1. Changes to VCE Chinese Second Language / Chinese Second Language Advanced

2. Rationale
The VCE Chinese Second Language (CSL) and Chinese Second Language Advanced (CSLA) studies have been modified in response to a perceived need by teachers to provide greater access to students undertaking the study.

3. Rationale
These modifications reflect the recommendations of teachers and other key stakeholders.

4. General changes
The curriculum content of the study design remains mainly unchanged
Changes have been made to both the school-assessed coursework and the written examination for both Chinese Second Language and Chinese Second Language Advanced
Chinese First Language has not changed at all

5. General changes
School Assessed Coursework
The changes to the School Assessed Coursework occur in Units 2 and 4 only.

6. General changes
Unit 1
There are no changes to Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 2, Outcome 2b has changed. It now includes a task requiring students to translate texts from characters into English.
There are no changes to Unit 2, Outcomes 1, 2a and 3

7. General changes
Details of Unit 2, Outcome 2b
In Unit 2, Outcome 2b students will be required to read written texts, reorganise information and ideas in a different text type and translate part of these texts from Chinese characters into English.

8. General changes
Sample task for Outcome 2b:
Write a short summary
comparing rural or urban
life in China and Australia,
using information from two
written texts provided.
Translate part of one of the
texts from characters into English.

9. Chinese Second Language/Chinese Second Language Advanced
Unit 3
There are no changes to Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 4, Outcome 1 has changed. It now includes a task requiring students to translate texts from characters into English.
There are no changes to Unit 4, Outcomes 2a and 2b

10. Chinese Second Language/Chinese Second Language Advanced
Details of Unit 4, Outcome 1
In Unit 4, Outcome 1 students will be required to read written texts, analyse and use
information from them and translate part of these texts from Chinese characters into English.

11. Chinese Second Language
Sample task for CSL for Unit 4 Outcome 1:
Read two articles on the meaning of friendship and answer questions related to the content.
Translate part of one of the articles from characters into English

12. Chinese Second Language Advanced
Sample task for CSLA for Unit 4 Outcome 1:
Read two articles on the meaning of friendship and write a formal letter to the editor supporting one view and opposing the other.
Translate part of one of the articles from characters into English

13. Translation
The translation tasks require students to:
Translate texts from characters into English
Understand texts and clearly convey meaning

14. Chinese Second Language
Written Examination
Section 1: Listening and responding
The number of listening texts is no longer specified and there has been a decrease in the total listening time.
The total listening time for one reading of the texts without pauses will be approximately 1½ -2 minutes

15. Chinese Second Language
Written Examination
Section 2: Reading, responding and translating
This section has a new title and the number of texts in Part A and Part B has been modified.
Overall length of text in Parts A and B will be
characters
New section, Part C, which requires students to complete a translation task.
Total length of text for Part C will be 150 – 250 characters

16. Chinese Second Language
Written Examination
Section 3: Writing
There are no changes to the specifications
in this section

17. Chinese Second Language Advanced
Written Examination
Section 1: Listening and responding
The number of listening texts is no longer specified and there has been a decrease in the total listening time.
The total listening time for one reading of the texts without pauses will be approximately 1½ -2 minutes

18. Chinese Second Language Advanced
Written Examination
Section 2: Reading, responding and translating
This section has a new title and the number of texts in Part A and Part B has been modified.
Overall length of text in Parts A and B will be
characters
New section, Part C, which requires students to complete a translation task.
Total length of text for Part C will be 200 – 300 characters

19. Chinese Second Language Advanced
Written Examination
Section 3: Writing
There are no changes to the specifications
in this section

20. Further examination details
Weighting change
The total weighting of Section 2: Reading, responding and translating has been increased to 22.5%
Chinese Second Language Advanced
The changes to the Chinese Second Language Advanced examination only differ from those made for the Chinese Second Language examination in the number and length of texts and characters. (See charts below)

21. Contribution of assessment tasks to the study score - CSL Unit 3
School-assessed coursework
Chinese Second Language %
Unit 3
150–200 character personal or imaginative written piece. 10
Response to spoken texts. 5
A 3-4 minute role-play focusing on the resolution of an issue
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22. Contribution of assessment tasks to the study score - CSL Unit 4
School-assessed coursework
Chinese Second Language %
Unit 4
Response to written texts and translation 5
250-character informative, persuasive or evaluative written response. 10
Three - to four- minute interview.
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23. Contribution of assessment tasks to the study score - CSLA Unit 3
School-assessed coursework
Chinese Second Language Advanced %
Unit 3
200–250 character personal or imaginative written piece. 10
Response to spoken texts. 5
A role-play of approximately 4 minutes focusing on the resolution of an issue
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24. Contribution of assessment tasks to the study score - CSLA Unit 4
School-assessed coursework
Chinese Second Language Advanced %
Unit 4
An extended response to written texts and translation. 5
character informative, persuasive or evaluative written piece. 10
Interview of approximately 4 minutes.
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25. Contribution of examinations to the study score – CSL and CSLA
Written Examination
Chinese Second Language and Chinese Second Language Advanced %
Listening and responding.
Part A: Response in English
Part B: Response in Chinese
2.5
Reading, responding and translating.
Part C: Translation - characters into English
7.5
Writing 10
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26. Contribution of oral examination to the study score – CSL and CSLA
Chinese Second Language and Chinese Second Language Advanced - %
Conversation
Discussion
12.5
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