Australian Curriculum: English K-6
Speaker’s notes to accompany the Australian Curriculum: English K6 presentation
Slides
Notes
Australian Curriculum: English K-6
An introduction and briefing session for NSWDET primary schools
Overview of this module
This module is designed to give an introduction to the draft English
K-10 curriculum.
CLICK - A sense of the layout and scope of the draft English K-10
curriculum
This curriculum is similar in layout to the other 3 curriculum
documents. Aspects of this document that may be of particular
interest are explored.
CLICK - Closer look at each of the strands and the achievements
standards (using one year as an example)
This presentation uses examples from one year level (Year 3) as a
reference point. This approach can then be used when exploring
other year levels, making comparisons between other year levels
and also looking across strands.
*NB – if possible, refer to the pages pertaining to Year 3 when
looking at these slides.
CLICK - Key points for discussion/reflection
Key points have been identified that may be of particular interest.
These have been chosen based on what we currently use NSW
English K-6 syllabus and what teachers in schools have identified
through our early consultation.
CLICK - Focus questions
These questions are designed for group discussion – to look closer
at the document further and provide feedback.
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Looking forward – looking back
This is a draft curriculum that is open for consultation and feedback.
Our focus with this consultation is to work towards making this
curriculum the best it can be for our students now and in the future.
Therefore it is important that we look forward and consider what we
want as well as looking back and mapping it against our current
syllabus. (Remembering that our current syllabus is now over 10
years old).
It is natural to compare something unknown (the draft Australian
English Curriculum) against something known (our current NSW
English K-6 syllabus). It is important though to note that new or
different is not necessarily a bad thing. There are obvious
implications for implementation and support if something is different
to current practice.
The focus at this point though is on the quality of the document and
providing feedback on this. Further suggestions and feedback
regarding implementation and support will also be encouraged.
Explore the Australian English curriculum
This is a view of how the draft Australian English curriculum web
page looks like on the ACARA website.
CLICK - You will see that the English is organised into years K-10.
CLICK - It is also organised into strands. You can select which
strands you want to look at. You can look across grades by strand if
you want to or look at all strands in the one grade.
CLICK - The general capabilities, cross-curriculum dimensions and
modes can also be selected.
CLICK - You then click on apply filters to sort your view.
CLICK - This example shows a search for Kindergarten showing all
the strands with their content descriptions.
The introduction to this curriculum is also important to download and
read.
Rationale/aims
(read first dot point)
We often overlook the introduction and go straight to the content.
This is worth reading as it shapes the content of this curriculum. It
provides an overview and helps to answer the questions.. Is it what
we think the English curriculum should do? And does this English
curriculum do what it says it is going to do?
What the strands are and their intent is described here.
How the curriculum content, elaborations and achievement
standards are organised is also mentioned.
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The definition of texts is similar to the current NSW K-6 English
syllabus. This definition identifies texts as written, spoken and multimodal. The range of texts in the content of the curriculum reflects a
more current approach (in the sense that multi-modal texts are a
familiar part of our lives) to that of the NSW K-6 syllabus which is
now over 10 years old.
It also clearly identifies that texts are structured in particular ways to
achieve their purpose. There is mention of literary and non-literary
texts in this section. It also mentions that non-literary texts form part
of other subjects, and there is reference to this in other learning
areas e.g. History.
The approach to grammar, spelling and handwriting is also
mentioned. This approach is similar to our current approach in NSW.
(Read last dot point) The general capabilities and cross curricular
dimensions are also important as they are common to all subjects,
but show how they are specific to English. It is important to remind
ourselves that this is a K-10 document where the primary content is
built upon in secondary English.
Now, to the strands and modes.
Content strands
The curriculum is organised into three strands – language, literature
and literacy.
CLICK The modes are listening and speaking, reading and viewing,
writing and creating. These are woven through each of the strands,
but are not organised into groups or sub-strands as per NSW
English K-6.
The current NSW English syllabus used the modes as strands
(talking and listening, reading and writing).
Also note: Reading (and viewing) and Writing (and creating). This
may be ‘new’ language for primary English, but it is reflected in other
states and current research. It is also familiar to the NSW 7-10
Syllabus.
The strands
Thinking about what these strands represent and how they work
together is important to this curriculum.
The draft English curriculum strongly emphasises the need to
integrate the three strands in classroom teaching.
How much time is devoted to each strand may vary according to the
requirements for the year level as well as the previous learning and
needs of students.
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Modes
This diagram represents an attempt by the English Unit at
Curriculum Directorate to show the relationships between the three
strands.
Language is mostly learning about language and how it works.
Literacy is generally learning to listen, view, read, speak and write
and create texts. These two strands would nearly always work hand
in hand.
Literature is the most significant way in which students use their
knowledge and skills of language and literacy in the study of English
– they learn through literature.
LINK: The next few slides now separate the strands so that we can
explore these in more depth.
Year 3 content - preface
Additional - Preparation, Year 3 sample content: A copy of the
year 3 content including preface, strands (with content descriptions
and elaborations) and achievement standards – to walk through and
discuss. If participants have a copy of the Year 3 content, this can
be explored in greater depth with each slide.
CLICK This next series of slides explores the content in greater
depth, using Year 3 as an example
At the beginning of each year is the preface.
CLICK The preface provides an overview of texts. It indicates that
range of texts that students will be responding to and creating as
well as including some examples specific to the year level.
The organisation or categorisation of texts is similar to the current
NSW English K-6 syllabus in that there is a loose grouping of literary
and non-literary. The range of texts is broader and possibly less
prescriptive than our current syllabus. The focus on the purpose of
the text and how different forms of text relate to this purpose is
identified.
The mention of multimodal and digital texts is explicit here and can
be identified further in the content descriptions.
Additional Year 3 content discussion (approx. 5 mins)
If participants have a copy of the Year 3 content – provide time to
read through the preface.
Identify terminology that is familiar and new or less familiar.
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Language strand example
This is a sample of what the content descriptions look like in the
Language strand for Year 3
CLICK The strand is identified at the top
CLICK The content descriptions are numbered (like our outcomes,
but do not read as outcomes). The organisation of the content
descriptions does not appear to follow a pattern from year to year
but there is some similarity across the years K-10.
CLICK The elaborations are designed to illustrate and exemplify the
content, but are not intended to be comprehensive content points
(see page 3 of the introduction).
CLICK This is a summary of the intent of the language strand.
CLICK This year 3 example shows that the first two content
descriptions refer to speaking and listening. It is important to note
that the language modes are interwoven in this strand (as they are in
others). When you read the whole strand you will see evidence of
the other modes. Speaking and listening does not always come first
in a strand.
Explicit teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling occurs in this
strand. How students apply this knowledge is integrated in the other
two strands. Phonics and phonemic awareness (in the earlier years)
is also identified in this strand.
Additional Year 3 content discussion (approx. 10 mins)
If participants have a copy of the Year 3 content – provide time to
read through all the content descriptions and elaborations for this
strand.
Discuss if the content descriptions can be organised or grouped in
any way (Participants may identify content descriptions that relate to
modes e.g. 3. Providing opinions or to aspects of texts e.g. 5 &6
Sentence grammar and 8. Paragraphing)
Literature strand example
CLICK This is a summary of the intent of the literature strand.
CLICK This year 3 example shows that the first content description
engaging with texts. This content description shows some similarity
with current NSW reading outcomes – learning to and learning
about. In a sense this is like learning through literature. Students
are learning about texts - both responding to what they have read,
and writing or creating their own literary texts.
Additional Year 3 content discussion (approx. 10 mins)
If participants have a copy of the Year 3 content – provide time to
read through all the content descriptions and elaborations for this
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strand.
Discuss aspects of this strand that may be less familiar to teachers
e.g. 5. Creating
Literacy strand example
CLICK This is a summary of the intent of the literacy strand.
CLICK This year 3 example shows that the first content description
oral communication skills. Within this strand there is a focus on skills
and strategies across all the modes. The other content organisers in
this strand include reading skills such as comprehension and
organising information as well as creating texts and handwriting.
This strand also includes aspects of what we might call ‘critical
literacy’ or literacy skills at a deeper level. Multimodal texts are
mentioned here as well (as well as in the other strands). When
reading this strand, you may notice reference to texts other than
literature or texts that also connect to other subjects e.g. Research
skills (possibly a connection with History and Science).
Additional Year 3 content discussion (approx. 20 mins)
If participants have a copy of the Year 3 content – provide time to
read through all the content descriptions and elaborations for this
strand.
After reading, look for any links that may be made across all three
strands (e.g. 9. Text stages in the Language strand may connect
with 11. Features of texts in the Literacy strand)
Achievement standards example
CLICK There are achievement standards for each year. They
include ‘fundamental skills are explicit in each of the strands.’
CLICK They are organised in modes. In some ways they look similar
to our current NSW English K-6 Foundation Statements. They are
designed to show how learning in the strands (language, literature
and literacy) is demonstrated through the modes (listening and
speaking, reading and writing).
CLICK Listening and speaking are combined in one paragraph
CLICK then Reading
CLICK then Writing
Additional Year 3 content discussion (approx. 10 mins)
If participants have a copy of the Year 3 content – provide time to
read through the achievement standard (Yr 3).
Identify what connections can be made between the achievement
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standards and the content in each of the strands.
Optional group activity 1 - Looking at the strands
This slide and the next offer two ways to look further at the
document and for small group discussion (approx. 30 mins per
activity in stage teams)
CLICK This is an approach to look at a strand over more than one
year
CLICK These are some possible questions to use a discussion
points.
.
Optional group activity 2 - Looking at the years
CLICK This slide looks at a focus on year levels. If time permits, look
either side of the year you have chosen. (This is important to check
for continuity and a sense of development of learning from one year
to the next)
CLICK These are some possible questions to use a discussion
points.
Looking forward – looking back
Note through close reading of the document (particularly a year or
strand over a few years), there may be feedback in terms of
consistency of language, expectations from one year to other and
possibly aspects of one year that are not in the corresponding year.
This is useful feedback for ACARA.
It is also important to step back and look at the document as a whole
– in order to provide feedback on the overall intent and structure - in
order to answer the question:
‘Is this document the best it can be?’
(Allow 5-10 mins for small group discussion and reporting back)
CLICK These questions – presented at the beginning of the ppt can
be used as a final discussion/reflection.
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