07

Languages

Modified June 16, 2023
17.5 min
Modified June 16, 2023

Chinese

 Note: VCE Chinese is not offered at Corio campus; however, students may choose to do this course via distance learning.

Statement of Eligibility Criteria for Chinese Second Language, Chinese Second Language Advanced and Chinese Language, Culture and Society (from VCAA).

Chinese Second Language
A student is not eligible for Chinese Second Language if they have one of the following:
– Twelve (12) months or more education in a school where Chinese is the medium of instruction
– 3 years (36 months) or more residence in any of the VCAA nominated countries or regions including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

Chinese Second Language Advanced
A student is eligible for Chinese Second Language Advanced if:
– They have had no more than 7 years of education in a school where Chinese is the medium of instruction
– The highest level of education attained in a school where Chinese is the medium of instruction is no greater than the equivalent of Year 7 in a Victorian school.
The time periods referred to in these criteria will be counted cumulatively since the time of the student’s birth. Students may use traditional characters in writing but must be able to read simplified characters.

Prerequisites

Chinese Second Language Units 1 & 2 must be completed before Chinese Second Language Advanced Units 3 & 4.

Course Description

Unit 1: Semester 1

This unit is designed to establish and extend students’ knowledge in listening and speaking, and in reading and writing through studying topics relating to themes of the Individual, the Chinese-speaking Communities and The World Around Us. Content areas include personal identities, family and friends, famous people, and film.

Students are required to establish and maintain a spoken or written exchange related to personal areas of experience; listen to, read and obtain information from written and spoken texts, and to present information in writing in Chinese.

Regular exposure to our native Language Assistants in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)

Unit 2: Semester 2

Students continue to develop their knowledge and skills in listening and speaking, and in reading and writing through studying topics related to themes of the Individual, the Chinese-speaking Communities and the World Around Us. Content areas include school life and education, Chinese food, science and technology.

Students are required to participate in spoken or written exchanges related to the content areas; respond in written form to spoken and written texts; analyse and use information from written, spoken or visual texts to produce an extended written response in Chinese; and give an oral presentation in Chinese on a cultural aspect of the topics studied.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)

Unit 3: Semester 1

This unit is designed to extend a student’s knowledge and skills in understanding, speaking and writing, through the themes of the Individual, the Chinese-speaking Communities, and the World Around us. Content areas include legends and fables, festivals and customs, historical events and characters, city and rural life, places of interest in China.

Students are required to participate in a spoken exchange in Chinese to resolve a personal issue, interpret information from texts and write responses in Chinese, and to express ideas in a personal, informative or imaginative piece of writing in Chinese.

The student undertakes to present an object which can be spoken about in detail at the external oral exam.

Regular exposure to our native Language Assistants in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

Unit 4: Semester 2

This unit is designed to extend students’ knowledge and skills in understanding, speaking and writing, through the themes of the Individual, the Chinese-speaking Communities, and the World Around us. Content areas include future plans and work, work skills and occupations, technology and lifestyle.

Students are required to analyse information from 3 types of texts for use in a written response in Chinese; share information, ideas and opinions in a spoken exchange in Chinese, and present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in Chinese.

The student undertakes to present an object which can be spoken about in detail at the external oral examination.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Oral Examination (12.5%)
4. Written Examination (37.5%)

French

Prerequisites

French Units 1 & 2 must be completed before Units 3 & 4.

Course Description

Unit 1: Semester 1

This unit is designed to extend students’ knowledge and skills in understanding, speaking and writing the language.

Students are required to establish and maintain a spoken or written exchange related to personal areas of experience; listen to, read and obtain information from written and spoken texts and respond in written form; and present information that demonstrates understanding of cultural products and practices.

The content areas are based on the themes of The Individual, The French-Speaking Communities and The World Around Us. Topics include introductions, personal information, family relationships, daily routine and global youth issues.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT

1. Coursework (50%)
3. Examination (50%)

Unit 2: Semester 2

Students continue to extend their knowledge and skills under the prescribed themes of The Individual, The French Speaking Communities and The World Around Us.

Students are required to participate in spoken or written exchanges related to the content areas; respond in written form to spoken and written texts; analyse and use information from written, spoken or visual texts to produce an extended written response in French; and give an oral presentation in French on a cultural aspect of the topics studied.

Content areas include future plans, French music and cinema, the environment, pollution and conservation and holidays and travel.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT

1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)

Unit 3: Semester 1

This unit is designed to extend students’ knowledge and skills in understanding, speaking and writing the language.

Students are required to participate in a spoken exchange in French to resolve a personal issue, interpret information from texts and write responses in French and express ideas in a personal, informative or imaginative piece of writing in French.

The content areas are based on the themes of The Individual, The French-Speaking Communities and The World Around us and include family structure, the world of work, freedom of the press and immigration.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

The student undertakes to present an object which can be spoken about in detail at the external oral examination.

Unit 4: Semester 2

This unit is designed to extend students’ knowledge and skills in understanding, speaking and writing the language.

Students are required to share information, ideas and opinions in a spoken exchange in French; analyse information from written, spoken and viewed texts for use in a written response in French; and present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in French.

Content areas include France in the past and now and French culture.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

The student undertakes to present an object which can be spoken about in detail at the external oral examination.

ASSESSMENT

1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Written Examination (37.5%)
4. Oral Examination (12.5%)

German

Note: For 2024 only

Prerequisites

German Units 1 & 2 must be completed before German Units 3 & 4.

Course Description

Unit 1: Semester 1

This unit is designed to extend students’ knowledge and skills in understanding, speaking and writing the language.

Students are required to establish and maintain a spoken or written exchange related to personal areas of experience, listen to, read and obtain information from written and spoken texts and produce a written text in German relating to personal experiences.

The content areas are based on the themes of The Individual and The World Around Us. Topics areas include classroom communication, duties and rights, relationships, family, technology, alcohol and smoking, sport and hobbies, health and traffic, German Schools; after school, completing an apprenticeship, studying at University, current topics in education.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)

Unit 2: Semester 2

This unit is designed to extend students’ knowledge and skills in understanding, speaking and writing the language.

Students are required to respond in writing in German to spoken, written or visual texts presented in German; analyse and use information from written, spoken or visual texts to produce an extended written response in German; and explain information, ideas and concepts orally in German to a specific audience about an aspect of culture within communities where German is spoken.

Content areas include the German speaking communities and the world around us. Topic areas include industriousness and relationships at work; working in other parts of Europe, benefits at work, part-time work, leisure time; a business success story and a booming economy; concerts, music and pop culture, fashion, earning money with music; the media, changing face of tv, printed books or e-books, new technologies – blessing or curse, cyber mobbing.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)

Unit 3: Semester 1

This unit is designed to extend students’ knowledge and skills in understanding, speaking and writing the language.

Students are required to participate in a spoken exchange in German to resolve a personal issue; extract information from three or more written, spoken or visual texts and create written responses to specific questions or instructions in German; create an extended original piece of personal, informative or imaginative writing in German to express ideas, thoughts or responses on an aspect of the selected subtopic.

The content is based on the themes of The Individual, The German-speaking Communities and The World Around Us. Topic areas include fairy tales, traditions and customs, Bavaria – a German state; equal opportunity; animal experiments; stem cell research, cloning, in-vitro fertilisation. Dependence and addiction; smoking bans and debates of legalisation.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

Unit 4: Semester 2

This unit is designed to extend students’ knowledge and skills in understanding, speaking and writing the language.

Students are required to share information, ideas and opinions in a spoken exchange in German; analyse information from written, spoken and viewed texts for use in a written response in German and present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in German.

The content is based on the themes of The German-speaking Communities and The World Around Us. Topic areas include the environment and resources; World War II, resistance in World War II; the divided Germany; guest workers, foreigners and emigrants; asylum seekers; reunification of Germany; Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

The student undertakes to present an object which can be spoken about in detail at the external oral examination.

ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Oral Examination (12.5%)
4. Written Examination (37.5%)

Japanese Second Language

This subject is for students of non-Japanese speaking background, or those who have completed no more than seven years of first language study prior to Year 11. According to current VCAA rules, some Japanese Nationals may be eligible for this course. 

Prerequisites

Japanese Second Language Units 1 & 2 must be completed before Units 3 & 4.

Course Description

Unit 1: Semester 1

Students continue to extend their knowledge and skills under the prescribed themes of: The Individual, The Japanese Speaking Communities and The World Around Us.

Unit 1 involves the study of topics such as: self-introductions, education systems and school activities, sports and club activities.

The student is expected to converse in Japanese on a range of different topics, be familiar with different styles of writing, be able to extract relevant details from a range of spoken or written texts and respond in writing; and extend their knowledge of the Kanji characters. Students undertake a range of coursework assessment tasks throughout the unit.

Weekly individual sessions with our native language assistant are provided for each student which helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)

Unit 2: Semester 2

Students continue to extend their knowledge and skills under the prescribed themes of The Individual, The Japanese Speaking Communities and The World Around Us.

Unit 2 involves the study of topics such as: leisure and fitness, health and sickness, and social and environmental issues such as bullying, protecting the environment.

Students are required to participate in spoken or written exchanges related to the content areas; respond in written form to spoken and written texts; analyse and use information from written, spoken or visual texts to produce an extended written response in Japanese; and give an oral presentation in Japanese on a cultural aspect of the topics studied. More Kanji are introduced, and students are expected to consolidate their knowledge of these.

Students undertake a range of coursework assessment tasks throughout the unit.

Weekly individual sessions with the native language assistant are provided for each student which helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework (50%)
2. Examination (50%)

Unit 3: Semester 1

Students continue to extend their knowledge and skills under the prescribed themes of The Individual, The Japanese Speaking Communities and The World Around Us.

Unit 3 involves the study of ideals, lifestyles and gender roles, the environment and technology. 

Students are required to participate in a spoken exchange in Japanese to resolve a personal issue, interpret information from texts and write responses in Japanese and express ideas in a personal, informative or imaginative piece of writing in Japanese. Students will consolidate their knowledge of Kanji.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

Unit 4: Semester 2

Unit 4 involves the study future plans and Japanese housing.

Students are required to share information, ideas and opinions in a spoken exchange in Japanese; analyse information from written, spoken and viewed texts for use in a written response in Japanese; and present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in Japanese. Students will continue to consolidate their knowledge of Kanji.

The student undertakes to present an object which can be spoken about in detail at the external oral examination.

Regular exposure to our native language assistant in small conversation groups helps the students to develop their oral skills.

ASSESSMENT
1. Coursework – Unit 3 (25%)
2. Coursework – Unit 4 (25%)
3. Written Examination (37.5%)
4. Oral Examination (12.5%)