The document discusses creative ways to teach Chinese characters and language to students. It suggests using themes to connect topics and provide real-world contexts. Some techniques mentioned include teaching characters through shaving cream, mini books, journals, adopting an egg or animal, providing memory cues, and clustering related characters. The goal is to make learning characters enjoyable and effective by engaging multiple senses and avoiding repetition alone.

1. "Thinking outside the Box
Teaching Chinese creatively".
Imagine new ways of presenting Chinese material
to students
http://www.creativechinese.com
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2. Friday, March 9, 12

3. 1st Goal － 第一目标
• Everyone can learn Chinese.
•
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Everyone can learn Chinese to a high standard!

4. 2nd Goal － 第二目标
We want a line outside my
door where students are
wanting to learn Chinese!
AND
Parents are demanding
Chinese!
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5. 3rd Goal － 第三目标
• I will not spoon-feed my students.
• It will be a THINKING classroom!
• 填鸭式
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6. • Creative ways to make writing Chinese
characters enjoyable and effective
6
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7. • How to develop a Theme
7
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8. • Work Stations
8
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9. • Student Contracts and Technology
9
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10. Writing of characters
• 16 Fun ways to make writing Chinese
characters enjoyable and effective
drill
worksheets
repetition
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11. First…..The Bad News!
There’s probably no way of avoiding the repetition!
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12. The Good news is…
Meaning
Connections
Context
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13. Cognitive Approach
Learning Chinese creates
specific demands on the areas
of the brain for remembering
visual patterns.
Connections and Patterning
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14. Cognitive Approach
Learning Chinese creates
specific demands on the areas
of the brain for remembering
visual patterns.
Connections and Patterning
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15. Teach Characters in context
Brain seeks connections, context and meaning!
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16. Teach Characters in Context
Avoid teaching
Vocabulary
Grammar
Sentence structures
in isolation!
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17. 1. ‘Chinglish’
Encouraging use of characters
Supporting writing for meaning
Allows feedback for learning
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18. 2. Shaving cream
characters
This activity is very helpful for fine
motor skills and for visual and
tactical learners.
The more senses you use, the more
effective we learn!
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19. 3. Make Mini Books
Create a simple Power-point presentation and print three slides per page.
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20. 4. Mini White boards
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21. 5. Red Head-bands
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22. 6. Chinese Journals
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23. 7. Adopt an Egg Project
Decorate an egg
Write a description of egg in Chinese
Introduce Adopted egg to class
Create an ID for Adopted Egg
Record daily activities of Adopted egg
What did we learn?
Descriptions, parts of body, family, colours, dates, days of the week, numbers, nationalities, likes/
dislikes, daily routine, S.T.V.P.O
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24. Adopt an Egg Project
• Today you will receive your egg.
• 今天你受到一个鸡蛋。
• You will take it home and decorate it.
• 你要把这个鸡蛋带回家 。画眼睛，头发，鼻子
etc.,
• You will care for your egg and write a
weekly diary about the adventures of
your egg using the S.T.V.O. rule.
• 这个鸡蛋是你领养的。每天要保护它。你也要
写一个日记 (你的鸡蛋喜欢什么？它的日常生
活是什么?）
23
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25. 8. Adopt an Animal Project
24
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26. 9. Provide Memory Cues
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27. Encourage imagination and
‘picture seeing’
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28. 10. Use Chinese Newspapers to recognize
characters
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29. 11. Composing stories
Words I know Words I am learning
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30. 29
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31. 12. Rainbow Writing
彩虹写
Students use a 4 colour pen to learn the stroke order of characters.
30
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32. 13. Look, Cover, Write, Check
Look
Cover
Write
Check
X
31
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33. Allow students to add to the Word Wall
14. Word Walls
- ecomes a Reference for the class
b
- xtends vocabulary beyond set
e
characters
- asier to retrieve vocabulary
e
Students keep their own
Word Wall in a Folder
32
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34. 15. Learning Map
33
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35. 16. Teach characters in
clusters
Teach clusters /components
-Allows guessing
-Cues for memory
-Dictionary use
-Organizes information
in the brain
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36. 16. Radical Grab
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37. 口
口 吃 喝 唱 嘴哭
36
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38. 17. Vary the types of writing you assign to students
Who is the audience?
What is the purpose of writing?
What writing products will they create?
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39. Create authentic reasons for writing!
Labels
Letter-writing
Email
Journal
Notes and Messages
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40. • How to develop a Theme
39
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41. What is Thematic Teaching?
Meaningful Learning
Theme
Meaningful learning activities
Real life contexts - easily related to everyday life
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42. What is Thematic Teaching?
topics vs themes
• Themes connect topics
• Themes connect previous
knowledge
• Themes embed real-world
activities
• Themes recycle language
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43. What is Thematic Teaching?
THEMATIC TEACHING: It’s All About
Buying a gift Real life contexts!
Let’s go to the Circus
Dinosaurs
At the Beach
A Trip to the Zoo
Dinner with my friends
My first visit to the Doctor
Happy Birthday!
Let’s go to the Olympics Meeting a new friend
It’s winter! On the Farm
Authentic Learning Experiences
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44. What is Thematic Teaching?
Context
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45. What is Thematic Teaching?
Merge topics into a Theme
• Clothing • Occupations
• Colors • Weather
• Size • School
• Numbers • Home
• Age • Transport
• Family • Money
• Food • Time
• Likes/dislikes
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46. Dinosaurs
恐龙
大/小
头
尾巴
眼睛
嘴
牙齿 吃／ 喝
绿色 / 黄色 喜欢 /不喜欢
Parts of body, colors, size, comparison, food, drink, likes,
dislikes, action verbs
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47. What is Thematic Teaching?
Common questions
你叫什么名字？
你几岁?
你是哪国人？
你会说中文吗？
你家有几个人？
NO Context
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48. What is Thematic Teaching?
Context
你叫什么名字？
你几岁?
你是哪国人？ Security on arrival in China.
Meet someone new on the plane.
你会说中文吗？
你家有几个人？
A new classmate arrives at your school.
Interview of a celebrity / sports
person.
Answer questions about yourself on Britain’s Got Talent.
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49. What is Thematic Teaching?
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50. Themes encourage deeper Learning
更深层次的学习
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51. Respond to a 5 6 Create a new toy.
person Introduce it and it’s
talking about family members in a
their family. video.
3 Make a TV interview Use an image
4
and interview a
to talk about
favorite sports star
a family.
about his/her family
1 Repeat and 2 Write and extend
perform your own
introduction introduction and
to class. perform to class.
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52. Students
need
to
take
responsible
for
their
own
learning.
There
is
way
too
much
spoon-­‐feeding
in
Chinese
language
classrooms!
填鸭式
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53. Small steps to do that...
LESS Worksheets 给较少的作业
LESS Teacher Talk! 不要讲太多
LESS Rote Learning
使用较少死记硬背的学习
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54. An Example 80/20
1.Teacher reviews previous lesson.
2.Teacher asks the whole class to repeat new vocabulary.
3. Teacher asks individual students a question to review new
vocabulary.
4. Teacher demonstrates writing of new characters. Students copy
characters in book.
5. Teacher writes sentences on board. Student copy sentences.
6. Teacher review new vocabulary. Students repeat.
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55. An Example 80/20
1. Students play game to review previous lesson.
2. Teacher models new vocabulary, and students rehearse with
Talk Partner.
3. Students conduct survey of classmates using new vocabulary.
4. Students follow stroke order and write new characters.
5. Students create their own sentences using new vocabulary, and
read to their Talk Partner.
6. Students write Journal entry of what was learnt today.
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56. A year-long Project
Welcome to Chinese classes!
Your parents have just told you they have bought a luxurious
hotel in Beijing. In just a month you will be moving to live in
China.
“欢迎您到华语班来！你的父母已告诉你，他们
已经在北京买了一家高级豪华的酒店。
一个月以后，你将去中国住.”
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57. Learning
Outcomes
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58. September / October
1. Make a Passport 2. Pack a suitcase 3. Intensive conversation
准备一本护照 ｜ 打包行李 ｜谈话
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59. Friday, March 9, 12

60. Making a Flight Reservation
做一个航班预订
• Meaningful Learning
(purpose)
• Culture as a delivery of
language (interest)
• Technology (relevance)
• Learning Contracts
(choice)
• Collaboration (motivation)
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61. Making a Reservation
ACTIVATE previous knowledge:
Who has made a reservation before?
What language will we need?
I will be able to introduce myself.
I will be able to say where I want to fly.
I will be able to say which date / time I am flying.
I will be able to say how I will pay for the ticket.
I will be able to express thanks.
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62. November
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63. What is the context?
Create a context!
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64. On the plane I will be able to tell someone
about my family.
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65. Speaking Tasks
• You will be able to: • What I am looking for:
• Describe your family • Clear pronunciation
members. (age, name,
job, likes) • Good sentence structures
• You will be able to • Ability to maintain a
conversation by asking
maintain a
questions
conversation by asking
questions.
• Use of photos / props to
convey meaning
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66. Speaking Task:You will role-play asking for food
and drink while on the plane.
What language will you need?
I would like to eat....我喜欢吃
I would like to drink....我想喝
Excuse me, Miss / Mr. 请问..
Do you have....? 你有...吗?
Food and drink vocabulary
Courtesy phrases
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67. Friday, March 9, 12

68. Friday, March 9, 12

69. December
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70. Transport, location, directions, rooms and furniture, greetings, family members, packing a suitcase, buying a
ticket,
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71. Work Experience: Meeting guests, finding your way around, Planning an Itinerary for a day’s
outing
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72. Use authentic materials like - maps, tickets, posters, schedules, and menus etc.,
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73. 灯 电视
床
镜子
桌子
橱柜
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74. Picture Talk 谈论相片
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75. My Daily Routine: My Daily Routine:
6am - Arrive at work 我早上六点到大工作
6:30am - Set up tables 我早上六点半.....
6:30am - Service breakfast 七点....
10am - Clean tables 十点....
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76. You go out with friends to a restaurant.You have a bad
experience. Write a letter of complaint.
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77. Intro: Greeting
Step 1: When did this happen?
Step 2: Who were you with? TASK: Brainstorm
Step 3: What was the name of the
restaurant? in small groups
Step 4: What did you order? what happened at
Step 5: What was the problem?
Step 6: How did you feel? the restaurant
Step 7: Closing and date.
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78. Friday, March 9, 12

79. Friday, March 9, 12

80. Plan a 3 day Itinerary for a guest at the hotel
计划三天的行程，给酒店的客人
• Local areas of interest
• Days, times
• Transport
• Buy tickets
• Restaurants/shopping
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81. A Weather Unit
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82. A Weather Unit
What language will you need to know? Getting Started
Days of Week / Time / Numbers / Degrees / Choose which major city you will
Places / Weather do.
Print the weather forecast for 5
days.
Write a Script for your Weather
forecast and have it approved by
your teacher.
Rehearse your Weather forecast
with your partner.
Present your Weather Forecast
with suitable props.
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83. A Weather Unit
What I am looking for:
1. Clear and well-rehearsed
pronunciation.
2. Expression and good use of tones
3. A confident presentation
4. Use of props to add interest and
meaning
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84. Use Authentic resources
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85. January
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86. February
Interview a Sports Person
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87. A valuable resource for
language learning
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88. Photo Talk －谈论相片
Use Pictures to encourage Story writing – 5Ws
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
?
?
?
?
?
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89. Photo Talk
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90. Photo Talk
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91. Use
Authentic
materials
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92. Friday, March 9, 12

93. Planning a Birthday
party Going to the
Olympics
A visit to the USA
When possible
always
use a real-life context!
A weekend with
Work experience in a friends
hotel Write a Travel
brochure for your
local area
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94. Friday, March 9, 12

95. Lesson Planner
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96. Engage students with
Choices
学生参与，让他们选择
Work Stations and Learning
Contracts
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97. Design Tasks that give choices
1. Introduce theme and brainstorm language
needed
2. Develop Learning Outcomes for students
3. Whole class instruction of new vocabulary and
sentence structures.
4. Rehearsal of language
5. Students demonstrate learning at Work Stations
(choices)
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98. Friday, March 9, 12

99. The Olympics Work Stations
在教室里设立工作站。活动之间学生轮流
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100. Set up Learning Activities in the Classroom
Materials needed:
•Passport template
•Vocabulary Cards
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101. Make your own Passport with
8 pieces of information about
yourself.
(Use Vocabulary Cards)
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102. Set up Learning Activities
Materials needed:
•Graph paper
•Sport Vocabulary Cards
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103. Set up Learning Activities
Materials needed:
•Mascot Images
•Poster paper
•Olympic logo
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104. Describe the Olympic Mascots
TASK: Describe the
color, size, body of
each Mascot.
In the description
include at least 3
actions/sport each
Mascot is able to do.
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105. Set up Learning Activities
Materials needed:
•Olympic venues Map
•Writing paper
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106. http://www.london2012.com/visiting/getting-to-the-games/
index.php
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107. Set up Learning Activities
Materials needed:
•Competition Schedule
•Laptop
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108. TASK:
Create a Podcast
Describing day and
time of
At least 10 events
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109. Materials needed:
•Vocabulary Sheets
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110. Friday, March 9, 12

111. Thumbs Up
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112. A Trip to China Theme
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113. A Trip to China
Brainstorm
1. What do I need? 3. What will China be like?
Transport – plane ticket?
Time (schedule) Weather
Passport? Transport
Pack a suitcase? Things I like /dislike
2. Talking to someone on the plane
4. What is my new home
like?
Nationality
Rooms
Numbers/Age
Furniture
Likes/dislikes
Descriptions
Family members
Location
Sport
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114. A Trip to China
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115. What is Thematic Teaching?
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116. A Trip to China
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117. How to develop a Theme
At the Airport
你好！
你是哪国人？
Students exchange information
about themselves and nationality.
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118. A Trip to China
g
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119. Give
students
a
Choice
about
how
they
demonstrate
their
learning
多种选择
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120. = You must complete
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121. Rap
e
Gam
Map
Cartoon
y
Surve
er
Bump
r
Sticke
Poster
Comic
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122. Technology
Rap
Role-play
Card game
Cartoon
Poster
Map
Vocab. game
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123. Nurture
independent
learners
of
Chinese
with
Technology
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124. Friday, March 9, 12

125. Step 1: Decide on context
Step 2: Choose an the Essential Question aligned with Outcomes
Step 3: Brainstorm in English with students
Step 4: Connect previous knowledge
Step 5: Form groups of 3-4 students
Step 6: Students research Essential Question
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126. Friday, March 9, 12

127. You are in 北京Beijing. You enter a restaurant.
What phrases and words will you need to order
food and drink?
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128. Phrases I will need...
• Hello
• A table for 2 please.
• Thank you!
• Where is the bathroom?
• Do you have coca cola?
ENGAGED
• I can’t read this!
• Can you help me?
• Excuse me
• I can’t use chopsticks.
• Do you have a fork?
• How much is it?
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129. TASK:
You’ve
found
a
great
restaurant
in
北京.
What
words
and
phrases
will
you
need
to
order
food
and
drink?
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130. Harness
the
power
of
technology
in
your
Chinese
language
classroom
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131. Apps
for
Learning
Chinese
!
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132. Friday, March 9, 12

133. Friday, March 9, 12

134. Friday, March 9, 12

135. As
teachers
of
Chinese,
we
need
to
work
smarter
Student
学生
Teacher
老师
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136. Transform
your
classroom
-­‐
80/20
Principle
Teacher
老师
Student
学生
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137. 1 Question
1
1 2
2 Things I knew already
1 2 3
3 new Things I find interesting
Think, Pair, Share
思考 , 互相交流, 分享
Sīkǎo, hù xiàng jiāoliú, fēnxiǎng
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138. "Thinking outside the Box - Teaching Chinese creatively".
Creative Chinese: www.creativechinese.com
Email: shaz@creativechinese.com
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