Years 3 to 4
Languages
ASLANCHISLF10Y34
Years 3 to 4 Chinese Achievement Standard
10 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 structured interactions to share information related to the classroom and their personal world. 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 modelled language and basic syntax to create texts. They use familiar characters appropriate to context and make connections with the spelling and tone marks of Pinyin.
Students imitate sounds, tones, pronunciation, and intonation patterns of Chinese language. 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).
Second language learners · Foundation to Year 10 sequence
The 10 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 structured interactions to share information related to the classroom and their personal world.
Content descriptorAC9LC4C01 Communicating meaning in Chinese
initiate exchanges and respond to modelled questions about self, others, and classroom environment, using formulaic expressions
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration initiating and exchanging greetings in different contexts using modelled responses, for example, 你好吗, 我很好, 我马马虎虎, 我不好, 你的假期怎么样, 很好, 不好, 太好了, 很棒
- Elaboration participating in classroom routines, such as answering roll call 到, 不在, or starting class by standing and bowing 上课, 起立, 同学们好, 老师好, 请坐 or finishing class 下课, 谢谢老师, 老师再见
- Elaboration exchanging and responding to information about self, family or friends using modelled answers and questions, for example, 你叫什么名字, 我叫... 你属什么, 我属老虎, 你几岁了, 我九岁了, 你喜欢什么颜色, 我不喜欢棕色, 她喜欢狗, 他不喜欢狗
- Elaboration asking for clarification, using appropriate formulaic expressions and gestures, to match the contexts, for example, 请再说一遍, and showing understanding 我知道, 我不知道, 这是什么, 这是
- 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
They use modelled language to participate in spoken and written activities that involve planning.
Content descriptorAC9LC4C02 Communicating meaning in Chinese
participate in activities that involve planning and transacting with others, using a range of familiar phrases and modelled structures
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration performing plays in allocated roles within groups, using puppets and props, for example, 《十二生肖的故事》, 《饥饿的毛毛虫》using gestures and other movements to enhance the impact of the performance, or using facial expressions to demonstrate emotions
- Elaboration planning a role-play about an imaginary shopping trip with a partner, for example, 我要一个苹果, 我要两个草莓, 谢谢, 给你
- Elaboration following basic directions 左, 右, 前, 后, 东, 南, 北, 西 to reach a predetermined goal, for example, finding a hidden treasure in the school
- Elaboration asking and answering questions relating to concepts (time, number, including days of the week, months, etc.), for example, asking 几点了, 一点, 三点, 几月, 几日 and answering with 一月二号
- Elaboration asking for permission using appropriate formulaic expressions and gestures to match the contexts such as 请问我可以...吗？
They locate and respond to key items of information in texts using strategies to help interpret and convey meaning in familiar contexts.
Content descriptorAC9LC4C03 Communicating meaning in Chinese
locate and respond to key information related to familiar content obtained from spoken, written and multimodal texts
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration sequencing pictures to describe events, guided by the teacher, digital media or peers 七点起床, 八点吃早饭, 一点吃午饭, 六点吃晚饭
- Elaboration listening to short spoken texts to identify key information, for example, identifying the name and phone number of the speaker in a voicemail message, or the names, year level and age of Chinese-speaking children in a short interview
- Elaboration reading texts in print and digital form and responding with actions, for example, reading a shopping list of groceries and going to an imaginary shop to make purchases, or matching the grocery items to pictures, using multimedia
- 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 listening to or reading half a story and predicting what might happen next
- Elaboration viewing interviews with peers from different Chinese-speaking countries/regions (Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, etc.) about their likes and interests 你喜欢什么水果/颜色/运动？, and completing a corresponding survey
- 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
Content descriptorAC9LC4C04 Communicating meaning in Chinese
develop strategies to comprehend and adjust Chinese language in familiar contexts to convey cultural meaning
Elaborations (4)
- 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 identifying meanings of Chinese words and phrases that do not translate directly (word for word), for example, 属 , 岁, 马马虎虎
- Elaboration explaining meanings of colloquial phrases used on specific occasions, such as 恭喜发财 to give New Year wishes, and discussing how the same wishes or phrases are expressed in English
- Elaboration conveying the meaning of words and phrases to peers or the teacher using culturally appropriate gestures and actions, for example, using facial expressions to express dislike, disappointment, agreement or enthusiasm
They use modelled language and basic syntax to create texts.
Content descriptorAC9LC4C05 Communicating meaning in Chinese
create and present informative and imaginative spoken, written and multimodal texts using formulaic expressions, simple sentences and modelled textual conventions, familiar characters appropriate to context, and/or Pinyin
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration using a set of modelled sentences, such as 我的狗叫..., 它三岁了, 它喜欢..., 它的毛是黑色的, creating imaginary animals, pets or characters, and presenting them through performance (a puppet show, etc.) or using digital tools to digitally display a cartoon, for example, 这是龙, 他叫长龙, 他五岁了, 他喜欢饺子, 他很大
- Elaboration creating alternative versions of stories or action songs (nursery rhymes, etc.) using voice, rhythm, and gestures to animate characters, or using support materials (drawings, story maps, etc.) to create visual contexts, for example, changing the animals in 两只老虎 to 三只老鼠
- Elaboration designing a poster, PowerPoint, invitation, card for a specific event, a menu or creating a picture book or word wall, for example, producing a poster to represent the Chinese zodiac, displaying characters and/or Pinyin such as 中秋节, 动物
- 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 adapting familiar story books such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where Is the Green Sheep? and Brown Bear, and changing some of the vocabulary, "What would the caterpillar eat in Mainland China/Taiwan/Hong Kong?", or changing the food, colours, animals in the book(s) using a set list of words
- Elaboration drawing a picture of a nature scene or an imaginary monster/animal and labelling it in characters and Pinyin
- Elaboration producing a rap with a partner from a list of learnt vocabulary and phrases such as 水果, 动物, 家人, 数字
They use familiar characters appropriate to context and make connections with the spelling and tone marks of Pinyin.
Content descriptorAC9LC4C05 Communicating meaning in Chinese
create and present informative and imaginative spoken, written and multimodal texts using formulaic expressions, simple sentences and modelled textual conventions, familiar characters appropriate to context, and/or Pinyin
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration using a set of modelled sentences, such as 我的狗叫..., 它三岁了, 它喜欢..., 它的毛是黑色的, creating imaginary animals, pets or characters, and presenting them through performance (a puppet show, etc.) or using digital tools to digitally display a cartoon, for example, 这是龙, 他叫长龙, 他五岁了, 他喜欢饺子, 他很大
- Elaboration creating alternative versions of stories or action songs (nursery rhymes, etc.) using voice, rhythm, and gestures to animate characters, or using support materials (drawings, story maps, etc.) to create visual contexts, for example, changing the animals in 两只老虎 to 三只老鼠
- Elaboration designing a poster, PowerPoint, invitation, card for a specific event, a menu or creating a picture book or word wall, for example, producing a poster to represent the Chinese zodiac, displaying characters and/or Pinyin such as 中秋节, 动物
- 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 adapting familiar story books such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where Is the Green Sheep? and Brown Bear, and changing some of the vocabulary, "What would the caterpillar eat in Mainland China/Taiwan/Hong Kong?", or changing the food, colours, animals in the book(s) using a set list of words
- Elaboration drawing a picture of a nature scene or an imaginary monster/animal and labelling it in characters and Pinyin
- Elaboration producing a rap with a partner from a list of learnt vocabulary and phrases such as 水果, 动物, 家人, 数字
Students imitate sounds, tones, pronunciation, and intonation patterns of Chinese language.
Content descriptorAC9LC4U01 Understanding language and culture
recognise and use modelled combinations of sounds, tone-syllable pronunciation and intonation patterns to form words and phrases, and understand that Pinyin is the romanisation of characters
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration recognising and demonstrating Chinese combinations of sounds, pronunciation and intonation patterns in Chinese tongue twisters or nursery rhyme performances, for example, 白猫黑鼻子, 黑猫白鼻子, 白猫的黑鼻子碰破了黑猫的白鼻子, 黑猫的白鼻子碰破了白猫的黑鼻子
- Elaboration demonstrating understanding of the four tones in Chinese, and recognising when and why some tones are not expressed, for example, repetition of syllables in ‘ma-ma’, neutral tone on second syllable
- Elaboration explaining the use of Pinyin as a learning tool to reflect the sound of Chinese spoken language, recognising sounds associated with different letters and syllables
- Elaboration engaging in activities to raise tonal awareness, for example, listening to familiar vocabulary and demonstrating understanding of tones using gestures or adding tones on Pinyin, in an expression such as 妈妈骂马
- Elaboration playing pair matching card games, for example, matching character to Pinyin
They demonstrate understanding that Chinese has non-verbal, spoken and written language conventions and rules to create and make meaning.
Content descriptorAC9LC4U01 Understanding language and culture
recognise and use modelled combinations of sounds, tone-syllable pronunciation and intonation patterns to form words and phrases, and understand that Pinyin is the romanisation of characters
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration recognising and demonstrating Chinese combinations of sounds, pronunciation and intonation patterns in Chinese tongue twisters or nursery rhyme performances, for example, 白猫黑鼻子, 黑猫白鼻子, 白猫的黑鼻子碰破了黑猫的白鼻子, 黑猫的白鼻子碰破了白猫的黑鼻子
- Elaboration demonstrating understanding of the four tones in Chinese, and recognising when and why some tones are not expressed, for example, repetition of syllables in ‘ma-ma’, neutral tone on second syllable
- Elaboration explaining the use of Pinyin as a learning tool to reflect the sound of Chinese spoken language, recognising sounds associated with different letters and syllables
- Elaboration engaging in activities to raise tonal awareness, for example, listening to familiar vocabulary and demonstrating understanding of tones using gestures or adding tones on Pinyin, in an expression such as 妈妈骂马
- Elaboration playing pair matching card games, for example, matching character to Pinyin
Content descriptorAC9LC4U02 Understanding language and culture
recognise some features of the Chinese writing system, familiar components and/or characters, simple sentence structures and basic syntax, in familiar texts and contexts
Elaborations (8)
- 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 making connections between basic characters and related component forms, such as radicals 手, 人 and 亻, and recognising the number and arrangement of components in a compound character, for example, demonstrating understanding that 众 has 3 components and 打 has 2 components, and that 亻 is on the left-hand side
- Elaboration engaging with a range of basic characters and components and exploring their individual meanings, for example, 大, 小, 足, 手, categorising, organising and sorting characters based on the same radical 木, 林, 森, 休, and creating a visual diagram to group words with the same radical
- Elaboration using 的 to join adjectives and nouns 红色的鱼, 白色的马
- Elaboration creating and exploring simple subject+verb+object sentences with peers using a sentence slider, flashcards, visuals, dice, or rearranging modelled sentences
- Elaboration using subject+ 是 sentence structures to create a basic sentence, for example, 这是, 他是, 我是
- Elaboration following patterns of word order and sentence structure and using negation when creating sentences to express own meanings, for example, replacing the subject pronoun in 我喜欢绿色 to create the sentence 我妈妈不喜欢绿色
- Elaboration demonstrating understanding that the word ‘two’ 二 is different when counting objects using 两, and using basic measure words in modelled sentences between numbers and subject to describe quantity 个, 只 such as 两个苹果, 三只羊
They recognise that some terms have cultural meanings.
Content descriptorAC9LC4U04 Understanding language and culture
identify connections between Chinese language and cultural practices
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration identifying Chinese language and associated cultural practices, for example, saying 这是一个小礼物 when giving an imaginary gift to peers
- Elaboration recognising characters (such as 福) used in specific cultural events in various forms (paper cut-outs, folk art, couplets, etc.) of New Year decorations, and identifying how the form might change, for example, questioning why 福 is sometimes presented upside down
- Elaboration engaging with the traditions and customs, festivals, celebrations and food of Chinese-speaking communities, recognising the value of learning about culture(s) in learning a new language
- Elaboration exploring representations of information, for example, the symbols used in cultural expressions of First Nations Australians, and making connections with those of Chinese language and culture(s)
- Elaboration discussing birthday celebrations and traditions in Chinese-speaking countries, comparing ancient traditions with modern ones, reflecting on own birthday celebrations, such as singing 祝你生日快乐
- Elaboration identifying the connections between Chinese language and culture(s) by studying the reasons behind character formation, for example, learning how the character 家, which is a pictograph of a pig underneath a roof, came to represent the word ‘family’
- 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 discussing the difference between 我要去厕所。and 我可以去厕所吗？, and that the Chinese language can be very direct without being rude, for example, understanding that in English it is polite to say, “May I have …?", “Please can I have …?", but in Chinese, saying “I want ....” is usual; discussing the impact for a Chinese-speaking tourist travelling in Australia
They identify patterns in Chinese and make comparisons between Chinese and English.
Content descriptorAC9LC4U03 Understanding language and culture
recognise familiar Chinese language features and compare with those of English, in known contexts
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration comparing the similarities and differences of Chinese sentence structure with English subject+verb+object, and questions, for example, comparing “Do you have a cat?” versus 你有猫吗？, or “What's your name?” with 你叫什么名字？
- Elaboration exploring the Pinyin alphabet and comparing with Roman alphabet, recognising that initials such as ‘x’, ‘q’, ‘c’, ‘zh’, ‘g’, ‘shi’, ‘chi’, ‘zhi’, ‘pi’, ‘ji’ and vowels such as ‘i’, ‘e’, ‘u’, ‘ie’ are pronounced differently from English
- Elaboration recognising grammatical features and how their use differs in Chinese and English, for example, recognising the lack of articles in Chinese, that adjectives can be used as verbs, and the limited use of the verb ‘to be’ 是
- Elaboration recognising that Chinese uses measures, and comparing measure word usage in Chinese and English
- Elaboration discussing differences in Chinese names and English names, for example, discussing how Chinese surnames are written first and given names follow
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 descriptorAC9LC4U04 Understanding language and culture
identify connections between Chinese language and cultural practices
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration identifying Chinese language and associated cultural practices, for example, saying 这是一个小礼物 when giving an imaginary gift to peers
- Elaboration recognising characters (such as 福) used in specific cultural events in various forms (paper cut-outs, folk art, couplets, etc.) of New Year decorations, and identifying how the form might change, for example, questioning why 福 is sometimes presented upside down
- Elaboration engaging with the traditions and customs, festivals, celebrations and food of Chinese-speaking communities, recognising the value of learning about culture(s) in learning a new language
- Elaboration exploring representations of information, for example, the symbols used in cultural expressions of First Nations Australians, and making connections with those of Chinese language and culture(s)
- Elaboration discussing birthday celebrations and traditions in Chinese-speaking countries, comparing ancient traditions with modern ones, reflecting on own birthday celebrations, such as singing 祝你生日快乐
- Elaboration identifying the connections between Chinese language and culture(s) by studying the reasons behind character formation, for example, learning how the character 家, which is a pictograph of a pig underneath a roof, came to represent the word ‘family’
- 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 discussing the difference between 我要去厕所。and 我可以去厕所吗？, and that the Chinese language can be very direct without being rude, for example, understanding that in English it is polite to say, “May I have …?", “Please can I have …?", but in Chinese, saying “I want ....” is usual; discussing the impact for a Chinese-speaking tourist travelling in Australia
This achievement standard describes the expected learning for Years 3 to 4 Chinese · Second 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 | 10 |
| Communicating meaning in Chinese | Mediating meaning in and between languages | 2 | 11 |
| Communicating meaning in Chinese | Creating text in Chinese | 1 | 7 |
| Understanding language and culture | Understanding systems of language | 3 | 18 |
| Understanding language and culture | Understanding the interrelationship of language and culture | 1 | 8 |
| Total | 9 | 54 | |
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 structured interactions to share information related to the classroom and their personal world. 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 (ASLANCHISLF10Y12) 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.