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• VCZHU140

  Develop ways to structure sentences in Chinese to elaborate own ideas

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU140 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHU062

  Investigate the extent and dynamic nature of Chinese language use locally and globally

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU062 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHU123

  Recognise that characters are the written representation of spoken Chinese and the morphological nature of Chinese words

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU123 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Systems of language

• 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

• 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

• 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

• VCZHU013

  Engage with familiar text types to predict meaning

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU013 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | 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

• VCZHU190

  Explain how gender, social class and age affect language use in formal and informal contexts

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU190 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHU262

  Analyse and discuss the ways in which language is used to position authors, readers and participants in texts

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU262 | Languages | Chinese | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | The role of language and culture

• VCZHU208

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU208 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Role of language and culture

• VCZHU154

  Recognise the use of tone, intonation and stress of words to express emotion, opinion and attitude

  Elaborations

  • reading aloud printed information with attention to pronunciation and tone
  • recognising syllable changes in speech, including change of tonal value and tone sandhi, such as 不要

  VCZHU154 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHU241

  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

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU241 | Languages | Chinese | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHU258

  Discuss key stylistic features of different text types, including classical literature

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU258 | Languages | Chinese | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHU174

  Understand how language is used to reflect different roles, relationships, settings and values and modify language use in diverse contexts

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU174 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHU015

  Identify the features of formal language used in familiar contexts, such as at school

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU015 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCZHU032

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

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU032 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | The role of language and culture

• VCZHU243

  Analyse the use of language across genders and generations, within and across language communities

  Elaborations

  • 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

  VCZHU243 | Languages | Chinese | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | The role of language and culture

• VCZHU124

  Recognise parts of speech and understand basic rules of word order in simple sentences

  Elaborations

  • 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)

  VCZHU124 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Systems of language

• 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