The nature of the learners

Students maintain their sense of belonging to both their home and their outside culture. They can alter their conduct to fit different contexts within the world of teenage experience.

Chinese language learning and use

Classroom interaction is primarily conducted in Chinese. Students extend their knowledge of language structures and text organisation through reading and viewing authentic material and discussing how to apply new learning to their own communication. They are immersed in Chinese language, exploring issues related to youth culture, environmental conservation, family structure and welfare, and the features of diverse Chinese personal and social environments.

Contexts of interaction

Students use Chinese at school and home, and through increased engagement with members of their local communities. The online environment is used to connect students with other Chinese language users globally.

Texts and resources

Students engage with a variety of text types and modes, including visual and digital media, music, TV series, documentaries, and bilingual versions of classic and contemporary literature and their film adaptations.

Features of Chinese language use

Students extend their writing skills to include more persuasive language and more formal genres, such as articles and reports. They participate in presentations on topics related to the history and geography of Chinese-speaking communities, and initiate discussion through enquiry. Students begin to compare their own pronunciation to modern standard spoken Chinese. They also explore the influence of English on their own communication in Chinese, in pronunciation and linguistic structures, and the role of code-switching in their daily language use. Students develop their skills in analysing characters and recognising word and clause boundaries in extended text.

Level of support

Correct Chinese language use continues to be modelled by the teacher to support students’ oracy and literacy development. Glossaries, vocabulary lists, dictionaries and translation tools are used to support comprehension.

The role of English

English is used when required for comparison or to explore complex ideas related to language, culture and concepts from other learning areas.