VCE Chinese involves multiple aspects. A top-scoring student should be able to converse fluently in Chinese, write in simplified Chinese characters, read Chinese articles, and comprehend Mandarin. In addition, students should have a firm understanding of Chinese history, including traditional Chinese festivals, Chinese customs, folklore and inventions. To prepare for Chinese beyond Year 10, students need to recognize notable Chinese landmarks, understand how to read and decipher Chinese poetry along with hymns, and have some understanding of China’s recent societal progression, technological advancements, and the current schooling system in place. The VCE Chinese assessments consist of 5 SACs, and the end of year examination which is made up of two parts: 1) general conversation and discussion, 2) the written examination, where they will be tested on their listening, reading, comprehension, translating and writing skills.

To prepare for this subject, students should read a wide variety of Chinese texts, and expose themselves to as much of the Chinese culture as possible. It is recommended to watch Chinese television shows, participate in Chinese festivals held around Melbourne (such as the annual Chinese Spring Festival), as well as organizing study groups with peers to have regular Chinese conversation practice. They should also decide on a detailed study/discussion topic early on in the year, and should work consistently at refining it and editing it throughout the course of their studies. In addition, students should familiarise themselves with using a bilingual dictionary, and should do regular conversation and translation practices with their tutor. High achieving students should also aim towards doing regular timed practice exams, and should keep a book of Chinese idioms and phrases that, once used in their examinations, will add bonus marks and will demonstrate to the examiner that they have an exceptional understanding of the Chinese language.

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