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• VCZHU027

  Reproduce key Chinese characters from familiar contexts using stroke types and sequences, and component forms and their arrangement

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU027 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHU207

  Explore the role of language in passing on cultural values and beliefs to younger generations and identify changes in language use over time

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU207 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHC041

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC041 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCZHC089

  Reflect on personal experiences and observations of using and learning Chinese language in familiar contexts, and use these reflections to improve communication

  Elaborations

  • discussing appropriate language choices across cultures, for example, when meeting people for the first time or interacting with older people (such as a parent’s friend); how presentation of the residential address in Chinese and English reflects certain values in the different cultures
  • reflecting on their own English language use in response to their observations of Chinese speakers, for example, the words they use (slang, complex terminology), how they speak (tone, accent), and how they vary their language in different contexts and with different people
  • engaging with Chinese speakers through organised school activities (such as Skyping students at a Chinese school or welcoming visitors to own school), recording moments when difficulty is experienced in communication and reflecting on the cause of this difficulty
  • reflecting on aspects of their own identity, including what their membership of diverse groups says about who they are and what they consider important, for example, 我是澳大利亚人和日本人；我是老大；我参加学校的足球队
  • noticing how 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) — influence language choices and preferences for learning content
  • selecting information to share with a particular audience (for example, students from a sister school in China), asking: Why do I think this information is important to represent who I am? Why do I think my audience would find this information interesting and relevant?
  • comparing expressions of identity encountered in Chinese texts and interactions with their own sense of identity, for example, 他是美籍华人
  • observing interactions between Chinese speakers, and discussing the context and language use (for example, a family eating out in a restaurant, noticing seating arrangements, the background environment and how dishes are ordered and presented) and how this compares to their own experience
  • discussing 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 styles may need to be altered when conveying ideas in Chinese

  VCZHC089 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCZHC055

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

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC055 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Translating

• VCZHC129

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

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHC129 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCZHU139

  Identify the form, composition and spacing within characters, relating components and their positions to their meaning and sound

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU139 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHU107

  Relate prior knowledge of character form and function to infer information about sound and meaning of unfamiliar characters

  Elaborations

  • analysing sequences of characters containing a common component or side to determine the features of form, function and predictability within the group, for example, explaining the features of position, phonetic function and range of sounds in the characters 请 清 情 晴 精 睛 猜
  • using understanding of familiar radicals and phonetic sides to estimate the sound and meaning of characters when reading aloud
  • describing characters to others by naming their components or sides in sequence, for example, ‘standing man’ (亻) on the left, ‘words’ (言) on the right ＝ 信
  • 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
  • recognising traditional characters encountered in their local Chinese communities and noting their 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 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
  • recognising the two-syllable preference in Chinese nouns and applying this understanding when reading texts

  VCZHU107 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language