Chinese Language Program

Phoebe Guo

Our Chinese Language Program provides an opportunity for students to develop cultural understanding and learn a second language from Foundation through to Grade 6.

Chinese at Maiden Gully focuses on learning the language through listening, speaking, reading, and writing practices in diverse ways, which include singing, dancing, rapping, playing games and storytelling. Students can also experience the Chinese culture through different activities, such as making Chinese dumplings, having Kung Fu and dragon dance incursions. Moreover, all students learning Chinese in the Bendigo area will be encouraged to show their talents in the Chinese Participation Weeks that will be held on the second half of the year at Bendigo Senior Secondary College.

Prep

During Semester One, the foundation students learn Chinese language and culture through a variety of lessons. They will be taught Chinese phrases and characters related to self-introduction, greetings, characters, and pronouns to help them understand and recognize key phrases and characters in Chinese.
During Semester Two, they will explore Chinese numbers, mastering counting from 1 to 10, and delved into the mythical Chinese dragon. With hands-on activities and multimedia presentations, students will develop linguistic skills and cultural understanding about Chinese. This combined learning experience will foster their language proficiency, numeracy, and appreciation for the Chinese culture.

Grade 1/2

During Semester One, students will learn about various topics such as the story of the 12 Zodiac Animals, animals, family members, and colours. Additionally, they will also learn to narrate the “Animals in the Farm” story in Chinese by utilizing gestures and pictures.
During Semester Two, students will be introduced to diverse topics such the origin of Chinese characters, drawing pictographic characters, fruits, drinks, food, and stationery. Moreover, they will also learn some catchy songs to help them memorize relevant Chinese words.

Grade 3/4

During Semester One, the curriculum comprises various topics such as the Lunar New Year Festival, extended family members, countries, sports, body parts, and occupation words. They will be able to share their dream jobs in Chinese using the phrase “wǒ xǐ huān (I like) …”
During Semester Two, students will be exposed to topics such as Dragon Boat Festival, number characters 1-100, dates, birthdays, schools and grades, and hobbies. They will learn to share their birthday in Chinese using the phrase “wǒ de shēng rì shì … yuè … rì. (My birthday is ….)”.

Grade 5/6

During Semester One, students will focus on topics such as the traditions of Chinese New Year, Chinese currency, Tomb Sweeping Day, and revision on family members and occupations. They will have the opportunity to make decorations for Chinese New Year and watch the dragon dance.
During Semester Two, students will start the exploration of four cities in China, learning about their locations, food, traditional activities, and famous tourist attractions. Specifically, they will be guided to write four directions in Chinese characters. They will also learn about the giant pandas to gain knowledge about the national treasure of China. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to experience making Chinese dumplings.

We are looking forward to another fantastic year in Chinese!!!