within an interaction that require adjustment of language choices

Systems of language

Recognise the use of tone, intonation and stress of words to express emotion, opinion and attitude (ACLCHU154 - Scootle )
Recognise the contextual meanings of individual syllables or characters to assist comprehension and vocabulary development, and explain the form and function of components in individual characters, for example, 心,想,情,闷 (ACLCHU155 - Scootle )

  • inferring the meaning of unfamiliar characters by identifying familiar semantic and phonetic components of compound characters, and using contextual clues to map the form of characters to sound and meaning
  • using digital tools to write a specific character, and finding out its pronunciation by using online dictionaries
  • writing characters with correct structure and proportion when writing with and without 田字格, and discussing issues with remembering and reproducing individual components in characters, for example, discriminating between characters such as 冒、昌…
  • exploring a range of fonts in digital form and personal styles of writing, and appreciating the aesthetic value of calligraphy, including 硬笔书法
Understand and use basic structures and features of Chinese grammar to enhance meaning and clarity of expression (ACLCHU156 - Scootle )

  • recognising grammatical functions of common suffixes and prefixes to assist comprehension in reading, for example, recognising that 子, 者， 家 are noun suffixes (for example, 家 in 书法家、数学家)
  • discriminating between the contextual meanings of characters with multiple meanings, such as 家 in 家人 and in 画家
  • recognising words that reflect particular cultural understandings, for example, 天气 means 'weather' but literally translates as 'sky's energy'
  • explaining the function of words and structures in language encountered, for example, 了 in the sentence 我早上看见了两只猫 indicates the completion of an action in the past
  • exploring and beginning to build more complex messages, such as using forms of cohesion, and finding ways to generalise or nominalise ideas, for example, 因为… 所以 …, 虽然… 可是…, 不但… 而且…, 总而言之/总的来说
  • recognising the different focus and purpose of alternative sentences, for example, 他把杯子狠狠地扔在地上 and 杯子被狠狠地扔在地上
  • understanding that there are different applications of grammatical rules in spoken and written language, for example, in ordering food (for example, comparing the structure of the following expressions: 来点儿什么菜？; 您吃点儿什么？;你想吃/要吃什么？; 你想吃海鲜炒饭吗？; 海鲜炒饭要吃吗？)
  • differentiating use of grammar based on context, for example, using sentences with more formal structures in report writing
  • recognising terms and expressions used in formal written styles, for example, 首先，其次，最后 rather than 先…后来…后来…
Recognise and apply conventions of personal texts and compare textual features of different texts (ACLCHU157 - Scootle )

  • exploring metaphorical and literal meaning in texts, for example, 远远的街灯亮了，像是闪着无数的明星
  • analysing rhetorical devices in texts, including 比喻、夸张、排比; identifying culturally specific features such as 日月如梭，难于上青天; and experimenting with rhetorical devices in own speech and writing

Language variation and change

Differentiate key features and apply rules for expressing meanings in spoken and written modes in diverse contexts (ACLCHU158 - Scootle )

  • identifying variability in language used in a variety of contexts, for example, at the supermarket, at the doctor's surgery, or when visiting a friend or relative
  • recognising language reflecting different levels of formality, such as 爷爷 and 祖父, and using language to reflect formality appropriate to context, for example, l and 非常疲惫
  • using words and expressions reflecting their interlocutor's seniority and authority, for example, 您老敬请？
  • analysing language use to identify degree of intimacy or distance between participants, for example, 咱俩、我们、我和您
  • differentiating oral and written styles of language, for example, 我要吃好吃的。中国有很多美食
Explore the impact of English on everyday communication in Chinese and the impact of Chinese on English (ACLCHU159 - Scootle )

  • exploring language 'borrowing', such as English words 'borrowed' from Chinese (for example, 'yum cha' and 'kung fu') and the impact of English on Chinese language use today, for example, 考拉、汉堡包
  • analysing the impact of languages on one another such as 他写着作业 （他在写作业。） and 白了 which sounds like 'bye'
  • exploring the impact of English on Chinese language use, such as recognising transliteration in Chinese, for example, 可口可乐

Role of language and culture

Explore particular cultural meanings conveyed in everyday interactions across languages (ACLCHU160 - Scootle )

  • exploring origins of 成语 and 歇后语 encountered in texts such as 朝三暮四，姜太公钓鱼, and using fixed phrases to share or convey a cultural idea in own writing, for example, 塞翁失马，笨鸟先飞
  • exploring how the languages that people know can impact on the way they communicate in other languages, for example, the use and frequency of 'thank you' and 谢谢 is a sign of westernisation, whereas in Chinese it is not used as often as overuse indicates distance between participants in interactions
  • exploring how cultural concepts of family and the importance of one's sense of connection to others influence use of language, for example, in the greeting 阿姨好！ ('Hello, Aunty!'), where 'aunty' may be a colleague of their mother's and a total stranger to the child

Years 5 and 6 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 6, students use spoken and written Chinese to maintain interactions with familiar and unfamiliar people across a growing range of situations (for example, 你星期几去汉语学校？,你说…对吗？); to convey information, opinions and experiences (for example, 我喜欢踢澳式足球，你呢？); and to access a range of print and digital media resources, such as 童书，报纸，画册，科学书，传单，广告， 教材，地图. They write characters, paying attention to shape, and stroke order and proportion. They transcribe spoken words and sentences in Pinyin and select simplified characters to match the sounds they hear. They use stress, tone and intonation to express emotion and opinion. They respond to and create a range of short informative, persuasive and imaginative texts for diverse audiences and purposes. They relate their own experiences to those presented in texts, for example, 《如果我是…》. They create sentences that include prepositions (给 、跟 、对) and possessives and attributive clauses with particle 的. They use a range of verbs, and use verb complements to describe the direction, result or potential of an action. They use conjunctions (for example, 可是、或者、因为、除了）to connect ideas and elaborate on or clarify opinions and actions. They explain how their developing bilingual ability supports their identities as users of Chinese and English.

Students explain the nature of Pinyin and apply it to their own speech. They categorise characters into groups based on meaning, appearance, pronunciation or function and apply this information to new characters. They compare the word order of Chinese sentences with that of English, and identify how their knowledge of English impacts on the way they express ideas in Chinese. They describe how the features of Chinese and English texts are used to convey meaning.

Years 7 and 8

Years 7 and 8 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students maintain their sense of belonging to both their home and their outside culture. They can alter their conduct to fit different contexts within the world of teenage experience.

Chinese language learning and use

Classroom interaction is primarily conducted in Chinese. Students extend their knowledge of language structures and text organisation through reading and viewing authentic material and discussing how to apply new learning to their own communication. They are immersed in Chinese language, exploring issues related to youth culture, environmental conservation, family structure and welfare, and the features of diverse Chinese personal and social environments.

Contexts of interaction

Students use Chinese at school and home, and through increased engagement with members of their local communities. The online environment is used to connect students with other Chinese language users globally.

Texts and resources

Students engage with a variety of text types and modes, including visual and digital media, music, TV series, documentaries, and bilingual versions of classic and contemporary literature and their film adaptations.

Features of Chinese language use

Students extend their writing skills to include more persuasive language and more formal genres, such as articles and reports. They participate in presentations on topics related to the history and geography of Chinese-speaking communities, and initiate discussion through enquiry. Students begin to compare their own pronunciation to modern standard spoken Chinese. They also explore the influence of English on their own communication in Chinese, in pronunciation and linguistic structures, and the role of code-switching in their daily language use. Students develop their skills in analysing characters and recognising word and clause boundaries in extended text.

Level of support

Correct Chinese language use continues to be modelled by the teacher to support students' oracy and literacy development. Glossaries, vocabulary lists, dictionaries and translation tools are used to support comprehension.

The role of English

English is used when required for comparison or to explore complex ideas related to language, culture and concepts from other learning areas.

Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact and socialise with familiar groups and individuals, exchanging personal information such as sporting achievements, favourite pastimes, and sharing perspectives on aspects of contemporary life such as popular music,

[Key concept: perspective; Key processes: transacting, connecting] (ACLCHC161 - Scootle )

  • contributing to class discussions to share opinions on topics such as homework and study habits, parental expectations and generational differences; elaborating on own perspectives, clarifying ideas and opinions (for example, 奥运会 我既为澳大利亚加油 也为中国加油， 因为这两个国家对我来说都很重要), and summarising various perspectives in interaction, for example, 大家的意思是… or 也就是说…
  • initiating conversations to share aspects of personal world such as a recent overseas holiday, future plans, achievements in life, for example, 你知道我今年冬天去了哪儿吗？ 说起来真好玩
  • acknowledging others' ideas and indicating agreement or disagreement in non-judgmental ways (for example, 我们也没办法，不得不…); using language to persuade or influence others, for example, listing possible consequences (要不然; 如果… … 的话; 那么 …)
  • eliciting others' opinions; exploring others' perspectives and the influences on their perspectives; asking questions and inviting elaboration (for example, 你为什么说…?); and responding to others' opinions by providing a different perspective, for example, 你说你喜欢滑雪， 我也很喜欢滑雪。 因为滑雪不仅有趣， 它也是很好的运动，可以锻炼身体；你还可以和家人一起滑雪，所以它也是很好的家庭活动
  • sharing experiences relating to school (for example, camps, excursions, class activities) and leisure (for example, sporting competitions, television programs, family holidays) with participants of online communities of Chinese speakers, such as educational blogs
  • responding to enquiries from others through correspondence and online communities, and describing lifestyle of Australian young people with attention to what makes Australia unique, for example, 澳大利亚有…，人们生活…
  • engaging with educational social media to document own experiences and achievements by posting a weekly journal or blog for others to read, for example, 本周XX俱乐部足球赛
  • using mobile technologies to maintain contact, share thoughts and experiences, and plan activities with Chinese classmates
Participate in planning joint projects and events that would benefit the local community, justifying choices and making decisions

[Key concepts: community, benefit; Key process: interpreting, negotiating, collaborating] (ACLCHC162 - Scootle )

  • collaborating with others to organise a community event, taking initiative in negotiating roles
  • participating in projects to benefit other learners and speakers of Chinese, for example, developing readers or multimedia learning tools for young Chinese children in the community; establishing a peer mentoring program to support learners of Chinese in local primary schools
  • making purchasing decisions by comparing prices of items from a range of suppliers, as well as features such as country of origin, quality, reliability, warranty and safety
  • requesting financial advice as part of responsible decision making when purchasing goods and services, for example, 我们可以花多少钱？这个一下就占了一大半，还是买便宜一些的那个吧
  • creating posters to promote activities among young people in Chinese communities within and beyond the school, for example, a language and culture club, sporting team
  • using social media to access a wider audience and promote intercultural understanding and awareness of the lifestyles and achievements of young Chinese Australians
  • promoting healthy living among Chinese peers by creating posters educating youth on the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, as well as the importance of success at school

Informing

Collate and analyse information from a range of sources to develop a position on an issue

[Key concepts: bias, perspective; Key processes: collating, analysing] (ACLCHC163 - Scootle )

  • accessing information from a range of sources, such as familiar adults, TV advertisements or documentaries, to inform self and others on topical issues
  • comparing information presented in various sources (for example assessing information about China in tourism videos from China and Australia), and sharing information about the differences of focus and possible reasons for these differences
  • preparing and organising a learning activity such as 小老师课堂 to engage peers, and contributing to discussions to share information drawn from a range of sources, such as documentaries and personal sources, for example, 昨天让大家采访一下家人，来帮助我们谈谈中国的方言。你们都采访了谁？
  • accessing a range of sources, such as online debates in public forums, and identifying factors that potentially create bias, for example, generational differences, cultural factors, individual personalities (有人认为愚公很傻， 尤其是生活在现代的人)
Plan and convey key points of information and opinions based on information drawn from a range of sources

[Key concept: multiculturalism; Key processes: collaborating, comparing, evaluating] (ACLCHC164 - Scootle )

  • engaging with different representations of ideas, comparing perspectives and developing an informed position on issues relevant to their life, for example, 在中国有人说移民澳洲好，因为生活轻松； 也有人说移民澳洲不好，因为没有熟悉的家人朋友。我觉得… 因为…
  • discussing perspectives and comparing experiences and opinions relating to issues such as 独生子女政策, noting how some people focus on positive effects on society while others focus on their own personal experiences of being a 独生子女
  • collaborating to produce multimedia displays to share with readers overseas to provide a local insight into issues such as international students in Australia
  • collating information from personal research and writing reports on issues relevant to young people across cultures, for example, pressure to follow fashions and trends, bullying in schools, and inspirational people

Creating

Express opinions about how popular imaginative texts, including poems and 故事, reveal important cultural values

[Key concepts: values, beliefs, attitudes; Key processes: comparing, contrasting] (ACLCHC165 - Scootle )

  • describing how emotions, attitudes or intentions of a performer, author or character are conveyed through language, and analysing how emotions (for example, happiness, sadness, homesickness) are expressed in popular songs or TV programs
  • viewing popular TV programs designed for Chinese youth, sharing individual responses or reactions to forms of Chinese entertainment, and comparing features of performance across cultures
  • understanding how music, imagery and stereotypical representations of people, places and practices are used in contemporary youth media to influence audience responses
  • exploring regional and generational influences on popular culture of the Sinophone world (such as 港台流行歌曲； 港片), and identifying different concepts of 'beauty' in different eras, for example, 60年代流行…, 70年代流行…
  • comparing features of performance in different media (such as radio, television and online videos), and discussing how entertainment is changing with technology
  • producing creative texts in response to literary texts such as 《某某后传》, reflecting the literary styles and methods identified in such texts
  • reading a range of imaginative texts from other cultures, keeping a reading journal (读书笔记) to record understanding and own responses, and participating in class discussions about texts such as 《小王子》 and 《安徒生童话选》
  • discussing themes and meanings of traditional texts, including classical poems (for example,《静夜思》，《春晓》，《咏鹅》) and stories, fables and legends ( for example, 《孔融让梨》、《井底之蛙》、 《铁杵磨针》
Create narratives that express the everyday experiences of young people, experimenting with dialogue

[Key concepts: imagination, attitude, beliefs; Key processes: analysing, creating] (ACLCHC166 - Scootle )

  • collaborating to prepare and present short dramatic or humorous performances that reflect situations or experiences drawn from their own Chinese cultural environment, such as generational and cultural differences encountered at home
  • creating songs or jingles to promote products, services or events in imaginative ways
  • creating written and multimodal narrative accounts of the life experiences of major historical figures or characters from literature, for example, 诸葛亮，孔子和他的学生
  • developing skills in drafting and editing own writing, collaborating with others to enhance stylistic and creative features of own written expression

Translating

Translate short texts for different audiences, identifying what is lost in translation and considering alternative ways to explain key points

[Key concepts: concept, public, personal; Key processes: comparing, translating] (ACLCHC167 - Scootle )

  • identifying the challenges of translating some concepts (for example, 龙的传人: 'descendant of dragon'), and developing strategies to overcome these; asking, for example: What is lost in translation? Why can't we just translate word for word? Why does context matter?
  • translating short phrases or texts, noting culture-specific words and phrases, and discussing alternatives, equivalence or non-equivalence
  • discussing reasons for creating different translations for different audiences
  • comparing alternative ways of translating to identify 'normality' in one's linguistic and cultural context, for example, using the term 软饮料 instead of 无酒精饮料 assumes the reader/audience has a degree of connection to English to understand meaning of 软
  • considering ways to convey culture-specific terms (for example, 中药和食疗, 上火，大补) in English
Create bilingual texts relating to other learning areas and topics of interest, considering the influence of different roles, relationships, settings and situations when interpreting both Chinese and English

[Key concepts: audience, context, bilingualism; Key processes: identifying, translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC168 - Scootle )

  • observing others involved in interpreting meaning in bilingual contexts and identifying challenges and potential issues in mediation
  • using Chinese dictionaries to enhance understanding of subtle differences in how and when words are used, and applying this knowledge to interpreting meanings in texts and interactions

Reflecting

Reflect on own intercultural experiences, and contrast ways in which people of different generations, genders and linguistic backgrounds use language and respond to different experiences

[Key concepts: change, continuity; Key processes: reflecting, shaping] (ACLCHC169 - Scootle )

  • recognising own tendency to generalise or stereotype during interactions (for example, 地域歧视), being sensitive to the possibility of causing offence to others in interaction, and considering questions to ask about the other person's cultural background, for example, 你父母是大陆人吗？, 你父母的老家在中国甚么地方？
  • participating in cultural events, and reflecting on cultural similarities and differences, and on how cultural practices change in a different context, for example, 我们家不过中秋节，因为大家都觉得不太重要。母亲节那天我们全家去爷爷奶奶家一起吃饭
  • being aware of how own ideas may be perceived by others based on language choice, including code-switching, for example, 我妈妈不喜欢我说汉语时夹着英语，但是我和朋友经常这样说，她也经常这样说。有的时候姥姥听不懂，我就会想想全部用汉语该怎么说

Systems of language

Identify changes in tone that occur when words or tones are combined, recognise atonality in rapid connected speech, and use this knowledge to aid in interpreting meaning (ACLCHU170 - Scootle )

  • comparing ways they pronounce and use spoken Chinese with peers and other Chinese speakers, and determining the influences on their own language use, such as TV, parents, dialects spoken
  • developing tone discrimination and identifying subtle differences in pronunciation, including variations in regional accents, for example, distinguishing between 'qing' and 'qin', 'lou' and 'rou', 'liang' and 'lang', 'shi' and 'si', and 'lan' and 'nan' when listening to interactions between speakers in diverse contexts
Use character and component knowledge to infer sound and meaning of new characters encountered in texts, and examine component form and function to associate the correct sound and meaning with individual characters (ACLCHU171 - Scootle )

  • using knowledge of components to select a character from options when inputting Chinese in a digital text
  • categorising words containing a common morpheme to better understand the relationship between morphemes and specific word meanings, for example, using Chinese dictionaries to explore the range of words created from common character morphemes such as 情 (情感、情趣、情形) and 性（性能、性别、性格）
  • discriminating between the functions of morphemes with related meanings, for example, 餐，饭; 做，作
  • exploring influences on word formation, for example, the school subject 'Language' is called 语文 in China not 汉语 or 中文
Recognise ways of organising and expressing ideas in Chinese (ACLCHU172 - Scootle )

  • using connectives (连接词) and sequencing expressions (for example, 首先。。。其次。。。) to enhance flow and clarity of ideas
  • organising information in different ways, discussing the logical flow of the information and whether it suits the audience's needs, for example, comparing 目前陆地上的煤，石油等资源 由于长期开采，已经越来越少。 and 由于长期开采陆地上的资源，比如煤和石油，目前已经越来越少
Identify structure and organisation of different texts, including expositions, procedural texts and recounts, and use these in their own speech and writing (ACLCHU173 - Scootle )

  • analysing and explaining the organisation and development of ideas or an argument in a range of genres, including textual features such as paragraphing
  • comparing the ways in which similar ideas and concepts are presented in different genres, discussing the impact of genre choice on text structure and language use (for example, in imaginative and evaluative texts), and determining how language choices achieve the desired effect
  • exploring the traditional structure of persuasive texts in Chinese, such as 总起-分述-总结, and discussing its effectiveness
  • reading samples of formal texts, such as news articles, official letters and informative reports, and identifying how the language use compares to their own everyday speech

Language variation and change

Understand how language is used to reflect different roles, relationships, settings and values and modify language use in diverse contexts (ACLCHU174 - Scootle )

  • observing interactions and identifying examples of how language is adapted as the roles and positions of participants are established, for example, moving to more formal language once a participant is identified as a person of authority
  • reading texts such as 《人民日报》, and identifying words and phrases used to establish authority, objectivity and the purpose of interaction
  • noticing and describing differences in accent and dialect when listening to Chinese speakers from diverse regions
  • exploring the use of l as a lingua franca in Chinese-speaking communities, and identifying terms used in different regions to express a similar idea, for example, 普通话 versus l versus 高手
  • interpreting the relationships of participants in a spoken interaction by observing word choices and gestures, for example examining what titles are used for individuals in Chinese (for example, 老张 / 张校长/张小明)
  • comparing 褒义词，贬义词 and 中性词 and the contexts they are used in, for example, the differences between 聪明 and 滑头
Explore the significance of tradition in 名人名言 and 经典, and contemporary influences on language use (ACLCHU175 - Scootle )

  • reading traditional-form texts on familiar topics and inferring meanings of key characters
  • comprehending texts in traditional characters encountered in everyday contexts by drawing a connection with the character's simplified version, for example, 匾 used at a tourist site

Role of language and culture

Explain how communicative practices are influenced by engagement with different languages and cultures (ACLCHU176 - Scootle )

  • exploring uses and meanings of word categories (such as colours, celebrations, animals) across languages and cultures, for example, the assumption in Australia that a cake with candles must be a birthday cake; the use of colours to reflect mood
  • analyse culture-specific values in Chinese (such as face, harmony, group identity), and explore how these are applied in own language use, for example expressing modesty and respect through the expression 多多指教
  • identifying words used with specific assumptions, for example, gender (英俊 is used to describe males), significance (会见 versus 见面), formality (光临 versus 来到)

Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 8, students use spoken and written Chinese to maintain exchanges, to analyse and evaluate information, and to share opinions (for example, 电视节目，纪录片，教育片，微电影, 报纸，杂志， 网站，博客， 少年百科) and experiences, for example, 我们为什么要保护熊猫？中国和澳大利亚的一些差异, 我最喜欢的假期. They select and discern tone patterns and atonality. Students respond to and create a range of texts (for example, 流行歌曲演唱；电视剧配音), for different audiences and purposes. They create sentences that contain two or more ideas connected by cohesive devices (for example, 不但…而且…) and use a range of time phrases (for example, 先…然后； 以前；吃了饭，就）to sequence events and ideas. Students make comparisons (for example, 比;跟…一样), and elaborate on and explain their opinions or actions using conjunctions, for example, 所以、要不然. They use stylistic devices (including 比喻，排比，反问), and use 成语 to influence and persuade others. They move between English and Chinese to interpret and translate for different audiences.

Students explain how changes in tone and tone combination impact on meaning. They describe culturally specific gestures and actions. They identify diversity within the Chinese spoken and written language and explain the differences in writing systems across languages. Students connect the distinctive features of Chinese grammar with the development of complex ideas, and explain how the structure of texts influences audience response. They explain how features of Chinese culture impact on communication practices and influence their own interactions with others across languages.

Years 9 and 10

Years 9 and 10 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students integrate elements of both their Chinese and Australian cultures into their understanding of the ways people behave and use language. They explore the nature of their dual identities and bilingual capabilities. They look at identity as a concept and at the nature of diversity in the sense of what it means to be Chinese.

Chinese language learning and use

Students are immersed in Chinese language, exploring and discussing topics related to their developing identity as Chinese-speaking Australians. They access information relating to popular culture and topical issues, learning to recognise diverse representations and perspectives, and exploring context and the values and beliefs of authors.

Contexts of interaction

Contexts for interaction extend beyond the classroom to include students' active engagement with the local community, exploring the use of Chinese in business, social and educational activities, and interacting with different generations of Chinese speakers. These contexts provide students with the opportunity to explore the modifications necessary to deepen their understanding of social distance.

Texts and resources

Students engage with a variety of text types and modes, including visual and digital media, music, TV series, classical Chinese stories, documentaries, and bilingual versions of classic and contemporary literature and their film adaptations.

Features of Chinese language use

Students elaborate their message, nominalise, and add complexity to the expression of their ideas. They apply their understanding of appropriate register in a widening range of interactions, and experiment with increasing sophistication in writing, through the use of idiom and references to classical literature. They learn to appreciate the forms and historical value of classical Chinese literature, and to appreciate how language changes over time.

Level of support

Correct Chinese language use continues to be modelled by the teacher to support students' oracy and literacy development. Glossaries, vocabulary lists, dictionaries and digital translation tools are used to support comprehension of an increasingly diverse and complex range of texts and interactions.

The role of English

Classroom interaction occurs primarily in Chinese. English is used when required for comparison or to explore complex ideas related to language, culture and concepts from other learning areas.

Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact and socialise with a range of participants, recognising alternative positions, ideas and perspectives relating to experience and lifestyle

[Key concepts: diversity, perspective; Key processes: discussing, deciding, taking action] (ACLCHC177 - Scootle )

  • exploring concepts related to topical and contemporary issues, including ethnicity and identity, popular culture, technology, social justice, environment, education and future pathways, through interaction with peers and other Chinese speakers, for example, 我听说现在中国的年轻人很喜欢看韩剧，是这样吗？你也喜欢看韩剧吗？
  • inviting others to contribute to discussions and provide feedback on own ideas (for example, 你不觉得…吗？ 难道…?), and asking questions, acknowledging strengths in others' arguments and providing evidence to contradict, challenge or rebut alternative views
  • collaborating to reach agreement by asserting, restating, conceding or negotiating in an appropriate manner (for example, 就算是…; 尽管如此…), recapping the main ideas discussed, suggesting a suitable compromise or solution, and explaining the reasons behind the final suggestion
  • discussing how to utilise resources and opportunities outside of the classroom to develop Chinese proficiency, for example, Chinese community school, using Chinese more often with family members and friends, or watching Chinese television
  • listening to guest speakers such as ambassadors for Asian literacy or other inspirational young people who are engaged with Chinese language learning, and discussing their experiences and achievements
Negotiate actions and contribute ideas, opinions and suggestions in interactions related to shared tasks and problem-solving, managing different views

[Key concepts: expectations, values, beliefs, attitudes; Key processes: evaluating, exchanging, interpreting, negotiating] (ACLCHC178 - Scootle )

  • participate in online discussions and other exchanges to raise awareness of topical issues, for example, 作文大赛《谈谈健康饮食》
  • using social media to communicate with peers in a range of locations in order to inform them about social initiatives in Australia, such as 清扫澳洲日, 地球一小时, and inviting contributions of others to initiate similar events in their regions
  • volunteering their time in a project that supports other members of the local community (for example, organising a concert to perform at an aged-care facility; providing tutoring in English for older members of the Chinese-speaking community), discussing experiences and persuading peers and others to contribute
  • collaborating to make decisions about fashion, purchases, visual appeal, celebrity endorsement and product reliability to determine value for money in relation to own purchases and shopping habits (for example, 虽然这件衣服是名牌，但是质量不太好)
  • investigating services provided to the local community, including social welfare and support services, and considering ways to assist such organisations in promoting and delivering their services
  • designing a campaign to promote and persuade people to join a community organisation, for example, creating slogans such as 加入澳洲华人青年会，你会认识更多的朋友！

Informing

Investigate different interpretations of contemporary and historical events and people

[Key concept: perspective; Key processes: evaluating, researching] (ACLCHC179 - Scootle )

  • viewing reports on news and current affairs programs to develop an overview of events, and discussing responses of individuals and groups to issues and events such as environmental pollution, rapid urbanisation or a threat to public health or safety
  • gathering information from a range of sources on a contemporary or historical Chinese figure to evaluate that person's impact on Chinese society past or present, for example, Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Jieshi or Confucius
  • accessing articles, history books, and newspapers to gain knowledge of the causes and potential outcomes of events and issues in contemporary societies
  • comparing different interpretations of historical and political events to develop an informed perspective
  • identifying the implied values that influence a writer's representation of a particular issue, for example, reporting on how the issue of 空巢老人 in China is influenced by the Chinese values of 'family being together' and 'filial piety'
Develop and present a position on topical events and people by referring to a range of sources, and connect this position to the perspectives of others

[Key concept: perspective; Key processes: processing, informing] (ACLCHC181 - Scootle )

  • substantiating their position with examples from texts, quotes or statistical data and by using 成语 or 谚语, for example, 养不教，父之过, 父母当然要对孩子的教育负责
  • presenting opinions using strategies suited to audience/readers' expectations, such as 欲扬先抑 (to criticise before praising)
  • evaluating the credibility of sources by analysing accuracy of evidence, references to other sources, and appropriate use of formal language
  • designing a research plan for learning tasks, such as 《人口增长》, and listing sources of information, data needed, questions to be asked and stating reasons for own decision making

Creating

Interpret representations of people and events encountered in contemporary and traditional Chinese performance

[Key concepts: entertainment, representation; Key processes: interpreting, adapting] (ACLCHC182 - Scootle )

  • explaining concepts such as 侠，孝，义 portrayed in 小说 with examples of experiences in imagined scenarios, such as 中国人很重视孝。孝就是对父母好，如果父母生病了，你要照顾他们
  • analysing common features of entertainment across different forms of media, for example, describing what makes an engaging plot; examining the types of characters that appeal to certain audiences
  • identifying and comparing major themes (for example, concepts of love, success and beauty) portrayed in youth media across different languages and cultures
  • comparing how concepts of humour, happiness and tragedy are conveyed in music, art and drama across languages and cultures
Create imaginative texts, drawing on and adapting representations of people and events encountered in traditional and contemporary Chinese literature, drama or song

[Key concepts: classical, contemporary, literature; Key processes: evaluating, expressing] (ACLCHC183 - Scootle )

  • assuming the persona of a character from a film or story, and reflecting on their experiences; writing letters to characters expressing their support
  • identifying ways in which authors and directors arouse empathy in readers and viewers
  • collaborating with peers to create own dramatic or humorous representations of people and events encountered in traditional and contemporary Chinese literature, drama or song
  • planning with peers to perform plays based on 儿童剧 or 情景剧 for younger year levels
  • creating plays in response to classical literature, such as 《草船借箭》, considering how the character's personality can be reflected in dialogue
  • creating written and multimodal narratives, poems and reflective journals about people, places and communities in the Chinese-speaking world

Translating

Participate in reading Chinese literature in original and in translation, and explain assumptions or implied meanings which inform how ideas have been translated from Chinese into English

[Key concept: equivalence; Key processes: comparing, transferring, explaining] (ACLCHC184 - Scootle )

  • identifying superfluous or language-specific information that impedes rather than supports understanding when moving between languages, for example, 雷锋其人其事,在中国几乎人人知道
  • using suitable equivalents or providing new culturally appropriate examples to explain concepts or ideas specific to another language or culture, for example, explaining English terms 'chilling' or 'hanging' in Chinese; expressing 百年树人 as 'Rome wasn't built in a day'
  • noticing deliberate word choices (such as 人民、大众、居民、人们、老百姓) suited to a particular purpose or style
  • identifying the use of sarcasm (for example, 哟， 今天这么早来学校， 太阳打西边出来了) and how it is transferred across languages
  • experimenting with 'word play', for example, 谐音秃子打伞----无法无天（无发无天), and discussing how this might be transferred into English
Create and adapt bilingual texts for different settings and audiences, identifying the contextual and cultural challenges

[Key concepts: audience, context, social distance, bilingualism; Key processes: identifying, translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC185 - Scootle )

  • experimenting with different options, rephrasing until the most suitable meaning is conveyed, for example, translating 同学 as 'classmate' then changing it to 'student' or 'peer' as appropriate in the context （这是我的同学。 and 同学们好）
  • analysing information presented in context and being aware that what is not said also matters （言外之意), for example, 该来的人来了, implying that those who turned up earlier are 不该来的人
  • developing a deep understanding of the subtle meanings and uses of new words/phrases encountered, by comparing the ways in which words, grammar and idioms are explained in different reference sources, for example, how a 成语 is explained in English, compared to in a Chinese dictionary 成语字典 and on a 成语故事 website

Reflecting

Reflect on how conventions of speech and particular Chinese cultural concepts can influence communication style when using both Chinese and English

[Key concepts: face, public, private; Key processes: adjusting, analysing] (ACLCHC186 - Scootle )

  • differentiating language when engaging with participants from different cultural backgrounds, for example, opening a speech in Chinese with 中国有一句俗语… when in English they would open a speech with a joke
  • describing appropriate ways to engage with others in different contexts, for example, 'I socialise with my friends who speak Chinese in … ways, but I socialise with my friends who speak English in … ways'

Systems of language

Explain the role that features of prosody such as intonation and stress play in interactions in various contexts (ACLCHU187 - Scootle )

  • identifying ways in which rhythm, pace and voice projection impact on interpretation and effectiveness of messages conveyed
  • experimenting with rhythm, intonation and stress when reading aloud, reciting texts or expressing emotion to others
  • discussing differences in pronunciation of words and flow of speech by different Chinese speakers, for example, identifying features of 'native-like' speech in second language learners
Infer possible sounds and meanings of unfamiliar characters encountered in a range of contexts by identifying and explaining the role of semantic and phonetic sides (ACLCHU188 - Scootle )

  • inferring the meaning of unfamiliar words containing a familiar character morpheme
  • inferring the meaning of terminology in other subjects based on analysis of characters such as 螺旋桨
  • applying understanding of word formation to identify the word best suited to the required context and use by comparing translations for words in a bilingual dictionary
  • appreciating that the precise meanings of character morphemes are determined by context, for example, 一封信 and 相信；企图 and 地图
Understand and apply complex grammatical structures and features to achieve particular effects, and explore grammatical features of classical Chinese (ACLCHU189 - Scootle )

  • comparing how ideas are ordered and substantiated across genres and languages, for example, in Chinese essay-writing the author's position is generally stated at the end, whereas in Australian academic writing it is stated at the beginning
  • describing the purpose and features of genres that are uniquely important in Chinese literature, and exploring their origin in classic literature, such as 小品文，散文
Analyse and compose different types of texts for different purposes, using appropriate linguistic, textual and cultural elements (ACLCHU190 - Scootle )

  • comparing how statistical data such as census information or surveys is collated and referred to in Chinese and English texts, including consideration of the levels of in-text referencing required across both languages
  • analysing linguistic, stylistic and textual features of a range of samples of the same genre to compare the choices made by authors and the impact of those choices, for example, comparing 这位老人已经七十多岁了， 他每天要一上一下地打扫一千八百多级石阶， 该是多么辛苦啊！ and 这位老人年纪大了，要打扫很多石阶，这些石阶大概有一千八百多级，非常辛苦
  • analysing the layout of magazines and online texts and the deliberate choices of image, font and words to enhance understanding of key ideas and author positioning
  • examining the language of newspapers, identifying commonly encountered linguistic terms and considering the concise ways in which world events are reported in Chinese media
  • using models of literary styles to create texts and present them in multiple ways, for example, producing an article with 排比 to enhance emotional impact, and reading it aloud to peers, using volume, stress and facial expression to reflect emotions

Language variation and change

Explain how gender, social class and age affect language use in formal and informal contexts (ACLCHU191 - Scootle )

  • exploring different levels of formality involving a range pf settings and participants
  • viewing a variety of blogs and comparing language use in order to hypothesise about the age and gender of the authors
  • comparing informal interactions such as live interviews with studio discussions about an issue on news and current affairs programs
  • considering the impact of using formal language in establishing one's authority or to display knowledge on a topic
  • reading extracts of 古典小说, such as 《水浒传》, and noticing how language use differs from contemporary speech, for example, 史进道： 小人大胆， 敢问官人高姓大名？ 那人道：洒家是经略府提辖， 姓鲁， 讳个达字。 敢问阿哥，你姓什么？
  • converting informal spoken language into formal register to suit particular purposes, and experimenting with terms such as 明文规定 and 众所周知
Explore ways to use traditional characters to enhance their own communication (ACLCHU192 - Scootle )

  • listing and quoting famous sayings from traditional literature, such as famous lines from poems, to relate to readers who have similar reading experiences
  • identifying examples of 成语 in Chinese students' writing, discussing the effect of this and examining errors made, such as in the sentence 我要休息一下，要不然有个三长两短就不好了

Role of language and culture

Explain how languages shape the communicative practices of individuals and groups, and identify ways to enhance understanding across cultures (ACLCHU193 - Scootle )

  • reflecting on how attitudes or values they consider normal in one language may not feel or be viewed in the same way when discussed in a different language, for example humility is a value often conveyed in Chinese but not in English
  • exploring what assumptions are inherent in one language and examining how they might talk differently about the same things in a different language
  • exploring how concepts such as modesty, individual responsibility and respect for authority influence communication styles, and how they may be interpreted by English speakers as lack of confidence, engagement or initiative

Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 10, students sustain extended exchanges with others (for example, 那个，你知道的，就是，还有) and use Chinese to participate in shared activities, for example, 我为什么学汉语，澳大利亚的多元文化，年轻人的兴趣，网络的好与坏, 你难道不觉得…如果…就…吗？你的意思是说…,如果是这样的话… They apply knowledge of rhythm, pitch, intonation, and voice projection, and move between traditional and simplified characters as appropriate to role, audience and purpose.

Students respond to and create imaginative, persuasive and informative texts such as 自发采访，本地电视节目，访谈节目 and 偶像剧，娱乐节目，电影片断，音乐录影, in a range of generic formats, making choices with regard to audience and purpose, for example, 澳大利亚土著人的艺术，我看移民热，现代女性的地位, 报刊杂志，百科全书，百度等搜索引擎. They use Chinese to maintain social relationships with and interact with a diverse range of people across a variety of situations and contexts, using common colloquial expressions. They construct sentences using a range of structures to incorporate information and ideas, including relative and attributive clauses, conditionality and indefinite pronouns. Students compare information and ideas, explain or justify perspectives, and relate events using conjunctions. They apply a range of stylistic devices to engage and influence audiences, for example, 夸张，幽默.

Students explain how the traditional and simplified forms of the Chinese writing system convey meaning, and how ideographic cues can be used to extend meaning. They analyse the key features of Chinese grammar and sentence structure, and compare language use across a range of contexts and modes. They explain how features of culture impact on communication practices across languages, and apply this knowledge to their own interactions with others.

Years 7 and 8

Years 7 and 8 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students understand the ways in which they use more than one language in their daily lives. They understand the differences between the Chinese and English oral and written language systems and begin to extend their knowledge of language structures and texts.

Chinese language learning and use

Students are immersed in Chinese and begin to explore social issues, including environmental sustainability and family structure. Students explore the world of Chinese language with a focus on extending their contexts and purposes of use and refining their skills in using language that is appropriate to purpose and audience.

Contexts of interaction

Students interact using Chinese in the classroom and wider school environment, and with family and the local community, exploring the place of Chinese-speaking communities and the relevance of the experiences of past communities to the modern world.

Texts and resources

Students engage with language through visual media, poetry, drama, music, TV series and documentaries. They correspond with others by text message and email and through class-based social networking sites.

Features of Chinese language use

Written language use includes learning to read extracts from both Chinese and English literature to compare features of individual works. Students read nonfiction texts that are often glossed in Pinyin or supported with vocabulary lists. They learn to analyse new characters encountered in texts with a focus on mapping these character forms to their known spoken language. Oral language use includes participating in discussions and presentations on topics of interest and on life experiences in different contexts and cultures. Students participate in activities that focus on pronunciation, tone and rhythm, and learn to appreciate how their own language use compares to modern standard forms.

Level of support

Correct Chinese language use is modelled by the teacher to support students' Chinese oracy and literacy development. Vocabulary lists and model texts support literacy development.

The role of English

Classroom interaction is predominantly conducted in Chinese, with English being used to compare languages and explore complex ideas related to language, culture, learning and concepts from other learning areas.

Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact with peers and familiar adults, exchanging opinions and feelings and establishing friendships

[Key concepts: context, choice; Key processes: responding, transacting, exchanging] (ACLCHC194 - Scootle )

  • exchanging greetings with peers and familiar adults, choosing the appropriate greeting to suit age or position (for example, 您好，老师好) or time of day, for example, 你早，晚安
  • responding to invitations to participate in personal celebrations, including accepting and declining in appropriate ways, for example, 谢谢你的邀请，祝你生日快乐。但是我星期日要…对不起，不能参加你的聚会。希望你玩得高兴
  • sharing personal ideas and opinions on experiences such as home life and routine, school and education, diet and food, travel and leisure, climate and weather, expressing opinions and preferences, and stating reasons to elaborate the message, for example, 我不太喜欢…、我觉得…因为
  • exchanging information and opinions in class dialogue, responding to questions (for example, 你喜欢运动吗？), expressing agreement or disagreement with others' opinions (for example, 对，我也很喜欢运动。) and ensuring that other participants are included in interaction, for example, 我去过法国，你呢？
  • comparing own experiences to the lives of young people in other Chinese-speaking communities, for example, 我觉得 7:30上学太早。 我不坐地铁上学，我坐公共汽车上学
  • using set phrases to greet, thank, apologise, and ask permission from peers and teacher, for example, 我可以上厕所吗？；谢谢；对不起
  • following teacher's instructions such as 站起来 or 我们看书 and restating teacher's instructions to peers when needed (for example, 老师说我们...再…); responding to teacher's questions with actions or answers, for example, 懂了吗？
  • responding to teacher's praise (for example, 非常好， 太棒了) or suggestions, for example, 明天做，今天休息
  • participating in a shared blog and exchanging personal information such as name, age, school, year level and nationality with readers from a sister school, for example, 你好，我叫 Ann, 我是澳大利亚的学生
  • responding to correspondence, such as letters from pen pals, including by answering questions, clarifying meaning (for example, 你说你想来澳大利亚， 是吗？), seeking further information (for example, 你想一月来吗？) and addressing requests, for example, 澳大利亚一月是夏天，很热
  • maintaining contact with classmates and recording events in everyday life by keeping a weekly or daily online journal or blog, recording highlights of school or home life and leisure activity (for example, 今天我的足球队又输了，真没劲！ ) or a holiday experience, for example, 袋鼠岛游记
  • composing messages in an appropriate format for text messages, emails and letters, and using appropriate terms of address, for example, 敬爱的王老师 (for a formal letter) or 嘿，小王，最近好吗 (for a casual letter or message)
Participate in planning individual and group action to contribute to school and local community, making choices from available options

[Key concepts: leisure, education, relationships; Key processes: transacting, exchanging] (ACLCHC195 - Scootle )

  • participating in conversations in imagined scenarios involving purchasing items, asking questions about availability and range of goods (for example, 你有没有红色的？/ 你有什么颜色的？) and specifying quantity or type of item when selecting from options, for example, 三斤苹果，一包糖, 我要买这件
  • negotiating with peers on colour, size, quantity and other aspects of goods and services, and making decisions based on collective opinions, for example, 我喜欢那个…你喜欢… 所以，我们应该…
  • completing transactions by confirming price (for example, 多少钱？五块吧) and exchanging money, recognising Chinese currency
  • creating posters or fliers to promote cultural events to the local Chinese community and the community at large, such as 悉尼艺术节，XXX音乐剧
  • producing Chinese language versions of school promotional materials to assist the Chinese community to engage with school activities, for example, a school fete, principal's tour, sister school visit

Informing

Locate and organise key points of information from a range of familiar sources

[Key concept: information; Key processes: collating, analysing] (ACLCHC196 - Scootle )

  • applying knowledge of the world and their own experience to assist understanding of the meaning of texts, such as by discussing topics studied in other learning areas and exploring related Chinese texts, for example, understanding 黄山归来不看岳 by connecting knowledge or experience of visiting 黄山
  • making connections between images and charts and the content of texts, and identifying key words to locate information, for example, in the chapter headings of a book
  • listing possible resources before undertaking a research project and giving reasons for why these resources might be useful
  • listening for structural cues such as signposting, and considering images, music and voice to enhance understanding of key ideas conveyed, for example, identify changes in tone of voice and pacing to indicate potential danger or a sense of urgency
  • experimenting with different note-taking strategies when listening, for example, noting key words in Pinyin and recording numbers using Arabic numerals
  • listening to or viewing public information texts such as weather forecasts and announcements and identifying specific information and key words, for example, 点, 度,米, 公里,元/块
  • viewing texts such as a cooking program and answering questions from classmates on key procedures and main ingredients, for example, 蚂蚁上树没有蚂蚁。树是粉丝，蚂蚁是猪肉
  • obtaining the gist or specific information when listening to a flow of words by focusing on familiar, predictable items, and identifying aspects of voice, gesture or language choice that convey varying degrees of enthusiasm or dislike, for example, 我一点儿也不喜欢… compared to 我不喜欢…
  • collating information and ideas to present to others using various tools and charts and with consideration of the relevance, organisation and sequencing of information, for example, considering: What is the best way to introduce the topic? What do they want the audience to remember? What is the main message being communicated?
  • representing information to others by restating key phrases and explaining reasons for actions and feelings, for example, 她很高兴, 因为…
Represent factual information related to other learning areas and on topics of interest in a range of texts and formats for different audiences

[Key concepts: information, data, significance, legacy; Key processes: locating, analysing] (ACLCHC197 - Scootle )

  • preparing and creating a video clip to share with peers overseas introducing aspects of local culture, including interesting places, history, famous people, and lifestyle, for example, 墨尔本的电车
  • creating posters (for example, about a local city or popular site) to convey information to Chinese peers, using pictures, maps and data to support text
  • presenting information in alternative formats to suit the purpose and the needs of the reader, for example, creating graphs or tables to categorise information when contrasting 澳大利亚和中国的地理
  • selecting words from word lists to create informative texts such as signs, slogans and notices, and using electronic tools such as a digital dictionary to extend own expression
  • obtaining and representing information from texts that include both text and visual images to explain aspects of lifestyle or culture in different communities, for example, TV guide, brochures, advertisements or timetables
  • presenting information on topics of interest related to the natural world, human history and endeavour, geography, or the built environment, using visual supports such as tables, charts, calendars and maps
  • analysing what information is needed to research a topic, employing Chinese search engines to access diverse sources of information online and choosing the most suitable sources, for example, 这个网站看上去像正规网站吗？ 这个网站是官网吗?

Creating

Interact with and express opinions on a range of imaginative texts

[Key concepts: imagination, attitude, beliefs; Key processes: analysing, creating] (ACLCHC198 - Scootle )

  • viewing segments of texts such as popular music videos in Chinese from various sources of media, such as Pop Asia on SBS, and expressing personal opinions, for example, 我觉得…很有意思
  • comparing stories and characters in Chinese and Australian popular media and identifying the themes and topics that interest young people from different cultural backgrounds, for example, 澳大利亚的年轻人也很喜欢看动作片
  • reading short texts such as comics and cartoons, and identifying words, phrases and expressions the author has used to capture characters' emotions and reactions, for example, euphemistic phrases such as 真的吗？真倒霉！哎呀！
  • reading extracts from culturally significant Chinese children's literature, discussing their personal responses to the characters and storyline, and relating the story to personal experience or expressing empathy for characters
  • reading jokes or cartoons in Chinese, discussing how humour is conveyed through words and the presentation of ideas, and comparing with humour in English, discussing whether 'entertainment' means the same thing in different languages and cultures
  • reading children's literature, including fables and traditional stories, exploring values and morals such as the concept of 寓意 in 动画片，小人书, and comparing values and morals conveyed through texts across cultures, for example, 凿壁偷光，塞翁失马 （你能找到英语中类似的说法吗？ 你觉得这个故事的寓意在澳大利亚有意义吗？）
Adapt events and characters from popular Chinese narratives for particular audiences and to create specific effects

[Key concepts: sequence, story; Key processes: adapting, creating] (ACLCHC199 - Scootle )

  • creating songs or jingles to promote products, services or events in imaginative ways
  • performing Chinese songs, experimenting with rhythm, voice, emotion and gesture to convey the songs' intended sentiment and meaning and to enhance entertainment
  • exploring personal response to people, places, events and experiences within texts (for example, creating a diary entry from the perspective of a character encountered in a traditional story), and reflecting on language choices made
  • creating short narratives to capture the experiences, thoughts and emotions of characters in imagined contexts
  • creating digital stories by producing labels for pictures, photographs and cartoons, and presenting them in combination with sound, voice and music to convey a sequence of events
  • plotting a storyline in Chinese, considering: Who is the main character? How can I make this character interesting to readers? How can I sequence my story to grab the reader's attention?
  • creating narratives to describe imagined experiences in diverse contexts, based on sample topics and texts, for example, imagining a visit to China and recounting a visit to a homestay family or an adventure on the Great Wall, or describing experiences when a Chinese student comes to stay in Australia
  • creating stories in various literary styles (for example, 记叙文、散文、诗歌), experimenting with descriptive language to capture the intensity of characters' emotions and to create tension, for example, 我看到好多漂亮的花，有粉红的，雪白的，真是太美了

Translating

Translate short texts and identify words and phrases in Chinese that do not readily translate into English

[Key concept: equivalence; Key processes: comparing, translating] (ACLCHC200 - Scootle )

  • reading bilingual texts such as advertisements and signs, and exploring the effectiveness of and reasons for particular translations
  • reading children's stories in bilingual form and identifying which ideas in Chinese and English may or may not translate directly
  • observing interactions between speakers of Chinese and describing the interaction in English, including features of prosody as well as language
  • observing an interaction between a teacher and students in China and contrasting the patterns of interaction displayed with their own experience in Australia
  • explaining culture-specific concepts such as humility (谦虚) to people from different cultural backgrounds, providing examples of when and how 谦虚 should be shown and how it is understood by participants in an interaction, for example, when accepting/denying praise
  • identifying times when it is useful to employ words or phrases not normally used in English, for example, applying Chinese speech patterns when speaking about family members in English to a Chinese person, such as saying 'my brother's son' instead of 'my nephew'
  • identifying cultural differences in how meanings are conveyed by comparing texts in Chinese and English, for example, public announcements, TV advertisements, information brochures, public notices and signs
Create simple bilingual texts for different audiences, considering the influence of different roles, relationships, settings and situations

[Key concepts: audience, context, bilingualism; Key processes: translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC201 - Scootle )

  • acting as interpreter for visitors of diverse backgrounds and communicating their message to speakers of other languages, applying strategies such as clarifying, rephrasing and explaining when mediating cultural concepts
  • using a range of resources to assist in creating a Chinese translation of an English language text, exploring the functions of print and digital translation tools and discussing their strengths and weaknesses
  • appreciating the role of code-switching as a tool for mediating language and culture, and applying it in their own communication

Reflecting

Reflect on personal responses and reactions during interactions in Chinese such as talking with a Chinese adult or interacting online with Chinese peers

[Key concepts: reflection, place; Key processes: reflecting, observing, noticing] (ACLCHC202 - Scootle )

  • engaging with Chinese speakers through organised school activities, for example, communicating with students at a Chinese school via Skype or welcoming visitors to own school), recording moments when difficulty is experienced in communication, reflecting on the cause of the difficulty, and noticing how next interaction improves
  • observing interactions between Chinese speakers and noticing the difference word choices and use of gesture among participants
  • identifying language use in different contexts, such as a family eating out in a restaurant (for example, noticing the seating arrangement, the background environment and how dishes are ordered and presented) and discuss how this compares to one's own experience
  • comparing how language and gesture are used to communicate in English and how these features would be understood when interacting with Chinese people; identifying how their communication style may need to be altered when conveying ideas in Chinese
  • improving language choices across cultures, such as when meeting people for the first time (for example, when being introduced to a parent's friend);
  • comparing how the residential address in Chinese and English reflects certain values in the different cultures
  • recognising their own tendency to generalise or stereotype during interactions (for example, 地域歧), and considering questions to ask about the other person's cultural background, being sensitive to the possibility of causing offence
  • participating in cultural events and reflecting on how cultural practices change in a different context, for example, 我们家不过中秋节，因为大家都觉得不太重要。母亲节有时候我们全家回去爷爷奶奶家一起吃饭
  • being aware of how own ideas may be perceived by others based on language choice, for example, 我妈妈不喜欢我说汉语中间夹英语，但是我和朋友经常这样说，她也经常这样说。有的时候姥姥听不懂，我就会想想全用汉语怎么说

Systems of language

Explain the phonological and tonal features of Chinese, including variations in tone, stress and phrasing in diverse settings (ACLCHU203 - Scootle )

  • recognising the value of Pinyin romanisation to assist in distinguishing and analysing differences in spoken Chinese, to generate digital texts and to develop understanding of sound–symbol correspondences in characters
  • identifying subtle differences in pronunciation in spoken Chinese, including variations in regional accents, especially in speakers of other dialects, for example, distinguishing between 'qing' and 'qin', 'lou' and 'rou', 'liang' and 'lang', 'shi' and 'si', 'lan' and 'nan'
  • developing tone discrimination and exploring the impact of tone choice, including tone sandhi, on the meanings expressed in speech, for example, 'mǎi' and 'mài', 'bùqù' and 'búqù'
Identify features of individual characters and the form and function of components in individual characters and in related characters (for example, 心,想,情,闷), and learn to relate components (部件) and sides (偏旁) to the meaning and sound of characters (ACLCHU204 - Scootle )

  • recognising subtle differences and the implications for sound and meaning when discriminating between characters of similar appearance, for example, 我 and 找
  • analysing the nature of components, and their arrangement and function in a range of characters, for example, fire （火/灬） and heart （心/忄） components
  • analysing common simple and compound characters and identifying the possible placement of specific radicals and components in a compound character, for example, the placement of 扌 on the left-hand side
  • recognising clues inherent in characters when attempting to map specific sounds and meanings onto correct character forms, for example, exploring the reliability of semantic and phonetic functions of components and sides regularly encountered in characters containing common elements such as 请、 精、 猜; 认、 忍、 任; 忍、 想、思
  • categorising words containing a common morpheme to better understand the relationship between morphemes and specific word meanings, for example, using dictionaries to explore the range of words created from a common character morpheme such as 情 and 性
  • discriminating between the functions of morphemes with related meanings, for example, 餐-饭; 玩-做; 做-作
Explore features of the Chinese grammatical system (ACLCHU205 - Scootle )

  • developing a metalanguage to talk about and compare features of grammar across languages
  • comparing the impact of sequencing choices (for example, 我不能按时交作业因为我感冒了 versus 我感冒了所以不能按时交作业) when explaining or justifying an action
  • exploring the multiple uses of frequently encountered features of Chinese syntax such as particles 的 and 了
  • exploring uses of cohesive devices such as 可是; 因为…所以…;如果…就… to sequence and order ideas and events (for example, …的时候、以后、以前;先…然后…; 完), to compare ideas (for example, 跟…一样/不同；比), and as simple connectives, for example, 不但…而且…；虽然…但是…
  • organising information in diverse ways and discussing the logical flow of the information, considering whether it meets the audience's expectations, for example, comparing 目前陆地上的煤，石油等资源 由于长期开采，已经越来越少。 and 由于长期开采陆地上的资源，比如煤和石油，目前已经越来越少
  • comparing metaphorical and literal meaning in texts, for example, 远远的街灯明了，像是闪着无数的明星
  • analysing rhetorical devices in texts (for example, 比喻、夸张、排比), identifying culturally specific features such as 日月如梭，难于上青天, and experimenting with rhetorical devices in own texts
Identify how information and ideas are organised in a range of genres, and compare the textual features of narratives in Chinese and English to determine features which are distinctive to Chinese (ACLCHU206 - Scootle )

  • comparing the expression of ideas in diverse traditional and contemporary literary texts, for example, exploring the different ways in which the story of 孙悟空 is told in a cartoon, story or TV show
  • recognising and applying features of diverse text types, for example, comparing features of narrative, recount, report and procedure
  • comparing the ways in which similar ideas and concepts are presented in diverse genres, discussing the impact of genre choice on text structure and language use (for example, in persuasive and evaluative texts) and examining how language choices achieve the desired effect
  • exploring the traditional structure of persuasive texts in Chinese (for example, 总起-分述-总结) and discussing its effectiveness
  • reading samples of formal texts such as news articles, official letters and informative reports, and identifying how language use compares to their own everyday speech
  • analysing and explaining the organisation and development of ideas or an argument in a range of genres, including textual features such as paragraphing

Language variation and change

Differentiate features and apply rules for expressing meanings in spoken and written modes in different contexts (ACLCHU207 - Scootle )

  • exploring how the rules of word order can be altered in informal interactions, for example, noticing that the time can be placed at the end of sentences in speech but not in writing
  • matching the use of 成语 and 俗语 to appropriate contexts, for example, 夕阳西下 is normally used in written language while 猪八戒照镜子——里外不是人 tends to be used in spoken contexts
  • analysing how language is used differently in public texts across different Chinese-speaking regions, for example, the use of traditional versus simplified character forms in overseas Chinese newspapers; word choices and ways of reporting on controversial issues
  • identifying variability in language used in different contexts, for example, interacting in the supermarket, at the doctor's surgery, or when visiting a friend or relative
  • recognising language choices that reflect varying levels of formality as appropriate to context, and applying this to their own interactions (for example, 爷爷 and 祖父, 累死了 and 非常疲惫)
Explore the role of language in passing on cultural values and beliefs to younger generations and identify changes in language use over time (ACLCHU208 - Scootle )

  • exploring the extensive and ongoing role of idiom (for example, 成语 and 谚语) in contemporary texts and everyday speech
  • recognising the influences of other languages and cultures on the Chinese language (for example, and the use of code-switching), and exploring how language choice (such as communicating in regional Chinese, English, standard Chinese or youth slang) indicates membership of a group and can exclude others from the interaction
  • identifying situations in language can be used to position themselves or others as an insider or outsider, for example, the use of 老外 in Australia to refer to non-Chinese; the choice between 咱们 and 我们 to include or exclude participants
  • experimenting with voice projection, pitch and rhythm when trying to assert own view or idea without disempowering or dismissing others, for example, to appear authoritative when speaking on an issue or topic, or to reprimand, advise or motivate others

Role of language and culture

Discuss ways in which language choices indicate aspects of social position (such as class, gender and ethnicity) and inhibit or encourage others' involvement or sense of belonging (ACLCHU209 - Scootle )

  • exploring how known languages influence their communicative preferences, such as how the values of one culture may be reflected when communicating in another, for example, differences in the use and frequency of 'thank you' and 谢谢 which is simply a sign of gratitude in English, whereas in Chinese overuse of this indicates distance between participants in interactions
  • exploring how cultural concepts of family and the importance of one's sense of connection to others influence use of Chinese
  • exploring the origins of 成语 and 歇后语 encountered in texts such as 朝三暮四，姜太公钓鱼, and using set phrases to share or convey a cultural idea in own writing, for example, 塞翁失马，笨鸟先飞

Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 8, students use spoken and written Chinese to sustain interactions in their personal and social worlds (for example, 你叫什么名字？你多大了？你住在哪个城市？,不对，我是说… and 老师，我可以用电脑吗？), making appropriate language choices for different roles, relationships and situations, for example, 你的那个，那个 assignment 做完了吗？ They access and analyse information （for example, 排版结构，表格，图标）from a range of sources which include familiar characters and use this information for a range of purposes. Students interpret, translate and create a range of spoken, written and multimodal Chinese texts for imaginative, informative and persuasive purposes and for different audiences. Sentences generally contain two or more ideas connected by cohesive devices (for example, 如果…就…), and use a range of time phrases （for example, 然后；就）to sequence events and ideas. Students make comparisons (比;跟…一), and provide reasons to explain their opinions or actions, using conjunctions (因为、所以、因此).

Students explain the diversity in speaking and writing systems across languages, including regional variations within Chinese, and how these differences impact on their own understanding and communicative practices. They identify familiar characters in their simplified and traditional forms, and explain the differences between standard Chinese and dialects that may be spoken in their family. Their written literacy is still developing and they produce longer and more complex texts through the use of digital resources than in handwriting. They describe how the distinctive features of Chinese grammar and texts can be used to achieve particular effects and purposes. They explain how ideas are mediated across languages and cultures in their local communities. They express their own understandings of the Chinese cultural values that influence their own communicative practices.

Years 9 and 10

Years 9 and 10 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students extend their knowledge of language structures and text organisation through reading and viewing authentic material and discussing how to apply new learning to their own communication. They explore the nature of their dual identities and bilingual capabilities.

Chinese language learning and use

Students are immersed in Chinese language, exploring issues related to youth culture and topics of educational and social relevance. They begin to make connections and comparisons with the experiences of other young Chinese speakers and with those of other cultural groups in Australia. They also consider their own place in Australia and the nature of the relationship between Australia and the Chinese-speaking world.

Contexts of interaction

Contexts for interaction extend beyond the school and home environments to include increased engagement with students' local communities, in particular with older generations.

Texts and resources

Students engage with a variety of texts, including dictionaries and online translation tools, local print and digital media, and abridged bilingual versions of classic and contemporary literature and their film and TV adaptations.

Features of Chinese language use

Students participate in discussions, debates and presentations on local and global issues and initiate inquiry into topics of interest. They extend their writing skills to include more informative and objective language and write in more formal genres, such as articles and reports. They develop their skills in analysing characters and recognising word and clause boundaries in extended text. Students explore the influence of English on their own communication in Chinese, both in pronunciation and in linguistic structures, and the role of code-switching in their daily language use. They share ideas about how they can contribute to Australian society through maintaining their bilingualism and through establishing a more stable identity where they are interculturally and intraculturally aware.

Level of support

Correct Chinese language use continues to be modelled by the teacher to support students' Chinese oracy and literacy development. Glossaries, vocabulary lists, dictionaries and online translation tools are used to support comprehension.

The r ole of English

Classroom interaction occurs in Chinese. English is used when required for comparison or to explore complex ideas related to language, culture and concepts from other learning areas.

Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact with peers and others in familiar and unfamiliar contexts to exchange alternative ideas and perspectives, and to express preferences and opinions

[Key concepts: ritual, relationships, generations, values, identity, ancestry; Key processes: negotiating, participating] (ACLCHC210 - Scootle )

  • stating opinions on school life, family life, familiar people, experiences and significant personal events (for example, 我最喜欢圣诞节), and indicating preferences with reasons such as 我想去看…电影， 因为听说这个电影很好看
  • engaging in oral and digital discussions on topics of personal interest such as music, TV programs or sports, asking questions to seek ideas, request repetition and clarify meaning (for example, 你说你的生日是明天，是吗？) to enhance mutual understanding, for example, 我不太喜欢听流行音乐，我更喜欢摇滚乐,因为摇滚乐很有力
  • using different ways of expressing apology, appreciation or gratitude, and comparing practices across contexts, considering which term to use in various situations and according to the relationship between participants, for example, 谢谢;辛苦你了; 麻烦你了; 真对不起; 非常感谢
  • notifying teacher of work due in other subject areas, for example, 我有很多数学作业；我星期一有科学测验
  • expressing opinions on lesson activities and learning tools, for example, 我觉得很好玩儿 ；我觉得很有用；我喜欢用网络词典
  • requesting assistance or seeking advice on a feature of language (for example, mobile phone 。中文怎么说， 怎么写（面）这个字呢？), and exploring concepts related to topical and contemporary issues (such as ethnicity and identity, social justice, environment, education and future pathways, technology, and popular culture) through interaction with peers and other Chinese speakers, for example, 我听说现在中国的年轻人很喜欢看韩剧，是这样吗？你也喜欢看韩剧吗？
  • inviting others to contribute to discussions and provide feedback on own ideas (for example, 你不觉得…吗？ 难道…?), and asking questions, acknowledging strengths in others' arguments and providing evidence to contradict, challenge or rebut alternative views
  • substantiating their position with examples, quotes or statistical data and using 成语 or 谚语, for example, 养不教，父之过父母当然要对孩子的教育负责
  • collaborating to reach agreement by asserting, restating, conceding or negotiating in an appropriate manner (for example, 就算是说…; 尽管如此…), and recapping the main ideas discussed, suggesting a suitable compromise or solution and explaining the reasons behind the final suggestion
  • responding to inquiries in correspondence from overseas peers and via social media by describing the lifestyle of Australian young people, with pariticular attention to unique aspects of Australian culture, for example, 澳大利亚有…，人们生活…
  • engaging with educational social media to document own experiences and achievements by posting a weekly journal or blog for others to read, for example, 本周XX俱乐部足球赛
  • experimenting with ways of expressing ideas in more formal contexts, such as using objective rather than subjective language to recount events, for example, 袋鼠很多 compared with 我看到了很多袋鼠
Participate in planning and presenting a social or cultural event, negotiating options and solving problems

[Key concepts: community, emotion, multiplicity, power Key concepts: participating, negotiating] (ACLCHC211 - Scootle )

  • designing a campaign to promote a community organisation and persuade people to join, for example, creating slogans such as 加入澳洲华人青年会，你会认识更多的朋友！
  • asking open questions, inviting others to elaborate their ideas and restating to confirm understanding, for example, 请说一下您为什么决定…？为了保护环境，你一般做什么？你已经说过…；你说的是…，对不对？
  • considering how the use of a polite tone and respectful language when making a complaint may empower both speaker and listener to achieve a positive outcome, and how advice may be given in a non-judgmental way, for example, 你最好/我觉得你应该/我知道…对你很重要，可是… rather than 你一定要/如果你…，就…/你太…
  • negotiating to achieve desired goals by asserting, conceding, and expressing obligation (for example, 必须、一定要) or absence of choice （for example, 没办法、不得不）in an appropriate manner
  • participating in organised visits to Chinese-owned stores in the local area; specifying the quantity or nature of items required; requesting, negotiating and accepting prices; and completing transaction
  • participating in shopping scenarios with classmates, expressing opinions about qualities of goods (for example, 这个红色的裤子真好看), making comparisons with other retailers or service providers (for example, 他要一百块，你要一百三十块) and expressing satisfaction or dissatisfaction with price, for example, 太贵了
  • negotiating with classmates to determine an appropriate gift for an overseas visitor, acknowledging others' ideas and opinions, and offering alternatives, for example, 这件大衣太大了，我不要，我看一看那件吧
  • acknowledging the ideas and opinions of others and expressing agreement (for example, 好的、 我同意), disagreement (for example, 对，可是), excitement (for example, 太好了) or disappointment (for example, 真可惜) when interacting with others

Informing

Summarise and compare factual information about people, places and lifestyles drawn from a range of sources, including multimodal sources

[Key concepts: information, values, judgment, bias; Key processes: selecting, comparing] (ACLCHC212 - Scootle )

  • viewing reports on news and current affairs programs to develop an overview of events and discuss the responses of individuals and groups to issues and events such as a threat to public health or safety, environmental pollution, or rapid urbanisation
  • listening to and viewing texts such as celebrity interviews, news reports and documentaries on tourist hot spots, and obtaining the gist by focusing on familiar, anticipated items in a flow of words, for example, names of people and places, time and date, attitude and opinions
  • listening to and viewing interactions and noting the different opinions and ideas of different participants, focusing on key words and non-verbal cues to identify feelings
  • using dictionaries and other resources to interpret key words, for example, identifying the likely meaning of 七夕 in the sentence 农历七月七日是七夕
  • identifying important ideas and interpreting implied meanings in texts, recognising possible bias when judging the value of information
  • using listening strategies appropriate to a range of purposes, including listening for specific information, listening for key ideas, listening for overall understanding, or listening in order to repeat information to others
  • presenting opinions using strategies suited to the audience or reader's expectations, such as 欲扬先抑 (to criticise before praising)
Develop and present a position on an issue based on information drawn from different perspectives and sources and provide advice and guidance

[Key concepts: information, advice, media,; Key processes: classifying, evaluating, advising, guiding] (ACLCHC213 - Scootle )

  • identifying the positions of different speakers and exploring the explicit and implicit values and reasons that may have led to the development of their own perspectives, for example, why a Western speaker of Chinese may look at an issue differently to a native Chinese speaker; the different perspectives of a city resident versus a rural resident
  • developing an information kit about the local city or region to provide to Chinese visitors via a local tourism website, including details on history, climate, environment and cultural activities supported by visuals
  • creating short texts to inform others on topics of interest (such as 中国的茶-澳洲咖啡), and providing an objective perspective by discussing alternative views, for example, 有人说…也有人说…他们都不知道...所以…
  • accessing a range of sources of discussion (such as online debates in public forums and TV talk shows) and identifying factors that potentially cause bias on an issue, such as era, generational differences, cultural factors and individual personalities, for example, 有人认为愚公很傻， 尤其是生活在现代的人
  • presenting a balanced view on a contemporary issue, referring to evidence to support ideas and elaborating on own perspective
  • engaging with different representations of ideas, comparing perspectives and developing an informed position on issues relevant to their own lives, for example, 在中国有人说移民澳洲好，因为生活轻松； 也有人说移民澳洲不好，因为没有熟悉的家人朋友。我觉得… 因为…
  • presenting information on an issue such as 独生子女政策 by discussing perspectives and comparing experiences and opinions, noting how some people focus on positive effects on society and others focus on personal experiences of being a 独生子女
  • collaborating to produce multimedia displays to share with readers overseas to provide a local insight into issues such as the experience of international students in Australia, and highlighting the features that might be most relevant to overseas readers
  • collating information from personal research and writing reports on issues relevant to youth across cultures, such as pressure to follow fashions and trends, bullying, and inspirational people

Creating

Explore and express opinions on themes and emotions revealed in modified texts from classical and contemporary Chinese literature

[Key concepts: classical, contemporary, literature; Key processes: evaluating, expressing] (ACLCHC214 - Scootle )

  • responding to literary texts such as 《某某后传》 through own creative text production, employing the literary styles and methods identified in such texts
  • keeping a journal to reflect on emotions and experiences of individuals encountered in texts
  • identifying and comparing the language used to explore major themes such as love, success and beauty in youth media across different languages and cultures
  • participating in class discussion on messages conveyed in traditional and contemporary texts and comparing how concepts of humour, happiness and tragedy are conveyed in music, art and drama across languages and cultures
  • understanding the values inherent in the use of music, imagery and stereotypical representations of people, places and practices in diverse forms of youth entertainment
  • identifying and discussing generational and cultural differences portrayed in contemporary media
  • examining songs that have remained popular for generations or have become anthems for particular groups of people, and discussing why these songs have achieved such success
  • reading a range of imaginative texts from other cultures, keeping a reading journal (读书笔记) to record own responses, and participating in class discussions about texts such as 《小王子》 and 《安徒生童话选》
Create narratives to describe experiences involving imagined people and places

[Key concepts: fact and fiction, challenge, morality, human experience; Key processes: adapting, creating, imagining] (ACLCHC215 - Scootle )

  • collaborating with peers to perform a script from 儿童剧 or 情景剧 for younger year levels to engage them with the imaginative world
  • creating a script in response to a story from classical literature, such as 《草船借箭》, and considering how to convey the characters' personality through language
  • creating own dramatic or humorous representations of people and events encountered in traditional or contemporary Chinese literature, drama or song
  • writing a creative account of an imagined experience involving Chinese visitors to the local community, such as hosting a Chinese student or taking a tour group to a local sporting event
  • creating a Chinese voice-over for a scene from an English language sitcom and experimenting with ways in which language, images, action and humour are used to enhance appreciation of the message
  • collaborating to create performances in which they assume an imaginary role, for example, a skit about celebrating Spring Festival, a simple lyric about school life, or a rap about being a student of Chinese
  • creating narratives that hold the attention of readers, for example, beginning a story with 你知道吗？ and experimenting with 正叙，倒叙，插叙 to sequence events
  • collaboratively creating short plays describing the experiences of imagined characters in different cultures, for example, 《James在上海》
  • using descriptive language to set the scene and capture the reader's imagination, for example, describing the sound of traffic and the smell of breakfast stalls on a busy morning in a Chinese town
  • exploring how alternative words can be used to convey a range of attitudes and varying degrees of emotion towards people, places and events, for example, 我真高兴。你快乐吗？他很幸福!
  • comparing portrayals of a range of social groups in media, for example, how urban and rural communities and residents are portrayed in both traditional and contemporary texts
  • creating own narrative accounts of the life experiences of major historical figures or characters from literature, for example, 诸葛亮，孔子和他的学生
  • engaging and entertaining the audience through the use of devices such as humour, irony and metaphor, and embellishing ideas (for example, 猜猜我昨天干了什么？ as opposed to 昨天我), and building up to a climatic ending

Translating

Translate a range of simple Chinese texts and identify how some concepts can be mediated readily between Chinese and English and some cannot

[Key concept: equivalence; Key processes: comparing, translating, explaining] (ACLCHC216 - Scootle )

  • exploring ways to interpret and explain key concepts and cultural practices identified in Chinese interactions (for example, 面子) and experimenting with how to give 面子 in interaction with others
  • considering the uses of different measurement words in Chinese (for example, 小勺 and 茶匙；斤 and 克) when comparing Chinese translations of English recipes
  • comparing alternative translations to identify concepts of 'normality' in their own linguistic and cultural context, for example, using the term 软饮料 (instead of 无酒精饮料) assumes the reader/audience has some understanding of English to understand meaning of 软
  • comparing 褒义词，贬义词 and 中性词 and the contexts they are used in, for example, the differences between 聪明 and 滑头
  • identifying words used with specific assumptions, for example, gender (英俊 is used to describe males), significance (会见 versus 见面), formality (光临 versus 来到)
  • considering ways to convey culture-specific terms in English (for example, 中药和食疗, 上火，大补)
Create texts in Chinese and English, explaining the linguistic and cultural challenges of achieving equivalence of meaning

[Key concepts: audience, context, social distance, bilingualism; Key processes: identifying, translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC217 - Scootle )

  • viewing documentaries on historical events and figures and determining appropriate English equivalents for key terms with multiple meanings, for example, translating 运动 as '(political) movement' rather than its more familiar meaning, 'sport'
  • reading bilingual signs from a range of places, such as restaurants, shops, pools, schools, hospitals and construction sites, and evaluating the effectiveness of the English translations, and possible reasons for such interpretations
  • comparing word choices for signs across languages and discussing ways language is used to convey rules, expectations and permission, for example, comparing 闲人免进 to 'Staff Only'
  • observing others involved in interpreting meanings in bilingual contexts and identifying challenges and potential issues in mediation
  • expanding their own linguistic repertoire by exploring available choices to translate unfamiliar ideas when moving between languages, and reflecting on their own choices and preferences
  • experimenting with translations of extended texts, using a range of print and digital dictionaries and translation tools

Reflecting

Reflect on how conventions of speech and particular Chinese cultural concepts can influence communication style when using both English and Chinese

[Key concepts: face, public, private; Key processes: adjusting, analysing] (ACLCHC218 - Scootle )

  • identifying diverse ways their Chinese identity is played out in local communities (for example, through membership of community organisations and interest groups) and relating experiences in which their Chinese identity is central to their self-expression
  • exploring the ways their Chinese identity influences the different roles they play in life (for example, as a student at secondary school and in Chinese school, and as a son or daughter, an older or younger sibling, a friend, or a member of a sports team) and reflecting on times when linguistic and cultural aspects of their identity are questioned and challenged
  • reflecting on own cultural values and evaluating how these intersect with mainstream values when interacting in both Chinese and Australian contexts
  • recognising the language choices they make that influence how their identities as individuals and as Chinese-speaking Australians are perceived by others, for example, feeling more Chinese with Chinese people, and less Chinese when on their own or with people from a different cultural background
  • varying their language use when engaging with participants from different cultural backgrounds, for example, opening a speech in Chinese with 中国有一句俗语… when in English they would open a speech with some humour

Systems of language

Compare features of speech of speakers from diverse regions to standard Chinese including pronunciation and prosody (for example, intonation and stress) (ACLCHU219 - Scootle )

  • developing tone discrimination and identifying subtle differences in pronunciation, including variations in regional accents, for example, distinguishing between 'qing' and 'qin', 'lou' and 'rou', 'liang' and 'lang', 'shi' and 'si', and 'lan' and 'nan' when listening to interactions between speakers in diverse contexts
  • comparing their pronunciation and word choices when speaking in Chinese to peers and other Chinese speakers
  • experimenting with rhythm, pace, tone, stress and other paralinguistic cues, and developing strategies to address aspects of their own spoken Chinese that may impede effective communication with others
Explore and apply the principles of character form and function, including knowledge of semantic and phonetic radicals, to predict associate sound and meaning of new characters encountered in texts (ACLCHU220 - Scootle )

  • using character and component knowledge to infer potential sound and meaning of new characters encountered in texts
  • examining component form and function to predict sound of unfamiliar characters when reading aloud
  • inferring the meaning of terminology from other subject areas based on analysis of characters such as 螺旋桨
  • using knowledge of components to select a character from options when inputting Chinese into a digital text
  • explaining how morphology works to identify and convey subtle and precise meanings in communication
  • inferring the meaning of unfamiliar words containing a familiar character morpheme
  • applying understanding of word formation when comparing translations in a bilingual dictionary to identify the word most appropriate to the required context and use
  • appreciating that the precise meanings of character morphemes are determined by context, for example, 一封信 and 相信；企图 and 地图
Organise and express complex ideas in Chinese, for example, analysing and comparing active and passive sentence constructions (ACLCHU221 - Scootle )

  • organising information in a range of ways, and discussing the logical flow of the information and whether it suits the audience's reading expectations, for example, comparing 目前陆地上的煤，石油等资源 由于长期开采，已经越来越少 and 由于长期开采陆地上的资源，比如煤和石油，目前已经越来越少
  • analysing the subtle differences between expressions with similar meanings conveyed using, for example, 除了…也 and 除了…都 and 虽然 and 尽管
  • exploring the particular functions of key grammatical forms and their correct context of use, for example, distinguishing between the uses of 的、 得、 地 and 可以、能、会
  • employing more complex syntactical features to enhance their own meanings, building on current knowledge, for example, making comparisons, expressing sequence, expressing cause and effect
  • using particular discourse features to extend and elaborate their own message, for example, 除此之外、尽管这样、同样
Analyse textual features of formal genres and apply these in their own speech and writing (ACLCHU222 - Scootle )

  • analysing features of texts in formal domains, for example, comparing aspects of formal and personal letters such as salutations or level of politeness; examining features of articles such as the use of headings, placement of author name, organisation into introduction, body and conclusion
  • comparing how statistical data (such as census information or surveys) are collated and referred to in Chinese and English texts, including consideration of the levels of in-text referencing required across both languages
  • analysing linguistic, stylistic and textual features of diverse samples of the same genre to compare the choices made by authors and the impact of these choices, for example, comparing 这位老人已经七十多岁了， 他每天要一上一下地打扫一千八百多级石阶， 该是多么辛苦啊！ and 这位老人年纪大了，要打扫很多石阶，这些石阶大概有一千八百多级，非常辛苦
  • analysing stylistic/literary devices used in knowledge-based texts, for example, technical terms and concise formulaic expressions used in newspaper articles
  • appreciating and applying the use of literary devices, for example, direct and indirect historical and cultural references; features of intertextuality such as classical allusions (歇后语)
  • analysing the layout of magazines and online texts to identify how images, fonts and words have been chosen to enhance understanding of key ideas and author positioning
  • examining the language of newspapers, identifying commonly encountered linguistic terms and considering the concise ways in which world events are reported in Chinese media

Language variation and change

Recognise how gender, social class and age impact on language use in formal and informal contexts (ACLCHU223 - Scootle )

  • observing interactions between speakers and identifying examples of how language is adapted as the roles and positions of participants are established, for example, moving to more formal language once one participant is identified as a person of authority
  • reading texts such as 《人民日报》, and identifying words and phrases that are used to convey authority or objectivity, such as how to name students with different achievements (for example, 尖子生，中间生，临界生 优秀学生, 普通学生,后进的有潜力学生) in a report on school education
  • discussing the transferability of expressions and words across different settings, for example, following the debate on the use of internet language in education and in the media (for example, the use of 网络语言 in student's 写作)
  • comparing the same meaning conveyed in speech and writing, (for example, in speech (你不可以进去) and on a sign (闲人免进)) and discussing why the language may vary, including aspects such as interactivity and authority
Explore the significance of tradition in 名人名言 and 经典 and examine contemporary influences on language use (ACLCHU224 - Scootle )

  • reading texts in traditional characters on familiar topics and inferring meaning of key characters
  • predicting the meaning of texts in traditional characters encountered in everyday contexts by relating the character's simplified version, for example, 匾 in a tourist site
  • discussing the influences on their own Chinese language use (for example, from TV, family or Chinese school) and how their language use compares to that of their parents and other Chinese speakers
  • analysing how new words and concepts are developed and incorporated into daily use, for example, in contemporary media such as TV dramas, music and film
  • exploring samples of classical texts such as 《论语》 and recognising the impact of classical Chinese on contemporary written language, for example, the use of 岂， 于
  • listing famous quotes from traditional literature, such as famous lines from poems, and using these in their own writing
  • identifying examples of 成语 in writing by students of Chinese, discussing the effect of this usage and then identifying any errors made, such as in the sentence 我要休息一下，要不然有个三长两短就不好了

Role of language and culture

Explain how languages shape the communicative practices of individuals and groups and identify ways to enhance understanding across cultures (ACLCHU225 - Scootle )

  • considering ways in which being a bilingual speaker of Chinese and English could impact on and enhance their future life and career
  • examining how language is used to marginalise groups in society, such as how labels are used to simplify identification of groups and influence how such groups are perceived by others, for example, 蚁族、80后/90后
  • considering their own perceptions of the Chinese-speaking world and identifying the influences on their perceptions, for example, trips to China when younger; stories from grandparents
  • exploring how concepts such as modesty, individual responsibility and respect for authority influence communication styles, and how they may be interpreted by English speakers as lack of confidence, engagement or initiative
  • exploring what assumptions are inherent in one language and how the same cultural assumptions may not exist in another language, for example, analysing how the terms for 'getting married' differ for women (嫁出去) and men (娶妻) and the gender-neutral 结婚

Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 10, students use spoken and written Chinese to initiate and sustain extended interactions with others in their social world and in the Chinese-speaking community, for example, 我的学校生活，澳大利亚的运动，我最喜欢的春节活动. They ask questions (for example, 你真的认为…吗？请想一想…) and adapt language use for a range of contexts and roles. They identify and evaluate key points of information from different spoken, written and multimodal authentic sources and use this information to develop a position and to inform and convince others. They move between Chinese and English to create simple bilingual texts. Students interpret, interact with and create a range of texts for imaginative, informative and persuasive purposes and for different audiences. Sentences include a range of structures, including formal expressions to connect ideas, for example, 除此之外, 尽管这样, 因此，无论…都… They also use relative and attributive clauses, conditionality and indefinite pronouns. Students compare information and ideas, and explain or justify opinions, for example, 有人说… 还有人认为… 所以…而且… 因此… They apply knowledge of metaphor and 成语 in their own writing.

Students map characters against familiar sounds and apply their knowledge of character form and function to predict the meaning and sound of unfamiliar characters. They independently use digital resources to communicate with others, and utilise online and print dictionaries to assist in reading Chinese texts. They explain how the purpose and use of stylistic devices, textual features and language features change across contexts, genres and traditions. Students explain the cultural assumptions that influence participants' responses and identify ways in which understanding could be enhanced in communication. They reflect on the roles both Chinese and Australian cultures play in their own communicative practices and use these reflections to improve their Chinese language use.

Years 7 and 8

Years 7 and 8 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students whose first language is Chinese learn about being Chinese in Australia and begin to develop their bilingual and bicultural identities as they learn to live and interact with the Australian community.

Chinese language learning and use

Students are immersed in Chinese, with the teacher using Chinese for instruction, explanation and interaction. Learners speak and write in Chinese to express their own interests and describe and discuss their life experiences in diverse contexts. To develop oracy and literacy, learners build metalinguistic awareness across both Chinese and English, identifying similarities and differences in language systems and framing. Given the high value placed on recital in Chinese culture, students are likely to have begun to develop this skill, and it should be further developed as part of their progress towards becoming high-level users of Chinese in a range of contexts. Students consciously apply a working knowledge of Chinese language systems to their language use in order to understand why they make certain choices in interactions and to access a wider range of written texts.

Contexts of interaction

Students use language in a range of contexts across family, school, community and social situations. They actively participate in the wider Chinese community, both locally and globally. They learn to adjust their communication for audience and purpose.

Texts and resources

Students access Chinese texts written in both simplified and traditional characters to obtain information on a range of subjects which support their learning in other areas. They engage with contemporary culture through film, music, and youth magazines, and use online and digital resources. They engage with traditional and contemporary Chinese language literature to enhance their appreciation of literary styles. They read texts in both simplified and traditional characters, comparing forms and identifying how key components are altered or transferred, and use this understanding to make informed predictions of meaning when they read new characters in the form that is less familiar to them.

Features of Chinese language use

Students use Chinese to write and speak with imagination to engage or persuade peers, justifying their perspectives by drawing on ideas or experiences of others. They apply linguistic expressions encountered in contemporary and traditional literature to develop their own ability to write in more expressive and creative ways while increasing accuracy in their use of simplified and traditional characters.

Level of support

First language learners often have limited experience of Pinyin but may use other romanisation systems. First language learners transcribe Pinyin and character texts from the sounds that they hear, with the support of Pinyin tables and component lists as required.

The role of English

Students make comparisons between Chinese and English as they develop their literacy and oracy skills in both languages.

Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact with peers and exchange opinions and preferences about new social and cultural experiences, adjusting tone, vocabulary and phrasing to influence others

[Key concepts: community, environment, culture shock; Key processes: comparing, exchanging] (ACLCHC226 - Scootle )

  • sharing experiences and discussing how their own cultural practices are maintained or adapted in their new environment, for example, 来到澳洲以后， 我开始对土著人的艺术感兴趣了
  • identifying and challenging stereotypes about Chinese and Australian cultures
  • discussing the concept of friendship across cultures, and describing own sources of social support within the local community, for example, 我现在在一个羽毛球俱乐部打球， 认识了不少朋友， 挺开心的
  • using appropriate strategies to maintain communication, such as explaining concepts and ideas when other participants are not familiar with the topic of conversation, for example, 我很喜欢吃榴莲， 榴莲就是那种有点臭，身上长很多刺的水果
  • listening to a conversation about a new song, dance style or pop-culture phenomenon, and identifying the points being made, explaining the tone and manner of communication
Collaborate with peers to plan and organise multicultural projects and events that would benefit their school and local community

[Key concepts: multiculturalism, community; Key processes: planning, socialising] (ACLCHC227 - Scootle )

  • investigating Chinese cultural activities available for young people (for example, lion dance troupe, folk dance troupe), and discussing with peers details of the nature of the activity and the level of commitment involved
  • indicating agreement and disagreement in polite ways and expressing gratitude for time and services provided, for example, 太麻烦你了；这次多亏了你的帮助；这个不是太合适 吧， 我还想再看看，谢谢！
  • planning or participating in events which share popular aspects of Australian ways of life related to music, popular culture, climate, landscape and recreational activities, to members of their local Chinese-speaking community
  • introducing others to diversity within Chinese language and culture (such as diversity in language use and cultural practices across greater China, differences between urban and rural life, and regional cuisines) by participating in school cultural events or creating texts to inform others, for example, creating a poster for second language learners of Chinese
  • collaborating with others to organise a cultural day to support appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity within the school community, using social media to plan the event and to encourage others to participate

Informing

Interpret the stated and implied meanings in authentic informative texts, and use evidence to support or challenge different perspectives

[Key concept: perspective; Key processes: challenging, interpreting, informing] (ACLCHC228 - Scootle )

  • comparing a range of ideas on topics such as different generations' perspectives on the importance of traditional festivals, the lifestyles of rural and urban communities, and the traditions and values of 少数民族
  • discussing and explaining own response to perspectives presented, for example, 有人说…还有人说…我认为他们站在不同的角度当然看问题不完全一样。我觉得… 因为…
Use and analyse a range of sources written in simplified and traditional script to identify relevant information, and use this information to create purposeful public information texts

[Key concepts: relevance, public life; Key processes: analysing, conveying] (ACLCHC229 - Scootle )

  • accessing diverse sources such as blogs and social media, newspaper articles and educational texts, and discussing the relevance and credibility of information conveyed, for example, comparing information presented in blogs with newspaper articles
  • recognising multiple perspectives on an issue and identifying the factors that may influence a particular perspective (for example, nationality, religion, gender, ethnicity) to determine the perspective or credibility of sources
  • evaluating how different authors use language to achieve a particular effect, considering how values and personal views are implied in word choices, for example, 屡败屡战 (emphasis on the determination to overcome a failure) versus 屡战屡败 (emphasis on the fact of many instances of failure)
  • accessing information related to understanding their own experiences as Chinese students in Australia by searching both Australian and overseas digital media, such as 百度百科，雅虎等网站 to develop advice and supports for new students arriving at their school
  • accessing and organising information on educational and social topics, using techniques such as paraphrasing, summarising and quoting, and expressing own perspective on the information obtained, for example, 有些人认为…， 另一些人则认为…， 综上所述…

Creating

Compare how contemporary Chinese media and literature represent the notion of 'being Chinese' or 'being other', and use this knowledge to present a point of view for an identified audience

[Key concepts: culture, identity, representations; Key processes: comparing, expressing, responding] (ACLCHC230 - Scootle )

  • comparing 'being foreign' in China and 'being Chinese' in Australia, for example, viewing or reading 汉语桥 performances, songs, films and fiction and discussing how Chinese-speaking foreigners are 'celebrated' in Chinese media
  • exploring representations of the overseas Chinese experience, both locally and globally, and the development of local Chinese identity in Australia through reading texts such as The Sojourners in Chinese translation (Zhang Wei, 2009)
  • investigating contributions made by Chinese individuals and groups in contemporary Australian culture and discussing the cultural values that are conveyed through these contributions, for example, the work of artists Ah Xian and Guan Wei, and author Sang Ye
  • exploring their own connections and responses to overseas Chinese literature, for example, the ideas and values reflected in 海外华人的文学作品 such as the song 《故乡的云》
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations of classical Chinese literature and famous speeches and discuss how cultural values can be transferred

[Key concepts: 古文, entertainment values; Key processes: planning, rehearsing, delivering, transferring] (ACLCHC231 - Scootle )

  • discussing the impact of Chinese traditional entertainment on contemporary Chinese culture, for example, 相声
  • analysing classical poems and the values they convey, and relating them to culturally significant events, for example, Chinese New Year in 宋代诗人王安石《元日》
  • comparing the Gettysburg Address with a speech of equal significance in Chinese and discussing why these speeches are important and what language features are used to convey messages
Use particular language features such as dialogue and imagery in short stories, literary essays and plays to create own imaginative representations of experience

[Key concepts: journey, reality and fantasy, interconnectedness; Key processes: expressing, experimenting, analysing] (ACLCHC232 - Scootle )

  • creating texts depicting the experiences of Chinese people in Australia, for example, writing a narrative reflecting a Chinese person's adjustment to a new life in Australia based on an interview conducted with an older member of the local Chinese community
  • using examples or quotations from traditional literature in their own writing, such as 三人行，必有我师焉 from 《论语·述而》。
  • presenting the experiences of people in different eras, such as women in ancient China, through drama, poetry and literature
  • writing a story of an imagined scenario or an exciting adventure to entertain younger students at school

Translating

Identify challenges in and techniques for mediating between Chinese and English

[Key concepts: equivalence, paralinguistic cues; Key processes: responding, translating, mediating] (ACLCHC233 - Scootle )

  • discussing cultural connotations of words that express emotions, such as 幸福 versus 'happy'; 怎么回事? versus 'What's wrong?'
  • defining equivalence and finding examples of concepts in Chinese and English which are unable to retain the original meaning when translated into the other language
  • translating terminology from other learning areas from English into Chinese and vice versa, for example, science, mathematics and social science concepts and terms
  • viewing extracts of Chinese films with their English subtitles, identifying alternative English translations and hypothesising reasons for choices made by professional translators
  • exploring English translations of Chinese colloquial language and vice versa, and discussing the complexities of capturing the meaning and sentiment conveyed by the original
Create bilingual information texts for speakers of Chinese and English in Australia, recognising 'code-switching' and how specific vocabulary and terminology from other learning areas can be translated in different settings, such as for an expert or beginner audience

[Key concepts: equivalence, audience, context, bilingualism; Key processes: identifying, translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC234 - Scootle )

  • comparing multiple ways of translating English terms and phrases into Chinese, and discussing the effectiveness and focus of these translations, for example, 苹果手机 or 爱疯
  • considering others' responses in interactions and clarifying whether their own message has been understood as they intended, for example, 大家对这个问题还有什么疑议吗？ 不知大家还有没有什么意见和建议？
  • producing own bilingual texts, for example, explaining aspects of Chinese culture to English-speaking audiences or interpreting concepts learnt in other learning areas to help Chinese-speaking peers understand course content
  • providing further explanation of concepts that are not immediately clear to second language learners of Chinese, for example, contrasting the concept of 'culture' in English with Chinese 文化 (which also includes the meaning of 'literacy') and starting to understand other 文化 in comparative terms

Reflecting

Reflect on adjustments they and others make in their everyday language use, and connect these adjustments to aspects of experience, culture and roles in Australian society

[Key concepts: bilingualism, identity, community, belonging, culture shock; Key processes: reflecting, adjusting, analysing] (ACLCHC235 - Scootle )

  • reflecting on how meanings of certain words are understood in different ways, for example, the different implications of using the term 他的店很肮脏
  • exploring multiple aspects of the concept of 'identity' by contrasting 'individuality' (个体) with 'collective identity' (集体)
  • identifying how their knowledge of Chinese and English opens up opportunities to expand their own world views
  • discussing experiences of 'returning to home country' (回国) and how they feel about the lifestyle and practices of their old home
  • reflecting on how their sense of being Chinese is influenced by their experience of living in Australia, for example, by maintaining a journal or blog
  • identifying features of communication in Chinese that are interpreted differently when applied in English communication, for example, examining how adjusting from a tonal language to English sometimes results in miscommunication of emotion or a perception of being abrupt
  • examining and reflecting on interactions that did not achieve their desired goal, and identifying strategies to enhance the effectiveness of their communication with others
  • reflecting on the challenges of addressing cultural assumptions and stereotyping when discussing aspects of life in Australia, for example, 有的澳大利亚人说到中国人就会说中国人怎么怎么样...，难道一个中国人做的事情就代表了所有的中国人么？

Systems of language

Discuss features of Chinese phonology and compare their own pronunciation with that of other speakers of Chinese (ACLCHU236 - Scootle )

  • comparing the features of spoken English and the features of Chinese phonology
  • identifying features of spoken Chinese by comparing their own speech to the pronunciation and speech patterns displayed in examples of Modern Standard Chinese, such as in news broadcasts
  • explaining the use of the neutral tone and non-tonal suffixes such as 儿
  • preparing a mock lesson for non-Chinese-speaking friends about Chinese phonology
Identify and explain the differences between traditional and simplified characters, inferring meaning and sound of unfamiliar characters from knowledge of components and positions (ACLCHU237 - Scootle )

  • analysing relationships between characters and meanings in phrases representing auspicious meanings such as 年年有鱼－年年有余;年糕－年年高升; 枣栗子－早立子; 8－发.
  • applying understanding of orthographic principles to correct mistakes in own character writing
Apply understanding of word morphology and vocabulary choices to interpret and convey meaning (ACLCHU238 - Scootle )

  • examining the relationship between characters in a word, identifying subtle differences in meaning to enhance their own communication, and determining the appropriate context for related words such as 帮助 and 帮忙
  • differentiating 形近词 based on the meanings of each morpheme (for example, in 走进 and 走近) and applying in own writing
  • analysing how words containing a common morpheme are related, for example, how 乘 is used in 乘车 ('take a ride'), 乘机 ('take a chance') and 乘法 ('multiplication')
Compare how grammatical features such as tense and passive voice are constructed in English and Chinese, and identify distinctive features of Chinese grammar, for example, in tense marking (了、过), possession, plurality (ACLCHU239 - Scootle )

  • enhancing their understanding of how information is organised to achieve particular communicative purposes, for example, 是…的 and 被 structure
  • experimenting with the use of different sentence patterns when composing own messages, for example, 让步句 and 转折句
Compare writing styles between Chinese authors to identify and explore the purposes and features of text structure and organisation of ideas (ACLCHU240 - Scootle )

  • exploring diverse examples of writing and identifying features of particular styles such as 辞藻华丽 , 平实质朴 , 口语化
  • discussing own preferences for writing styles of particular popular authors
  • experimenting with different ways of sequencing and organising ideas for different audiences and purposes
  • exploring text structure and format in classical literature, for example, 五言 and 七言 in poetry; the absence of a subject in 李白《静夜思》
  • comparing the organisation and substantiation of ideas in essays in classical and modern literature, for example, comparing 周敦颐《爱莲说》 and 余光中《莲恋莲》

Language variation and change

Explore assumptions and challenges for language use in new environments, identifying and comparing ways in which sensitive topics are introduced and discussed across languages, for example, comparing the Chinese custom of asking direct questions about age, income and other personal matters with the contexts in which these questions are asked in English (ACLCHU241 - Scootle )

  • recognising clichés, examining cases of 'breaking' a cliché and the impact it might have, such as 脑筋建转弯 questions
  • identifying how language use can be varied for different participants in different contexts, for example, the use of slang and abbreviations between teenagers
  • using classical terms and expressions including 成语、歇后语、俗语 appropriate to context, such as using 亭亭玉立 to describe young girls
  • discussing 'taboo' terms across languages, and using terms suitable for the context, such as different words for 死 ('to die'), for example, 驾崩 (皇帝)、 仙逝 （长辈 ) 、去世（一般人) 、香消玉殒 (女性)
Analyse features of classical literature in their original and contemporary forms, and apply features of 文言文 and 古文 in their own language use, identifying rules of intonation in classical poems and the impact of these rules on modern poetry (ACLCHU242 - Scootle )

  • exploring symbolism in classical literature and in modern pop culture, such as the connotations of key terms such as 凤凰
  • discussing the revival of the study of traditional texts (国学) and the reasons for such interest in the past
  • considering the role technology plays in their own lives and how it impacts on the ways they communicate with others and use language to convey ideas
  • identifying examples of internet language and discussing how these shape or impact their own language use, for example, 囧 、 槑 、 烎
  • comparing 'internet novel' (网络小说) with contemporary 小说 and identifying the impact of the internet in popularising and increasing access to Chinese literature
Identify the features of persuasive language and analyse its use in advertising (ACLCHU243 - Scootle )

  • discussing the impact of word choices, including 连接词, and stylistic devices (for example 排比，拟人，比喻) on the effectiveness of television and print advertising campaigns
  • considering the role of English in the world of Chinese advertising and how English words and expressions are embedded into Chinese speech to market products to Chinese speakers, within China and globally.

The role of language and culture

Analyse the use of language across genders and generations, within and across language communities (ACLCHU244 - Scootle )

  • collecting a range of famous colloquial sayings from many different cultures and comparing their use
  • explaining how culture impacts on their own communication, for example: Did they take offence that the host didn't offer food at the party? Why might some Chinese find that offensive?
  • knowing that communicative practices might be perceived differently in different cultures, for example, in accepting a compliment in Chinese, saying 谢谢 might make one look 自大
  • considering the role of English in the world, for example, examining the popularity of Chinese and English in second language programs and why individuals and nations believe proficiency in these two languages is important

Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 8, students sustain oral and written interactions with known audiences, making appropriate adjustments to language use for different audiences, contexts and purposes. They access and analyse a range of authentic spoken, written and multimodal sources to support and present ideas and opinions. Students respond to and create spoken, written and multimodal imaginative texts in a range of genres. They translate informative texts from Chinese into English and vice versa for particular audiences. Students reflect on adjustments they make to language use for different audiences.

Students apply knowledge of grammatical and text structures and vocabulary choices to communicate effectively. They identify the main ideas conveyed in texts related to other learning areas or presented in age-appropriate imaginative texts or media. They locate texts within a cultural context, and compare the values and practices encountered in classical Chinese texts with those encountered in their local communities. They identify ways that texts reflect the cultural background and values of the author and how they can be interpreted differently.

Years 9 and 10

Years 9 and 10 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students continue to develop their bilingual and bicultural identities. They explore how their identities are changing through their lived experience in Australia, identifying points of difference between their own values and those around them. They engage with the possibilities that being bilingual offers them now and in the future, and reflect on their potential as mediators of language and culture in local and global communities.

Chinese language learning and use

Students are immersed in Chinese. They present, debate and discuss issues, exploring their responses, positioning themselves in relation to events, and recognising and accepting others' diverse perspectives. They read texts in both simplified and traditional characters, comparing forms and identifying how key components are altered or transferred, and use this understanding to make informed predictions of meaning when they read new characters in the form that is less familiar to them.

Contexts of interaction

Students use language in a range of contexts across family, school, community and social situations to further develop their skills in communicating with range of audiences and contexts. They actively mediate between languages and cultures within their school and local communities.

Texts and resources

Students read, view and listen to a range of print, digital and online text types and resources, including newspaper reports, news websites, magazines, teen fiction, films and documentaries.

Features of Chinese language use

Students learn how to write objectively in simplified and traditional characters and substantiate their ideas and perspectives in appropriate ways. They learn to transcribe complex spoken texts and develop skills in listening to diverse speakers of Chinese who vary in rhythm and pitch. Students experiment with western genre conventions in their Chinese speech and writing and with ways of expressing and developing their 'Chinese voice' effectively for diverse audiences.

Level of support

Students develop their understanding of Pinyin. They use Pinyin and characters to transcribe the sounds that they hear in a range of contexts, for example transcribing song lyrics and noting details from spoken texts.

The role of English

Chinese is the language of classroom instruction and interaction. Students make comparisons between Chinese and English language and culture as their sophistication in both languages grows.

Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Influence and engage others, debating ideas and opinions, selecting language, tone, culturally expected stylised gestures, pitch and pace for different audiences

[Key concepts: perspective, conflict, difference; Key processes: persuading, influencing] (ACLCHC245 - Scootle )

  • applying strategies to engage in conversations with people of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, for example, using alternative terms to 吹牛、聊天 and initiating topics of mutual interest
  • monitoring the effectiveness of own communication skills when sharing ideas and interests with others, for example, when changing topics and taking turns in a conversation (听说…，刚才我们说什么来着？)
  • using emphatic and assertive language to defend a position, point out errors in others' assumptions or strengthen own argument when negotiating with others, for example, 我想这种观点是站不住脚的／这种说法是没有根据的，是无稽之谈
Plan and negotiate actions to contribute to their local and global community, and suggest alternatives when planning and negotiating

[Key concepts: politeness, proactivity/initiative; Key processes: planning, contributing, negotiating] (ACLCHC246 - Scootle )

  • displaying respect for others' ideas in interactions, agreeing to disagree, or negotiating to achieve agreement, for example, 要么这样吧…; 你看怎么样…; 你说的很有道理，但是…
  • discussing multiple perspectives on topics such as 独生子女政策，言论自由，贫富差距，经济发展与环境保护, and raising awareness among peers and members of school community to enhance mutual understanding of others' perspectives
  • comparing different learning environments and approaches to learning, for example, reflecting on prior learning experiences and suggesting the advantages and disadvantages of different educational systems (中国的教育是应试教育，注重死记硬背，澳洲的教育是启发式教育，培养的是学生的独立思考能力)
  • discussing issues encountered in their daily life when communicating across cultures, such as specific 'cultural barriers' and misunderstandings in communication, for example, 家长应不应该尊重孩子的个人隐私？
  • understanding the history of their local Chinese community and the multicultural nature of Australian society, for example, interviewing older migrants about their experiences as Chinese Australians (老一代的华人在餐饮、 木工、 香蕉种植等方面为澳洲做出了贡献，新一代的华人更多的是在金融、法律、医生等行业发展)
  • identifying areas of need within the local community and collaborating with others to provide support, for example, visiting aged-care facilities or helping to organise a cultural event to enhance understanding of Chinese culture within their own school and local communities (我们上个周末去华人养老院做义工，接触了很多很有意思的老人)

Informing

Identify and analyse the effects of how information is organised in authentic texts, and apply this knowledge to create purposeful texts that persuade and inform

[Key concepts: local, global, diversity, information; Key processes: transcribing, analysing, informing, persuading] (ACLCHC247 - Scootle )

  • examining the ways in which information is presented across diverse Chinese-speaking communities, for example, viewing news reports of world events from Beijing, Taiwan and Singapore
  • evaluating how information is presented in diverse forms of media across cultures, for example, comparing the impact of live news reports involving interviews with witnesses, and newspaper articles on the same event
  • applying understanding of news articles and other formal text types to create own response to contemporary issues in Chinese-speaking communities
Evaluate the utility and reliability of sources when accessing information, and use this knowledge to present a point of view for different audiences

[Key concepts: bias, authorship; Key processes: conveying, evaluating] (ACLCHC248 - Scootle )

  • identifying bias in texts, examining the values that influence bias, and discussing how bias differs from opinion and perspective, for example, 什么是偏见？ 偏见有哪些表现？ 应该怎样纠正偏见？
  • reading news articles and historical accounts of world events such as natural disasters, Olympic games, celebrations or commemorations of historical significance (such as Anzac Day), and exploring how the author's personal values and experiences influence their reporting on such events
  • recognising key ideas and reading between the lines, for example, identifying irony and sarcasm in texts (你可真是个气管炎（妻管严）
  • presenting and discussing own position on issues such as attitudes towards recycling, education in rural communities, and impact of social media on young people
  • debating the pros and cons (for example, 这样做的好处是： …这样做的弊端是：…) and presenting a balanced and reasoned argument, for example, 综合各方面的意见， 我们认为…; 根据大家的意见， 我们想提出以下建议…
  • applying effective strategies in a debate, including the art of rebuttal and developing a team line

Creating

Recognise and explain differing viewpoints on the world, cultures, individuals and issues as represented in major forms of literature such as 散文，小品，小说, and use this knowledge to create analytical and imaginative responses for identified audiences

[Key concepts: difference, culture, viewpoint; Key processes: recognising, representing] (ACLCHC249 - Scootle )

  • identifying various representations of multiculturalism in contemporary media and exploring the origins and nature of stereotypes commonly encountered
  • exploring cross-cultural influences in contemporary media, for example, examining the impact of Korean culture on Chinese entertainment in diverse contexts (Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China)
  • responding to films with a Chinese theme produced in other communities, for example, writing a personal response to a foreign film portraying Chinese-speaking communities
Compare performance features of major forms of classical literature, such as in 诗, 词, making thematic and intertextual connections

[Key concepts: culture, values; Key processes: connecting, performing, responding] (ACLCHC250 - Scootle )

  • comparing how concepts such as love, bravery and friendship are expressed in Chinese and English poetry, for example, comparing 陆游的《钗头凤》 and Elizabeth Barrett Browning's 'How Do I Love Thee?'; comparing poems of national unity (after war) and Banjo Paterson's 'We're All Australians Now'
  • comparing representations of particular concepts or experiences in different media, such as in novels and films, for example, 莫言小说《红高粱家族》 和张艺谋电影 《红高粱》
  • exploring how different forms of entertainment are used to express or reflect contemporary issues, for example, analysing 春晚小品 and how the topics are related to the 'hot' events of the year
  • collaborating to create a drama or comedy to depict their lives and the lives of other Chinese migrants in a new cultural environment
Create imaginative texts experimenting with genre, textual features and stylistic devices

[Key concepts: ancestry, culture, love, fear, inner world; Key processes: creating, expressing, experimenting] (ACLCHC251 - Scootle )

  • comparing literature across languages and cultures and recognising features of entertainment, for example, identifying how magic and danger are used in Harry Potter and 《西游记》
  • discussing the features of range of genres, such as memoirs, poems and moral tales, for example, comparing 小诗 and 散文 to identify how different genres express similar ideas
  • creating own imaginative texts, using literary devices to achieve particular purposes, for example, foreshadowing events and building up to the climax in a story, and experimenting with 暗喻, 反复 and other 修辞手法

Translating

Interpret culture-specific concepts

[Key concepts: humour, equivalence, cultural assumptions, wordplay; Key processes: interpreting, translating, mediating] (ACLCHC252 - Scootle )

  • comparing idioms and colloquialisms across languages and identifying the challenges in mediating the cultural values embedded in such sayings, for example, 胸有成竹 versus 'have a well-thought-out plan'; 山穷水尽 versus 'at the end of one's rope'; 入乡随俗 versus 'when in Rome'; 绕圈子 versus 'beating about the bush'
  • mediating Chinese jokes or l to English speakers and vice versa
  • reflecting on the beliefs, generalisations and stereotypes held by other Australians about Chinese cultural practices or values, for example,中国人只工作不享受／ 他们都很聪明／很难和中国人一起工作／中国菜都很好吃
  • introducing people, places, events and ideas of cultural and historical significance to Chinese people, for example, explaining to Australian audiences the historical and contemporary significance of 孔子 (Confucius) and his idea of 仁 (humanity)
Create bilingual texts for a range of audiences, contexts and purposes

[Key concepts: audience, context, social distance; Key processes: identifying, translating, interpreting] (ACLCHC253 - Scootle )

  • acting as translator between Chinese and English speakers during school events, and reflecting on the linguistic and cultural issues encountered, for example, when sister-school teachers and students visit
  • translating texts for a range of audiences and contexts, identifying adjustments to language choices made according social position of audience and context
  • comparing bilingual editions of novels and discussing how authors and translators maintain the effect of stylistic devices across languages, for example, the use of metaphor

Reflecting

Reflect on the language choices they make when expressing their points of view to others and connect these choices to their identities in Chinese and Australian communities

[Key concepts: individual identity and collective identity, community, dynamism; Key process: reflecting] (ACLCHC254 - Scootle )

  • discussing available choices in how they present their own identity to others and identifying times when they choose to express one aspect of their identity over another
  • reflecting on how their language choices, including the use of English, Chinese, a dialect or accent, are indications of their sense of identity within a particular context
  • considering the differences in their own sense of identity in Australia and when they 'return home' (回国) in terms of changes in social contexts and in their relationships with other participants in interactions
  • describing examples of when changes in identity are more evident, such as when they are compared to friends 'back home'
  • identifying meanings implied in facial expressions, gestures, interjections and exclamations, for example, 哎 can be used to express surprise or dissatisfaction
  • reflecting on how one's own world view is conveyed through language choices, for example, 'naming' China 华夏、九州、神州大地、中原 which reflects their understanding of their history, geography, ethnicity and place in the world

Systems of language

Compare features of prosody across languages and explore how they contribute to expression of meaning (ACLCHU255 - Scootle )

  • comparing how prosody is used to enhance the aesthetic features/uses of language in different texts such as poems and essays when read aloud
  • evaluating the effectiveness of prosody in diverse contexts, for example, analysing the relationship between use of voice and character types in movies and television dramas, such as how the matriarch or patriarch of the family in Chinese dramas often has a stern and intimidating voice
  • using prosody with effect when communicating with others, such as in formal presentations and debates, and in imaginative or dramatic performances, for example, 众所周知／显而易见／总而言之
Identify and explain how Chinese orthography enables access to technical and unusual vocabulary, including specialised abstract nouns, and a wider range of texts, using orthographic knowledge to identify characters related to topics studied in other learning areas, such as chemical elements (periodic table) and mathematical terms (ACLCHU256 - Scootle )

  • experimenting with the use of abstract nouns such as 物种 、 深春 、 微风 to create procedural texts
  • developing skills to comprehend simplified or traditional Chinese characters in print media and online texts
  • discriminating correct forms and sounds of 多音字 (polyphonic characters) such as 行 (háng 同行 and xíng 行进), and appreciating multiple forms of 通假字 such as 反 - 返; 说 - 悦
Compare the nature of word formation, including subtle forms of adjectives such as 特有的 and 明朗, in the development of new words in Chinese and English, and evaluate their effectiveness in conveying new concepts (ACLCHU257 - Scootle )

  • comparing the expression of new concepts across languages and analysing the representation of new ideas in contemporary media, such as 云电视、
  • comparing the functions of semantically related morphemes and discussing why one is preferred over others in the development of new words, for example, ways of expressing 'green': 碧、 翠、 绿 、 青、 （翠绿、碧绿、青翠、苍翠） and new words such as: 雪碧，绿化
Analyse and experiment with the use and effect of figurative and evaluative expressions, colloquial forms, and other language features in texts (ACLCHU258 - Scootle )

  • identifying the appropriate context for using colloquial forms such as 多姿多彩; 恰恰相反; 来得快去得快; higher-order verbs such as 弥漫；using 而 for 顺接; and adverbials, for example, 便是, 恰恰相反
  • experimenting with linguistic devices to enhance expression of emotions, for example, rhetorical questions, for example, 脸上的快乐，别人看得到。心里的痛苦又有谁能感到?
  • analysing the use of figurative language in literature, for example, 老舍《骆驼祥子》 中虎妞的一段话："呕！不出臭汗去，心里痒痒。你个贱骨头！我给你炒下的菜，你不回来吃，绕世界胡塞去舒服？你别把我招翻了，我爸爸是光棍出身，我什么事都做的出来！明天你敢出去，我就上吊给你看，我说得出来，就行得出来！"
  • exploring examples of literary language and how grammatical features differ from everyday speech, for example, 鲁迅的小说和议论文
  • manipulating styles of language in communication to achieve certain effects, such as writing a journal with 语气词 such as 嘿 and 吧 to make it more like a dialogue with the reader
Discuss key stylistic features of different text types, including classical literature (ACLCHU259 - Scootle )

  • identifying stylistic features of formal text types, for example, 作业报告 ;倡议书;竞选演说
  • comparing the way an argument is developed in different languages, for example, in English the writer's position is stated upfront whereas in Chinese it is generally left until the conclusion
  • analysing how to position oneself when writing for different purposes, for example, in persuasive and evaluative writing (说服： 独生子女政策给中国的发展带来了很多好处; 议论： 独生子女政策对中国的发展利弊参半)
  • exploring how to incorporate statistical data, quotations and research-based evidence in academic texts, for example, 据统计， 计划生育政策实行以来， 中国的人口少生了三亿
  • identifying features of classical writing such as 虚词 particles 之、乎、者、也, and word reductions such as 若 （犹如，好像） 父（父亲，爸爸）
  • exploring writing techniques in classical Chinese, such as the four steps in composing an essay (起承转合)
  • using terms derived from classical literature in their own writing, for example, 世有伯乐，然后有千里马；千里马常有，而伯乐不常有。（韩愈：《杂说（四）》）
  • determining the relevance and value of 成语 and 歇后语 in developing their own writing

Language variation and change

Explain how changes in context impact on how language is adapted to convey meaning within and across languages (ACLCHU260 - Scootle )

  • exploring how living in the Australian context impacts on how they present their ideas in Chinese, for example, considering how essays written in Chinese in Australia often follow the accepted organisation and formatting of essays in the Australian education system rather than the Chinese education system
  • analysing what is valued across cultures and discussing the impact of this on how meanings are conveyed in Chinese and English, for example, quoting 孔子 or using 成语 is evidence of a higher level of literacy in Chinese, but quoting modern-day experts or using technical vocabulary is considered to be reflective of a higher education level in many English-speaking communities
  • understanding the historical traditions behind the differences between oral and written language in Chinese ( 文言 and 白话)
  • reflecting on their own different ways of communicating and how they adjust language, gesture and content to suit different contexts, cultures and languages, for example, considering topics that are acceptable in one culture but taboo in another
  • identifying differences in pronunciation and/or tone across different Chinese-speaking environments, for example, 和 is pronounced 'hé' in mainland China but can be pronounced as 'hàn' in Taiwan
Research the phenomenon of language change in Chinese-speaking communities and monitor language use in a range of contemporary contexts (ACLCHU261 - Scootle )

  • comparing the language of previous generations to their own language use and discussing the nature of the differences between them
  • exploring how language change reflects the values of the time, or how language use can be seen as emblematic of an era, for example, the use of respectful terms such as 老革命 and 硬骨头 in China in the 1960s
  • examining new words added to Chinese dictionaries or introduced to social media and considering the reasons behind their development
  • considering the impact of digital communication on language use, for example, that LOL in English now means 'laugh out loud' not 'lots of love', and that weibo has a 140-character word limit
Analyse the language of different media and examine the ways in which media use language to persuade and influence others (ACLCHU262 - Scootle )

  • evaluating the impact of word choices (for example, 百衣百顺 for steam iron; 自然最健康，绿色好心情 for instant noodles) and discussing features of advertising language （广告词）, for example, 简洁， 对仗，谐音，and how it relates to the brand and product
  • viewing samples of 公益广告 for charity and non-profit organisations, and analysing the different ways in which imagery, voice and language use are combined, and the effect of these stylistic choices, for example, 好感型，优质型 and 励志型

The role of language and culture

Analyse and discuss the ways in which language is used to position authors, readers and participants in texts (ACLCHU263 - Scootle )

  • identifying choices in words and phrasing that influence a reader's response to texts, such as language to persuade readers to endorse the writer's views, for example, 难道不是每一个有良知的人都会认同的吗？
  • examining ways in which authors use characterisation to incite sympathy or antagonism towards characters in literary texts, for example, directly describing a character's personality compared to indirectly portraying the character's personality through their actions or through the reactions of others

Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 10, students sustain extended interactions with diverse individuals and groups, selecting spoken and written language for precision and for effect on participants. Students collate and evaluate a range of spoken, written and multimodal sources to convey different perspectives to different audiences. They select and organise ideas, adapting language, style, register and textual features to mediate these ideas for a range of audiences who speak Chinese or English or both. They respond to authentic texts and create a range of persuasive, informative and imaginative texts. Students apply features of prosody in their own speech. They apply understanding of character components and morphemes to their own writing. They reflect on their own experiences of interacting across diverse linguistic and cultural contexts, and move readily between languages and cultures.

Students demonstrate metalinguistic awareness across Chinese and English and identify similarities and differences in the structure and framing of both languages. They make and justify choices on how they present themselves and their ideas to audiences who speak either language. They analyse how language features and devices are used to achieve different purposes. Students explain how language and languages vary with time and according to situation and context. They identify evidence showing how texts reflect the cultural background and values of the author and different perspectives.

Last updated 8 August 2019

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