NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

1. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre Draft Senior Secondary Curriculum ENGLISH May, 2012

2. Overview of Senior Secondary Australian Curriculum • ACARA has developed draft senior secondary Australian Curriculum in the four learning areas of English, mathematics, science and history. • ACARA has specified content and achievement standards for different subjects within each learning area. • Curriculum, assessment and certification authorities in each state or territory (Board of Studies in NSW) are responsible for the structure and organisation of their senior secondary courses, as well as assessment and certification.

3. Overview of Senior Secondary Australian Curriculum • Each subject has been divided into four units. • Each unit runs for about 50-60 hours, including assessment, i.e. one half-year semester per unit. • Units may be studied singly, in pairs (over a year) or as four units (over two years). • Each unit identifies particular learning outcomes for students and content descriptions that outline the teaching and learning included in the unit.

4. Overview of Senior Secondary Australian Curriculum • Draft senior secondary subjects, including content and achievement standards, will be available for national consultation until 20 July 2012. • NSW has not yet committed to using the senior secondary Australian Curriculum for English, mathematics, science and history. • ACARA has said that current courses not covered by their proposed subjects, e.g. Extension courses, can still be offered by states.

5. Four proposed senior secondary ENGLISH courses

6. Common aspects of the four courses • Some common aims across courses: to develop students’: • Skills in listening, speaking, reading, viewing and writing • Capacity to create texts for a range of purposes, audiences and contexts • Understanding and appreciation of different creative processes • Achievement standards have a common structure based on two dimensions: • All seven general capabilities and the three cross-curriculum priorities are embedded in all four courses, although in different ways.

7. Literature This subject: • Involves study of literature at an intensive level • Engages students in the detailed study of literary texts • Requires students to create their own literary texts The content organisers suggest the distinctive focus of the subject: • Texts in context • Language and textual analysis • Creating imaginative texts • Creating analytical texts Compared with the current NSW English Stage 6 courses, this subject is most like Standard and Advanced.

8. Unit structure of Literature

9. Essential English This subject: • Focuses on developing students’ literacy skills • Helps students to interact confidently and effectively in a range of contexts • Involves a range of everyday, workplace, media and literary texts. The content organisers suggest the distinctive focus of the subject: • Comprehension strategies • Language and textual analysis • Research • Creating texts Compared with the current NSW English Stage 6 courses, this subject is most like English Studies.

10. Structure of Essential English

11. English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) This subject: • Develops students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in Standard Australian English (SAE) • Involves the explicit teaching of structure, linguistic features and sociolinguistic and sociocultural aspects of SAE • Accommodates for a range of starting points through bridging units. The content organisers suggest the distinctive focus of the subject: • Communication strategies • Comprehension strategies • Language and textual analysis • Creating texts Compared with the current NSW English Stage 6 courses, this subject is most like English as a Second Language (ESL).

12. Structure of EAL/D

13. Structure of bridging units for EAL/D

14. English This subject: • Extends students’ language and literacy skills for a range of purposes and audiences • Engages students in detailed study of increasingly complex texts • Requires students to critically and creatively engage with a variety of texts in all language modes The content organisers suggest the distinctive focus of the subject: • Texts in context • Language and textual analysis • Audience response • Creating texts • Reflecting This subject is like no other courses among the current NSW English Stage 6 courses.

15. Structure of English

16. Questions to guide reflection/discussion • Do you think the four subjects cater for the range of students in Years 11 and 12? • Do you agree with the comparisons made with current NSW courses in this PowerPoint? • Can you identify the students targeted by each subject? • Do you think there is an appropriate level of challenge for each of the four subjects? • Is there value in flexibility in delivery of subjects and mobility between subjects? • Are the achievement standards for pairs of units in each subject helpful? • Is the glossary useful and consistent with NSW syllabuses? • Is there a clear sense of these subjects building on English learning K-10? • What would Board of Studies NSW need to add to frame or augment these subjects? • If NSW adopts the content and achievement standards of these subjects, what do you see as the challenges for implementation?

17. Contribute to the consultation! • All English teachers are encouraged to have a say in the development of the senior secondary curriculum for English. You can do this as an individual or as a team. • This is a good opportunity for you to shape the ACARA senior secondary English curriculum to work for you and your students, if it is adopted by NSW. • To provide your feedback directly to ACARA, go to http://consultation.australiancurriculum.edu.au

18. Contact Contact details available on the NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre website. http://clic.det.nsw.edu.au/aust_curriculum/contact.htm