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....
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...
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 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...
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...
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.
