This document provides notes to accompany a course syllabus for Chinese: Background Speakers Stage 6. It explains how the NSW Stage 6 syllabus corresponds to the WA curriculum. Key points include: - Stage 6 in NSW is conducted over 2 years, with Preliminary corresponding to WA Stage 2 (Year 11) and HSC to Stage 3 (Year 12). - The aims and objectives are to be achieved by the end of Stage 3 (Year 12). - Stage 2 (Year 11) introduces topics, content, and language skills, while Stage 3 (Year 12) allows consolidation and more complex analysis and evaluation of prescribed texts. - The outcomes listed are to be covered in both Stage 2 and Stage 3

1. Chinese: Background Speakers Stage 6 syllabus notes
The page numbers indicated below refer to the attached course syllabus. The notes provide
information about the borrowed course in the context of current practice and the new WACE
Page Note Explanation/clarification
9 1 In NSW, Stage 6 is conducted over 2 years and consists of the Preliminary course and the HSC course.
For WA, Preliminary corresponds to Stage 2 (typically Year 11) and HSC corresponds to Stage 3
(typically Year 12). NSW Stages 1-5 are not relevant to WA.
10 2 Aims and objectives are for both Stage 2 and Stage 3 They are to be achieved by the end of the HSC
course (Stage 3/typically Year 12).
11 3 The Preliminary course corresponds to Stage 2 (typically Year 11) in WA. In Stage 2 the prescribed
topics and content as outlined in the syllabus are introduced and students are provided with
opportunities to develop their communication skills, knowledge and understanding of the language.
4 The HSC course corresponds to Stage 3 (typically Year 12) in WA. At HSC/Stage 3 there is opportunity
for consolidation and further development, at a more complex level, of communication skills, knowledge
and understanding of the language. In addition to the prescribed topics and content introduced in Stage
2, students analyse, evaluate and respond to prescribed texts.
12 5 The outcomes listed represent the knowledge, skills and understanding that students will achieve by the
end of HSC. There are no specific outcomes or objectives to be covered at particular points throughout
the course. They are to be covered in both Stages 2 and 3.
15 6 Both the Stage 2 (typically Year 11) and Stage 3 (typically Year 12) courses will focus on the study of
language and ideas through four prescribed themes. All four themes are to be covered in both Year 11
and 12 (perhaps with greater detail and depth in Year 12). See note 8.
17 7 Students should be provided with opportunity to read, listen to, and view a range of texts and text types
in Chinese relevant to prescribed themes and contemporary issues.
17 8 Prescribed texts link to a prescribed theme and at least one contemporary issue within that theme.
Prescribed texts are only for Stage 3 (HSC course).
18 9 List of grammatical items (page 19-23) that students are expected to know and use productively that
apply to both Stages 2 and 3.
23 10 There is no prescribed character list. However, students are expected to understand characters in a
simplified form in a range of contexts, as well as those characters that are in the prescribed texts.
24 11 Students are encouraged to use dictionaries effectively. They may use monolingual and/or bilingual print
dictionaries in the written exam.
25 12 In NSW, the preliminary course is a prerequisite to the HSC course. It is desirable to do both Stages 2
and 3 over the two years. However students can choose to do only Stage 3.
13 It is understood that the prescribed texts are to change for 2009. Changes will be published on the
Board of Studies website. (The Curriculum Council will notify teachers ASAP)
28 14 There is an external exam at the end of Stage 3 (typically Year 12) which is a written exam only. There
is no translation but it includes listening and responding/ reading and responding and writing. There is no
Stage 2 external exam.
29 15 The borrowed syllabuses are year long and correspond to two semester-long units in the Western
Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). To ensure students receive appropriate recognition towards
their WACE (i.e. equivalence of two semester-long units), it will be necessary for schools to register and
enrol students in both A and B units. At the end of Year 11 (typically Stage 2) schools are to submit
grades to the Curriculum Council. At the end of Year 12 (typically Stage 3) schools are to submit a
numerical score as well as a grade.
30-33 16 To meet WA school-based assessment requirements, each of the assessment components listed on
pages 30-31 (Stage 2) and pages 32-33 (Stage 3) should be addressed at least once in each semester.
30 17 Preliminary course corresponds to Stage 2 (typically Year 11) in WA.
32 18 HSC course corresponds to Stage 3 (typically Year 12) in WA.
34 19 The written exam is 3 hours including reading time. There is no oral component. In section I: Listening
and Responding, students listen to recorded texts in Chinese. Questions will be phrased in Chinese and
English for responses in either Chinese or English as specified. WA candidates will sit the exam at the
same time as NSW candidates.
35 20 In section II: Reading and Responding, Part A, students respond to one or more prescribed texts and
questions will be phrased in Chinese and English for responses in either Chinese or English as
specified. They are also required to evaluate one or more of the prescribed texts. In Part B, students will
read an unseen text in Chinese. Section III: Writing assesses students’ ability to express ideas in
Chinese.
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