process and adapt information from age-appropriate Chinese-language resources to complete authentic tasks
convey acquired information with an increasing level of competency in oral and written language
SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Students should be encouraged to access simple information from the Chinese resources around them (e.g., at home, school). As they become more proficient in their communication skills, they should be provided with opportunities to access more complex information from a variety of resources in their homes, school, communities, and the world.
Ask students to bring packaged Chinese food products to class. Introduce the Chinese characters on the labels. Invite students to create and bring their own food products to class and present them. Students could create packaging for their food items.
Show a video demonstrating a simple Chinese exercise and ask students to perform the routine. Then challenge them to learn the words for various body parts and repeat them verbally. Students take turns giving exercise instructions to their classmates.
Have students view a video of a weather report from the day before, then identify the weather vocabulary. Form groups of four and have two students in each group prepare a weather forecast and two prepare a weather chart. Ask groups to present TV weather reports using their weather charts as visual aids. Consider recording the presentations on video. Also have students access weather information from the Internet and other sources and report the forecasts.
Suggest that students look at Chinese advertising flyers (e.g., grocery store advertisements) and use the information to plan shopping lists within set budgets.
Invite students to use a variety of resources (e.g., CD-ROMs, the Internet) to locate useful Chinese information (e.g., excursions, art shows, restaurants) and present their findings to the class.
Have students work in pairs to research careers in the clothing industry, comparing Canadian opportunities to those in China. Students could access and use a Chinese web site as a resource.
SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
At this level, students can demonstrate their informational skills through an increasing range of oral and written activities. Assessment should focus on the extent to which they are able to apply their language skills and strategies to acquire and use information in carrying out meaningful tasks.
When students work with Chinese-language resources, look for evidence that they are increasingly:
confident, approaching tasks with a positive attitude
resourceful, trying many different ways to solve problems
able to persevere after encountering difficulty; they are not discouraged when they do not understand the entire message
willing to try new language and tasks, risking making errors in order to communicate ideas or feelings
committed, proud, and willing to work to accomplish tasks
self-monitoring, checking on their own progress and making adjustments
When students watch exercise videos, note to what extent they begin to:
recognize frequently repeated words and phrases
follow the exercise sequence
try to use some of the vocabulary and patterns in their instructions
Circulate among students, asking questions and providing feedback as they talk and work together. Look for evidence that they are able to:
understand and respond appropriately to questions, using learned patterns correctly
make short, simple statements about activities
ask for help when needed
find the information they need for specific tasks or questions
Print Material
Video
Multimedia
CD-ROM
