World Language Department
Mandarin Chinese Courses
(All Courses Above are Included in GPA)
Mandarin Chinese I L3
WL1306 - 1.0 Credit - Year Long - Grades 9-12
Prerequisite:
- Teacher recommendation or approval of the World Language Department Head
Topics of Mandarin Chinese I include a brief introduction to Chinese Pinyin, emphasizing oral expression and phonetics, greetings, family, self-introduction, numbers, and hobbies. By the end of this course, the students will be able to read and write commonly used Chinese characters, greet people, ask and answer basic questions, express personal preferences and hobbies, and understand simple daily communications. They will also be able to comprehend the main idea in recordings, authentic written material, and respond to simple commands. Daily preparation, attention to detail, and accuracy in spoken and written Chinese are emphasized. The proficiency target of this course is Novice-Mid on the ACTFL scale.
Mandarin Chinese II L3
WL135 - 1.0 Credit - Year Long - Grades 9-10
Prerequisite:
- C or better in Mandarin 8 AND recommendation of Mandarin 8 teacher
The course emphasizes conversation for everyday use, vocabulary building, more advanced grammar concepts, and an introduction to simple readings. Conversation and listening comprehension are stressed within the limits of learned vocabulary and structure. Cultural appreciation will be broadened through discussion and reading about Chinese-speaking countries. The learning experiences introduced in the first and second full year, with an emphasis on helping students develop audio-lingual skills as well as competence in reading and writing, are continued and expanded in the third full year. The proficiency target of this course is Novice-High on the ACTFL scale.
Mandarin Chinese II L4
WL142 - 1.0 Credit - Year Long - Grades 9-10
Prerequisite:
- A- or better in Mandarin 8 AND recommendation of Mandarin 8 teacher
The course offers a fast-paced rigorous curriculum for highly motivated students who want a challenging course of study. The course emphasizes conversation for everyday use, vocabulary building, more advanced grammar concepts, and an introduction to simple readings. Conversation and listening comprehension are stressed within the limits of learned vocabulary and structure. Cultural appreciation will be broadened through discussion and reading about Chinese-speaking countries. The learning experiences introduced in the first and second full year, with an emphasis on helping students develop audio-lingual skills as well as competence in reading and writing, are continued and expanded in the third full year. The proficiency target of this course is Novice-High on the ACTFL scale.
Mandarin Chinese III L4
WL242 - 1.0 Credit - Year Long - Grades 10-12
Prerequisite:
- B or better in Mandarin Chinese II L4 AND recommendation of Mandarin Chinese II teacher; OR
- A- or better in Mandarin Chinese II L3 AND recommendation of Mandarin Chinese II teacher
This course will tie together and expand the basic knowledge acquired in the previous 2 full years. Additional grammatical structures will be taught. Classroom activities will assist the students in acquiring proficiency in the linguistic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing through the use of dialogue, grammar, vocabulary study, and cultural readings. There are regular aural, oral, and written assessments to measure student progress. The culture, civilization, and language of China are studied. The proficiency target of this course is Intermediate-Low on the ACTFL scale.
Mandarin Chinese IV L4
WL346 - 1.0 Credit - Year Long - Grades 11-12
Prerequisite:
- B+ or better in Mandarin Chinese III L4 AND recommendation of Mandarin Chinese III L4 teacher
This is an advanced course for students who have taken a Chinese class for 3 years at the honors level. This is a rigorous curriculum for highly motivated students who want a challenging course of study. Classroom activities will assist the students in acquiring proficiency in the linguistic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing through the use of dialogue, grammar, vocabulary study, and cultural readings. Regular aural, oral, and written assessments will be performed to measure student progress. The culture, civilization, and language of China are studied. The proficiency target of this course is Intermediate-Mid (beginning) on the ACTFL scale.
Mandarin Chinese V L5
WL455 - 1.0 Credit - Year Long - Grades 11-12
Prerequisite:
- B+ or better in Mandarin Chinese IV L4 AND recommendation of Mandarin Chinese IV L4 teacher
This course is designed for students who wish to continue their study of Chinese at more advanced levels. Students explore more formal spoken and written language. Focusing on important linguistic structures, students build and refine their understanding of Chinese grammar and vocabulary. Course topics include high school, future plans, and the culture, civilization, and geography of China. The proficiency target of this course is Intermediate-Mid (continuing) on the ACTFL scale.
All Mandarin Chinese V students are required to take the AAPPL exam and may qualify for the state Seal of Biliteracy, if their scores on all parts of the exam meet state requirements, and if they meet English MCAS requirements. The score on this exam will be converted to a letter grade and used as the midyear exam for the course.
All Mandarin Chinese V students are required to take the AAPPL exam and may qualify for the state Seal of Biliteracy, if their scores on all parts of the exam meet state requirements, and if they meet English MCAS requirements. The score on this exam will be converted to a letter grade and used as the midyear exam for the course.