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• Languages | Chinese: Rationale and Aims

  Rationale

  Students acquire communication skills in Chinese. They develop understanding about the role of language and culture in communication. Their reflections on language use and language learning are applied in other learning contexts.

  Learning languages broadens students’ horizons about...

  Overview material | Chinese

• Languages | Chinese: Scope and Sequence

  The curriculum sets out what students are expected to learn and is designed as a continuum of learning. The curriculum is being presented in a scope and sequence chart to support teachers to easily see the progression and assist in planning teaching and learning programs to meet the diverse needs...

  Overview material | Chinese

• Chinese - Background Language Learner - F–10 Sequence: Levels 5 and 6 description

  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...

  Level description | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence

• Chinese - First Language Learner - 7–10 Sequence: Levels 9 and 10 description

  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...

  Level description | Languages | Chinese | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence

• Chinese - Second Language Learner - F–10 Sequence: Levels 7 and 8 description

  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 moving between Chinese...

  Level description | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence

• VCZHU014

  Recognise that Chinese is a major community language in Australia

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU014 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHU074

  Explain differences in intonation, rhythm and sounds when listening to speakers of different ages, genders and social positions

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU074 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHC105

  Reflect on the reactions and experiences of participants (including their own) in interactions and observe how languages is adapted to communicate effectively in unfamiliar contexts

  Elaborations

  • sharing information about their membership of diverse groups and exploring how this is expressed in Chinese, for example, 我和他是同学，我们都在这个学校学习。我的姐姐是澳大利亚国家队的运动员
  • interacting with Chinese-speaking peers to share aspects of their own identities as young Australians, for example, considering: What aspects of my life and identity would Chinese youth find interesting? How do I want to be perceived or understood?
  • identifying how different opinions and perspectives are expressed and how this may be perceived by others, for example, comparing representations of foreigners in 外国人有一些不同的习俗 with 老外都很奇怪
  • interacting with teachers and peers and reflecting on how to respond, for example, what to do when they don’t comprehend words used or meanings expressed by other participants
  • identifying and responding to intended and unintended meanings conveyed in interactions, for example, noticing contradictions between what is being said and the posture, movement, gesture and expression of participants, and asking: How do I interpret participants’ real meaning? Are they just being polite or are their words genuine?
  • reflecting on their own language choices in interactions with Chinese speakers and how these may have been perceived, for example: Was my communication culturally appropriate? Did I adjust my language and body language to help convey my meaning more appropriately and effectively? How can I seem interested when I am not?
  • reflecting on how one’s own cultural values and norms may relate to those of Chinese speakers, for example: What are the values held by Chinese speakers? Which of my own values are non-negotiable? What Chinese values do I feel I should validate and support?
  • 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’
  • considering the role of voice, pitch and pace to encourage involvement of others in interactions and experimenting with modality to empower themselves and others, for example, 你可以 versus 你一定要；我可能 versus 我会
  • 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

  VCZHC105 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Communicating | Reflecting

• Chinese - Second Language Learner - F–10 Sequence: Levels 9 and 10 description

  Students engage in cross-cultural communication and reflect on their own experiences in Chinese. They exchange information and ideas and share their life experiences. They use creative and expressive language in narratives to express their imagination.

  Students use Chinese for self-expression,...

  Level description | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence

• Languages | Chinese: Learning in Chinese

  Chinese language learning

  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...

  Overview material | Chinese

• VCZHC199

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

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC199 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Translating

• Chinese - Second Language Learner - F–10 Sequence: Levels 5 and 6 description

  Students engage with oral language by active listening, observing interactions between speakers in everyday contexts, and using the spoken language in a range of forms. They speak with attention to the sounds and tones of words, using formulaic language and applying their knowledge of familiar...

  Level description | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence

• Languages | Chinese: Structure

  Sequences of learning

  The Chinese curriculum takes account of different entry points into language learning across F–10, which reflects current practice in language teaching.

  There are two possible learning sequences:

  • F–10 sequence for students who begin to learn the language in primary...

  Overview material | Chinese

• VCZHC134

  Create short personal narratives and performances of poetry, song, dance or drama which reflect the culture and traditions of the Chinese community

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC134 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Communicating | Creating

• VCZHC038

  Create written imaginative texts, describing characters and sequencing events, using scaffolded models of texts, learnt characters or word lists for support

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC038 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Communicating | Creating

• VCZHC086

  Respond to simple narratives and create short texts about imagined characters and events

  Elaborations

  • creating digital stories by producing labels for pictures, photos and cartoons in combination with sound, voice and music to convey a sequence of events in imagined contexts
  • reading jokes or cartoons in Chinese and discussing how humour is conveyed through words and the presentation of ideas, comparing this to humour in English and discussing whether ‘entertainment’ means the same thing in different languages and cultures
  • reading short texts such as comics and cartoons, and matching labels and speech to the characters to convey ideas and emotions, for example, using euphemistic phrases to capture the emotions and reactions of characters (真的吗？真倒霉！哎呀！)
  • 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?

  VCZHC086 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Creating

• VCZHU079

  Explain how language defines people’s roles as outsiders or insiders in groups and cultures

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU079 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• Chinese - Background Language Learner - F–10 Sequence: Levels 7 and 8 description

  Students extend their writing skills to include more persuasive language and more formal genres. They participate in presentations on topics studied, and initiate discussion through enquiry. Students begin to compare their own pronunciation to modern standard spoken Chinese. They also explore...

  Level description | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence

• Chinese - Second Language Learner - F–10 Sequence: Foundation to Level 2 description

  Students are immersed in listening to, viewing and reading Chinese. They become aware of Chinese as a separate language 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...

  Level description | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence

• VCZHC198

  Adapt events and characters from popular Chinese narratives for particular audiences and to create specific effects

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC198 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Creating