Grade 12: Acquiring Information

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

• research, analyse, and synthesize relevant information from several Chinese-language sources on chosen topics to complete authentic tasks
• convey acquired information in oral, visual, and written forms

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Acquiring Information in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• During class time, tune in to local Chinese radio or TV stations to obtain weather reports, news, and information about community events.
• To familiarize students with vocabulary related to geography, have students study a map of China or Canada and use the legends, scale, and compass directions to identify one or more features (e.g., landforms, regions, vegetation, climatic zones, political boundaries, provinces, major rivers, mountain ranges, population centres).
• Ask students to use advertisements in local Chinese newspapers or magazines to obtain lists of specific information for setting up their own accommodations after graduation. Costs for rent, furniture, and other purchases should be within budget limits.
• Invite students to use the Internet to access information about interesting sites to visit in China. Students then present their findings to the class, recommending a few sites and giving reasons for their recommendations.
• Ask students to research an aspect of the history of Chinese people in Canada (e.g., construction of the railroad, mining, farming) and present their findings to the class.
• Have each student use the Internet to locate three colleges or universities that offer Chinese programs and to choose one. Ask students to identify the universities they selected and explain why they chose them. Have them compose formal letters to the heads of departments, introducing themselves and asking several questions about the courses or programs.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

• When students work with simple or adapted written materials, look for evidence that they are able to:
  • skim the material to identify familiar words and phrases
  • use text features (e.g., headings, organization, illustrations, graphs, charts) to make predictions about the material and support their reading
  • use the context and their previous knowledge to anticipate meaning
  • identify topics and key supporting information
  • recognize the purposes, genres, and viewpoints of the writers
  • use dictionaries and other reference materials to clarify meaning
  • pose their own questions to guide their reading
• When students listen to news or community events on radio or television, outline task requirements such as the following:
  • Create a visual representation that includes key features of the story or event.
  • Present an oral summary in the style of a news broadcaster.
  • Keep a written record that includes station and program, name of broadcaster(s), topic(s) of the story, and a short list of key Chinese words and phrases the broadcaster used in describing the story.
  Check students' assignments for accuracy and completeness.
• Work with students to develop criteria for written projects or reports based on authentic sources. For example, when they develop Chinese-English or English-Chinese translations, provide opportunities for peer feedback on:
  • accuracy of the translation
  • appropriateness of the level of formality

• Chinese Unmasked - Volumes 1 & 2
• Concise English-Chinese/Chinese-English Dictionary (Oxford)
• Taiwan Today

• Childhood of Wang Mian
• The Dragon's Tongue Series

• Chinese Mandarin Resource Book - Volumes 1, 2, and 3
• Hanyu (Revised Edition)
• Zhongguotong

• Chinese and Characters

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