Organisation of the English Syllabus

B A Aim E C D p24 Content Organisation Key Processes Other Processes Page 24 of the syllabus provides a diagrammatic organisation of the syllabus framework. The following power point will take you through the components of the framework. It would be beneficial to have a hard copy of the English K-10 Syllabus as page references in this PowerPoint refer to the hard copy of the syllabus. p24 D

Making Meaning Through language At the centre of English learning are key words from the aim: making meaning through language. Students make meaning when they compose texts; but they also contribute to meaning making as responders to texts. These words are taken from the aim of the current English K-6 syllabus and feature in the aim of the new English K-10 Syllabus (page 13) Language has a central place in the study of English. It is the means by which we communicate. In the glossary of the syllabus (page 138) there is a definition of language. The definition relates to written and spoken words as well as visual language or a combination of all modes.

The next inner circle corresponds to the processes, a new concept in the syllabus. Responding and Composing are the key processes- according to the syllabus, they are central to students using language purposefully and meaningfully and engaging with a wide range of texts. Responding includes the modes of listening, reading and viewing; composing includes corresponding productive modes of speaking, writing and representing. For primary teachers this is a new concept and refers to the composition of visual texts or visual elements in multimodal texts.

Key Processes Responding to and composing texts are the Key processes central to students using language purposefully and meaningfully and engaging with a wide range of texts Responding- the activity that occurs as students read, listen to or view texts. Composing- the activity that occurs as students produce written, spoken or visual texts., “Compose” and “composer” from Australian Curriculum content- used instead of author and create p25 This slide provides a summary of responding and composing.

The next inner circle contains the other three processes are particular aspects of responding and composing. The syllabus emphasises that these processes are integrated and concurrent. The key processes and other processes are used as organisers of the content through the syllabus. You will see that early stage 1 includes the processes of phonemic awareness and graphological and phonological understandings. The syllabus places a reliance on teachers to take the modes of literacy development and to link them systematically and sequentially to ensure all learners see the overlapping nature of language learning. That is.. Spelling is not separate from writing, viewing is not separate from reading.

Integrated and Concurrent Processes Content is organised under: Developing and applying contextual knowledge Engage personally with texts Understanding and applying language forms and features Note difference in early Stage 1. In summary

The stage outcomes are next The stage outcomes are next. The syllabus identifies the outcomes as the basis of all courses of study and educational programs K-10. The content describes in more detail how the outcomes are to be interpreted and used. Teachers can exercise flexibility in the use of content in designing learning for their students. For example emphasis can be given to particular content points, the sequence in which it is taught and adjustments to content to suit the needs of individual students

A The two outer circles represent the objectives. The five knowledge, understanding and skills objectives provide the structure of the syllabus. The connection between outcomes and objectives is made clear on page 16-17- the table of objectives and outcomes. The additional table (click on the word document link to the right of the diagram) provided of outcomes and objectives provides further organisation under the modes of the syllabus. Objective A Communicate through speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and representing. The outcomes derived from this objective include Speaking and Listening, Writing and Representing, handwriting and digital Technologies (es1-s2) Reading and Viewing and Spelling.

A Objective B Use language to shape meaning according to purpose, audience and context. Outcomes under this objective include Speaking and Listening es1-s2), writing and representing (es1-S2) Reading and Viewing (es1-s2) and Grammar, punctuation and Vocabulary. Note the change from stage 3 to Responding and Composing incorporating all modes. B

A Objective C think in ways that are imaginative, creative, interpretive and critical. In a study of the each stage outcome related to objective C you will notice the sequence of learning through responding and composing texts. Take time to look at the sequence of learning from es1 to Stage 5. C B

D A Objective D Express themselves and their relationships with other in the world. Once again we see the progression of learning through the stages in the key processes of responding and composing. C B

E D A Objective E Learn and reflect on their learning through the study of English. This objective progresses through the stage outcomes with students progressing from a simple reflection in es1 to a reflection on skills, self assessment and collaborative skills in stage 5. C B

Finally the outer circle contains the values and attitudes Finally the outer circle contains the values and attitudes. The values and attitudes objectives wrap the whole syllabus. These objectives identify what students will come to appreciate and value through their study of English.