Go Far with Chinese Enhanced Edition
Core Code Alignment
Foreign Language
Chinese
03020000021: Chinese - Second year
Chinese
03020000021: Chinese - Second year
Recommendation
Recommended Primary
Evaluation
Positives: Up to date textbook, materials are very current and new, includes teacher supplemental book, has an online digital version, has a good amount of exercises, practice, organized well, can understand the material, project based tasks for the students, authentic materials in the unit, scenarios are very aligned to the real world, great practice with the language, formal and informal assessments, immediate feedback, students can progress through the course, formative assessments prepare for the project, heavily focuses on language use in the real world, multiple accounts, admin account allows you to view the data and the teacher can assign different things, track data and feedback, student account there are different tiers and accounts, aligned with world language standards, and the ACTFL proficiency standards, and instructional strategies, practice language in real context, be aware that it is written in two languages so would not be good for dual language immersion books, people actually use this book in classes, everything is very designed and diversified, discusses a variety of cultural things (such as minority groups) includes foods, customs, etc. Very inclsuvie has a lot of variety of races/ethnicities/etc., cannot work for DLI (too easy), definitely more made for middle school/high school, beginner textbook but not adjusted/adapted for DLI or lower, and AP level. Would not be good for heritage level learners (introductory understanding), very life like "new" information
Educators Using These Materials
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Material Categories
Comprehensive
Rubric : World Languages 2025
Compliance with State Law (Required)
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitive Materials and Prohibited Submission 53G-10-103, R277-628 | Does Not Violate Law | NA | NA | May Violate Law | ||
| It is appropriate for the intended student age group and effectively supports the goals of the state World Languages curriculum. The content is educational, culturally authentic, and developmentally suitable for classroom use. I confirm that this textbook does not contain any sensitive, indecent, or prohibited materials as defined by law. All topics and examples are presented in an appropriate and respectful educational context. It is an age-appropriate textbook for middle and high school students. The content is focused on everyday life, cultural topics, the experiences of the Lopez family, and gradually moving toward more advanced language skills.There is no controversial topics from my review. | ||||||
| Prohibited discriminatory practices 53G-2-103-5, 53B-1-118 and 67-27-107 | Does Not Violate Law | NA | NA | May Violate Law | ||
| This textbook does not include discriminatory content based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or other protected classifications. The material promotes respect for diversity and fosters an inclusive learning environment for all students. | ||||||
| Maintaining constitutional freedom in the public schools. 53G-10-202 | Does Not Violate Law | NA | NA | May Violate Law | ||
| The materials encourage respect for individual beliefs, diversity of thought, and freedom of expression within an educational context. Neutral, educational content, no compelled speech or political messaging, culturally informative, not advocacy-based, alignment with U.S. educational policy. | ||||||
| Free from advertising, e-commerce, or political interest | Does not violate law | NA | NA | May violate law | ||
| Contains none of the listed items | ||||||
Content
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alignment | Material aligns with Utah World Languages Core Standards across all levels of language and intercultural competencies. Includes specific references to ACTFL-aligned performance benchmarks (e.g., IL, IR, IC, PS, PW, CPP, CP, CIA). | Material aligns with most Utah World Languages Core Standards and references several core competencies. | Material aligns with a few standards but lacks comprehensiveness or clarity in standards application. | Content does not align with the Utah World Languages Core Standards. | ||
| Go Far with Chinese is fully aligned with the ACTFL Proficiency Benchmarks and World-Readiness Standards. It uses a proficiency-based approach guided by Can-Do goals and Backward Design, incorporating Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs) to measure students’ ability to communicate effectively in real-world contexts. The textbook’s design reflects the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards, emphasizing communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. The curriculum emphasizes real-world communication, focusing on what students can actually do with the language they have learned.Each unit includes tasks that assess students' abilities to use the language in meaningful ways, supporting the development of proficiency in all modes of communication. The textbook integrates cultural content that enhances students' understanding and appreciation of the Chinese language and culture, fostering intercultural competence as outlined in the Utah standards. Activities and exercises are designed to relate to students' lives and encourage them to express ideas, ask questions, and engage in. | ||||||
| Navigation | Educators and students can navigate the material independently. Instructions are clear and understandable. The material is well organized | The material contains understandable instructions. Students may need some educator support. | The material is only usable with direct educator support. | Instructions are unclear, and navigation is difficult. | ||
| A detailed teacher tutorial video is provided to support navigation. While it may take a little time to become familiar with how the website, videos, and audio resources are organized across the textbook and workbook, the system is ultimately intuitive and easy to navigate. Units, lessons, and sections are well organized and easy to follow for both teachers and students. The textbook's division into units and chapters provides a clear roadmap for both teaching and learning. The inclusion of authentic materials in the Go Farther! sections enriches students' understanding of Chinese culture.The FluencyLink Course+ platform offers interactive and customizable features that support diverse learning styles and needs.The Go Far with Chinese series combines structured content with digital tools to create an accessible and engaging learning environment. | ||||||
| Instructional Support | Material includes instruction aligned to World Language Core "I Can" statements. Uses integrated performance assessments (IPAs), learning targets, and scaffolds for intercultural and language proficiency growth. | Includes support such as lesson plans, differentiated instruction, and examples of experiential learning. | Contains limited instructional support or misaligned strategies. | Provides no instructional support. | ||
| The textbook includes a wide range of instructional strategies, presentations, worksheets, and other materials to support teachers in planning, instruction, and assessment. It offers numerous opportunities for personalization and differentiation, along with suggestions for extending instruction. These customizable resources enable teachers to easily adapt lessons to meet the needs of diverse learners. All teacher materials are available as downloadable Word documents and PowerPoint files, providing convenient and flexible tools for classroom use. The program includes comprehensive teacher’s usage instructions, lesson slides, and a student workbook, which together create a cohesive and effective instructional package. 1. Comprehensive Teacher Editions accompany each textbook level. They provide: Lesson-by-lesson teaching notes, suggested pacing and unit plans, cultural background information, answer keys for all exercises and activities and additional suggestions for differentiation and scaffolding. 2. Multimedia Resources with audio files for all dialogues, vocabulary, and listening comprehension activities, video clips to introduce cultural topics and model conversational language, these are accessible through the FluencyLink platform or included with the textbook package. 3. Digital platform-FluencyLink Course+ with auto-graded assignments and assessments, interactive exercises for vocabulary, grammar, and speaking, progress tracking to monitor student learning and customizable lesson plans and resources. | ||||||
| Assessments | Material includes IPAs and formative/summative assessments aligned to World Language Core. Provides culturally authentic contexts and tasks aligned to proficiency indicators. | Contains summative assessments aligned to World Language Core but lacks IPA tasks or cultural relevance. | Includes assessments with limited feedback or real-world relevance. | Does not provide any assessment material. | ||
| The Fluency Link all-in-one digital platform includes both informal and formative assessments. It provides instant feedback on textbook activities and auto-graded workbook exercises. Each digital unit features an Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA) designed to strengthen students’ communicative skills, supported by grading rubrics and teacher resources. The Assessment Bank offers a variety of vocabulary and grammar items, allowing teachers to create customized quizzes and tests for summative assessments in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Both formative and summative assessments are integrated throughout the textbook, including performance tasks, quizzes, oral activities, and written exercises. Go Far with Chinese offers comprehensive assessment support — from embedded formative checks to summative unit tests and performance‑based assessments — all supported by a digital platform that streamlines grading and feedback. | ||||||
Material Characteristics (Total Points:9)
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Characteristics | High-quality instructional materials for world languages incorporate culturally authentic images and multimedia resources presented in the target language. These visuals should be interactive, up-to-date, and captivating, drawing directly from genuine cultural environments. The inclusion of such resources serves to enhance student engagement and provide a more immersive and relevant learning experience, fostering a deeper understanding of the target culture alongside language acquisition. | Includes images or audio/visual examples in target language. | The material offers limited or low-quality audio-visual and tactile experiences for students, but it is reusable. | The content either has low audio-visual quality or is not intended for reuse. No visual support. | ||
| The Go Far with Chinese textbook integrates culturally authentic images, videos, and audio resources, offering students the option to access materials in either simplified or traditional Chinese characters. The multimedia resources are presented in the target language, featuring engaging and up-to-date multimedia that enhance cultural relevance and student engagement. Modern, current, up-to-date relevancy and interest.It’s not just about language but culture. The textbook is visually appealing, with a clean and modern layout, high-quality paper, and colorful illustrations that engage students. The fonts are clear and easy to read, and the balance between Chinese characters, pinyin, and English support is well designed. The accompanying workbook and teacher’s edition are also clearly structured, making it easy to navigate and use in the classroom. | ||||||
| Technical Standards | Accessibility, Privacy, and Practicality. The instructional materials adhere to established accessibility standards, ensuring usability for individuals with diverse needs. Furthermore, the materials incorporate robust data privacy assurances, safeguarding sensitive information. Practical considerations extend to ease of access and installation, streamlining the implementation process. The materials demonstrate clear alignment with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards, reflecting best practices in language education. Finally, transparent licensing terms are provided, clarifying usage rights and permissions. | The materials meet all the requirements of federal and state laws, as well as accepted technical standards such as ISTE Standards and VPAT Compliance. Additional technical specifications and limitations, including hardware requirements, bandwidth demands, and software/web access restrictions, are clearly outlined in the description. The design of the materials allows for error-free installation or access without the need to purchase additional components. | The material is constrained by specifications that require additional materials, technical assistance, hardware, software, or infrastructure. Access to resources within the material expires after a trial period. | Student data privacy is at risk or lacks accessibility compliance. | ||
| The website includes a detailed privacy policy to protect student data. All website features run smoothly and do not require any additional installation. I tested more than half of the digital links and online resources provided in this Chinese language textbook. All the links I tried opened smoothly and worked well. The online materials are easy to access and connect well with the lessons in the textbook. The textbook ensures the safeguarding of student data privacy and easy installation/access without technical assistance. It has paper version and digital version using user-friendly Fluencylink. Any licensing information is clearly stated in the description. | ||||||
| Adaptability | Designed with World Language proficiency pathways (Novice to Advanced) in mind. Can be customized for varied learner levels and intercultural objectives. | Educators or students can utilize the material, but it may not be customizable for the needs of diverse learners. Usable across multiple levels, with basic adaptability. | The material has limited options to address adaptability for the needs of diverse learners. | The material is not suitable for different educational settings with diverse learners. | ||
| The Go Far with Chinese: Enhanced Edition textbook series includes Volumes 1 through 4. However, the review materials currently only provide access up to Volume 3, which supports learners at the Intermediate High proficiency level. Volume 4, designed for advanced proficiency, is not yet available for review. Overall, this is an excellent, ready-to-use textbook series for world language programs in middle and high schools up to the Intermediate High level. However, its teacher resources are limited for Dual Language Immersion (DLI) middle and high school settings, and it is not recommended for use in the Chinese Bridge program. This textbook is well designed and perfectly suited for World Language classroom use. It provides clear structure, engaging content, and strong support for language learning. However, in Utah, there is a larger number of Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Chinese programs compared to traditional World Language classes. According to state law, DLI programs require 100% target-language instruction and materials. From this perspective, the use of this textbook may be somewhat limited in Utah’s DLI classrooms, as it does not fully meet the immersion requirements. The textbook provides a variety of resources—such as differentiated tasks, multimedia support, and cultural extensions—that allow teachers to modify instruction for different proficiency levels. However, while it offers some flexibility, teachers still need to supplement materials to better meet the needs of heritage learners or students with special learning needs like AP/IB or Bridge students.But it is such a great beginning textbook. | ||||||
Ethnic Studies and Shared Values and Characte
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnic Studies (Ethnic studies in core standards and curriculum should be a narrowly tailored incorporation of age-appropriate opportunities that naturally arise through education without pretextual effort in courses, programs, or activities where ethnic studies is not a primary focus. The material should incorporate a curriculum of people and cultures that reflect the state’s various demographics without commentary that seeks to violate the neutrality standard established in codes: 53B-1-118, 53G-2-103, 53G-2-104, 53G-2-105, 67-27-107, | Instructional materials should integrate opportunities for students to investigate global cultural products (e.g., tools, music, art), practices (e.g., social interactions, communication styles, traditions), and perspectives (e.g., values, beliefs, attitudes) in a manner that directly aligns with established intercultural standards, specifically CPP (Cultural Products and Practices), CP (Cultural Perspectives), and CIA (Culture in Comparison and Interconnection). The materials should actively foster the development of intercultural competence by encouraging students to move beyond their own cultural frame of reference and engage with diverse worldviews. Furthermore, the instructional resources must explicitly demonstrate respect for the richness and complexity of diverse cultures, ensuring that this respect is evident in both content and pedagogical approaches. This demonstration of respect should also align with Utah's demographic representation, reflecting the diverse cultural backgrounds of students within the state and promoting inclusivity in the learning environment. | The instructional materials reflect a global perspective by incorporating some attention to the diverse cultures represented in the target language. This includes explicit references and opportunities for students to engage in cultural comparisons between their own culture(s) and those associated with the language they are learning. | The material has limited themes of social and cultural histories within the United States and globally. The material provides limited examples of inclusive or cultural real-life experiences and does not include diverse characters. | The material does not meet the requirements within the ethnic studies core standards and curriculum requirements. (53E-4-204.1). | ||
| The textbook incorporates intercultural communication through real-life scenarios and project-based learning. It helps students move beyond their own cultural perspectives and engage meaningfully with diverse global communities. This textbook does not have many lessons that directly teach Ethnic Studies, but it still helps students learn about culture and understand people from different backgrounds. Through learning the Chinese language and reading about traditions, students can see different ways of life and values. The Go Far with Chinese textbook series is primarily designed to teach Mandarin Chinese language skills to middle and high school students. While the series emphasizes cultural understanding through authentic materials and real-world communication tasks, it does not specifically focus on ethnic studies or the histories and experiences of marginalized racial and ethnic groups in the United States. | ||||||
| Shared Values and Character Traits | This section of the rubric emphasizes the integration of intercultural competence within world language instruction. It mandates the inclusion of realistic intercultural scenarios designed to encourage students to engage in comparative cultural analysis. Through these scenarios, students not only identify similarities and differences between their own culture and the target culture(s) but also critically reflect upon fundamental character values such as respect, empathy, and the principles of global citizenship. The materials should actively foster meaningful interaction by showcasing and promoting culturally appropriate communication strategies and behaviors. Furthermore, the incorporation of authentic materials, derived from real-world cultural contexts, is crucial for providing students with genuine exposure to the target language and its associated cultures, thereby enhancing their overall intercultural understanding and communicative abilities. | The material focuses on the shared values of diverse people and communities, the common elements that unite Utahns, and displays some character traits in its imagery and content. It aims to cultivate character traits in students, such as courage, leadership, intelligence, integrity, honesty, respect, morality, civility, duty, honor, and service, along with principles found in the Constitution. Addresses character traits and civic virtues with limited application to language and culture. | The material lacks a sense of shared values or common elements that unite Utahns. Furthermore, the material has limited resources addressing civic and character education. | The material does not meet the requirements within the ethnic studies core standards and curriculum requirements (53E-4-204.1) and civic and character education. (53G-10-204) | ||
| The textbook features a diverse cast of characters from various global backgrounds, promoting respect, empathy, and the values of global citizenship. This textbook helps students learn positive values and good character traits through its lessons, stories, and cultural examples. It teaches ideas such as respect, hard work, kindness, and responsibility, which are important in both Chinese and American cultures. The textbook includes shared values and character traits through its cultural content and activities. It promotes respect, empathy, responsibility, integrity, perseverance, and self-discipline by encouraging students to appreciate diverse culture. These traits are embedded alongside language learning to support both academic and personal growth. Since it mainly focuses on introducing Chinese language and culture. Therefore, it does not include many of the common elements or shared experiences that unite Utahns. | ||||||
UTAH STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
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Salt Lake City, UT 84111-3204
Phone: 801.538.7807