Embracing the New GCSE Chinese Specification: Enhancing Language Learning

1. This language matters! Teaching this language is not just a job! “The Chinese have created the single most extensive and enduring civilization in the world. Their language, spoken and written in the same forms over nearly four thousand years, binds their vast country together and links the present with the past, expressing a unified culture unmatched elsewhere.” --- The British Museum 2000

2. There are more non-native speaker candidates now. Before Now The New GCSE Chinese specification has taken account of the fact that more non-native speakers are taking the subject as an option. In response to this change, the Chinese GCSE exam has to be ‘easier’.

3. Easier – Listening and Reading now are more like vocab tests. Before Now To prepare students adequately for Listening and Reading, teachers present and exploit a range of vocabulary relevant to all the common topic areas. • Out and about • Customer Service and transactions • Personal information • Future plans, education and work

4. Change from single-tiered to multi-tiered • Listening paper and Reading paper now have • Foundation Tier • Higher Tier. This allows teachers of mixed abilities to enter their candidates for the appropriate tier.

5. Short Courses are available now. • To cater for different needs, two Short Courses are made available: • Spoken Language (speaking and listening) • Written Language (reading and writing) It may be appealing to British children with Chinese family background. For example, they may be good at L and S skills, but may not be ready for R and W. Short Course GCSE would be useful in KS3 for G & T students, in KS4 for an additional second foreign language and maybe in the 6th form as part of an enrichment programme. It is possible to amalgamate the results from the two Short Courses to form a GCSE.

6. Life is changing. The content to be learned needs to be changed. Before Now ‘Tape recorder’ is replaced with ‘iPod’ in the new spec. The new spec corresponds to the changes in younger generation’s life style.

7. Content is more relevant and interesting to students. Before Now Moving away from content students are over familiar with and tired of, Speaking & Writing assessment now shift accordingly to focus choices on: Media and Culture Sport and Leisure Travel and Tourism Business, Work and Employment

8. Context is more relevant and interesting to students. Themes for Speaking and Writing Media and Culture Sport and Leisure Travel and Tourism Business, Work and Employment Each of the broad themes gives students the scope to engage in activities that coincide with their true interests, experience and aspirations.

9. Link language learning with culture learning. In the new spec, contexts and purposes reflect the culture of China and Chinese communities. ‘Knife and fork’ need to be tested as they are relevant to students’ life. ‘chopsticks and bowl’ also need to be tested as they are closely linked to Chinese culture. (‘Chopsticks’ and ‘Bowl’ are not in the old GCSE Core Vocab. )

10. Link language learning with culture learning. The new spec is intended to guide students in the direction of appreciating the richness and diversity of other cultures as well as their own. Cultures could include different aspects, such as everyday life, social customs, school life, festivals and events of national importance.

11. Link language learning with culture learning. The new spec responds well to QCA’s guidance: The study of languages should include comparing pupils’ own experiences and perspectives with those of people in countries and communities where the target language is spoken. (QCA)

12. Introduce ‘word processing’ into the writing unit Students must complete TWO separate writing tasks. Students may word process ONE of their tasks. If preferred, students may produce all work in handwritten characters.

13. Assessment weightings have been revised. At present in the four-skill Spec (Chinese 1666) Listening 25% Speaking 25% Reading 25% Writing 25% For the three-skill specification (Chinese 1667) Listening 33% Reading 33% Writing 33%

14. Assessment weightings have been revised. The new weightings from the 2009 Spec are as following, Listening 20% Reading 20% Speaking 30% Writing 30%

15. This reminds me of what Confucius says 子曰：“学而时习之，不亦说乎？” Confucius say , "Isn’t it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned?” To studyfor the purpose of application To input for the purpose of output To learn to understand spoken language and written language for the purpose of communicating in speech and in writing So it makes more sense that Speaking and Writing weigh more than Listening and Reading.

16. Choice of content – enable personalized learning Two different task types chosen from following: • An open interaction • A picture-based, free-flowing discussion • A presentation followed by discussion The picture-based discussion and the presentation give students a choice of content and, therefore, enable them to take some ownership of their assessment.

17. Freedom of KS3 NC - focus on the skill of learning to learn “…Since we cannot know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned. …” --- John Holt, an American author and educator

18. Learning to Learn – develop independent learners Students can prepare for picture-based discussions and presentations on an individual basis in class up to two weeks in advance. The process of preparation can help to develop independent learners. Students can take on responsibility as learners.

19. Two major changes to deal with Controlled Assessment - SPEAKING Controlled Assessment - WRITING