CAAP Common Core: Chinese - Speaking

The CAAP Common Core for Chinese remains textbook neutral and serves only as guidance for Chinese teachers in Ohio. Each level subsumes the previous level descriptors.

In Chinese, adding new vocabulary and more complex structures is the logical progression, as opposed to adding new topics and new tenses as in other languages.

  • ASSUMPTIONS: Giving presentations and having personal interactions with some native speakers (where possible) who are accustomed to dealing with nonnative speakers in a structured speaking environment. The context focuses on students' lives and experiences. Tones and fluency are stressed throughout.
  • FUNCTIONS: greeting, introducing, telling, listing, stating likes and dislikes, describing in simple terms, and presenting.
  • FORMATS: conversations, short narrations and descriptions, role plays, presentations, etc.
  • EXERCISES: reading aloud, conversations, performing a skit, partner exercises, short individual presentations, etc.
  • STRATEGIES: heavy reliance on high-frequency vocabulary and structures for supplying basic information about one's life and the lives of others, and engaging in everyday conversations.
  1. I can greet people through basic interaction in culturally appropriate ways (e.g, courtesies, such as “Dui Bu Qi,” “Mei Guan Xi,” etc.).
  2. I can talk about my family (e.g., ages, number of brothers, sisters, relationship, pets, basic occupations, hobbies, etc.).
  3. I can talk about where I am from and my nationality (e.g., I am American; I'm from China; I’m from Beijing.).
  4. I can talk about my school life in simple terms (e.g., name of the school, grade level, classes, school supplies, activities, basic opinions about classes or school, etc.).
  5. I can talk about basic food and beverages, preferences and ordering (e.g., prices, taste, etc.).
  6. I can talk about my weekly schedule (e.g., time, date, day of the week, locations, with whom, activities, etc.).
  • ASSUMPTIONS: Giving presentations and having personal interactions with some native speakers (where possible) who are accustomed to dealing with nonnative speakers in a structured speaking environment. The context focuses on students' lives and experiences. Tones and fluency are stressed throughout.
  • FUNCTIONS: describing in more detailed terms, explaining, comparing, contrasting, selecting, making simple excuses, presenting.
  • FORMATS: conversations, narrations and descriptions, role plays and presentations, etc.
  • EXERCISES: reading aloud, conversations, performing a skit, re-telling a story, partner exercises, individual or group presentations, etc.
  • STRATEGIES: heavy reliance on high-frequency vocabulary and structures for supplying basic information about one's life and the lives of others, and engaging in everyday conversations.
  1. I can talk about hobbies and interests (e.g., sports, music, media, etc.).
  2. I can talk about personal possessions (e.g., price, size, color), including comparisons and contrasts.
  3. I can talk about the basic idea of selected clips from TV programs or movies and make basic assumptions about them (e.g., This clip is about a Chinese student’s daily schedule and life in high school.).
  4. I can give simple directions to places, including means of transportation, landmarks and relative locations (e.g., The book store is next to the restaurant.).
  5. I can talk about a restaurant (e.g., quality of food, service and atmosphere).
  6. I can talk about daily routines and sequence of activities (e.g., time markers such as before/after/first...then..., etc., when they get up, go to school, go to class, take tests, do homework, have meals, and go to bed, etc.).
  7. I can talk about events in various time frames (e.g., weekend activities, past, present and future activities, etc.).
  8. I can discuss basic information about weather (e.g., general weather conditions, comments about the weather).
  9. I can converse in various settings about buying and selling (e.g., bargaining in markets, shopping in department stores, etc.).
  • ASSUMPTIONS: Giving presentations and having personal interactions with some native speakers (where possible) who are accustomed to dealing with nonnative speakers in a structured speaking environment. The context focuses on students' lives and experiences, as well as the community. Tones and fluency are stressed throughout.
  • FUNCTIONS: describing in detailed terms, requesting, apologizing, making excuses, presenting, predicting, giving advice, persuading in culturally appropriate ways.
  • FORMATS: reading aloud, conversations, descriptions and formal presentation, role plays, etc.
  • EXERCISES: conversations, performing a skit, re-telling a story, partner exercises, individual or group presentations, etc.
  • STRATEGIES: reliance on high-frequency vocabulary and structures for supplying more detailed information, implementation of strategies for circumlocution (e.g., rephrasing for better comprehension).
  1. I can describe places where people live (e.g., house or apartment, location, types of rooms, what is in their room, neighborhood, etc.).
  2. I can describe people’s physical features (e.g., tall, short, thin, dark-skinned, long straight hair, big brown eyes, single eyelids, etc.).
  3. I can give descriptions, comparisons and contrasts of media (e.g., television programs, shows, movies, program schedules, etc.).
  4. I can request information and discuss different vacation and travel plans (e.g., activities, prices, reservations, including comparisons and contrasts of various locations and restaurants).
  5. I can discuss topics about health and physical well-being (e.g., body parts, symptoms, treatments, etc.).
  6. I can discuss information about weather conditions and forecasts (e.g., different days, seasons, cities and regions).
  7. I can talk about school life (e.g., a school schedule, courses, class periods, teachers, school supplies, providing advice for excelling in school, etc.).
  8. I can plan social events (e.g., birthday parties, after-school activities, holiday celebrations, time, attendees, menu, etc.).
  9. I can converse during a shopping experience and describe it (e.g., bargaining in the market, asking for discounts, using weights and measures, prices, etc.).
  • ASSUMPTIONS: Face-to-face interactions with native listeners (where possible) in a less structured and more spontaneous speaking environment. The context continues to focus on students' lives, experiences and community. Tones and fluency are stressed throughout.
  • FUNCTIONS: describing in more detailed terms, requesting, disagreeing, apologizing, making excuses, predicting, giving detailed advice, persuading in culturally appropriate ways, giving and accepting compliments.
  • FORMATS: longer conversations and dialogues, more detailed descriptions and formal presentations, role plays, etc.
  • EXERCISES: reading aloud, longer conversations and dialogues (via Skype or Google Hangout), more detailed descriptions and formal presentation, role plays, interviews, etc.
  • STRATEGIES: continued reliance on high-frequency vocabulary and structures for supplying more detailed information, implementation of strategies for circumlocution (e.g., rephrasing for better comprehension) and application of learned materials in unfamiliar contexts in a culturally appropriate manner.
  1. I can talk about the main ideas from selected video clips (e.g., plot and character traits from movies or television shows, some details of current events, etc.).
  2. I can give simple descriptions about the preparation and some features of regional cuisines (e.g. Si Da or Ba Da Cai Xi).
  3. I can have conversations about job interviews (e.g. inquiries of workplace location, salary, requirements, work schedule and experiences, etc.).
  4. I can summarize short stories about famous idioms and proverbs (e.g. shou zhu dai tu, zi xiang mao dun, ya miao zhu zhang, san ge he shang mei shui he, etc.).
  5. I can present simple information about some provinces and major cities, regional climates, geographic variations, and famous landmarks (e.g. The Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, etc.).
  6. I can explain basic holiday customs and activities (e.g. chun jie, gei hong bao, nian ye fan, etc.).