1. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW What’s new for T-L’s? Australian Curriculum: English Presented by Karen Stapleton, AIS

2. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Timeline of development, review, implementation  ACARA - series of consultations and reviews  Last review consultation in August. Now at ‘critical readers’ stage. To go to MCEECDYA December for approval & then release.  BOS statement – ‘status quo’ for 2011 in NSW  Looking at implementation 2012 but how? Staggered? Some subjects/year levels only? Or?  BOS has proposed a re-packaging of curriculum as a syllabus document for NSW

3. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW K-10 English curriculum  The shape of the K-10 curriculum - content for each year (NOT stages) and all subjects to incorporate:  General Capabilities – originally10(but now reduced by combining some eg Thinking skills and Creativity to become “Critical and creative thinking”)  Cross-curriculum dimensions Indigenous history and culture Asia and Australian’s engagement with Asia Sustainability Embedded in content

4. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Australian Curriculum - English  3 Strands: Language, Literature, Literacy Criticism: lack of integration Last draft introduced ‘sub-strands’ (or threads) to try and show how some of the content may be connected/integrated  Content – has been significantly reduced /conflated from the first draft  Elaborations – are suggestions/examples not mandated content.

5. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Text requirements  Types of texts to be studied are identified in each Year description (Note how year descriptions are structured on respond ing and composing elements of study,)  Quite a range of texts covered K-10 with a focus on narrative texts (fiction, stories etc), poetry, non-fiction, plays and dramatic performances as well as information and persuasion texts.  Varied mention of multimodal and digital texts depending on the year.  Implications for teachers? And librarians? Text selection and choice!

6. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Achievement standards and assessment  Achievement standards – drafts provided last meeting but much criticism of them. NB Standards to be provided are for a “C” achievement!  ACARA believe work samples from schools piloting the curriculum will help frame school assessment and understanding of achievement standards.

7. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Key issues raised in consultation  Absence of overarching rationale for the subject of English K- 12! What is our core business? What shapes our discipline?  Curriculum structure/shape; in a recent draft there were no ‘foundation’ statements for literature in the sub-strands descriptions  Lack of integration across the strands. Difficult to see how to develop a continuum of learning; scope and sequence for K- 10  Inconsistency of metalanguage in draft documents across and within strands

8. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Key issues cont  Fear that NAPLAN and language strand will drive rote teaching of grammar etc. (Creating a Professional Development and resources need! Publishers glee!)  Where is the student in the document? Seen as an empty vessel to be filled with knowledge?  More rigour needed? More challenge for good students?

9. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Senior Curriculum  Still a long way to go with this... But so far..  4 courses: English, Literature, Essential English, EAL (English as an Additional Language and/or dialect)  Same three strands as K-10: Language, Literature, Literacy  4 units: 50-60hours per unit, two units per year: Language, texts and contexts Representation Making connections Perspectives

10. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Senior Australian English Curriculum  Text requirements – range of types of texts across the four units:  fiction, non-fiction, plays, poetry, film and other multimodal texts, and digital texts  Australian literature, including the inscriptional and oral narrative traditions or contemporary literature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people  World literature  Texts draw from a range of literary traditions  Texts drawn from a range of historical and cultural contexts, including texts from Asia Implications for teachers given K-10 text requirements?

11. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Texts selection requirements  Prescribed texts?  For Units 3 & 4 (Year 12) “ACARA in collaboration with states and territories will develop and regularly review prescribed text lists in accordance with the requirements outlined above. There will be a wide range of texts from which teachers will choose” Sample lists included the following categories: Multimodal/digital; workplace; fiction; plays; poetry; film; non-fiction  Key question during consultation: do people want a Prescribed text list? Or suggested lists? Or left to the States/Territories? The debate continues...

12. © The Association of Independent Schools of NSW Senior Curriculum  Hierarchical, differentiated or equitable??  Who is each course designed for? Statement provided for each course but some criticism of these ‘expected’ cohorts.  Pathways: flexibility and movement from course to course for students  What about HSC and current NSW courses? Standard/Advanced/ESL Extension 1 and Extension 2