World Languages
G6 Mandarin Novice 1 (N1)
Full Year
This course is designed for students with no prior or very limited mandarin experience. Starting from the novice level, students will gradually build familiarity of the language by exploring pinyin, simple conversational practice on topics selected to build basic skills, such as greetings, self and family, and routine activities related to our daily lives. Cultural elements are embedded in the units to foster cultural competence.
Primary text: Easy Steps to Chinese 1
Students will:
- Apply writing of 100 characters with additional 30 for recognition
- Develop an understanding of the Chinese Pinyin system
- Focus on communication skills relating to giving personal information
- Create narratives and dialogues relating to self, family and school
- Research and understand cultural elements of Chinese family
Some sample questions the students will explore during this course:
- How do I pronounce Chinese words properly?
- How do I use Mandarin to talk about family and myself?
Prerequisites/notes: This is a beginner’s class that does not require any prior exposure to Mandarin. There is no mid-year intake in the 2nd semester.
This course may be taught concurrently with Mandarin Novice 2.
Contact Ms Daisy Shen dshen@hkis.edu.hk
G6 Mandarin Novice 2/3 (N2/3)
Full Year
This course is designed for students in the broader range of Novice-mid level of language proficiency. Students who display skills in handling basic to simple everyday tasks. This course aims to develop high-Novice proficiency in Chinese, with selected topics ranging from self-interests to various community related topics such as schools, living environments, and health.
Cultural elements are embedded in the units of studies to foster a higher level of cultural competence.
Primary text: Easy steps to Chinese 2
Students will:
- Apply writing of 180 characters with additional N1 characters and recognition of 50 additional characters
- Focus on communication skills relating to expressing preference, questioning people and confirming time and place
- Create narratives, letters and dialogues relating to the focused topics
- Research and understand cultural elements associated with Chinese food
Some sample questions the students will explore during this course:
- How do I use Mandarin to share my interests?
- How do I use Mandarin to ask questions on weather?
Prerequisites/notes: Successful completion of N1 or equivalent as determined by placement test.
Contact Ms Daisy Shen dshen@hkis.edu.hk
G6 Mandarin Novice 3 (N3)
Full Year
This course is for students who have had a few years of experience with mandarin as a second language. Students who display skills in handling basic everyday tasks. This course aims to develop high Novice proficiency in Chinese, selected topics focus on the community such as schools, living environments, and personal preferences and health.
Cultural elements are embedded in the units of studies to foster a higher level of cultural competence.
Primary text: Easy steps to Chinese 2
Students will:
- Apply writing of 250 characters with additional N1 and N2 characters and recognition of 70 additional characters
- Engage in speaking Mandarin 80% of class time
- Conduct simple situational dialogues related to seasons, occupations and hobbies, neighborhood, body and health and etc.
- Read and comprehend simple authentic materials, e.g. a teacher's excuse note, a simple letter from a friend, etc.
- Note and letter writing skills for a specified purpose on a related topic
- Differences between Chinese and western education system
Some sample questions the students will explore during this course:
- How do you describe different weather conditions in each season?
- How do you talk about symptoms and give suggestions when you get sick?
- What subjects do you take in school and why?
Prerequisites/notes: Successful completion of Mandarin Novice 2 or equivalent as determined by placement test .
Contact Ms Daisy Shen dshen@hkis.edu.
G6 Mandarin Novice 4 (N4)
Full Year
This course is for students who have had some years of experience with mandarin as a second language. Students who display skills in handling basic everyday tasks. This course aims to develop Low Intermediate proficiency in Chinese, selected topics focus on daily activities such as eating in a restaurant, asking directions, appearance, occupations, daily routines, household chores, pets, and personality.
Cultural elements are embedded in the units of study to foster a higher level of cultural competence.
Primary text: Easy steps to Chinese 3 – 4
Students will:
- Apply writing of approx. 350 characters including N1-3 characters and recognition of 100 additional characters
- Reinforce speaking in Mandarin 90% of the time
- Practice reading and writing continuously
- Conduct situational dialogues related to transportation, neighborhood, giving/asking for directions and distances.
- Read and comprehend simple authentic materials, e.g. a school schedule, a simple direction related to transportation and routing, a simple letter from a friend about holiday plans, etc.
- Share daily routine and favorite subjects/activities in school.
Some sample questions the students will explore during this course:
- Which room do you like most in your house? Why?
- How do you describe different weather conditions in each season?
- How do you talk about symptoms and give suggestions to help them recover?
- How is school facilities impact your learning?
- What kind of community can make life easier and more enjoyable?
Prerequisites/notes: Successful completion of N3 or equivalent as determined by placement test.
Contact Ms. Daisy Shen dshen@hkis.edu.hk
Mandarin Intermediate 2/3
Full year
This course is designed for students to develop their intermediate-mid level of Chinese language proficiency. It aims to build higher language functions and gradually increase language production through everyday topics such as friendship, school life, festivals and food, and new technology and communications.
Cultural elements are embedded in the units of study to foster a higher level of cultural competence.
Primary text: Mandarin Intermediate 2/3 text binder as supplementary materials.
Students will:
- Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
- Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
- Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing.
- Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
- Prepare for and participate effectively, in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- Demonstrate command of the conversations of the Chinese.
Some sample questions the students will explore during this course:
- What kind of attitude can help us to get along with others?
- What special food do you eat in different festivals and what do they symbolize in your culture?
- How does the development of technology change the way people communicate and learn?
- What kind of school prepares students for the future?
Prerequisites/notes: Successful completion of Grade 5 Intermediate 1/2 or equivalent as determined by placement test.
Contact Ms. Daisy Shen dshen@hkis.edu.hk
G6 Mandarin Intermediate 4
Full year
This course is to prepare students to the advanced level of Chinese language proficiency with greater emphasis on literacy. It targets building quality and quantity of language production while developing the higher level of language functions such as narration and comparison.
Cultural elements are embedded in the units of studies to foster a high level of cultural competence.
Primary text: Higher Chinese for Primary Schools 欢乐伙伴小学高级华文/歡樂伙伴小學高級華文（ 6A&B）
Students will:
- Determine the central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development.
- Identify the main topic and summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
- Apply inferential and other strategies to comprehend and write narrative text.
- Reason and build on the thinking of others in a variety of discussion forums.
Some sample questions the students will explore during this course:
- What kind of virtues are essentials to what kids need to succeed?
- How can culture shape people's perspectives and values and pass through generations?
- How do I write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and clearly convey ideas, concepts and information?
Prerequisites/notes: Successful completion of Grade 5 Intermediate 3 class or equivalent as determined by placement test.
Contact Ms. Daisy Shen dshen@hkis.edu.hk
Spanish Novice 1(N1)
Full year
This course is designed for students with no prior or very limited Spanish experience. Starting from the novice level, students will gradually build familiarity of the language by exploring simple conversational practice on topics selected to build basic skills, such as greetings, introducing themselves, their hobbies, weather, seasons, dates, describing their family and friends, and talking about their school life and schedule.
Cultural elements are embedded in the units to foster cultural competence.
Students will:
- Acquire vocabulary for greetings, introducing themselves to formal/informal people, pastimes, weather, days of the week, describing their family and friends, school, the time.
- Learn to recognize and express likes, dislikes and talk about hobbies, sports, music and school activities. Talk about their personal interests.
- Learn vocabulary and structures to be able to react to hobbies, tell time and the time their classes meet.
- Describe their school schedule and what their teachers/classes are like using adjectives and time structures.
- Begin to understand their native tongue at a deeper level through studying a foreign language.
- Be introduced to the diversity of the Spanish-speaking world through food, geography, festivities and routines.
Prerequisites/notes: This is a beginner’s class that does not require any prior exposure to Spanish.
Contact: Ms. Cecilia Michán cmichan@hkis.edu.hk