Radical Review, Mandarin Chinese, Novice-Low
Please Note: Many of the activities on the Pathways Project OER Repository were created by upper-division students at Boise State University and serve as a foundation that our community of practice can build upon and refine. While they are polished, we welcome and encourage collaboration from language instructors to help modify grammar, syntax, and content where needed. Kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu with any suggestions and we will update the content in a timely manner. — The Pathways Project
About the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) Language Activity Repository
The activities provided by the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) serve as foundational activities which can be adapted by any language and scaled up or down on the proficiency scale. Many of these activities offer an English Version that is “language-agnostic” to provide language instructors from around the country a platform to remix these instructional materials, infusing them with their target language and culture! The activities within the Pathways Project OER Repository seek to help students solidify their interpersonal speaking and interpretive skills through task-based situations or communicative activities. These activities should be facilitated in the target language for approximately 90% (or more), per the recommendation of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
How to use the WLRC Repository’s Activities:
1. Use the Activity as is:
Before you begin:
- Most activities are 30 minutes in duration, unless otherwise specified.
- Be sure to read through the activity description, and review the list of required materials. You will notice that the activity materials are also highlighted in yellow throughout the activity instructions.
If you have any suggestions about grammar, syntax, and content, please kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu.
2. Remix for Your Language Classroom:
When you are ready to begin remixing the activity, in order to adapt it for the needs of your language classroom, simply click the blue “Remix This Resource” button at the top of your screen. This will then take you to a screen with a NEW, editable version of this activity. The text provided in purple is a suggestion of what you might say to your students in the target language, and may be altered for different levels and age groups. All activities have “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do” statements, a warm-up, a main activity, and a wrap-up.
Many of the activities include printable cards and other instructional materials such as Google Slideshows. If you would like to make changes to these materials for your classroom, follow the instructions below:
- Google Slideshows:
- To begin, go to File -> Copy to create an editable version of the slideshow.
- Once finished with your changes, please complete the following steps to share:
- Click on Share
- Who Has Access
- Ensure link sharing is on and allow external access.
- Materials Saved as PDF: Please email pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu and we will provide you with an editable copy. Please allow up to two business days for a response. For YouTube videos and other websites, hyperlinks are provided.
3. Adapt for Another Language:
- See the linked English Version at the top of the activity (English Version may not be available for all activities)
Radical Review (Novice-Low)
Description:
In this activity, students will play a bingo game in order to help practice recognizing radicals used in Chinese characters. Students will be shown a radical, and will then search for a vocabulary word that contains that radical. Students will also practice tones and pronunciation by reading out their winning vocabulary at the end of each round of bingo.
Proficiency Level:
Novice Low
Keywords:
China, real-world practice, Chinese characters, radicals, reading, review, games, review game, Chinese
NCSSFL-ACTFL World-Readiness Standards
- Standard 1.1 - Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions in Chinese
- Standard 3.2 - Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the Chinese language and culture
- Standard 4.1 - Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the Chinese language with their own
Idaho State World Language Standards:
- COMM 1.1 - Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions
- COMM 2.1 - Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
- COMP 1.2 - Identify patterns and explain discrepancies the sounds and the writing system in the target language.
NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
- I can recognize Chinese radicals inside Chinese Characters
- I can recognize tones in Chinese and pronounce them accurately
- I can understand the role Chinese radicals play in the meanings and pronunciations of characters
Materials Needed:
Game Markers for Bingo Boards
Warm-up
1. Begin by introducing the Can-Dos for today’s activity and spend some time to review appearances.
2. Chinese Radical Video - Watch until 1:17. There is a quiz section of the video you can pause for the quiz. Have students answer the quiz questions verbally for their warm up.
Main Activity
- Each student gets a bingo card and game markers. The lab assistant will reach into the container with the green radical cards and pick on at random and show it to the group.
- On each bingo card, there will be multiple characters that will have more than one radical from the green radical cards, students may only pick one character on their bingo board per radical card.
- For example, a bingo card might have 照 and 初 on the same card, but if the 刀 radical is called they may choose ONLY ONE
- When a student gets bingo, they will have to read all their words out loud
- Wipe off cards and repeat!
End of lab:
• Read Can-Do statements once more and have students evaluate their confidence.
(Use thumbs up/thumbs down or download our student cards.)
• Encourage students to be honest in their self-evaluation.
• Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future labs!
NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
- I can recognize Chinese radicals inside Chinese Characters
- I can recognize tones in Chinese and pronounce them accurately
- I can understand the role Chinese radicals play in the meanings and pronunciations of characters
Where are we? Rate yourself on the weekly Can-Do Statements using this scale: I get it!, I got it!, I kind of get it..., I don't get it...