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 that the sounds of Chinese can be encoded in Pinyin using familiar letters. Students view characters...
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 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.
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 a range of activities. Students are introduced to common characters associated with routines and their immediate experience, and draw on explicit models to communicate.
By the end of Level 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.
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...
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 as well as mime and gesture.
The systems of writing and speaking in Chinese are distinct. Because learning about Chinese characters is complex, students can more readily accomplish a higher level of active use of spoken than written language. As a result, engagement with Chinese language is primarily through speaking and listening. Students practise using Chinese through 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.
By the end of Level 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.
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 language structures in new contexts. Students map character forms onto their familiar oral vocabulary...
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 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.
The systems of writing and speaking in Chinese are distinct. Because learning about Chinese characters is complex, students can more readily accomplish a higher level of active use of spoken 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. Students 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.
By the end of Level 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...
By the end of Level 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.
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 and English in different contexts and situations. Classroom discussions focus on exploring and...
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 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.
The systems of writing and speaking in Chinese are distinct. Because learning about Chinese characters is complex, students can more readily accomplish a higher level of active use of spoken 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.
By the end of Level 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.
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, to obtain information and present a point of view to others, identify subtle differences in word use and manipulate 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.
By the end of Level 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.
Students develop their ability to share ideas about language and culture systems and develop their skills in moving between languages and cultures. Learning and use focus on active exploration of the Chinese language system, which students draw upon to communicate their own ideas and engage with others.
The systems of spoken and written language in Chinese are distinct. They are also quite distinct...
Students develop their ability to share ideas about language and culture systems and develop their skills in moving between languages and cultures. Learning and use focus on active exploration of the Chinese language system, which students draw upon to communicate their own ideas and engage with others.
The systems of spoken and written language in Chinese are distinct. They are also quite distinct from the English language system. Because learning about Chinese characters is complex, students can more readily accomplish a higher level of active use of spoken than written language. Students will therefore be immersed in the sights and sounds of Chinese. They develop oral language through active listening, observing interactions between native speakers, and using the spoken language for a range of purposes. They are likely to understand more words than they can say or write. They use Pinyin as a resource to support learning, prepare drafts of oral and written texts, and learn new oral vocabulary.
By the end of Level 8, students use spoken and written Chinese to interact in a range of familiar contexts. They respond to instructions, questions and directions. They use known phrases to exchange personal information (for example, 我叫…; 我的爸爸是澳大利亚人), seek clarification (for example, 对不起，我听不懂，你说什么？), and transact and make arrangements, for example, 你要来我家吗？ They use the question particle 吗 and familiar question words (什么，谁，哪儿，几). Students approximate tone, intonation and rhythm but meaning remains clear. They use gesture and some formulaic expressions to support oral interaction. They employ learnt vocabulary to express personal insights and compare experiences on topics of personal interest and significance. They connect ideas using basic cohesive devices (for example, 和，可是，所以), express opinions using 喜欢 and 觉得, and give reasons using 因为. In writing, students organise their ideas using time expressions and phrases which mark sequence, for example, 第一，第二… They apply 不 and 没有 in familiar phrases. They respond to and create simple informative and imaginative texts for known audiences and purposes. They use a range of verbs, including verbs of identification and existence such as 是, an...
By the end of Level 8, students use spoken and written Chinese to interact in a range of familiar contexts. They respond to instructions, questions and directions. They use known phrases to exchange personal information (for example, 我叫…; 我的爸爸是澳大利亚人), seek clarification (for example, 对不起，我听不懂，你说什么？), and transact and make arrangements, for example, 你要来我家吗？ They use the question particle 吗 and familiar question words (什么，谁，哪儿，几). Students approximate tone, intonation and rhythm but meaning remains clear. They use gesture and some formulaic expressions to support oral interaction. They employ learnt vocabulary to express personal insights and compare experiences on topics of personal interest and significance. They connect ideas using basic cohesive devices (for example, 和，可是，所以), express opinions using 喜欢 and 觉得, and give reasons using 因为. In writing, students organise their ideas using time expressions and phrases which mark sequence, for example, 第一，第二… They apply 不 and 没有 in familiar phrases. They respond to and create simple informative and imaginative texts for known audiences and purposes. They use a range of verbs, including verbs of identification and existence such as 是, and a range of action verbs to describe interests and events, for example, 踢足球，打乒乓球，听音乐. They access and organise information from a range of spoken, audiovisual and printed texts. Students use simple sentences and paragraphs, and produce simple descriptions using intensifiers such as 很，非常，最. They reflect on their interactions when using and learning languages.
Students are aware of the key features of the Chinese writing system and its differences to the English writing system. They recognise the function of tone-syllables and Pinyin. They explain the word order of Chinese sentences and the layout and construction of simple familiar Chinese texts in comparison to their English equivalents. They recognise and describe diversity within the Chinese spoken and written language, and consider the influence of culture on everyday communication, for example, concepts such as respect, politeness and the importance of family. They are aware that literal translation between languages is not always possible, and that aspects of interpretation and translation are affected by context, culture, and intercultural experience.
Students reflect on their understanding of and responses to their experiences when communicating across cultures. They use creative, expressive and persuasive language. They work collaboratively to exchange information and ideas and to share their experiences with other Chinese speakers.
The systems of writing and speaking in Chinese are distinct. Students analyse how messages are conveyed across languages and apply their skills in moving between languages and cultures. Classroom discussions focus on exploring and extending learners’ understanding of contexts and audiences to enhance their personal communication skills. Students access information and explore texts written in Chinese, developing strategies to interpret meanings where not all characters are known.
By the end of Level 10, students use spoken and written Chinese to initiate and sustain interactions in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. They exchange information, ideas and opinions and enquire into the experiences and opinions of others, using question words such as 为什么，怎么，怎么样 to elicit more information. They summarise and collate information from different sources and perspectives to compare how ideas and concepts are expressed and organised in Chinese texts and contexts. Students observe how texts are created for different purposes and audiences. They respond to narratives, identifying language features that do not translate easily between cultures, mediating these ideas and expressing insights in Chinese while adjusting language use for different audiences. They justify their opinions with reasons and specific examples (比如), using tone and rhythm emphatically. Students respond to and create a range of informative and imaginative texts for different purposes and audiences, including Chinese audiences, and describe adjustments they have made in their language use for these different audiences. They use prepositions of time and place, and prepositions to show relationships...
By the end of Level 10, students use spoken and written Chinese to initiate and sustain interactions in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. They exchange information, ideas and opinions and enquire into the experiences and opinions of others, using question words such as 为什么，怎么，怎么样 to elicit more information. They summarise and collate information from different sources and perspectives to compare how ideas and concepts are expressed and organised in Chinese texts and contexts. Students observe how texts are created for different purposes and audiences. They respond to narratives, identifying language features that do not translate easily between cultures, mediating these ideas and expressing insights in Chinese while adjusting language use for different audiences. They justify their opinions with reasons and specific examples (比如), using tone and rhythm emphatically. Students respond to and create a range of informative and imaginative texts for different purposes and audiences, including Chinese audiences, and describe adjustments they have made in their language use for these different audiences. They use prepositions of time and place, and prepositions to show relationships with other people, for example, 给，跟，对. They make comparisons using 比, and describe people in terms of appearance, personality and behaviours, and places in terms of scenery. They use a range of cohesive devices (for example, 不但…而且；除了…以外; 如果…就) with the support of models and cues. In writing, they organise their ideas according to themes or sequence events using specific time words, temporal markers such as 的时候，以前 and connectives, for example, 先…然后. They also indicate changes in tense with tense markers such as 了，过, and use verbs to express modality (for example, 可以，要，会，应该) or intention, for example, 希望，想，打算.
Students discern differences in patterns of sound (for example, ‘qing’, ‘qin’) and tone in extended speech for different contexts and audiences. They apply knowledge of character components and morphemes to assist their understanding of new characters and words encountered. They analyse grammatical rules, use language appropriate to the form of communication, and compare textual features. Students recognise the key features of grammar and sentence structure that are distinctive to Chinese, such as measure words, and varied uses of verbs (是，有 and attributive 的), and apply them in new contexts. They are aware of particular issues relating to translating between Chinese and English and recognise that certain concepts cannot be translated readily from Chinese to English and vice versa. They are aware that language use varies according to context, purpose and mode. Students explain how culture and language shape their own and others’ communication practices, and reflect on how their own cultural experience impacts on interactions with Chinese speakers.
