HSK 3.0 ... new, new HSK?

[mungouk]

On 4/5/2021 at 10:13 AM, mungouk said:

Who says there are new-system exams in November?  Nothing is published yet AFAIK

 

Although, as we have just noticed over here, it's currently not possible to register on chinesetest.cn for HSK or HSKK beyond June 2021.

[ZhuoMing]

Is anyone else planning to take the level 7-9 test as soon as it becomes available (or shortly thereafter)?  I passed HSK 5 back in 2019, and have tried a few of the mock exams for HSK 6 and found them to be fairly passable (like I predict I could score around 220... so nothing too great, but still technically passing). I feel like level 6 is the right test for me, but since the announcement of the new system, I have lost all interest in taking the current HSK 6 test. And since the new HSK 6 won't be around til 2023/2024 (apparently), I am considering attempting to jump ahead and take a stab at the 7-9 test even though I am probably not quite ready. I have a few justifications for this: 

 

1. I have never and probably will never take an HSK test for any actual school/job application. I just do it to challenge myself and as a sign of improvement. So a bad score doesn't matter at all.

2. I just want a score on this thing as a data point that I can compare to as I improve in years to come. 

3. Going off from the previous point, since it is a single test for all of levels 7 through 9 and this is the highest level test that exists, this is gonna be the test that applies to me for most of my foreseeable future, and I probably will end up taking it multiple times over the years until I can finally get a good score and/or hit level 9 (just to say I did it).  So it will just be nice to see my score for the same test go from failing (likely, if I take it this year), to level 7, 8, 9 etc as I improve.

4. I am very curious what this test is like, given that it is brand new and seems way better than the current system. I also am very interested in the new subjects, especially handwriting, which will only end up helping my score since I am quite good at it. 

 

[大块头]

Does anyone have a PDF of the standards that the current HSK is based on? It is apparently a document published by Hanban in 2007 called ‘Chinese Language Proficiency Scales for Speakers of Other Languages’ (国际汉语能力标准). I'm curious to see if that stipulates any sort of requirements for character writing ability.

[realmayo]

11 hours ago, ZhuoMing said:

Is anyone else planning to take the level 7-9 test as soon as it becomes available (or shortly thereafter)? 

I'm a bit tempted: I've never done an HSK test before and don't think focusing on any "for-the-test" learning for HSK6 would be a particularly useful choice of focus for me, because lots of the language that I'm encountering is outside the scope of HSK6. But much of it is bound to be in the scope of 7-9.

However that's just "for the test" content. There's also technique, such as translation/interpretation that's mentioned for 7-9, I'm not sure if I could be bothered to do any work towards that at this stage.

11 hours ago, ZhuoMing said:

I am very curious what this test is like

Me too - hope you go through with it and report back!

[Weyland]

[ZhuoMing]

9 hours ago, realmayo said:

I've never done an HSK test before and don't think focusing on any "for-the-test" learning for HSK6 would be a particularly useful choice of focus for me, because lots of the language that I'm encountering is outside the scope of HSK6. But much of it is bound to be in the scope of 7-9.

This is another part of my thinking. I have always been of the mindset that is not a good use of my time to specifically learn HSK6 words, since it still misses so many useful words, and includes many that are just not be useful for my personal life. I don't plan to study the vocab for the HSK7-9 test, but its possible they have picked up a lot of words that I already knew but weren't included in HSK6. 

[mungouk]

A report apparently from China Daily (although I couldn't find it online) here from the CTI WeChat:

 

《国际中文教育中文水平等级标准》来了！汉语水平考试会有啥变化？

  (What changes will happen to the Chinese Proficiency Test in the "International Chinese Language Education Standards for Chinese Proficiency"?)

  https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/2sDeYEHgTt9G36lTV7DCIA

 

It's a short interview with 刘英林 Liu Yinglin of BLCU and 李佩泽 Li Peize, the 负责人 "person in charge" of HSK.

 

It doesn't really give much new information, but this bit is interesting (google translate, my emphasis):

 

Quote

 

Li Peize: The "Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK)" has gone through 37 years since its inception in 1984. It has experienced HSK1.0 of "Level 3 and 11" and 6 levels of "Level 1 to Level 6" for basic, middle school, and advanced. The two stages of HSK2.0 will soon usher in the new stage of HSK3.0 of "three-level and nine-level".

 

After the "Standard" is formally implemented, the HSK test will be optimized and adjusted in accordance with the "Standard" and combined with the overall situation of foreign Chinese learners. First of all, HSK will further strengthen the "learner-centered" test concept, adhere to the combination of test and teaching, and make progress in an orderly manner. Secondly, HSK will further highlight Chinese characteristics in the test content and strengthen the comprehensive examination of Chinese pronunciation, Chinese characters, vocabulary, and grammar. Third, HSK will continue to be guided by science and technology, vigorously develop smart learning and evaluation technologies such as simulated diagnosis, home online test, big data and cloud services, and continue to meet the diverse needs of Chinese learners around the world. In addition, on the basis of maintaining the stability of the existing 6 levels, HSK will increase the HSK advanced level (level 7 to level 9), and optimize and adjust it to "three-level nine-level".

 

 

So, they specifically mention the "home online test", which suggests it could be here to stay rather than just a temporary thing during COVID.

 

Also if they're really going to get into online tech properly that could be great... the official HSK mobile apps so far have been woeful, and the monstrosity at chinesetest.cn should really be put out of its misery and replaced with something more usable and useful — surely there is plenty of talent in China to make this happen.

 

 

[mungouk]

On 4/9/2021 at 8:20 AM, 大块头 said:

a document published by Hanban in 2007 called ‘Chinese Language Proficiency Scales for Speakers of Other Languages’ (国际汉语能力标准).

 

Apparently still available... ISBN: 9787560070865

 

https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Language-Proficiency-Speakers-Languages/dp/7560070868/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=ISBN%3A+9787560070865&qid=1618017647&sr=8-2

 

Here are details of the levels (from ChinaSprout)
 

Quote

 

The basic framework of the Scales comprises three levels (see figure below), each of which in turn consists of five bands.

Level one is an overview of the proficiency of Chinese as a foreign or second language. At this level a comprehensive description is provided of the language proficiency of a learner of Chinese in terms of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Level two describes the Chinese language proficiency in terms of the spoken and written modes of communication, reflecting both the actual sue of the language and the characteristics of learning Chinese.

Level three focuses on the process of comprehension and expression in linguistic communication describing the learners' ability to comprehend spoken Chinese and express themselves orally and their ability to comprehend written Chinese and express themselves in writing.

 

 

And here's the TOC:

一、汉语能力总体描述
二、汉语口头交际能力
三、汉语书面交际能力
四、汉语口头理解能力
　一级
　二级
　三级
　四级
　五级
五、汉语口头表达能力
　一级
　二级
　三级
　四级
　五级
六、汉语书面理解能力
　一级
　二级
　三级
　四级
　五级
七、汉语书面表达能力
　一级
　二级
　三级
　四级
　五级

[shawky.nasr]

2 hours ago, mungouk said:

t doesn't really give much new information

Wait a few days, they will release print version with other edition 应用解读本 application and interpretation version.

 

Like old book

[mungouk]

Obviously we're all speculating here but... (it's still fun)

 

July 2021 is the 100-year anniversary of the founding of the CPC. There will be lots of things happening... here in Hangzhou there are already banners all over the city reminding us of this important centenary, and China Daily has reported on how there will be various events happening around the country to engage citizens in the work of the party to construct the motherland, etc.

 

So it's probably significant that the "official implementation" date (whatever that means) of the new standard is 1 July.

 

I expect various organisations are also holding off releasing new initiatives etc until July, in the same way that — in normal years — there's a tendency to wait until after Spring Festival to do the same.

 

[mungouk]

I just got an email reply from chinesetest.cn:

 

 

Quote

• The current HSK 1-6 levels will not be changed for the present.
• Under the premise of ensuring the stability of HSK 1-6, the advanced HSK (level 7-9) is under development, which is mainly aimed at international students who are majoring in Chinese language and literature, and international students in other majors with a high level of Chinese, overseas Sinology researchers and so on.
• The advanced HSK (level 7-9) is scheduled to be launched as early as the second half of this year.

 

The latest information about HSK will be released on our official websites (http://www.chinese.cn/ and http://www.chinesetest.cn/), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HSKTestOfficial-107674817613428) and twitter (https://twitter.com/HSKTestOfficial), please keep an eye on our official publicity.

 

 

 

[大块头]

They sure have done a spectacularly poor job of communicating how and when these changes will be made.

[mungouk]

Yep. When they came out with that announcement on 31 March they really needed to have everything ready to go, or at the very least a briefing for CIs/test centres and a FAQ for students and exam candidates. 

In reality it seems like almost all stakeholders outside of CELC, CTI and MOE haven't the first clue about what's going on.

 

[mikelove]

Honestly I was like a week away from releasing a minor Pleco update with an experimental set of "HSK 3.0" flashcards built-in, so I'm relieved we found this out now instead of in July ?

 

(can already get them on our discussion forums, but it would probably be a bad idea to build them into our app if we don't know if/when they're actually going to be on an HSK exam)

[mungouk]

I'm just a student and test-taker... If I had serious financial interest in this then I'd be emailing and WeChatting everyone I could think of. 
 

...and what I really want to know is: Have I wasted the last 9 months of my life drilling the first half of the HSK 5 vocab like crazy, with the aim of doing that exam in the next 9 months, or do I need to seriously reset what I've been doing and start again?

Meanwhile if anyone wants to hire me as a consultant or investigative journalist, PM me... ?

[大块头]

31 minutes ago, mungouk said:

I'm just a student and test-taker... If I had serious financial interest in this then I'd be emailing and WeChatting everyone I could think of. 

 

I'm surprised Mike hasn't activated his network of moles in the Ministry of Education. 

 

33 minutes ago, mungouk said:

...and what I really want to know is: Have I wasted the last 9 months of my life drilling the first half of the HSK 5 vocab like crazy, with the aim of doing that exam in the next 9 months, or do I need to seriously reset what I've been doing and start again?

 

In terms of frequency of occurrence, words on the HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0 五级 vocabulary lists are well before any point of diminishing returns. You haven't wasted any time.

[erlenwein]

10 hours ago, 大块头 said:

In terms of frequency of occurrence, words on the HSK 2.0 and HSK 3.0 五级 vocabulary lists are well before any point of diminishing returns. You haven't wasted any time.

from what I've seen of Level 5 of HSK 2.0, knowing more words than on the list is infinitely better than sticking to the list rigidly, and I assume it's going to be the same for HSK 3.0 as well. 

[mikelove]

23 minutes ago, erlenwein said:

from what I've seen of Level 5 of HSK 2.0, knowing more words than on the list is infinitely better than sticking to the list rigidly, and I assume it's going to be the same for HSK 3.0 as well. 

Yeah, in the midst of today’s obsession with algorithmic vocabulary cramming engines, it’s worth noting that HSK word lists are very much a 差不多 type thing.

[mungouk]

I only just spotted there's some kind of book launch and academic conference happening today, 20 April, over at https://z.chineseplus.net/special/newBookPress.html

 

(Apparently today is international Chinese Language Day...)

 

 

If you log in I think you can follow the live stream. Unfortunately I can't make it.

 

• Announcement last week by CTI WeChat account
• Reminder about how to join on CTI WeChat

 

 

[shawky.nasr]

On 4/10/2021 at 11:51 AM, shawky.nasr said:

Wait a few days, they will release print version with other edition 应用解读本 application and interpretation version.

 

Like old book

Two books released.

1. 《国际中文教育中文水平等级标准》

2. 《国际中文教育中文水平等级标准·应用解读本：等级描述、音节、汉字》

3. 《国际中文教育中文水平等级标准•应用解读本：：第二册分：词汇》

4. 《国际中文教育中文水平等级标准•应用解读本：：语法》