| Summary | | | | Kinds of writing: personal |
| Teachers of Chinese Second Language (CSL) | | | | Text type: letter to a new pen friend in China |
| students often find it hard to identify some practical | | | | Week 10 |
| and suitable essay topics for their students. Below is | | | | Topic: High school graduates should become volunteer |
| a list of 20 essay topics I have used in my own | | | | workers in their local nursing homes during the |
| Chinese Writing Workshop conducted on a weekly | | | | summer vacation |
| basis for one semester. The topics cover various | | | | 人院当义工) |
| issues concerning the life of teenagers living in a | | | | Kinds of writing: persuasive |
| contemporary society. The length of each essay is | | | | Text type: speech (addressing to all senior school |
| between 200 and 250 characters to be completed | | | | students) |
| under test conditions with the help of a printed | | | | Week 11 |
| English-Chinese or Chinese-English dictionary. The | | | | Topic: The pros and cons of home-stay while |
| writing time allowed is 50 minutes. The kinds of | | | | studying in China as an overseas student |
| writing include evaluative, imaginative, informative, | | | | 与弊) |
| personal and persuasive writing required in the | | | | Kinds of writing: evaluative |
| Victorian Certificate of Education Study Design | | | | Text type: school magazine |
| published by Victorian Curriculum and Assessment | | | | Week 12 |
| Authority (2009). The text types used include journal | | | | Topic: What if there is a 3-day power cut in Shanghai |
| entry, postcard, email, newsletter, speech, story, | | | | (如果上海停电三天……) |
| formal and informal letter, newspaper and magazine | | | | Kinds of writing: imaginative |
| article. | | | | Text type: story |
| Key words: Chinese Second Language (SCL), essay | | | | Week 13 |
| topics, text types, kinds of writing | | | | Topic: Introducing Chinese chess |
| Week 1 | | | | (中国象棋简介) |
| Topic: The advantages and disadvantages of youth | | | | Kinds of writing: informative |
| wearing contact lenses | | | | Text type: magazine article |
| ) | | | | Week 14 |
| Kinds of writing: evaluative | | | | Topic: Email your friend to persuade him or her to |
| Text type: newspaper article | | | | vote for your favourite singer in a singing contest |
| Week 2 | | | | 的超级歌手) |
| Topic: My ideal best friend | | | | Kinds of writing: persuasive |
| (我最理想的朋友) | | | | Text type: an email message |
| Kinds of writing: imaginative | | | | Week 15 |
| Text type: journal entry | | | | Topic: The pros and cons of eating fast food |
| Week 3 | | | | (吃快餐的利与弊) |
| Topic: Introducing Australian Football | | | | Kinds of writing: evaluative |
| (澳式足球简介) | | | | Text type: newspaper article |
| Kinds of writing: informative | | | | Week 16 |
| Text type: magazine article | | | | Topic: The reality TV show should/should not be |
| Week 4 | | | | banned ("真人秀" 电视节目应该 / |
| Topic: A postcard to your parents at home talking | | | | 不应该禁止) |
| briefly about your school's China Tour in which you | | | | Kinds of writing: persuasive |
| are involved | | | | Text type: newspaper article |
| 行) | | | | Week 17 |
| Kinds of writing: personal | | | | Topic: Children should communicate more often with |
| Text type: postcard | | | | their parents |
| Week 5 | | | | (孩子应多和父母沟通) |
| Topic: All high school students should participate in | | | | Kinds of writing: persuasive |
| cadet training | | | | Text type: speech (addressing to high school |
| (中学生都应该参加军训) | | | | students) |
| Kind of writing: persuasive | | | | Week 18 |
| Text type: school newsletter article | | | | Topic: Protecting the environment is everyone's |
| Week 6 | | | | responsibility (保护环境人人有责) |
| Topic: The pros and cons of Year 12 students driving | | | | Kinds of writing: persuasive |
| to and from school | | | | Text type: magazine article |
| ) | | | | Week 19 |
| Kinds of writing: evaluative | | | | Topic: All Australian high schools should offer |
| Text type: speech (addressing to all Year 12 | | | | Psychology as a subject |
| students) | | | | ) |
| Week 7 | | | | Kinds of writing: persuasive |
| Topic: If I were a robot… | | | | Text type: letter to the editor of an educational |
| (如果我是一个机器人……) | | | | journal |
| Kinds of writing: imaginative | | | | Week 20 |
| Text type: popular science magazine article | | | | Topic: The Australian Government should raise the |
| Week 8 | | | | age of youth drinking alcohol to 21 |
| Topic: Report on the Melbourne Cricket Ground | | | | 龄限制提高到二十一岁) |
| (关于墨尔本板球场的报告) | | | | Kinds of writing: persuasive |
| Kinds of writing: informative | | | | Text type: formal letter to the Prime Minister of |
| Text type: report | | | | Australia |
| Week 9 | | | | Reference |
| Topic: Self introduction (自我介绍) | | | | VCE CSL Study Design. (2009). |