ZHUANG:  CHINA'S LARGEST MINORITY

Elizabeth Downing & Mary Ann Hansen

PART I:  INTRODUCTION TO THE ZHUANG:  The Politics of Ethnicity

     INTRODUCTION

     This lesson is intended for students in Grades K 9-12.
     It will take 2-3 84 minute blocks
     It would be appropriate for students in Social Studies, World Literature or World Languages Courses.
     It is intended to teach students the concept of minority status and ethnicity in a larger context using the Zhuang people of Southern China
     as a case study.  It will also introduce the students to the inter-relationship between politics and ethnicity.

     STANDARDS

     (www.ctcurriculum.org/standards_menu.asp) World Language
     To gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures in accordance with: Content Standard (4) Students will
       demonstrate an understanding of the traditions, products and perspectives of the cultures studied;
     To understand the nature of language and cultures through comparisons in accordance with: Content Standard (8)
       Students will demonstrate an understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and
       their own.
     (www.ctcurriculum.org/standards_menu.asp) Social Studies: Political Systems
     To enable students to explain the human need for social organization and authority in accordance with Content Standard
       (7) Students will explain that political systems emanate from the need of humans for order, leading to compromise and
       the establishment of authority.

     OBJECTIVES

     Knowledge

     Students will learn of the existence of minority groups in China
     Students will learn that those peoples speak other languages than Mandarin.
     Students will learn about the official policy towards minorities in China
     Students will learn that this is not a unique situation

     Attitudes

     Students will gain an appreciation of minority status in China

     Skills

     Students will be able to identify Zhuang areas on a map of China.
     Students will be able to list at least three of the policies associated with minority status in China.

     MATERIALS

     Internet access (if you want the students to do their own research)
     Kaup,  Katherine Palmer. Creating the Zhuang.  Lynne Rienner Publisher, London, 2000
     Ramsey, S. Robert. The Languages of China.  Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1987
     The Constitution of the People's Republic of China [In Chinese original]
     Maps of Southern and Southwestern China
     Power Point Presentation: "Minorities of Southern China"
     Photos and realia gathered from China

     PROCEDURES

DAY 1

     Students are involved in a brief self-identification of ethnicity and discuss the various aspects of culture that make them
       feel that identification.
     Examples:
        Geographic Identity
        Foods
        Clothing
        Dances
        Religion
        Other activities or holidays that make them feel a part of a group
        After the discussion show and discuss the powerpoint presentation: "Minorities of Southern China"
        Hand out copies of the PRC Official Policy towards minorities located at :
                http://www.usconstitution.net/china.html
        Students should pay special attention to Chapter 1: Article 4  and  Chapter 6

        Students should then be broken into 6 groups representing:
          1) Dai
          2) Shui
          3) Dong
          4) Buyi
          5) Li
          6) Han (who claims there is no difference between Zhuang and Han)
        Distribute Pictures, artifacts, maps and articles to each group about their ethnic history.

DAY  2

        Students work in their groups as:
         1)  Linguists
         2)  Food experts
         3) Geographers  including ethnic groups who are similar to them living over national boundarie
         4) National

DAY  3

        The announcement is made that all the groups in the room are of the Zhuang ethnicity
        Each group will present arguments for and against the impact of this decision by the government
 

DAY 4

        Announce that all the people in the group are now officially Zhuang

EVALUATION

        Each group must identify its area on the group map.
        Each group must determine 3 reasons why they are a Zhuang and 3 reasons why they are not....this can include reasons
          that are in the group's self interest.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

      (to be added)
 

PART II: APPENDIX

Zhuang: Oral Rubric I

Expectations for Participation in the Debate

1. When the groups are presenting, you need to be actively listening.

This means giving the speaker positive feedback through your eye contact, body language and facial expressions.  Your behaviors should be "saying" to the speaker two things: "understand what you are saying" and "you are doing a good job!"

2. When your spokesperson is giving his/her speech, you need to be a supportive listener.

This means looking at your spokesperson as though you believe in what they are saying and/or looking at the citizens to see their reaction.   Talking to other members in your group is the worst thing you can do to your spokesperson.  Do not fiddle and move around while they are speaking.  Work as a team.

3. During the question and answer session, you need to be actively contributing to the answers.

You should be able to respond to at least one question.  When other people are going to respond, you should be sharing information with them.  You will be graded on how well you work with the other members of the group to answer the questions.
 

Category

Points
All of subgroup aspects are addressed

Language, cuisine, geography, history, clothing/art/music, religion/spirituality/mythology, sociology
_______
5
Depth of Information 

At least 3 to 4 facts are mentioned for each of the above categories.  Additional information compensated for areas
which did not yield information or were more difficult to research. 
_______
10
Familiarity with Material

Student demonstrated familiarity with his or her subgroup and did not rely on notes and spoke with assurance
while delivering his or her oral component. 		 _______
10
Visual Aid

Served the purpose of a visual aid and did not contain an overload of information.  It was clearly visible from all parts of the Little Theatre and was relevant to the information being presented.
_______
5
Pacing, Tone, Projection/Pronunciation

You spoke at an audible level and visual communication with the audience was maintained.  Pace of presentation was comprehensible.
_______
5
Total
________
35

 
 

Zhuang: Oral Rubric II

Expectations for Participation in the Debate

1. When the groups are presenting, you need to be actively listening.

This means giving the speaker positive feedback through your eye contact, body language and facial expressions.  Your behaviors should be "saying" to the speaker two things: "understand what you are saying" and "you are doing a good job!"

2. When your spokesperson is giving his/her speech, you need to be a supportive listener.

This means looking at your spokesperson as though you believe in what they are saying and/or looking at the citizens to see their reaction.   Talking to other members in your group is the worst thing you can do to your spokesperson.  Do not fiddle and move around while they are speaking.  Work as a team.

3. During the question and answer session, you need to be actively contributing to the answers.

You should be able to respond to at least one question.  When other people are going to respond, you should be sharing information with them.  You will be graded on how well you work with the other members of the group to answer the questions.
 

Group Portion

Points
Pros and Cons

Each group must present at least three advantages, and three disadvantages to being categorized as Yi by the Chinese Government.
_______
50
Depth of Information

The advantages and disadvantages are specific to your own subgroup.  They also may be applicable to the larger group.
_______
20

Individual Portion

 Graded on a quality scale of 0-10
Contemporary Change

How does becoming an Yi member in a modern communist nation affect your culture?
 _______
10
Critical Thinking Question

What role, if any, should government play in ethnic identity?
 _______
10
Does ethnic identity transcend nation borders?  Why or why not?
_______
10
Total
_______
100