AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus (2019-2020)
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AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus (2019-2020)
Scoring Components
SC1 The course prepares students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the interpretive
communicative mode at the intermediate level as articulated in the ACTFL performance guidelines for K-12
Learners.
SC2 The course prepares students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the interpersonal
mode at the intermediate level as articulated in the ACTFL performance guidelines for K-12 Learners.
SC3 The course prepares students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the presentational
modes at the intermediate level as articulated in the ACTFL performance guidelines for K-12 Learners.
SC4 In addition to communication, the course addresses cultural competence.
SC5 In addition to communication, the course addresses connections to other school disciplines.
SC6 In addition to communication, the course addresses comparisons between the target language and culture
and those of the learners.
SC7 In addition to communication, the course addresses the use of the language within the broader communities
beyond the traditional school environment.
SC8 The teacher uses Chinese almost exclusively in class and encourages students to do likewise.
SC9 Language instruction frequently integrates a range of Chinese cultural content that exposes students to
perspectives broader than their immediate environment; for example, the fundamental aspects of daily life in all
Chinese speaking communities, Chinese family and societal structures, and national and international issues.
SC10 Assessments are frequent.
SC11 Assessments are varied.
SC12 Prior to assigning an assessment task, teachers share with their students the grading criteria and rubrics
against which their performances will be evaluated.
SC13 The teacher chooses from among both conventional print and audio materials designed for language
learning and materials generally used by native Chinese speakers, such as print and Web-based texts; animated
computer programs; and video-, CD-, and DVD-based products.
SC14 Teachers scaffold students’ experiences with texts generally used by Chinese speakers.
SC15 The course teaches students to develop communication strategies such as inferring meaning either through
socio-cultural context or linguistic features.
SC16 The course teaches students to develop language learning strategies such as inferring meaning either
through sociocultural context or linguistic features.
SC17 The teacher plans and implements structured cooperative learning activities to support ongoing and
frequent interpersonal interaction.
SC18 The teacher employs a range of instructional strategies to meet the diverse needs of his or her learners.
SC19 The course provides students with opportunities to develop Chinese handwriting skills.
SC20 The course provides students with opportunities to develop word processing skills in Hanyu Pinyin or
Bopomofo.
1AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus (2019-2020)
Course Overview
AP Chinese Language and Culture is a full-year course in which its content and difficulty
level is comparable to a full-year course at the second –year college level. This course is
designed to provide students with varied opportunities to further develop their proficiencies
across the three communicative modes—interpersonal (speaking, listening, reading, and writing
skills), interpretive (listening and reading skills), and presentational (speaking and writing
skills)—and the five Cs, the goal areas, (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons,
and Communities) as outlined in the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning for the
21st Century. [SC1, SC2 & SC3] Developing appreciation and awareness of the Chinese
cultures is an integral theme throughout the AP Chinese course. The course engages students in
an exploration of both contemporary and historical Chinese culture. [SC4]
Instructional materials include signs, advertisements, emails, posters, video clips, movies,
news broadcasts, announcements made in public places of the Chinese-speaking communities,
and written texts excerpted or adapted from newspapers, magazine articles, contemporary
literature, letters, and reports. [SC13] As some of these authentic materials may be somewhat
beyond the linguistic grasp of the students, their comprehension of the materials is supported by
a system of scaffolds which is the continuously development of communication strategies
through class activities, interactions with school/community Chinese speakers, and various
activities inside/outside of the school like participating in school’s Lion Dance club, World
Language Honor Society tutoring/mentoring program, field trips to Chinatown, Cook and Dine
with Chefs of Chinese restaurants, or Cultural and Language Immersion trip to China... etc. [SC9
& SC7 & SC14 & SC15]. Students are constantly challenged in class to use their target
language to connect and compare & contrast to other school disciplines and to their own cultures
and languages. [SC5 & SC6] The teacher’s delivery of the course is almost exclusively in
Chinese. [SC8] Appropriated accommodations based on students’ IEP are incorporated into the
program to meet the diverse needs of the students. [SC18] Students are required to communicate
in Chinese using learned strategies, digital device, or peers’ and the teacher’s support. [SC17]
Throughout the course, assessments are frequent, varied, and explicitly linked to the content and
skills that make up the learning goals of each unit of study. [SC10 & SC11] Grading criteria and
rubrics are given to all students at the beginning of the semester and prior to each assessment
task. [SC12] The course provides students with maximum exposure to authentic culture and
language. Students apply their growing cultural knowledge to communicative tasks in real-life
contexts and develop the ability to write and speak in a variety of discourse styles, using both
keyboarding and handwriting skills, to an audience of readers and listeners. [SC19 & SC20]
Students also gain necessary knowledge of the Chinese language, including vocabulary,
2AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus (2019-2020)
idiomatic expressions, and grammatical structures. [SC16] (Source: AP Chinese Language and
Culture Course Description, AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus Sample 4 & 3)
Grading:
In Chinese class, the grade, a student receives, reflects his or her effort and achievement towards
becoming proficient in the language. This is measured during a variety of activities: listening,
speaking, reading and writing in Chinese, completing projects on cultural materials, and
participating in conversations. Work is done both individually and in groups.
Your approximate % of Quarterly Grade will be determined as follows:
1. Participation/class work (20%): Quality of the class work, such as reading, writing,
listening and speaking assignments completed during class based on daily assigned
homework of previewing the text, including but not limited to vocabulary flashcards
making, will be evaluated for a grade.
2. Projects (20%): There are several small projects each marking period to be accumulated
into the major themes for the year.
3. Homework (20%): Homework is assigned to help students to preview and review the
materials presented each day. Make sure you can retell/recite the text learned. You are
always expected to hand in your best work. Homework will be graded for completion.
4. Quizzes (20%): Quizzes are given to ensure that students are mastering each lesson’s
vocabularies and grammars.
5. Unit Tests (20%): Unit tests are always announced at least two days in advance. You
need to record test dates in your planner. There are listening, speaking, reading, and
writing on each test. They are related theme based and are the abbreviated versions of
real AP tests. Be prepared by keeping up with your assignments and paying attention
during class.
*There will be a mid-term and a final. They are equal in length to AP tests. Combined, these
will count as 1/5 of your final grade for this course.
*Your points will be converted to a percentage. See the Penncrest Handbook for the
conversion of percentages to letter grades.
Materials used in this class [SC13]
1. Discovering Chinese, 1/3 Volume IV, Simplified Chinese, (3rd ed.). (2009). Palo Alto, CA:
Better Chinese Ltd.
2. The Chairman’s Bao Learning Institution: https://www.thechairmansbao.com/
3. AP Chinese Language and Culture Test Review and Test Practice- Barron’s Educational
Series, Inc. (2 Edition)
nd
3AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus (2019-2020)
4. Dashan - Environmental Protection /// 大山 - 环保公益广告
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Btt4g04K-VQ
5. Part 1 of 8 "Under The Dome" Documentary on China's Pollution by Chai Jing (Best
English Subtitles) “穹顶之下“第一集:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhIZ50HKIp0
6. 潔淨能源 60 秒廣告- 中油影城
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ecxw7kXLsw
7. 冰櫃哪欸架囉唆！阿伯只是想買啤酒涼一下捏- 台湾啤酒
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niN9ct8toow
8. [中国新闻]2016 中国新视线：新能源汽车引领“中国智造”|- CCTV 中文国际
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e74yfZQy4JY
9. Chinese Festivals CD-Rom, Better Chinese LLC, Palo Alto, USA.
Reference Materials [SC13]
1. CCTV News, TTV News, Chinese Youtube, Videos, and DVDs/VCDs
2. Supplementary authentic materials from newspapers, magazines, flyers, advertisements,
realia, articles, and any others.
3. Mehta, Yufen Lee. 2001. Chinese Poems（诗词新学）. NY, USA. Department of Asian
Studies, Cornell University, 2001.
Supplementary websites:
Ø Chinese language learning websites:
• http://www.chinese-tools.com
• http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~chinese/annotate.html
• http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/chinese/tools/
• http://www.chinaw.com/chinese/c-edict.htm
• http://www.uiowa.edu/~chnsrdng
• http://www.mypcera.com
• http://www.mandarintools.com
Ø Learning Tools suggested by PHS Alumni:
§ HSK Vocabulary Visualized
- https://www.chinesezerotohero.com/hsk-word-vis/
§ Dictionary Function of Chinese Zero to Hero
- https://zh.zerotohero.ca/#/view
- Incredibly comprehensive. Includes meaning, similar words, common
mistakes, collocations, uses in text, and uses in music/videos.
§ Graded Readers
• The Chairman’s Bao
- https://www.thechairmansbao.com/
4AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus (2019-2020)
• Decipher Chinese
- http://www.decipherchinese.com/
§ News Websites
• 人民网 (People)
- http://people.com.cn/
• CCTV
- http://www.cctv.com/
• NY Times in Chinese
- https://cn.nytimes.com/
• 中国日报 (China Daily)
- http://cn.chinadaily.com.cn/
§ Podcasts
- https://chinesepod.com/
§ Discussion Boards
• 百度贴吧 (Chinese Reddit)
- https://tieba.baidu.com/
• 知乎 (Chinese Quora)
- https://www.zhihu.com/
• Online Classes
• Yoyo Chinese
- https://www.yoyochinese.com/landing
• Chinese Zero to Hero
- https://zh.zerotohero.ca/
§ Wikipedia Pages (All Free)
• Allset Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki
- https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/
• Allset Learning Chinese Pronunciation Wiki
- https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/pronunciation/
• Chinese Zero to Hero Wiki
- https://wiki.chinesezerotohero.com/
§ Language partner finding apps
• HelloTalk
- https://www.hellotalk.com/?lang=en
• Italki
- https://www.italki.com
5AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus (2019-2020)
§ Other Chinese Apps/Websites for immersion
• 微信 Wechat (Chinese super app)
• Pleco (Chinese Dictionary/Flash Card super app)
• 抖音短视频 Douyin (Chinese Tiktok)
• 微博 Weibo (Chinese Facebook)
• QQMusic (Chinese Spotify, with great selection of both Chinese and western
artists)
• 小红书 Little Red Book (Chinese Pinterest)
• Bilibili (Chinese Youtube)
• 下厨房 Small Kitchen (Chinese Cooking/Recipes)
• 大众点评 Dianping (Chinese Review App)
• 斗鱼直播 Douyu （Chinese Twitch)
• Iqiyi (Chinese Netflix)
Ø Chinese language learning APPs:
• Pleco
• Chinese Skill
• 词典字典
• 手机百度
• 腾讯视频
• KTdict C-E
6AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus (2019-2020)
Course Content: 6 Themes
Unit 1: Families in Different Societies
You’ll learn Chinese language skills in the context of studying family life and values in
Chinese-speaking communities and explore contemporary beliefs and challenges that
families face.
While engaging in activities related to these topics, you’ll practice skills such as:
• Understanding audio recordings (for example, a transportation announcement)
• Reading posters, public signs, and other texts
• Taking part in discussions
• Writing emails and notes
• Narrating stories based on a sequence of pictures
• Creating a short written and oral presentation
Unit 2: The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity
You’ll build your vocabulary and learn about how language and culture shape and
reflect evolving ideas about identity in Chinese-speaking communities.
While engaging in activities related to these topics, you’ll practice skills such as:
• Understanding audio recordings (for example, a radio report)
• Reading journalistic articles and other texts
• Writing and responding to emails
• Holding conversations, including starting and ending them appropriately
• Narrating stories based on a sequence of pictures
• Giving a short oral presentation to explain ideas and opinions
Unit 3: Influences of Beauty and Art
You’ll explore how ideas of beauty and art influence and reflect culture in Chinese-
speaking communities.
While engaging in activities related to these topics, you’ll practice skills such as:
• Understanding audio recordings (for example, a school conversation)
• Reading emails, notes, and other texts
• Engaging in conversations and narratives based on pictures
• Understanding what a speaker or writer means and responding in a culturally
appropriate manner
• Exchanging information, ideas, and opinions in discussions and written
exchanges
• Identifying, comparing, and explaining how features of cultures in Chinese-
speaking communities relate to ideas about beauty and aesthetics
7AP Chinese Language and Culture Syllabus (2019-2020)
Unit 4: How Science and Technology Affect Our Lives
You’ll examine how developments in science and technology affect and shape daily life
in Chinese-speaking communities. You’ll use your growing language skills to help you
interpret unfamiliar words and read and write more complicated texts.
While engaging in activities related to these topics, you’ll practice skills such as:
• Understanding audio recordings (for example, a voice message)
• Reading pen pal letters and other texts
• Exchanging information in conversations and written exchanges
• Writing emails, letters, and narratives using either simplified or traditional
characters and with appropriate formality
• Creating written presentations with an introduction, development of topic, and
conclusion
Unit 5: Factors That Impact the Quality of Life
You’ll learn more about contemporary life in Chinese-speaking communities and how
social status, cultural perspectives, and access to jobs and resources can make an
impact on the quality of life.
While engaging in activities related to these topics, you’ll practice skills such as:
• Understanding audio recordings (for example, responses and replies to a
statement or question)
• Reading short stories and other texts
• Applying what you’ve learned from working with real-life Chinese-language
materials as you prepare for speaking and writing tasks
• Writing an email response using either simplified or traditional characters and
with appropriate formality and format
• Using strategies in conversation such as paraphrasing and asking for clarification
• Discussing different cultural perspectives and using cultural information to
prepare and deliver an organized cultural presentation
Unit 6: Environmental, Political, and Societal Challenges
You’ll explore how complex global issues affect people’s lives in Chinese-speaking
communities and engage in deeper discussions to suggest possible solutions.
While engaging in activities related to these topics, you’ll practice skills such as:
• Understanding audio recordings (for example, an advertisement)
• Reading brochures, advertisements, and other texts
• Carrying out conversations and interviews
• Getting information from sources to prepare and deliver an organized cultural
presentation
• Giving and explaining your viewpoint with supporting details and elaboration
• Writing an email response providing suggestions with justifications
• Narrating stories based on a sequence of pictures
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