Languages in AusVELS: Victoria’s approach to Languages in the Australian Curriculum AFMLTA National Conference 2013 Saturday 6 July 2013 Presenter: Maree Dellora

2 Languages in the Victorian curriculum “ You cannot say you have mastered a new language if you have not discovered a brand new world, and your new self in it, through the experience of learning it." Associate Professor Ariel Heryanto Indonesian Studies, ANU

3 What is AusVELS? AusVELS is the F -10 curriculum that all Victorian government and Catholic schools use for planning, assessment and reporting. AusVELS is available to all Independent schools as a model for the effective implementation of the Australian Curriculum (AC)

4 AusVELS - Australian Curriculum and VELS is a framework that incorporates the Australian Curriculum as it is progressively developed (Languages curriculum is not yet ready for implementation) aims to ensure that teachers do not have to manage two different curriculum frameworks during the development of the AC

5 From VELS to AusVELS to the AC Discipline-based Learning Interdisciplinary Learning Domains/subjects General Capabilities Cross-curriculum priorities VELS - introduced 2006 A triple helix model AusVELS 2015 A double helix model Physical, Personal & Social Learning

6 In 2013… In 2013 AusVELS curriculum is comprised of:  four Australian Curriculum subjects (MESH)  the remaining 12 VELS domains  three embedded cross curriculum priorities

7 Australian Curriculum LEARNING AREAS/ SUBJECT DISCIPLINES GENERAL CAPABILITIES CROSS-CURRICULUM PRIORITIES English (2013) Mathematics (2013) Science (2013) Health and Physical Education (2015) Languages (2015) Humanities and Social Sciences [History (2013), Geography (2015) Civics and Citizenship (2015), Business and Economics (2015) ] The Arts (2015) Technologies (inc ICT) (2015) Critical and creative thinking Personal and social capability Intercultural understanding Ethical behaviour Literacy Numeracy ICT capability Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability (Reflected in subjects)

8 Cross curriculum priorities Three priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability About the cross curriculum priorities: embedded in domains, but with varying presence not treated as separate areas of learning no curriculum content located, rather illustrate how learning can be integrated across the domains

9 Learning areas still in development: Geography Languages The Arts Health and Physical Education Technologies: inc. ICT and Design and Technology Humanities and Social Sciences: Economics, Business and Civics and Citizenship

o Literacy o Numeracy o ICT o Personal and social capability o Critical and creative thinking o Intercultural understanding o Ethical understanding General capabilities General capabilities underpin flexible and critical thinking, a capacity to work with others and an ability to move across subject disciplines to develop new expertise.

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12 Developing Languages in the Australian curriculum Stage 1 Languages Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages, Chinese and Italian Stage 2 Languages Arabic, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish and Vietnamese Stage 3 Languages Auslan, Classical Languages, Hindi and Turkish

13 Languages in AusVELS Languages in Australian Curriculum 6 categories of Languages and standards Language-specific curriculum documents 2 Dimensions: - Communicating in a Language other than English - Intercultural Knowledge and Language Awareness 2 Strands: Communicating Understanding (Originally a third: Reciprocating) 7 General Capabilities (inc Intercultural Understanding) 3 Cross curriculum priorities 6 Levels (two-year bands) converted into levels Recommended time allocation: 150 mins per week Indicative time allocation: 350 hours over F hours over Years hours over Years 9-10 Two Pathways: Students begin in Primary Students beginning at Year 7 Three Pathways: Second language learners – 8 languages Background language learners – Arabic, Chinese and Vietnamese First language learners – Chinese Two sequences: F-10 sequence Years 7-10 (Year 7 entry) sequence

Structural comparison AC and AusVELS STRUCTURE OF THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM: LANGUAGES - Communicating strand 6 sub - strands: Socialising and taking action Obtaining and using information Responding to and expressing imaginative experience Moving between/translating Expressing and performing identity Reflecting on intercultural language use Content descriptions have been written for each of these ten sub - strands Understanding strand 4 sub - strands: Systems of language Variability in language use Language awareness Role of language and culture

AusVELS is based on 11 levels Nominal school level VELS Level AusVELS Level Prep/Foundation 1Foundation

How Languages are organised in the AC Nominal school level VELS Level AusVELS Level Australian Curriculum Levels for Languages Prep/Foundation 1Foundation Level 1 Achievement Standards for Languages Level 2 Achievement Standards for Languages Level 3 Achievement Standards for Languages Level 4 Achievement Standards for Languages 10

17 ACARA consultations on Languages in the Australian curriculum Stage 1 Languages Consultation on curriculum documents for these two was open until 12 April 2013: Chinese and Italian Stage 2 Languages Consultation on curriculum documents for these ten is being conducted from May – July 2013: Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages, Arabic, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish and Vietnamese Stage 3 Languages Consultation period yet to be decided Auslan, Classical Languages, Hindi and Turkish

18 Languages in the Australian curriculum Innovative aspects of Australian Curriculum for Victorian teachers: language specific approach focus on concepts and processes huge number of valuable teaching ideas in the elaborations intercultural understanding has greater focus and also cross curricular ethical understanding has more status 3 cross curriculum priorities

19 Languages in the Australian curriculum Possible issues: time allocation role of English status of general capabilities organising strands and sub-strands smaller candidature languages languages at senior secondary level

20 Intercultural Understanding in the Australian curriculum Intercultural understanding assumes an integral connection between language and culture, acknowledging language as the primary means through which people establish and exchange shared meaning and ways of seeing the world (Scarino, Dellitt and Vale 2007).

21 Intercultural Understanding The learning continuum is organised into these three interrelated organising elements: Recognising culture and developing respect Interacting and empathising with others Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility

22 Scope of Intercultural Understanding capability “Intercultural understanding combines personal, interpersonal and social knowledge and skills. ….students learn to value and view critically their own cultural perspectives and practices and those of others through their interactions with people, texts and contexts across the curriculum.”

23 Intercultural Understanding – Values and Dispositions Intercultural Understanding aims to cultivate in students: curiosity care empathy reciprocity respect responsibility open-mindedness critical mindedness

24 Intercultural Understanding across the curriculum ………. taught explicitly in the Languages learning area and applied, adapted, strengthened and extended in other learning areas

25 History in the Australian curriculum

26 Contact Details: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) Maree Dellora Tel: