Years 3 to 4
Languages
ASLANCHIBLLF-1Y34
Years 3 to 4 Chinese Achievement Standard
9 statements aligned to content descriptors and elaborations
Achievement standard (as ACARA publishes it)
Achievement standard
Click any sentence to jump to its statement and linked content descriptors.
By the end of Year 4, students use Chinese language to initiate interactions to share information and ideas related to the classroom and their personal worlds. They use modelled language to participate in spoken and written activities that involve planning. They locate and respond to key items of information in texts, using strategies to help interpret and convey meaning in familiar contexts. They use familiar characters, Pinyin and modelled language to create texts.
Students recognise and use sounds, tones, rhythms, syllables and intonation patterns of spoken Chinese. They demonstrate understanding that Chinese has non-verbal, spoken and written language conventions and rules to create and make meaning. They recognise that some terms have cultural meanings. They identify patterns in Chinese and make comparisons between Chinese and English. They understand that the Chinese language is connected with culture, and identify how this is reflected in their own language(s) and culture(s).
Background language learners · Foundation to Year 10 sequence
The 9 achievement standard statements
Open a statement to see the content descriptors ACARA links to it, then open a descriptor's elaborations.
By the end of Year 4, students use Chinese language to initiate interactions to share information and ideas related to the classroom and their personal worlds.
Content descriptorAC9LCH4C01 Communicating meaning in Chinese
initiate exchanges and respond to questions about home and classroom environments, using familiar expressions
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration initiating conversations by asking questions in different contexts using modelled responses, for example, 你好吗？ 我很好。我马马虎虎。or一般般。 我不好。你的假期怎么样？ 我的假期过得很好。
- Elaboration playing games where students take turns to role-play the teacher, and giving each other instructions with actions, for example, 请安静, 起立, 请坐, 写, 听, 看, 请看白板, 请给我...
- Elaboration sharing information about themselves, for example, 我有一只白色的小狗。我喜欢蓝色和绿色。我可以跑得很快，但我不会游泳。
- Elaboration participating in simple spoken exchanges with peers about familiar topics, for example, daily routines, local places or personal interests, for example, 星期天我通常睡懒觉。你周末一般做什么？你上什么学校？你的学校在哪里？你怎么上学？你喜欢什么运动？我喜欢踢足球。
- Elaboration initiating and maintaining communication by taking turns, for example, making suggestions such as 我们要不要一起去？ or 我们一起去吧。
- Elaboration asking for clarification, using appropriate formulaic expressions and gestures to match the context, for example, 老师，我没有听清楚，请您再说一遍, 可以吗？
- Elaboration seeking advice and help from others, for example, 老师，我这个字写得对吗？您可以检查一下吗？
- Elaboration creating short texts such as emails, letters and text messages to interact with others, for example, to invite, congratulate or thank someone
- Elaboration using emoticons such as ^_^ in digital communication, to enhance meaning
They use modelled language to participate in spoken and written activities that involve planning.
Content descriptorAC9LCH4C02 Communicating meaning in Chinese
participate in activities that involve planning and transacting with others, using a range of phrases, structures and modelled sentences in familiar contexts
Elaborations (10)
- Elaboration plan and present a cultural item such as celebrating a festive occasion by reciting a poem, singing a song or performing a dance for members of the school community
- Elaboration performing plays with allocated roles within groups, using puppets and props, for example, 猴子捞月
- Elaboration participating in group activities and role-plays involving scenarios such as buying food/goods or ordering a meal, and making requests in an appropriate way, for example, 请来 ...; 我想买 ...; 请问，你有 ...吗？
- Elaboration negotiating details in a transaction, such as stating preferred size, quantity or price and concluding the transaction with the exchange of currency, for example, 这条裙子太小了，有大一点的吗？可以便宜点吗？
- Elaboration participating in traditional or contemporary games that involve taking turns, active listening, memory and information exchange, for example, Chinese Whispers
- Elaboration following procedures or giving modelled instructions, for example, finding hidden treasure, making Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns or paper cranes
- Elaboration reading their own work to others, for example, writing Chinese captions to accompany storybooks in English such as Where is the Green Sheep?, and reading it to younger students
- Elaboration working in teams to create word or sentence games, using digital applications, and then playing each other’s games
- Elaboration interacting with guest speakers or classroom visitors during special occasions such as multicultural festivals or traditional Chinese festivals, for example, 中秋节
- Elaboration planning and 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
They locate and respond to key items of information in texts, using strategies to help interpret and convey meaning in familiar contexts.
Content descriptorAC9LCH4C03 Communicating meaning in Chinese
locate, organise and respond to key information related to familiar content in spoken, written and multimodal texts
Elaborations (10)
- Elaboration watching educational television programs, listening to songs or playing digital games, and sharing personal opinions for example, 我喜欢这首歌, 因为它的歌词很美。
- Elaboration identifying and locating familiar characters or words in texts and discussing the main purpose and meaning of the texts, for example, on food packaging, identifying the name, weight, price and recycling information
- Elaboration creating a timeline of the main events of a story using words, pictures or simple sentences, for example, 首先 ..., 接着 ..., 然后 ..., 最后 ...
- Elaboration learning that First Nations Australian languages change according to connections and relationships between people, and giving examples of how this occurs in Chinese
- Elaboration gathering information from a range of sources and presenting findings in a different way, for example, the results of a class survey on likes and dislikes through a picture graph with annotations, for example, 我的很多同学都喜欢吃饺子。有12个朋友喜欢吃春卷。我们中有些人喜欢打网球。
- Elaboration responding to words of songs through movement and dance, for example, listening to the song 《红山果》and creating movements to match
- Elaboration interviewing family, friends or peers about languages spoken, country of origin, or participation in cultural events and leisure activities, and presenting information collected from the interview
- Elaboration listening to, reading and viewing a range of informative and imaginative texts, such as short reports, children’s stories and folk tales, and retelling or summarising the main information or ideas
- Elaboration reading aloud or reciting texts such as poems and rhymes, for example, 《咏鹅》,《静夜思》, paying attention to pronunciation, intonation and emotion, and explaining key ideas in Chinese
- Elaboration creating performances in response to Chinese legends and folk tales, for example, 《后羿射日》, using modelled language
Content descriptorAC9LCH4C04 Communicating meaning in Chinese
develop strategies to interpret language that conveys cultural meaning
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration selecting language to translate information into Chinese, recognising different meanings for the same word, for example, understanding that 哥哥 can be used to refer to an older male friend as well as an older brother
- Elaboration demonstrating levels of politeness, respect and formality in diverse contexts when engaging with people of different ages or authority, for example, seeking assistance in writing, such as 尊敬的老师， 请您 ...
- Elaboration explaining when to use formal and informal language in different social contexts, for example, comparing language use at home and at school, such as 妈妈，我要喝水。老师，我可以喝水吗？
- Elaboration recognising the role that gesture plays in interactions, including hand gestures, gesturing for emphasis and inclusivity, and taboos within Chinese communication, such as pointing directly at someone
- Elaboration creating bilingual resources for use in the classroom or school, for example, digital-picture dictionaries and word lists, glossaries and signs for the school environment
- Elaboration identifying words and expressions in Chinese and English that do not readily translate, for example, 马马虎虎, 好好学习, 天天向上, small talk, cringe
- Elaboration developing strategies for using bilingual, print or digital Chinese-English and English-Chinese dictionaries, to assist with translation
- Elaboration learning the cultural value behind symbols, such as tracing, cutting out or writing 春 and 福 to decorate the classroom for New Year
- Elaboration identifying culturally-specific terms and phrases, for example, 吃了吗？in Chinese and ‘mate’ in Australian English, and sharing insights into why particular cultures value certain colloquial language
They use familiar characters, Pinyin and modelled language to create texts.
Content descriptorAC9LCH4C05 Communicating meaning in Chinese
create and present informative and imaginative spoken, written and multimodal texts, using a range of sentence structures and modelled textual conventions, characters appropriate to context, and/or Pinyin
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration presenting a visual display with supporting text on a topic of personal interest, for example, 我的家, 我的宠物, 姥姥的家乡, 过春节
- Elaboration supporting presentations using pictures, charts and graphs appropriate to the task, such as using bar charts to show data on 调查班上同学怎么上学
- Elaboration conveying information about school and community events in written and multimodal texts, such as annotated posters or digital storyboards, for example, posters to advertise a Chinese day at school or a local, Chinese community event
- Elaboration creating simple descriptions in Chinese and matching them to appropriate First Nations Country/Place locations in their local area or elsewhere in Australia
- Elaboration presenting a show and tell about an object, activity or a person special to them, for example, 从中国带回来的纪念品
- Elaboration using familiar words, phrases or idioms to create raps/rap songs, for example, 词语接龙
- Elaboration creating alternative endings to familiar stories, using learnt sequences and teacher guidance, for example, 《乌鸦喝水》
- Elaboration creating and performing simple imaginative texts such as stories, action songs, dialogues or plays to share with teachers and peers
- Elaboration creating a mini-book relating to a familiar topic, using the modelled sentence structure, for example, designing and describing their dream house
Students recognise and use sounds, tones, rhythms, syllables and intonation patterns of spoken Chinese.
Content descriptorAC9LCH4U01 Understanding language and culture
recognise and use the tonal features of Chinese in different contexts and understand how syllables are represented in Pinyin
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration reading aloud 朗诵 and reciting 背诵, focusing on phrasing, stress and intonation of spoken Chinese
- Elaboration engaging in activities to consolidate tonal awareness, using hand gestures, including the use of neutral tone, for example, 是吗, 走吧, 好了
- Elaboration differentiating the 4 tones when speaking, and knowing when and how to pronounce the ‘neutral tone’, for example, repetition of syllables in ‘ma-ma’
- Elaboration explaining the use of Pinyin as a learning tool to reflect the sounds of spoken Chinese, recognising sounds associated with letters and syllables that are different from English sounds
- Elaboration playing pair-matching card games, for example, matching Pinyin to syllables
- Elaboration investigating diversity in spoken Chinese and identifying differences in phonology across dialects, for example, exploring greetings in dialects such as Cantonese, Hakka and Shanghainese, and comparing the pronunciation of words
They demonstrate understanding that Chinese has non-verbal, spoken and written language conventions and rules to create and make meaning.
Content descriptorAC9LCH4U02 Understanding language and culture
recognise and use features of the Chinese writing system, familiar components and/or characters, a range of sentence structures and basic syntax, in familiar texts and contexts
Elaborations (11)
- Elaboration using Chinese writing conventions 方块字, including direction of text and punctuation
- Elaboration applying rules of stroke direction and stroke order when writing characters, paying attention to details such as length of a stroke to discriminate similar forms, for example, 土 and 士
- Elaboration making connections between basic characters and related component forms such as radicals 手 and扌, 人 and 亻, identifying the structure and components of a compound character, for example, 学 has 2 components and they are of top-and-bottom structure
- Elaboration mixing and matching Chinese characters to make new meanings, for example, building new words using familiar characters 大山, 火山, 山火, 林火, 王子, 大王, 女王
- Elaboration categorising Chinese characters with common components such as 花, 草, 菜, and identifying connections between the meanings and sounds of these components and the characters themselves, for example, 目 (eye in) 看 (to look at)
- Elaboration recognising that there are multiple ways to structure a sentence, such as 我吃了早饭后去学校。 and 吃了早饭后，我去学校。
- Elaboration using reduplication adjectives in sentences, such as 高高的, 瘦瘦的 to describe people, animals and objects
- Elaboration using adverbs to modify actions, for example, 高兴地跳起来
- Elaboration experimenting with the use of prepositions such as 上面, 下面, 里里外外, 在中间, for example, 小鸟在天上飞。 means ‘The bird flies in the sky’, rather than the literal translation ‘The bird flies above the sky.’
- Elaboration recognising basic structures of closed and open-ended questions, for example, 你喜欢听童话吗？你为什么喜欢《小红帽》？
- Elaboration elaborating ideas in sentences, including details such as time, manner and place, for example, 星期一我从上海坐飞机到北京。
They recognise that some terms have cultural meanings.
Content descriptorAC9LCH4U04 Understanding language and culture
identify connections between Chinese language and cultural practices
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration understanding that feelings, beliefs and values can be reflected in language, for example, the Chinese term of affection for daughter 小棉袄
- Elaboration noticing differences in cultural practices and the protocol for certain events such as 我去表哥家要先叫大姨好，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，最好得客气点儿。
- Elaboration identifying locations of major dialect groups in Chinese-speaking countries and regions, and appreciating the value of a common language such as Cantonese
- Elaboration exploring representations of information used in cultural expressions of First Nations Australians and making connections with those of Chinese language and culture(s), for example, comparing the different regional words used by First Nations groups to identify themselves, such as Zenadth Kes, Koori, Koorie, Noongar and Nunga, and regional words used by Chinese-speaking cultural groups
- Elaboration identifying ways in which their Chinese identity is reflected in their daily life and interests, for example, using a diagram to show visible elements such as belonging to a sports or hobby group or attending a community school
- Elaboration participating in eye exercises, daily exercise routines or role-playing the flag raising ceremony, using associated language, and discussing the cultural significance of these practices
- Elaboration comparing Chinese and Australian lifestyles, such as festivals and celebrations, food staples, preferences and cooking styles, and discussing their own engagement with these
- Elaboration experiencing and discussing the importance of music and dance as an expression of identity and emotion in Chinese culture(s), such as national pride, happiness, love, joy and sadness, for example, introducing Chinese traditional musical instruments such as 二胡, 古筝, 笛子
- Elaboration recognising characters such as 福 that are used in specific cultural events in various forms (paper cut-outs, folk art, couplets, etc. for New Year decorations), and identifying how the form might change, for example, questioning why 福 is sometimes presented upside down
They identify patterns in Chinese and make comparisons between Chinese and English.
Content descriptorAC9LCH4U03 Understanding language and culture
recognise and compare features of familiar spoken and written text in Chinese and English
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration using metalanguage to describe grammar rules in Chinese, for example, the placement of 主语, 动词, 名词 in a sentence
- Elaboration recognising language features and symbols typically associated with particular texts, for example, examining recycling symbols on packaging, and comparing these with English texts, sorting packaging into appropriately labelled bins
- Elaboration identifying and comparing key words in Chinese and English versions of favourite stories, for example, comparing 《小红帽》and Little Red Riding Hood, considering the rhythms and vocal effects in the 2 versions
- Elaboration identifying and documenting similarities and differences in elements such as titles/headings, layout, images and script of Chinese and English texts such as invitations, web pages or picture books, for example, filling in a graphic organiser such as a T-chart
- Elaboration exploring the influence of English on informal language used in daily interactions by Chinese-speaking people in the local community, for example, 嗨 (hi), 哈喽 (hello), 拜拜 (bye, wi-fi)
- Elaboration recognising features of various genres including narratives, procedural and explanatory texts, and identifying which genres are most suitable for different purposes, for example, considering the most suitable genre for《我最喜欢的假期》(My favourite holiday)
They understand that the Chinese language is connected with culture, and identify how this is reflected in their own language(s) and culture(s).
Content descriptorAC9LCH4U04 Understanding language and culture
identify connections between Chinese language and cultural practices
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration understanding that feelings, beliefs and values can be reflected in language, for example, the Chinese term of affection for daughter 小棉袄
- Elaboration noticing differences in cultural practices and the protocol for certain events such as 我去表哥家要先叫大姨好，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，最好得客气点儿。
- Elaboration identifying locations of major dialect groups in Chinese-speaking countries and regions, and appreciating the value of a common language such as Cantonese
- Elaboration exploring representations of information used in cultural expressions of First Nations Australians and making connections with those of Chinese language and culture(s), for example, comparing the different regional words used by First Nations groups to identify themselves, such as Zenadth Kes, Koori, Koorie, Noongar and Nunga, and regional words used by Chinese-speaking cultural groups
- Elaboration identifying ways in which their Chinese identity is reflected in their daily life and interests, for example, using a diagram to show visible elements such as belonging to a sports or hobby group or attending a community school
- Elaboration participating in eye exercises, daily exercise routines or role-playing the flag raising ceremony, using associated language, and discussing the cultural significance of these practices
- Elaboration comparing Chinese and Australian lifestyles, such as festivals and celebrations, food staples, preferences and cooking styles, and discussing their own engagement with these
- Elaboration experiencing and discussing the importance of music and dance as an expression of identity and emotion in Chinese culture(s), such as national pride, happiness, love, joy and sadness, for example, introducing Chinese traditional musical instruments such as 二胡, 古筝, 笛子
- Elaboration recognising characters such as 福 that are used in specific cultural events in various forms (paper cut-outs, folk art, couplets, etc. for New Year decorations), and identifying how the form might change, for example, questioning why 福 is sometimes presented upside down
This achievement standard describes the expected learning for Years 3 to 4 Chinese · Background language learners · Foundation to Year 10 sequence. Use it to plan teaching and assessment with the Australian Curriculum v9.
At a Glance
| Strand | Substrand | CDs | Elaborations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicating meaning in Chinese | Interacting in Chinese | 2 | 19 |
| Communicating meaning in Chinese | Mediating meaning in and between languages | 2 | 19 |
| Communicating meaning in Chinese | Creating text in Chinese | 1 | 9 |
| Understanding language and culture | — | 3 | 23 |
| Understanding language and culture | Understanding the interrelationship of language and culture | 1 | 9 |
| Total | 9 | 79 | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should students know by the end of Years 3 to 4 Chinese?
By the end of Year 4, students use Chinese language to initiate interactions to share information and ideas related to the classroom and their personal worlds. They use modelled language to participate in spoken and written activities that involve planning. Read the full standard
How many Content Descriptors support this standard?
9 Content Descriptors support this Achievement Standard (Communicating meaning in Chinese: 5, Understanding language and culture: 4).
How does this compare to Years 1 to 2?
The Years 1 to 2 Chinese standard (ASLANCHIBLLF-1Y12) covers the preceding curriculum level. Standards build progressively, with Years 3 to 4 expectations extending what was introduced in Years 1 to 2.
Is this from the latest Australian Curriculum?
Yes, this Achievement Standard is from the Australian Curriculum version 9.0 (AC v9), the most current version published by ACARA.