Year 10 Chinese (Second Language Advanced)

Prerequisite

Year 9SLA Chinese and or students not qualifying for Year 10 SL

Students must have had extensive prior language learning. (bilingual schools, in country study, Chinese as a home language).

Please note:

• Placement in the Year 10 Advanced Chinese class does not require students to meet the VCAA criteria for Second Language Advanced study at Year 10. (All students who select Advanced Chinese do not have Chinese as a home language and have joined from the advanced pathway Year 7-9 SLA will be asked to sit a written and spoken proficiency test). 

In Senior School students can continue their study of Chinese (First, Second Language Advanced or Second Language level, depending on the student’s language and educational background). It is important that background information regarding students’ experience and proficiency in Chinese is provided during the subject selection process.

They may also be asked to present evidence of length of residence in Australia or another country, and school reports for Chinese study completed overseas to VCAA for Year 11 and 12 VCE.

The language taught is Modern Standard Chinese, sometimes called Mandarin, Putonghua or Guoyu.

Please note that at Year 10 level, Chinese (Second Language) and Chinese (Second Language Advanced) students may be placed in a combined class (subject to selection and student numbers). Students will continue to have differentiated and supported pathways. The classes are separated at Year 12 level.

Course Description

Students are exposed to many authentic texts with an emphasis on characters. New grammatical concepts are introduced with the aim of enabling students to develop their own Chinese expression at a more sophisticated level.

They participate in discussions, debates and presentations on a range of issues. They extend their writing skills to include more informative and objective language and write in more formal genres. They explore the influence of English on their own communication in Chinese, both in pronunciation and in linguistic structures. Students are immersed in Chinese language, exploring a range of issues and begin to make connections and comparisons with the experiences of other young Chinese speakers and with those of other cultural groups in Australia. They also consider their own place in Australia and the nature of the relationship between Australia and the Chinese-speaking world.

Essential Questions

• How do cultural values and social norms influence everyday communication in Chinese-speaking countries compared to Australia?
• How do differences in lifestyle and cultural expectations across Chinese-speaking regions influence the communication styles and educational opportunities of young people?
• How might the linguistic features of Chinese influence the way speakers perceive the world compared to English speakers?

Areas of Study

Topics/Themes

• School Life
• Youth Issues
• Technology and Media
• Urban and Rural Life
• Festivals and Food
• Literary Works

Grammar and Vocabulary

• Linguistic elements related to the topics: Grammatical structures, conjunctions, habitual words or expressions, set phrases.

Assessment