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• VCZHU044

  Form sentences to express details such as the time, place and manner of an action and to sequence ideas

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU044 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHU206

  Differentiate features and apply rules for expressing meanings in spoken and written modes in different contexts

  Elaborations

  • 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)

  VCZHU206 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHC023

  Translate the meanings of important everyday words using contextual cues

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC023 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Communicating | Translating

• VCZHU126

  Recognise diversity in expressions and gestures used in everyday social interaction across cultures

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU126 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHC184

  Create and adapt bilingual texts for different settings and audiences, identifying the contextual and cultural challenges

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC184 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Translating

• VCZHU110

  Explore the development of Chinese as an international language and as a lingua franca in Chinese communities

  Elaborations

  • 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 versus 高手
  • investigating the dialects spoken in local Chinese communities and understanding why character subtitles are typically added to Chinese films and television shows
  • exploring the role of code-switching in the language use of bilingual speakers (for example, acronyms and words which have not been translated from their original English) and how Chinese authorities are trying to change this and limit the use of these terms in everyday media

  VCZHU110 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHU030

  Recognise that Chinese is spoken by communities in many countries

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU030 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHU112

  Reflect on how language and culture both shape and reflect each other

  Elaborations

  • reflecting on the values of one culture when communicating in another, for example, differences in the use and frequency of ‘thank you’ and 谢谢
  • exploring how cultural concepts of family and the importance of one’s sense of connection to others influence use of language
  • analysing the impact on language use of context and relationships between participants, for example, discussing how concepts such as face (面子) and connections (关系) are reflected in interactions between Chinese speakers
  • identifying choices made in interactions in Chinese with people from different generations, for example, changes in greetings (吃饭了没有、拜拜、嗨) and forms of address (同志 、 小姐 、 师傅) over time

  VCZHU112 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | The role of language and culture

• VCZHC054

  Create written imaginative texts to describe experiences involving imagined people and places

  Elaborations

  • 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!

  VCZHC054 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Creating

• VCZHC102

  Respond to and create or adapt simple narratives that describe experiences and characters from folk tales or popular fiction

  Elaborations

  • composing a creative account of an imagined experience with Chinese visitors to the local community, for example, hosting a Chinese student or taking a tour group to a local sporting event
  • creating narratives that hold the attention of readers (for example, beginning a story with 你知道吗？), experimenting with 正叙，倒叙，插叙 to sequence events and using descriptive language to set the scene
  • collaboratively creating short plays describing the experiences of imagined characters in different cultures, for example, 《James在上海》
  • exploring how alternative words can be used to convey varying degrees of emotion and attitude towards people, places and events, for example, 我真高兴。你快乐吗？他很幸福!
  • taking on a role in a story and retelling the story from one character’s perspective, describing their feelings and emotions, for example, 我真高兴！ 太棒了！ 哎哟，吓死我了！

  VCZHC102 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Creating

• VCZHC167

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

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC167 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Translating

• VCZHC002

  Interact with simple written texts in familiar contexts to contribute to class discussions

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC002 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCZHC182

  Create imaginative texts, drawing on and adapting representations of people and events encountered in traditional and contemporary Chinese literature, drama or song

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC182 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Creating

• VCZHU160

  Explore particular cultural meanings conveyed in everyday interactions across languages

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU160 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCZHU028

  Use nouns, adjectives and simple sentences to record observations

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU028 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHU240

  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...

  Elaborations

  • 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)

  VCZHU240 | Languages | Chinese | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHU046

  Understand that Chinese is characterised by diversity in spoken and written forms

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU046 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHC104

  Mediate descriptions of Chinese and Australian life, identifying what experiences and ideas are not readily translated between cultures

  Elaborations

  • analysing Chinese texts alongside their English translations to identify the challenges of translating culture, and developing strategies to overcome these challenges, by asking: What is lost in translation? Why can’t we just translate word for word? Why does context matter?
  • reading bilingual signs in places such as restaurants, shops, pools, schools, hospitals and construction sites, and determining the effectiveness of the English translations and possible reasons for such interpretations
  • exploring ways to interpret and explain key concepts and cultural practices identified in Chinese interactions, such as 面子, and experimenting with how to give 面子 in interactions with others
  • translating information about life in Australia to Chinese readers overseas, considering the audience’s cultural experiences in order to determine what concepts they would find difficult to understand, exploring ways to elaborate on ideas to ensure clarity of meaning, and focusing on nuances of word formation and context, for example, 澳洲肥牛 (‘bushwalking’)
  • preparing a voiceover text for a video presentation on the Chinese language program or the school environment, discussing possible interpretations of the text from the viewers’ perspective and adjusting anything that is unclear before voice recording
  • considering the different terms used in the Chinese-speaking world to represent ‘Chinese person’ (中国人，华人，华侨，华裔)

  VCZHC104 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Translating

• VCZHU011

  Recognise Chinese characters as a form of writing and Pinyin as the spelled-out sounds of spoken Chinese

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU011 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHU092

  Identify and use the characteristics of Chinese word order and explain the use of Chinese-specific grammatical features

  Elaborations

  • analysing the variety of verb types found in Chinese — for example, adjectival verbs (高、大) and modal verbs (会、可以) — and the placement and use of adverbs, for example, 都 to indicate inclusion; 就 to indicate sequence
  • identifying the placement of time and place phrases; the use of conjunctions (for example, 和 to add information; 还是/或者 to offer or indicate choices); and the role of measure words, for example, 个、只
  • exploring 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 (zero subject/pronoun)
  • explaining the concept of ‘tense’ across languages, for example, asking: What tense is used in English to share ideas about a future activity? Can you exemplify how future tense is used in English? How is future tense expressed in Chinese? (我明天去北京，下个星期去上海)
  • applying processes of discourse development by joining, contrasting and sequencing using 也、和、但是、就, and exploring the use of cohesive devices and ways of extending, sequencing and elaborating ideas, for example, through the use of connectives, conjunctions and subject pronouns

  VCZHU092 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language