Learning outside the classroom

By Ms Tingting Zhang and Ms Winnie Sun, Chinese Teachers

Chinese language students in Years 9 to 12 rounded off the first term of 2025 with a trip to the movies to see Ne Zha 2, the sequel to the popular Chinese animated film.

Ne Zha 2 tells the story of the legendary figure Ne Zha as he faces new challenges and explores themes of identity, destiny and personal growth.

Through this film, students were able to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture, language and mythology. They also encountered a range of useful modern Chinese expressions and vocabulary in an authentic and engaging context.

Many students found the movie inspiring and expressed how much they enjoyed the experience. It was a valuable opportunity to learn beyond the classroom and connect with Chinese language and culture in a meaningful way.

“The excursion to see Ne Zha 2 was interesting, to say the least. I enjoyed the parts of the movie that I could understand and could recognise some of the words that I had learned in class.” – Imogen

“I really enjoyed going to go see Ne Zha 2! I thought the animation and production was really impressive. It was interesting to connect the film to the mythology of Ne Zha.” –Alice

“NeZha 2 was a fantastic movie, and I really enjoyed seeing it with the rest of the Chinese cohort! It was fascinating to learn about Chinese folklore and learn the phrase 我命由我不由天。which means ‘my fate is determined by me, not by the heavens.” – Grace