Years 7 to 8
Languages
ASLANCHIBLLF-1Y78
Years 7 to 8 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 8, students initiate and maintain interactions in Chinese language in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts related to a range of interests and experiences. They use Chinese to collaborate and problem-solve, and adjust language in response to others. They interpret information, ideas and opinions in texts. They demonstrate understanding of similarities and differences between languages, in both familiar and some unfamiliar cultural contexts, by adjusting and reorganising responses. They select and use vocabulary sentence structures, and expressions to create texts and apply Chinese script conventions in written texts.
Students apply the conventions of spoken Chinese to develop fluency. They demonstrate understanding that spoken, written and multimodal texts use different language conventions, structures and features to convey meaning. They comment on structures and features of Chinese text, using metalanguage. They reflect on how Chinese language, culture and identity are interconnected, and compare this with their own language(s), culture(s) and identity.
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 8, students initiate and maintain interactions in Chinese language in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts related to a range of interests and experiences.
Content descriptorAC9LCH8C01 Communicating meaning in Chinese
initiate and sustain exchanges in familiar and unfamiliar contexts related to students’ experiences, feelings and views, adjusting their language in response to others
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration initiating and sustaining conversations to share aspects of their personal worlds, such as a recent overseas holiday, future plans or achievements, for example, 你知道我今年冬天去了哪儿吗？说起来真好玩。
- Elaboration asking and responding to open-ended questions about learning activities or strategies, for example, 我应该怎么做才能学好中文？你必须大量练习听力，阅读和写作，并注意发音。
- Elaboration sustaining face-to-face and secure online conversations, for example, encouraging responses through questions such as 除了音乐，你还有什么爱好？为什么这样？我觉得读书很有帮助。你是否同意我的观点？你更喜欢看电影还是看书？为什么？
- Elaboration using descriptive language to discuss contrasting aspects of their personal worlds such as home and school, study and entertainment or discipline and freedom, and justifying opinions, for example, 我们在学校和老师朋友说英语，但在家里应该说中文。我们应该知道学习和娱乐之间平衡的重要性。
- Elaboration using digital technology to maintain contact and exchange thoughts and experiences, such as writing to a student in a Chinese-speaking country, requesting information and responding appropriately, for example, 你好！我叫约翰，是一名来自澳大利亚的学生，正在学习中文。我很想了解你们那里的文化和生活，你可以介绍一下你们那里的传统节日吗？期待你的回复。谢谢！
- Elaboration requesting repetition or asking for and providing clarification, for example, 对不起老师，我没听懂，麻烦您再解释一遍，可以吗？
- Elaboration acknowledging others’ ideas and indicating agreement or disagreement in non-judgemental ways, for example, using language to persuade or influence others, such as listing possible consequences 我们也没办法，不得不 ... 要不然, 如果 ... ... 的话, 那么 ...
- Elaboration contributing to secure online forums or discussions offering solutions or personal ideas, for example, 要设置电脑音量，要先按右下角的小喇叭，然后拖动音量按钮。
- Elaboration summarising different opinions in interactions, for example, 总而言之, 你们有些人喜欢动作片, 有些人喜欢卡通片。
They use Chinese to collaborate and problem-solve, and adjust language in response to others.
Content descriptorAC9LCH8C02 Communicating meaning in Chinese
collaborate in activities that involve the language of transacting, negotiating and justifying to plan events
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration planning and making arrangements for activities such as outings, using expressions related to place, time and numbers, for example, 你想在哪里见面？我什么时候去海边？我们早上七点可以见面吗？有多少人去？
- Elaboration collaborating to create displays, presentations or performances for family, friends, peers or the school community, to showcase Chinese learning, for example, singing a song in Chinese 《小苹果》, reciting a poem 《登鹳雀楼》
- Elaboration participating in authentic cultural experiences in the community such as an excursion to a Chinese restaurant or festival, and rehearsing studied vocabulary, structures and manners, for example, 我应该点什么开胃菜？主菜呢？我们甜点应该吃水果，而不是蛋糕。切记吃饭时不要大声说话。
- Elaboration collaborating to plan a class excursion focused on an environmental activity, by choosing a location, deciding on an environmental project, and selecting a guest speaker to enhance their learning experience
- Elaboration creating posters to promote activities among young people in Chinese communities within and beyond the school, for example, a language and culture club or sporting team
- Elaboration providing feedback using metalanguage to support peers, for example, editing each other's spoken or written texts and work samples, and justifying reasons for the suggested change(s)
- Elaboration creating resources to help others, such as a set of helpful hints for new Chinese-speaking students or students starting school, travelling to China for the first time or teaching a skill step-by-step
- Elaboration conducting interviews with Chinese-speaking community members on various topics such as migration, life experiences in Australia, career choices and family history, and preparing a presentation using digital tools and apps
- Elaboration preparing and organising a learning activity such as 小老师课堂 to engage their peers, encouraging discussion to share information drawn from a range of sources such as documentaries and personal sources, for example, 昨天让大家采访一下家人，来帮助我们谈谈中国的方言。你们都采访了谁？
They interpret information, ideas and opinions in texts.
Content descriptorAC9LCH8C03 Communicating meaning in Chinese
interpret and analyse information, ideas and opinions in a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts, and respond appropriately to cultural context, purpose and audience
Elaborations (10)
- Elaboration accessing information from a range of sources and responding with a personal action or opinion such as 每个家庭都应该回收垃圾以保护环境。
- Elaboration using strategies to understand and respond to texts, for example, identifying the gist of a range of texts such as articles, conversations with familiar adults, television advertisements and documentaries, to inform self and others on topical issues, for example, 健康生活
- Elaboration accessing a range of print and digital texts, such as books, web pages, documentaries, news items and interviews, to collate and present information about aspects of Chinese and Australian lifestyles, for example, creating a multimodal presentation on Chinese teenagers’ fashion and taste in music
- Elaboration listening to, reading or viewing First Nations Australian authors’ stories in English and writing a summary or report in Chinese
- Elaboration researching information and considering the credibility of websites, for example, using Chinese search engines to access a range of sources online and asking questions such as 这个网站看上去像正规网站吗？ 这个网站是官网吗?
- Elaboration responding to a narrative, writing and performing a simple speech by a main character, and demonstrating empathy
- Elaboration identifying differences between language use in formal interviews, speeches and everyday conversations, and replicating this in their own speeches and conversations, such as 你怎么看？你觉得呢？
- Elaboration listening to, viewing and reading a range of texts, including multimodal and digital narratives such as cartoons, films, comics, stories, poems and songs, and discussing responses to themes, messages and plot, for example, 《井底之蛙》,《铁杵磨针》
- Elaboration reading a range of imaginative texts from other cultures, keeping a reading journal 读书笔记 to record understanding and their own responses, and participating in class discussions, for example, 小王子》 and 《安徒生童话选》
- Elaboration comparing Chinese humour with Australian expressions of humour, such as comparing Chinese comedies with Australian comedies, and discussing personal responses
Content descriptorAC9LCH8C04 Communicating meaning in Chinese
interpret and translate non-verbal, spoken and written language to convey meaning in a range of familiar and unfamiliar cultural contexts
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration identifying the challenges of translating some concepts such as 龙的传人 and 别客气, developing strategies to overcome these, and discussing ensuing questions such as, "What is lost in translation?", "Why can’t we just translate word for word?" and "Why does context matter?"
- Elaboration understanding how to convert informal spoken language such as 你们都晓得 into formal register, to suit particular purposes and audiences, and experimenting with formal expressions such as 大家都知道 ..., 你们都知道 ...
- Elaboration interpreting for visitors as appropriate, applying strategies such as clarifying and rephrasing to explain cultural concepts
- Elaboration comparing choices of language and behaviours when communicating in Chinese and English, explaining the modifications they make and why, for example, being indirect when making refusals in Chinese-speaking contexts such as 是的，我不能保证。我可能会再看一遍。我也喜欢这个礼物，但是 ...or using both hands when giving something to show respect
- Elaboration developing Chinese glossaries to accompany English texts, for example, 天气预报 (weather forecast), 关于自然的纪录片 (nature documentary), 卡通 (cartoon), 旅游博客 (travel blog) or 民间故事 (folktales)
- Elaboration discussing and amending inaccurate translations of public signs or notices in China and in Australia, for example, 小心地滑 (carefully slide), 有害垃圾 (evil rubbish)
- Elaboration using Chinese dictionaries to enhance understanding of subtle differences in how and when words are used, and applying this knowledge to interpret meanings in texts
- Elaboration composing bilingual texts, for example, menus for Chinese restaurants with footnotes in English, and public signs and notices for Chinese-speaking and Australian contexts, paying attention to aspects of culture
- Elaboration reflecting on and explaining which words, expressions or gestures should or should not be used when interacting with Chinese speakers or speakers of other languages, for example, hugging someone when greeting or making or avoiding eye contact during conversation
They demonstrate understanding of similarities and differences between languages, in both familiar and some unfamiliar cultural contexts, by adjusting and reorganising responses.
Content descriptorAC9LCH8C04 Communicating meaning in Chinese
interpret and translate non-verbal, spoken and written language to convey meaning in a range of familiar and unfamiliar cultural contexts
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration identifying the challenges of translating some concepts such as 龙的传人 and 别客气, developing strategies to overcome these, and discussing ensuing questions such as, "What is lost in translation?", "Why can’t we just translate word for word?" and "Why does context matter?"
- Elaboration understanding how to convert informal spoken language such as 你们都晓得 into formal register, to suit particular purposes and audiences, and experimenting with formal expressions such as 大家都知道 ..., 你们都知道 ...
- Elaboration interpreting for visitors as appropriate, applying strategies such as clarifying and rephrasing to explain cultural concepts
- Elaboration comparing choices of language and behaviours when communicating in Chinese and English, explaining the modifications they make and why, for example, being indirect when making refusals in Chinese-speaking contexts such as 是的，我不能保证。我可能会再看一遍。我也喜欢这个礼物，但是 ...or using both hands when giving something to show respect
- Elaboration developing Chinese glossaries to accompany English texts, for example, 天气预报 (weather forecast), 关于自然的纪录片 (nature documentary), 卡通 (cartoon), 旅游博客 (travel blog) or 民间故事 (folktales)
- Elaboration discussing and amending inaccurate translations of public signs or notices in China and in Australia, for example, 小心地滑 (carefully slide), 有害垃圾 (evil rubbish)
- Elaboration using Chinese dictionaries to enhance understanding of subtle differences in how and when words are used, and applying this knowledge to interpret meanings in texts
- Elaboration composing bilingual texts, for example, menus for Chinese restaurants with footnotes in English, and public signs and notices for Chinese-speaking and Australian contexts, paying attention to aspects of culture
- Elaboration reflecting on and explaining which words, expressions or gestures should or should not be used when interacting with Chinese speakers or speakers of other languages, for example, hugging someone when greeting or making or avoiding eye contact during conversation
They select and use vocabulary sentence structures, and expressions to create texts and apply Chinese script conventions in written texts.
Content descriptorAC9LCH8C05 Communicating meaning in Chinese
create and present spoken, written and multimodal informative and imaginative texts, manipulating language to suit context, purpose and audience
Elaborations (11)
- Elaboration producing multimodal presentations using tables, maps, charts or graphs from data and statistics to deliver information for various purposes and audiences, for example, developing an information kit about the local region for Chinese-speaking visitors
- Elaboration producing a poster or digital brochure using persuasive language to promote aspects of life in a Chinese-speaking region or a country based on research and/or their own lived experiences
- Elaboration creating spoken or written texts, such as an advertisement promoting travel, tourist brochure or itinerary for young Australian travellers visiting a Chinese-speaking region or country, supplying key words, phrases and information about cultural practices, for example, 请开车送我去餐厅/酒店/机场。去机场前，请一定要带上护照
- Elaboration writing a journal entry, or contributing to a school newsletter in Chinese reflecting on the impact of a school excursion to a significant cultural location on a First Nations Country/Place, and, with permission, referring to cultural knowledge of the site
- Elaboration creating captions, commentaries or subtitles for short video clips or slideshow presentations of intercultural experiences such as going on a holiday, attending a wedding ceremony, giving or accepting a gift, or informing Chinese-speaking peers and the community about school or cultural events
- Elaboration creating jingles or songs by manipulating language to match their own or known tunes in the public domain, for example, an advertisement to promote an aspect of healthy living to the tune of a nursery rhyme
- Elaboration adapting stories or films to new settings and contexts, imagining how characters might behave and react in different contexts and times
- Elaboration creating the next scene or a new character for Chinese imaginative texts such as a folk tale, short story, drama or film, for example, 《长江七号》
- Elaboration creating written and multimodal narrative accounts of the life experiences of major historical figures or characters from literature, for example, 诸葛亮, 孔子和他的弟子
- Elaboration collaborating to prepare and present short dramatic or humorous performances that reflect situations or experiences drawn from their own Chinese cultural environment such as generational and cultural differences encountered at home
- Elaboration developing drafting and editing skills in their own writing of informative and imaginative texts, considering stylistic and creative features
Students apply the conventions of spoken Chinese to develop fluency.
Content descriptorAC9LCH8U01 Understanding language and culture
use tone-syllables and apply intonation, stress and phrasing to develop fluency, and respond to and create texts in a range of contexts
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration listening to short interactions between unfamiliar voices at diverse speeds or levels of clarity, to develop auditory and comprehension skills
- Elaboration developing tone discrimination and identifying subtle differences in pronunciation, including variations in regional accents, for example, distinguishing between qing and qin, lou and rou, liang and lan, shi and si, and lan and nan, fu and hu when listening to interactions
- Elaboration differentiating pronunciation changes with 多音字, for example, 两行字, 自行车
- Elaboration comparing their own Chinese speech patterns with Chinese pronunciation, and making adjustments to their pronunciation, intonation, stress and fluency
- Elaboration practising ways in which tone varies according to setting and context, for example, saying the same sentence in different tones to change the meaning, such as being friendly/unfriendly, respectful/ironic and sincere/sarcastic
- Elaboration noticing and describing differences in accent when listening to Chinese speakers from diverse regions
They demonstrate understanding that spoken, written and multimodal texts use different language conventions, structures and features to convey meaning.
Content descriptorAC9LCH8U02 Understanding language and culture
apply knowledge of character form and function, sentence structures, syntax, and writing system features to infer meaning and to compose a range of texts
Elaborations (10)
- Elaboration using knowledge of components to select a character when inputting Chinese in a digital text
- Elaboration categorising words containing a common morpheme to understand the relationship between morphemes and specific word meanings, for example, using Chinese dictionaries to explore the range of words created from common character morphemes such as 情 in 情感, 情趣, 情形 and 性 in 性能, 性别, 性格
- Elaboration applying knowledge of morphemes to create new words and confirming combinations by using dictionaries or secure online tools, for example, 运动场, 马场, 老师, 调酒师
- Elaboration understanding and applying punctuation in writing, or adhering to punctuation conventions in reading, for example, full stops, commas, exclamation marks, brackets, apostrophes, speech marks and question marks; noting that there is no 顿号 in English
- Elaboration understanding elements of Chinese grammar such as word order and sentence construction, for example, analysing Chinese-specific grammatical structures and features such as 把 structure, and passive voice using 被
- Elaboration understanding and using verbs to express modality such as 应该,需要,必须, for example, 你应该努力学习。我们需要呼吸空气。学生必须穿校服。
- Elaboration comparing how tense is expressed in Chinese, for example, 了 to indicate completion; 过 to indicate the experience; 想/要 to indicate intention; verb negation 没有 to indicate incomplete past; and 正在 to indicate action in progress
- Elaboration recognising the purpose and effect of exclamatory sentences as opposed to statements, for example, the statement 你今天来得可真早。simply states that you came to school early today, while the exclamatory sentence 你今天来得可真早! may suggest surprise or irony
- Elaboration constructing a range of sentences in affirmative, negative, interrogative and imperative forms for different purposes, for example, 太好了！快点！为什么这么慢？天冷！
- Elaboration recognising differences in Chinese and English responses to negative tag questions to avoid misinterpretation, for example, in Chinese the response to the question 你还没做功课，是吗？ ("You haven’t done your homework, have you?") would be 是的，我还没有做。("Yes, I haven’t"), while in English it would be "No, I haven’t"
They comment on structures and features of Chinese text, using metalanguage.
Content descriptorAC9LCH8U03 Understanding language and culture
reflect on and explain similarities and differences between Chinese and English language structures and features, using metalanguage
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration extending understanding of metalanguage about a range of textual features in Chinese and English, such as paragraphs, using conjunctions to sequence and link ideas for cohesion, for example, 总而言之
- Elaboration identifying and comparing language features in Chinese and English texts, for example, the use of first-person point of view and descriptive and emotive language in personal recounts and diary entries
- Elaboration teaching younger students about some key differences between Chinese and English language, using support resources such as flash cards, diagrams, charts and tables
- Elaboration applying understanding of key features of familiar types of Chinese and English texts to understand unfamiliar content, for example, in print and digital public announcements, commercials, advertisements or itineraries
- Elaboration exploring the way content is developed in different types of texts in Chinese and English, and how ideas and information are structured, for example, identifying headings, paragraphs, topic sentences, elaborations and topic/idea shifts
- Elaboration reading samples of formal texts such as informative reports or short news articles, and identifying how the language compares with their own everyday speech
- Elaboration exploring metaphorical and literal meaning in Chinese and English texts, for example, 她的脸红得像苹果一样。
They reflect on how Chinese language, culture and identity are interconnected, and compare this with their own language(s), culture(s) and identity.
Content descriptorAC9LCH8U04 Understanding language and culture
reflect on and explain how their own and others’ identity is shaped by language(s), culture(s), attitudes, beliefs and values
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration considering how attitudes, beliefs and values can be reflected in language and gesture, for example, in everyday conversations and television programs, noticing when a younger person stands up out of respect when a senior person enters the room or waits for the senior person to eat first, and uses language such as 请坐！您先请！
- Elaboration reflecting on the influence of Chinese culture on their own communication style, for example, discussing whether they modify their communication style when interacting in English-speaking contexts such as with siblings, calling them by name instead of by their titles as in Chinese, 哥哥，姐姐
- Elaboration reflecting on participation in cultural events, noting similarities and differences in how practices change in a different contexts and regions, for example, 我们家不过中秋节，因为大家都觉得不太重要。母亲节那天我们全家去爷爷奶奶家一起吃饭。
- Elaboration examining, in Chinese or English, how First Nations Australians’ languages have strong connections to Country/Place and how these can be compared with language variation across Chinese-speaking communities
- Elaboration comparing cultural elements reflected in language use and social norms such as body language, volume of voice, the use of personal space and silence in different cultural contexts and exchanges
- Elaboration recognising that some Chinese social behaviours may be misinterpreted as lack of courtesy, for example, smiling instead of saying thank you, or not opening gifts straight away in front of guests
- Elaboration developing self-awareness of possible stereotyping during interactions, being sensitive and considerate when asking questions to avoid offence to others
- Elaboration discussing how family origins reflect the use of language, for example, mixing Chinese with English while speaking to another speaker of Chinese 我和朋友经常说汉语时夹着英语，但是我姥姥听不懂英语，我就会想想全部用汉语该怎么说。
This achievement standard describes the expected learning for Years 7 to 8 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 | 18 |
| Communicating meaning in Chinese | Mediating meaning in and between languages | 2 | 19 |
| Communicating meaning in Chinese | Creating text in Chinese | 1 | 11 |
| Understanding language and culture | — | 3 | 23 |
| Understanding language and culture | Understanding the interrelationship of language and culture | 1 | 8 |
| Total | 9 | 79 | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should students know by the end of Years 7 to 8 Chinese?
By the end of Year 8, students initiate and maintain interactions in Chinese language in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts related to a range of interests and experiences. They use Chinese to collaborate and problem-solve, and adjust language in response to others. 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 5 to 6?
The Years 5 to 6 Chinese standard (ASLANCHIBLLF-1Y56) covers the preceding curriculum level. Standards build progressively, with Years 7 to 8 expectations extending what was introduced in Years 5 to 6.
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.