Chinese Language Curriculum Research Articles

Design and practice of human-machine cooperative international Chinese character teaching in ChatGPT application

The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into language education has created new opportunities for improving the instruction and acquisition of Chinese characters. Nevertheless, the cognitive difficulties linked to the acquisition of Chinese characters, such as their intricate visual features and lack of clear meaning, necessitate thoughtful deliberation when developing AI-supported learning interventions. The objective of this project is to explore the capacity of a collaborative method between humans and machines in teaching Chinese characters, utilising the advantages of both human expertise and AI technology. We specifically investigate the utilisation of ChatGPT, a substantial language model, for the creation of instructional materials and evaluation methods aimed at teaching Chinese characters to individuals who are not native speakers. The study utilises a mixed-methods approach, which involves both qualitative examination of lesson plans created by ChatGPT and quantitative evaluation of student learning outcomes. The results indicate that the suggested framework for human-machine collaboration can successfully tackle the cognitive difficulties associated with learning Chinese characters, resulting in enhanced learner involvement and performance. Nevertheless, the research also emphasises the constraints of AI-generated material and the significance of human involvement in guaranteeing the accuracy and dependability of educational interventions. This research adds to the expanding collection of literature on AI-assisted language learning and offers practical insights for educators and instructional designers who aim to use AI tools into Chinese language curriculum. The results emphasise the necessity of employing a multi-disciplinary strategy in AI-supported language learning, incorporating knowledge from cognitive psychology, educational technology, and second language acquisition.

Innovative Interdisciplinary Approaches: Frontline Chinese Teaching Practices in the Digital Age

This article examines the integration of interdisciplinary thinking within the Chinese language curriculum in middle schools during the digitalization of education, particularly in the context of the 2022 edition of the "Chinese Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education." The focus is on the current trends in interdisciplinary teaching, using case studies to explore how teachers can leverage interdisciplinary knowledge to enhance students' understanding of the Chinese language curriculum amidst digital transformation. The article underscores the significance of interdisciplinary thinking in Chinese education, highlighting its practical applications in areas such as blackboard design and overall lesson planning. By incorporating the international features of the Qingbaijiang District, it presents case studies that further illustrate the role of interdisciplinary thinking in advancing international education. The article aims to align theory with practice, adapt to the demands of educational digitalization, and concludes that interdisciplinary thinking effectively promotes subject integration, complements educational digitalization, enriches teaching content, strengthens students' global awareness, and lays a solid foundation for their comprehensive development and future career planning.

Integrating Chinese Culture Into Language Curriculum: Teaching Chinese Culture to International Students in China

Integrating Chinese Culture Into Language Curriculum: Teaching Chinese Culture to International Students in China

Critical Translanguaging Capability as an Intercultural Pedagogy for Localizing Chinese Language Education

The native teachers of Chinese are often perceived as lacking in critical thinking and creativity when it comes to employing culturally appropriate and relatable learning content in their lesson delivery to foreign Chinese language learners. However, there is little research pertaining to the methods that native teachers of Chinese can use to critically and creatively transform their instructional materials, strategies, and beliefs towards localizing the Chinese language curriculum to better suit students coming from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. In an attempt to address this issue, a case study methodology, combined with photo-elicitation interviews, was adopted for data collection. It investigated a bilingual Chinese teacher-researcher who critically and flexibly utilized his cultural and linguistic repertoires in enacting translanguaging pedagogy practices in the Australian education context. This study reveals that the native Chinese teacher-researcher, was able to use his critical thinking and creative abilities backed by his indigenous Chinese linguistic and cultural concepts and metaphors to source and select appropriate localized content that facilitates student learning. Such translanguaging practices demonstrated that the native Chinese teacher-researcher’s critical thinking capability helped shape up intercultural pedagogy giving rise to a localized Chinese language curriculum in the Australian education context.

Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting How Africans Interpret Instructional Materials and Chinese as a Foreign Language

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of socio-cultural differences in the interpretation of Chinese Language Instructional Materials (CLIM) by African students.
 Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.
 Conclusion: The study concluded that there are adequate Chinese language instructional materials at Stellenbosch University but they contain culturally unfamiliar elements for the African learners. In addition, many textbooks for foreign languages include cultural references that are foreign to their students. Because of the cultural differences, the information presented in the course materials is less easily understood. Students at Stellenbosch can be said to have an optimistic outlook on Chinese in general
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommended that the introductory topics in the Chinese language curriculum emphasize more on teaching of the Chinese culture. Also, efforts should be made to localize the learning resources for a more effective teaching of the language. The Chinese language curriculum could place greater emphasis on helping African students gain an appreciation for Chinese culture in its foundational or introductory materials. CFL course requirements in universities should also be examined in light of the foregoing

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CHINESE LANGUAGE CURRICULA FOR LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION IN CHINA AND MALAYSIA

The research aimed to study and compare the educational philosophies, frameworks and structures required according to the Chinese curricula for lower secondary education in China and Malaysia. The study had been carried out by using the inferential content analysis approach with Smith's Curriculum Theory as the theoretical framework. The motivation behind this research is to provide recommendations or suggestions on the similarities and differences found in both the Chinese language curricula. This research was conducted to explore the Chinese language curricula for secondary education from Malaysia and China only. The curricula involved were the DSKP Chinese for Form 1, Form 2, and Form 3 students in Malaysia, as well as the Standard Chinese Language Curriculum of Compulsory Education (SCLCCE) (义务教育语文课程标准)for students from 7th to 9th grade in China.

수능 중국어Ⅰ출제 경향 분석에 대한 소고

As is well known, the absolute evaluation of the Chinese SAT test from 2022 requires adjusting the difficulty of the existing CSAT test. On the other hand, the number of examinees participating in the Chinese test of the CSAT every year is on the decline. Now, as a Chinese teacher, it is necessary to consider the alternatives in various ways as to how to overcome and cope with changes and crisis factors in the external environment for the Chinese test. In addition, in order for “evaluation,” which determines teaching and learning, to meet the final goal of Chinese language education, “improving Chinese communication skills,” it is necessary to closely review and review the questions on the Chinese test. This paper will focus on the following research questions to explore the tendency of the questions that measure the “communication function” of the CSAT Chinese test for 10 years from 2013 to 2022. : (1) What are the high frequency Chinese words used in the communication function question for 10 years? ; (2) What are the ‘communication functions’ and ‘communication situations’ that are mainly dealt with in the communication function questions, and what are the characteristics of these functions compared to the ‘communication function items’ presented in the ‘Chinese Language Curriculum’? ; (3) Based on the above analysis results, what is the plan to improve the question of communication function under the absolute evaluation method?

Determinants of ethnic minority students’ sense of belonging in Hong Kong: teachers’ narratives and perspectives

ABSTRACT This article examines nine secondary school teachers’ narratives and perspectives about the determinants of their ethnic minority students’ sense of belonging in Hong Kong. The thematic analysis of their in-depth interviews reveals three sets of determinants of belonging, including demographic, personal, and intercultural factors. The study findings underscore the importance of students’ socialisation contexts and the critical role of the Chinese language curriculum and the social reception towards non-European immigrants in Hong Kong. The paper discusses the potential avenues of educational policy and practice interventions for developing a stronger sense of belonging among young people with immigrant and ethnic minority backgrounds in the multicultural societies of settlement.

Towards a reconceptualisation of the Cantonese lexicon in contemporary Hong Kong: classificatory possibilities and their implications for the local Chinese-as-an-additional-language curriculum

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a tripartite model describing the lexical categories across different registers and levels of formality in the Cantonese language in contemporary Hong Kong: (i) native Cantonese words, (ii) Sino-Cantonese words, and (iii) Anglo-Cantonese words. Examples of authentic Cantonese use were used to illustrate the histories and etymology of key lexical categories and sub-categories as found in the city’s linguistic landscape. As a sensitising device, the proposed classificatory model highlights the role of lexical borrowings in the constitution of contemporary Cantonese lexis, whilst decentring a primarily Mandarin-based approach to research and practice. Given the authenticity and omnipresence of Cantonese use across spoken and written modalities in contemporary Hong Kong, this paper argues that there is much scope for disambiguating and systematising the place of Cantonese lexis in the local Chinese language curriculum. In this regard, the case of Chinese language provision for ethnolinguistic minority learners with Chinese-as-an-Additional-Language (CAL) needs in post-handover Hong Kong is put forth to call attention to the utility of this descriptive model in mitigating against the learning and pedagogical issues associated with the disconnect between the curriculum and authentic language use, as well as linguistic disintegration.

Key Factors in the successful implementation of Chinese language courses in upper secondary schools: a case study from the Czech Republic

ABSTRACT This paper aims to provide a comprehensive narrative of the current status of Chinese language teaching at upper secondary schools in the Czech Republic. Processes involved in developing the Chinese language curriculum in upper secondary schools were mapped through a qualitative survey. Representatives of 20 schools were interviewed to identify factors associated with the successful implementation of Chinese language courses. The research focuses on answering two questions: (1) What factors determine the success or failure of a Chinese language programme at a secondary school? (2) What systemic support can be provided to facilitate Chinese teaching at upper secondary schools? In answer to the first question, factors such as the mindset of stakeholders, curricular classification, employment, and partnerships are discussed. As for systemic support, fostering a realistic attitude, institutional support and cooperative partnerships are suggested. These findings may serve as a source of inspiration for countries where the Chinese language in secondary education is still in the process of development, as is the case in the Czech Republic.

Enhancing the Learning Effectiveness of University of Science and Technology Students through Flipped Teaching in Chinese-Language Curriculum

Chinese is one of the most important global languages, but at some universities of science and technology, Chinese-language learning is unfortunately not valued by students. According to the results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), organized by the United Nations every three years, although Taiwanese students’ performance in reading improved from 2015 to 2018, many problems remain in the teaching field that lead to a lack of student interest in Chinese-language learning. We attempted to use flipped teaching to intervene in the Chinese-language curriculum at the university of science and technology at which we teach. This methodological process and procedure was used to plan teaching materials, and 36 weeks of teaching with a Chinese-language curriculum were offered to freshman students in one academic year. We then evaluated teaching effectiveness through the pre- and post-tests of students’ language proficiency, obtained feedback from students through school-wide teaching evaluation questions, reviewed the teaching effectiveness of the Chinese-language curriculum for the academic year, and achieved significant improvements in students’ reading skills with regard to language learning.

Comprehensible narratives and connected grammar

Abstract Classical Chinese is an integral component of the Chinese language curriculum at many American universities. However, which texts should be taught and how their grammar should be introduced in a textbook, are questions that have seldom been discussed. This article focuses on the selection of original texts and the mode of grammar explanation in an introductory-level textbook for undergraduate students who study Chinese as a second language. In the United States, more and more students study Classical Chinese for Mandarin-proficiency improvement and Chinese cultural perceptions. Responding to the trend, I argue that narrative texts and comparative grammar explanation would not only render a textbook more comprehensible and engaging, but also advance the learner’s practice of Classical Chinese knowledge in Modern Chinese production. This new design thus effectively connects Classical and Modern Chinese in both “content” and “form,” providing a new perspective to the curriculum development of overseas Chinese programs.

Localising Chinese language curriculum construction: A case study in an Australian primary school

AbstractChinese is now the second most commonly spoken language in Australia. There is a growing interest in learning Chinese in local schools. However, it is reported that the principally English-speaking learners in Australia have great difficulties and challenges in learning Chinese. The high dropout rate in Chinese courses demonstrates this. This paper presents a case study conducted in a local public school in New South Wales. The purpose of this study is to explore and employ the local students’ daily recurring sociolinguistic activities, performed in English at school, for creating suitable learning content. In this way, a localised Chinese curriculum is constructed in the Australian educational environment. The case study shows that the local students’ translanguaging aptitudes between English and Chinese are developing and becoming influential, as they have engaged in learning Chinese in the form of a local practice – playing chess, which is a typical instance of their daily recurring sociolinguistic activities in school. Therefore, in the process of such contextualised learning practices, not only can Chinese be made learnable for them, but also the specific vocabulary learnt can be the basis for their wider learning of Chinese in the future.

Primary School Teachers' Conceptions of Reading Comprehension Processes and Its Formulation.

Understanding reading comprehension processes is vital for teachers to effectively conduct teaching and assessment of reading in schools. Hong Kong students’ outstanding reading performance internationally is commonly attributed to the implementation of reading comprehension models in its Chinese language curriculum, however, the understanding of teachers’ conceptions of reading comprehension is still very limited. This phenomenographic study interviewed 28 in-service Chinese language teachers from eight Hong Kong primary schools and illustrated the elicited conceptions of a model of reading comprehension processes (i.e., Six Types of Reading Comprehension Process Model, a widely used model in Hong Kong). The three categories of teachers’ conceptions found are as follows: understanding basic ideas of a text, sequential development of holistic comprehension skills, and fostering independent readers. This study further employed sense-making theory to investigate the formulation of the teachers’ conceptions. It is found that the conceptions were shaped when teachers’ conventional practices that focused on rote-learning interplayed with the continual regulating means of the implementation. Teachers are also highly influenced by factors like attainability by their students and agreement with own philosophy. This study also implied that teachers’ beliefs will need to be brought to light in order for new learning to happen.

Secondary teachers’ conceptions of integrated writing skills: Are teachers’ conceptions aligned with the curriculum objectives

Integrated writing skills that emphasize integrated use of language skills and multiple source materials have attracted increasing attention in language education globally and locally in Hong Kong. This study examines teachers’ conceptions of integrated writing skills and interviewed twenty-five Chinese language teachers. Three conceptions emerged from the data, representing writing as a composite of disconnected parts (Category1), a logical inquiry (Category 2), and a developmental process (Category 3). As the categories move up, the alignment between teachers’ conceptions and the curriculum objectives increases accordingly, with the purpose of writing instruction ranging from fulfilling examination requirements, enhancing reasoning skills, to developing integrated use of language skills. The findings also reveal that although the development of integrated writing skills has been a critical component of the Chinese language curriculum since the first public examination in 2007, teachers’ receptivity toward it still varied greatly. Insufficient professional training, the legitimacy of integrated writing as a curriculum component, and the fossilization of the public examination were the factors that accounted for the differing attitudes among the teachers. The discourse of integrated writing in the Hong Kong context has been centered around high-stakes testing. The unbalanced discourse resulted in an oversimplified view that conflated the teaching and learning of integrated writing with integrated writing assessment. The study contributes to the conversation between integrated writing curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Implications for teacher professional development are discussed.

전문대학 전공직무역량기반 관광서비스중국어 교육과정 개발 사례

전문대학 전공직무역량기반 관광서비스중국어 교육과정 개발 사례

鍛辭成章： ｢閱讀促進學習｣教學法中筆記摘錄與共同建構在香港非華 語初中課堂的實踐與成效

In Hong Kong, the number of secondary schools admitting Non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) students has increased tremendously in recent years (LegCo, 2016), in which most of them are mainstream schools. To cater the learning differences of NCS students, various supporting programs have been employed to help NCS students to improve their Chinese so as to ease their difficulties in applying for universities and finding jobs (Loh & Tam, 2016), and hence enhancing upward social mobility (Leung et al, 2017). Thus developing suitable Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) pedagogies has caught much scholarly attention with pressing needs. Under such backdrop, the paper discusses the use of “Reading to Learn (R2L)” Pedagogy (Rose & Martin, 2012) to support the junior secondary CSL teaching and learning in a secondary school with high NCS density. The research team developed school-based teaching and learning materials based on Chinese Language Curriculum Second Language Adapted Learning Framework (EDB, 2014) and International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) syllabus. Based on collaborative lesson preparation, class observation, teachers and students focus groups, close examination of students’work, the study aims at finding the effectiveness of R2L in enhancing students’ reading and writing abilities of explanatory essays, as well as their motivation. Through Detailed Reading, Note-making, Joint Rewriting and Joint Construction, with extensive scaffolding and teacher-student interaction, students are able to understand the register variables and transfer to individual writing of explanatory essays. Discourse analysis and focus group interviews also show that R2L can enhance the motivation of students and their confidence in learning Chinese. The study explores the potential of applying R2L pedagogy to enhance the reading and writing of explanatory essays, as well as discerning the praxis and effectiveness of various teaching stages. Keywords : Teaching of Chinese as a Second Language, Reading and Writing Abilities, Reading to Learn Pedagogy, Note Taking, Joint Construction 近年, 香港取錄非華語學生的主流中學急增(立法會, 2016)｡ 學校需要因應這些學生的學習差異, 採用各種支援方式幫助他們學好中文, 改善其升學就業的困難, 提升社會向上流動機會(Leung et al, 2017; Loh & Tam, 2016)｡ 是以為非華語學生提供適切的中文教學法, 成為當前急務(Shum, 2015)｡ 本個案研究針對以上情況, 以｢閱讀促進學習｣ 教學法(Rose & Martin, 2012)支援一所非華語學生比例較高的中學, 在初中中文作為第二語言課堂, 參照中國語文課程第二語言學習架構(香港教育局, 2014)及國際普通中學教育證書 (IGCSE)課程綱要, 修訂校本課程｡ 透過協作和共同備課會議, 課堂觀察, 師生聚焦小組訪談, 筆記及課業文本分析等方法, 了解此教學法能否提高學生說明文類的讀寫能力, 增強學習動機｡ 老師引領學生詳細閱讀範文後, 指導學生通過小組合作從範文提取並記錄關鍵字詞, 摘錄成筆記(Note Making)｡ 繼而學生藉着師生互動與鷹架輔助, 運用這些關鍵字詞, 句式及文步, 共同建構(Joint Construction)新篇, 最後讓學生獨立寫作｡ 本研究發現上述步驟能有效幫助學生理解文類語域變數(Eggins, 1994), 並能活用至不同通篇寫作活動；文本分析與小組訪談亦顯示該教學法能有效提高學生學習中文的動機, 增強學習信心｡ 本研究驗證｢閱讀促進學習｣ 教學法對改善學生說明文類讀寫能力及各教學步驟的實踐成效均具啟發性｡ (535字) 關鍵字 : 中文作為第二語言教學, 讀寫能力, ｢閱讀促進學習｣ 教學法, 筆記摘錄, 共同建構

Impact of rapid reading skills training on reading rate and reading achievement among primary school students in China

The current study examined the effects of a silent rapid reading skills training intervention on the reading rate and reading achievement of primary school students in China in order to determine the efficacy of the intervention and explore potential gender differences. A total of 108 Chinese primary school students were randomly assigned by the classroom to either an experimental (n = 54) or control (n = 54) condition. Students in the experimental group completed 12 sessions of rapid reading skills training designed to increase their ability to rapidly read Chinese text in silence. Students in the control group engaged in regular Chinese language curriculum for the same time period. After the three-week intervention period, students in the experimental group displayed significantly greater silent reading speed of Chinese characters (M = 1331.26 characters per minute) compared to students in the control group (M = 617.48 characters per minute; p < .001). Children in the intervention group also displayed a significantly greater effective reading rate (F = 87.11, p < .001, partial η2 = 0.46) at post-test compared to the control. Male students displayed greater increases in reading speed than female students. Neither intervention effect nor gender difference was evident for reading comprehension. Implications for educational interventions designed to increase silent reading speed among Chinese students are discussed.

Religiosity and citizenship values in Chinese language textbooks

Abstract Recent years have seen an increase in the number of studies of the impact of religious faiths on citizens’ values in several Chinese societies, but little is known about the position and role schooling has had in relation to the rise of religious activity, especially in Mainland China. Drawing on data from Chinese language textbooks at both the primary and secondary level, this study examines the intersection of religiosities and state-prescribed values in the national curriculum in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The wide coverage of different themes related to social life in the Chinese language curriculum may present different understandings of religiosities than the Marxist interpretation of religious phenomenon in other social studies subjects in China. This study’s research findings suggest that representations of religious traditions are integral to depictions of the Chinese nation, including interpretations of the nation’s cultural traditions, architecture, history and literature. Moreover, the religious narratives identified in the textbooks tend to be more associated with the transmission of positive values, for example dedication, love, caring for nature, and a respect for diversity.

Research on Chinese-Language Curriculum Development in Higher Education from the Perspective of Sociology

A reexamination of Higher Education Curriculum contributes to exploring its social value as an education resource and enhancing the social competence of students. Chinese-language curriculum being a basic curriculum of general education program, fully researching the social value of higher education institution’s Chinese-language curriculum is conducive to fostering the technology application skills of students, making it necessary to carry out this research from the perspective of sociology.