World Language Department
Mandarin Chinese Courses
Mandarin Chinese 2 L3
Mandarin Chinese 2 L4
Mandarin Chinese 3 L4
Mandarin Chinese 4 L4
AP Chinese Language
Mandarin Chinese 2 L4
Mandarin Chinese 3 L4
Mandarin Chinese 4 L4
AP Chinese Language
(All Courses Above are Included in GPA)
Mandarin Chinese continues to grow in importance as an international language. Currently, one fifth of the global population speaks Mandarin Chinese, with over 870 million native speakers worldwide. Westborough High School currently offers the following courses in Mandarin.
Mandarin Chinese 2 L3
WL1302 - 1.0 CREDIT - YEAR LONG - GRADES 9-10
Prerequisite:
- C or better in Mandarin 8 AND recommendation of Mandarin 8 teacher
The course emphasizes conversation for everyday use, vocabulary building, more advanced grammar concepts, and an introduction to simple readings. Conversation and listening comprehension are stressed within the limits of learned vocabulary and structure. Cultural appreciation will be broadened through discussion and reading about Chinese-speaking countries. The learning experiences introduced in the first and second full year, with an emphasis on helping students develop audio-lingual skills as well as competence in reading and writing, are continued and expanded in the third full year. The proficiency target of this course is Novice-High on the ACTFL scale.
Mandarin Chinese 2 L4
WL145 - 1.0 CREDIT - YEAR LONG - GRADES 9-10
Prerequisite:
- A- or better in Mandarin 8 AND recommendation of Mandarin 8 teacher
The course offers a fast-paced rigorous curriculum for highly motivated students who want a challenging course of study. The course emphasizes conversation for everyday use, vocabulary building, more advanced grammar concepts, and an introduction to simple readings. Conversation and listening comprehension are stressed within the limits of learned vocabulary and structure. Cultural appreciation will be broadened through discussion and reading about Chinese-speaking countries. The learning experiences introduced in the first and second full year, with an emphasis on helping students develop audio-lingual skills as well as competence in reading and writing, are continued and expanded in the third full year. The proficiency target of this course is Novice-High on the ACTFL scale.
Mandarin Chinese 3 L4
WL245 - 1.0 CREDIT - YEAR LONG - GRADES 10-12
Prerequisite:
- B or better in Mandarin Chinese 2 L4; OR
- A- or better in Mandarin Chinese 2 L3 AND recommendation of Mandarin Chinese 2 teacher
This course will tie together and expand the basic knowledge acquired in the previous 2 full years. Additional grammatical structures will be taught. Classroom activities will assist the students in acquiring proficiency in the linguistic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing through the use of dialogue, grammar, vocabulary study, and cultural readings. There are regular aural, oral, and written assessments to measure student progress. The culture, civilization, and language of China are studied. The proficiency target of this course is Intermediate-Low on the ACTFL scale.
Mandarin Chinese 4 L4
WL349 - 1.0 CREDIT - YEAR LONG - GRADES 11-12
Prerequisite:
- B+ or better in Mandarin Chinese 3 L4 AND recommendation of Mandarin Chinese 3 L4 teacher
This is an advanced course for students who have taken a Chinese class for 3 years at the honors level. This is a rigorous curriculum for highly motivated students who want a challenging course of study. Classroom activities will assist the students in acquiring proficiency in the linguistic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing through the use of dialogue, grammar, vocabulary study, and cultural readings. Regular aural, oral, and written assessments will be performed to measure student progress. The culture, civilization, and language of China are studied. The proficiency target of this course is Intermediate-Mid on the ACTFL scale.
AP Chinese Language
WL350 - 1.0 CREDIT - YEAR LONG - GRADES 11-12
Prerequisite:
- A- or better in Mandarin Chinese 4 L4 AND recommendation of Mandarin Chinese 4 L4 teacher
The AP course prepares students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the three communicative modes (Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational) and the five goal areas (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities). Its aim is to provide students with ongoing and varied opportunities to further develop their proficiencies across the full range of language skills within a cultural frame of reference reflective of the richness of Chinese language and culture. The course focuses on language proficiency while interweaving level- and age- appropriate cultural content throughout the course and providing for frequent formative assessment of students’ developing proficiencies within the context of their learning. Instructional materials and activities are carefully and strategically adapted from authentic sources to support the linguistic and cultural goals of the course. The proficiency target of this course is Intermediate-High on the ACTFL scale.
All students are required to take the College Board’s Advanced Placement exam in May.
All students are required to take the College Board’s Advanced Placement exam in May.