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• 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

• VCZHC153

  Reflect on the benefits of learning Chinese and English

  Elaborations

  • noticing and reflecting on how interacting in Chinese feels different to interacting in English, and identifying ways of communicating or behaving that appear culturally specific
  • discussing language choices expected or required in diverse contexts across languages, for example, apologising, congratulating, expressing thanks, declining, rejecting, complaining
  • engaging with Chinese peers in diverse contexts, identifying situations in which misunderstanding or miscommunication occurs and exploring strategies to overcome these
  • recognising signals within an interaction that require adjustment of language choices

  VCZHC153 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCZHU026

  Recognise the tone-syllable nature of spoken language, and compare Chinese and English sounds

  Elaborations

  • explaining the use of Pinyin as a learning tool to reflect the sound of Chinese spoken language, and recognising sounds associated with individual letters and syllables, differentiating, for example, qī , piě, rán and qù from English sounds for such letters and syllables
  • listening to and viewing simple conversational exchanges, recognising tone-syllables and experiencing the differences between Chinese and English intonation
  • recognising when and why some tones are not expressed in some contexts, for example, repetition of syllables in ‘Mama’, neutral tone on second syllable
  • listening to and reading out loud a nursery rhyme with strong Chinese prosodic features such as 《小老鼠，上灯台》
  • engaging in activities to raise tonal awareness, such as competing with classmates to read a tongue twister (妈妈骂马) and using hand gestures to help pronounce different tones

  VCZHU026 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHC114

  Collaborate with others in group activities and contribute to learning activities

  Elaborations

  • making suggestions when working together and allocating jobs for members of group, for example, 我们一起唱吧；我们唱，你跳舞
  • following the teacher’s instructions and responding to questions with reasons (for example, 我不高兴, 因为我累了), using language appropriate to class context (for example, 老师，我写完了) and making requests in an appropriate manner, for example, 老师，我可以喝水吗？
  • including others and recognising participants in group work, for example, Lisa 是我的好朋友; 我们组有…
  • making cards for special cultural events such as Chinese New Year or personal events such as birthdays, copying short good wishes from modelled text, for example, 生日快乐
  • recognising and copying characters relating to various events described in books, and noticing the formation of characters and spacing
  • collecting examples of common Chinese characters found in familiar settings such as signs and labels, for example, 八 (8), 面 (noodles), 春 (spring)
  • creating drawings to support written communication in cards, posters and visual displays

  VCZHC114 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCZHC130

  Collaborate in and make decisions about group activities and learning experiences in familiar contexts

  Elaborations

  • participating in group activities and role-plays involving scenarios such as buying food or goods or ordering a meal, and making requests in an appropriate way, for example, 请来…;我想买…; 你有…吗？
  • negotiating details in a transaction, such as stating preferred size, quantity or price, and concluding the transaction with the exchange of currency
  • offering their opinions to help others in transactions, for example, 我喜欢红色的/我最喜欢那个
  • taking collective action to plan and present a cultural item, such as celebrating a festive occasion by performing a song or dance for members of school community
  • discussing cultural items to present for a school event, for example, performing a song, cooking Chinese food or making craft (剪纸, 做灯笼)
  • using digital media to produce a publicity flier for an upcoming cultural or sporting event such as 汉语比赛
  • responding to scaffolding questions about the scientific world in Chinese, for example, answering questions such as 你喜欢下雨吗？; 现在下大雨了， 我们怎么办？; 为什么有人害怕下雨呢？ when learning about rain

  VCZHC130 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Communicating | Socialising

• VCZHC137

  Reflect on their reactions and responses to others when participating in learning and cultural experiences in Chinese and Australian contexts

  Elaborations

  • identifying levels of politeness, respect and formality in diverse contexts, for example, when seeking assistance, when engaging with people of different ages or authority
  • deciding how best to address and refer to others (for example, addressing an older stranger as 姐姐 or 阿姨 in Chinese) and considering how that person would be addressed in English
  • identifying ways in which their Chinese identity is reflected in their daily life and interests, for example, belonging to a sports or hobby group or attending community school
  • considering their linguistic and cultural skills as Chinese and as Australians and how these contribute to their overall sense of identity
  • comparing Chinese and Australian lifestyles such as festivals and celebrations, food staples, preferences and cooking styles, and discussing own engagement with these
  • noticing differences in cultural practices and the protocol for certain events, such as 我去表哥家要先叫人，大姨好，大姨夫好；如果他们要留我吃饭，我要先问妈妈可不可以；如果阿姨叫我多吃一点, 我不能吃太多，最好得客气客气
  • participating in cultural events (for example, watching a China–Australia soccer match, performing a Chinese song to the school community, or celebrating Anzac Day) and reflecting on own reactions

  VCZHC137 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCZHC196

  Represent factual information related to other learning areas and on topics of interest in a range of texts and formats for different audiences

  Elaborations

  • preparing and creating a video clip to share with peers overseas introducing aspects of local culture, including interesting places, history, famous people, and lifestyle, for example, 墨尔本的电车
  • creating posters (for example, about a local city or popular site) to convey information to Chinese peers, using pictures, maps and data to support text
  • presenting information in alternative formats to suit the purpose and the needs of the reader, for example, creating graphs or tables to categorise information when contrasting 澳大利亚和中国的地理
  • selecting words from word lists to create informative texts such as signs, slogans and notices, and using electronic tools such as a digital dictionary to extend own expression
  • obtaining and representing information from texts that include both text and visual images to explain aspects of lifestyle or culture in different communities, for example, TV guide, brochures, advertisements or timetables
  • presenting information on topics of interest related to the natural world, human history and endeavour, geography, or the built environment, using visual supports such as tables, charts, calendars and maps
  • analysing what information is needed to research a topic, employing Chinese search engines to access diverse sources of information online and choosing the most suitable sources, for example, 这个网站看上去像正规网站吗？ 这个网站是官网吗?

  VCZHC196 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Informing

• 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

• VCZHC056

  Create short bilingual texts on topics of personal interest and on key content from other learning areas and provide subtitles or commentary to assist meaning

  Elaborations

  • translating special terms from their favourite subjects into Chinese, for example, 加、减、乘、除
  • producing bilingual instructions for classmates, explaining how to perform a particular activity relating to their favourite game or subject
  • preparing a voiceover text in Chinese for a video presentation about the Chinese language program or the school environment and adjusting anything that is unclear before voice recording

  VCZHC056 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Translating

• VCZHU090

  Recognise the tone-syllable nature of the spoken language, discriminate use of tones, rhythm, and sound flow in interactions, and use Pinyin to support learning the spoken language

  Elaborations

  • exploring key features of Chinese phonology, examining the range of sounds and recognising how spoken syllables and tones are represented in Pinyin, by spelling words in Pinyin, or reading aloud words and sentences in Pinyin with attention to pronunciation, tone and phrasing
  • differentiating between sounds and tones when listening to or producing spoken Chinese, for example, distinguishing between 我买 / 我卖东西, or between 庄 (zhuang) and 专 (zhuan)
  • recognising and discriminating between homonyms in Chinese (for example, shì — 是 and 室), relying on context to assist understanding, and differentiating syllables with different tones, for example, shì (是) and shí (十)

  VCZHU090 | Languages | Chinese | Second Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

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

  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.

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

• VCZHC233

  Create bilingual information texts for speakers of Chinese and English in Australia, recognising ‘code-switching’ and how specific vocabulary and terminology from other learning areas can be translated in different settings, such as for an expert or beginner audience

  Elaborations

  • comparing multiple ways of translating English terms and phrases into Chinese, and discussing the effectiveness and focus of these translations, for example, 苹果手机 or 爱疯
  • considering others’ responses in interactions and clarifying whether their own message has been understood as they intended, for example, 大家对这个问题还有什么疑议吗？ 不知大家还有没有什么意见和建议？
  • producing own bilingual texts, for example, explaining aspects of Chinese culture to English-speaking audiences or interpreting concepts learnt in other learning areas to help Chinese-speaking peers understand course content
  • providing further explanation of concepts that are not immediately clear to second language learners of Chinese, for example, contrasting the concept of ‘culture’ in English with Chinese 文化 (which also includes the meaning of ‘literacy’) and starting to understand other 文化 in comparative terms

  VCZHC233 | Languages | Chinese | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Translating

• VCZHC168

  Create bilingual texts relating to other learning areas and topics of interest, considering the influence of different roles, relationships, settings and situations when interpreting both Chinese and English

  Elaborations

  • observing others involved in interpreting meaning in bilingual contexts and identifying challenges and potential issues in mediation
  • using Chinese dictionaries to enhance understanding of subtle differences in how and when words are used, and applying this knowledge to interpreting meanings in texts and interactions

  VCZHC168 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Translating

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

  Students recognise tones as an important element of Chinese speech and learn how the sounds of Chinese can be encoded in Pinyin, using Roman letters that often convey different sounds than those which students are accustomed to in English. They learn to recognise basic character forms that represent...

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

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

  Students read nonfiction texts that are often glossed in Pinyin or supported with vocabulary lists. Written language use includes learning to read extracts from both Chinese and English literature to compare features of individual works. They learn to analyse new characters encountered in texts...

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

• VCZHU255

  Identify and explain how Chinese orthography enables access to technical and unusual vocabulary, including specialised abstract nouns, and a wider range of texts, using orthographic knowledge to identify characters related to topics studied in other learning areas, such as chemical elements (periodic...

  Elaborations

  • experimenting with the use of abstract nouns such as 物种 、 深春 、 微风 to create procedural texts
  • developing skills to comprehend simplified or traditional Chinese characters in print media and online texts
  • discriminating correct forms and sounds of 多音字 (polyphonic characters) such as 行 (háng 同行 and xíng 行进), and appreciating multiple forms of 通假字 such as 反 - 返; 说 - 悦

  VCZHU255 | Languages | Chinese | First Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCZHU203

  Identify features of individual characters and the form and function of components in individual characters and in related characters (for example, 心,想,情,闷), and learn to relate components (部件) and sides (偏旁) to the meaning and sound of characters

  Elaborations

  • recognising subtle differences and the implications for sound and meaning when discriminating between characters of similar appearance, for example, 我 and 找
  • analysing the nature of components, and their arrangement and function in a range of characters, for example, fire （火/灬） and heart （心/忄） components
  • analysing common simple and compound characters and identifying the possible placement of specific radicals and components in a compound character, for example, the placement of 扌 on the left-hand side
  • recognising clues inherent in characters when attempting to map specific sounds and meanings onto correct character forms, for example, exploring the reliability of semantic and phonetic functions of components and sides regularly encountered in characters containing common elements such as 请、 精、 猜; 认、 忍、 任; 忍、 想、思
  • categorising words containing a common morpheme to better understand the relationship between morphemes and specific word meanings, for example, using dictionaries to explore the range of words created from a common character morpheme such as 情 and 性
  • discriminating between the functions of morphemes with related meanings, for example, 餐-饭; 玩-做; 做-作

  VCZHU203 | Languages | Chinese | Background Language Learner | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

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

  Students elaborate messages, nominalise, and add complexity to the expression of their ideas. They apply their understanding of appropriate register in a widening range of interactions, and experiment with increasing sophistication in writing, through the use of idiom and references to classical...

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

• 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