Middle School Curriculum Booklet 25-27

Mandarin

AQA GCSE Mandarin 8673

Why study Mandarin? Learning Mandarin enables you to communicate with many people and connect on a deeper level, not just in Asia but across the world! Mandarin is the national language in China and Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world; more than one billion of the world's population are Chinese speakers. Learning Mandarin is more than learning a language, it enables you to explore one of the most ancient cultures of the world. Chinese is now considered an important language worldwide because of its increased presence in the business world. What does the course cover? Pupils acquire vocabulary, grammatical knowledge and skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening across a range of themes: Identity and culture: Me, my family and friends (relationships with family and friends, marriage/partnership); Technology in everyday life (social media, mobile technology); Free time activities (music, cinema and TV, food and eating out, sport); Customs and festivals in Mandarin-speaking countries/communities.

How is the course assessed? The final grade is based on performance in four examinations: Current and future study and employment: My studies; Life at school/college; Education post-16; Jobs, career choices and ambitions. Local, national, international and global areas of interest: Home, town, neighbourhood and region; Social issues (charity/voluntary work, healthy/unhealthy living); Global issues (the environment, poverty/homelessness); Travel and tourism.

Paper 1 (Listening): 25% of final mark

45 minutes

Understanding and responding to different types of spoken language.

Paper 2 (Speaking): 25% of final mark

10-12 minutes

Communicating and interacting effectively in speech for a variety of purposes.

Paper 3 (Reading): 25% of final mark

1 hour

Understanding and responding to different types of written language.

Paper 4 (Writing): 25% of final mark

s Communicating effectively in writing for a variety of purposes. 1 hour 15 minute

16