IGCSE Mandarin (Chinese Language) Online Classes

This syllabus is designed for learners who are learning Mandarin Chinese (online) as a foreign language. The aim is to develop an ability to use the language effectively for practical communication. The course is based on the linked language skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, and these are built on as learners progress through their studies.

The syllabus also aims to offer insights into the culture of countries where Mandarin Chinese is spoken, thus encouraging positive attitudes towards language learning and towards speakers of other languages.

Course Content:

The subject content is organised in five broad topic areas (A–E below). These provide contexts for the acquisitionof vocabulary and the study of grammar and structures. The study of these topic areas enables students to gain aninsight into countries and communities where Spanish is spoken. .

A. Everyday activities:

Everyday activities • Time expressions (e.g. telling the time, days, days of the week, months, seasons)
• Food and drink (e.g. meals, fruit and vegetables, meat, fish and seafood, snacks, drinks, cutlery and utensils)
• The human body and health (e.g. parts of the body, health and illness)

B. Personal and social life

Self, family and friends
• In the home (e.g. rooms, living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, furniture and furnishings, garden, household appliances)
• Colours
• Clothes and accessories
• Leisure time (e.g. things to do, hobbies, sport)

C. The world around us

People and places (e.g. continents, countries and nationalities, compass points)
• The natural world, the environment, the climate and the weather
• Communications and technology (e.g. the digital world, documents and texts)
• The built environment (e.g. buildings and services, urban areas, shopping)
• Measurements (e.g. size, shape)
• Materials

D. The world of work:

• Education (e.g. learning institutions, education and training, the classroom, learning tools, subjects, studying)
  • Work (e.g. jobs and careers, the workplace)

E. The international world

• Countries, nationalities and languages
• Culture, customs, faiths and celebrations

Details of the assessment
All questions requiring written responses are to be answered in Spanish.Dictionaries are not allowed in the examination.

Paper 1 – Listening
Approximately 50 minutes including 6 minutes’ transfer time, 40 mark

Paper 2 – Reading
Written paper, 1 hour, 45 marks

Paper 3 – Speaking

Approximately 10 minutes (plus 10 minutes of preparation time), 40 mark