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Frequently asked questions relating to the new K-10 language syllabuses – secondary teachers19/12/2018 At our 7-10 workshops and online learning events, there have been some consistent questions coming through about the new K-10 language syllabus within the secondary context.
Explore the questions and answers in our FAQs document to gain a better understanding of the key issues as you prepare for implementation.
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This is the final instalment of our K-10 syllabus question and answer series, looking at questions asked by teachers at the Languages K-10 syllabus familiarisation and planning workshops earlier this year.
This post focuses on the transition into Stage 6 and questions that haven't fitted into any of the earlier categories. You can find previous posts on implementation, syllabus content and outcomes, target language use in the classroom, three learner groups, learning across the curriculum content, programming, Program Builder, the role of language and culture, assessment, reporting, school registration and ongoing support by clicking on the 7-10 category on the right hand side of the Languages NSW News page. Transition into Stage 6 Q: If we’re going to cater for 3 learner groups, will Stage 6 have 3 learner groups in all languages? Interesting that current discussion is on not running some courses in 2019/2020, eg Indonesian in Context. A: At this stage, there is nothing to indicate that current Stage 6 language courses will change to reflect the learner groups outlined in the K-10 syllabuses. Differentiated Stage 6 courses exist for Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese and Korean. The decision to suspend the Indonesian in Context course after the 2019 HSC examination is related to low student enrolments (see more information below). Q: When will new Stage 6 syllabuses be released? Q: With all these changes in K-10, when will the Stage 6 courses change to align with these new objectives and outcomes? A: The current Language in Context and Language and Literature courses are being reviewed, and NESA sought feedback in Term 3 2018 through a range of consultation opportunities. Feedback included:
Q: Will the Stage 6 Language in Context (formerly Heritage ) course continue? A: Stage 6 courses are offered based on student interest. If candidature in a course falls below 15 students in each of three consecutive years, the course is suspended. Please refer to the table on NESA's website for more information. Q: How do we support Stage 4-5 "heritage" students to prepare for their HSC? A:The differentiated content for students with prior learning/experience and students with a background in the language supports teachers to provide appropriately challenging content for students who may wish to study Language in Context or Language and Literature courses in Stage 6. Reviewing the examples (dash points) under the intended learning (dot points), will provide guidance on the level of grammar and vocabulary which would be appropriate for students commencing a Stage 6 Language in Context course. Q: Backward mapping HSC language courses to meet the needs for Language Continuum students K-10? A: Each Continuers language syllabus has a comprehensive outline of the grammar and structures that will be examined throughout the Stage 6 course. Teachers who are preparing Stage 5 students for the Stage 6 Continuers courses will find all the information they need to guide their teaching in each of the Stage 6 language syllabuses. Q: Where do the prior learners go in Stage 6 when the Indonesian in Context is not offered anymore? A: NESA can provide guidance in specific circumstances. Q: Stage 6 Beginners course eligibility – if a student takes Korean in Year 10, what happens? A: If the only time they study Korean is in Year 10, for no more than 100 hours, they are eligible for the Stage 6 Beginners course. Other Q: How do you effectively differentiate tasks? A: To assist with the development of differentiated tasks and teaching and learning activities, each language syllabus provides three levels of content for Stages 4 and 5, with examples of intended learning to illustrate differentiation for the three broad learner groups. Teaching to three broad learner groups is more relevant in some schools than others. If you teach a language in an area where there are significant numbers of students in each of the learner groups, you may like to approach your local area network leader and suggest differentiation as a topic for future professional learning in that forum. The department is currently reviewing its professional learning in relation to differentiating based on student ability, for re-release in 2019. Q: With such a focus on speaking the target language in the classroom, and a noticeable decline in the standard of language skills of university graduates, will the universities change their major/minor criteria, for example I have had a practicum student who didn’t study the language (her major) until she started university and her language level is terrible (not because of the course, but because of the hours she has studied the language for)? A: NESA works with tertiary institutions to develop criteria for initial teacher education courses. Q: How will I teach languages in an open learning environment? A: The teaching of languages in combined/open-plan learning spaces is a new challenge for many teachers. Professional networking between colleagues will be invaluable, and the Languages NSW Yammer page would be a good place to start reaching out to colleagues who are also ‘learning by doing’. Q: How can you influence UAI/ATAR domain that scales down languages and therefore the importance of languages? A: A student’s ATAR and scaling of courses are managed by the Universities Admission Centre (UAC) – you can find more information on the UAC website. Q: How does NESA only acknowledge K-10 syllabus, when many students only start learning language in Year 7? A: Instead of offering two pathways like the Australian curriculum: Languages, the NSW K-10 syllabuses acknowledge that there are multiple entry points for students learning a language – some students enter Kindergarten already speaking the language, others have their first encounter in Stage 4. The continuum of learning ensures that language learning is age- and Stage-appropriate, and that students can engage with the language in ways appropriate to their cognitive ability and previous experiences at every Stage of learning. Outcomes are broad enough to support teachers in planning appropriate teaching and learning activities, regardless of a student’s entry point. Q: How heavily mandated will it be for teachers trained in a language to deliver all classes? A: Staffing is a school-based decision. There is no mandate for a teacher trained in a specific language to deliver all lessons for that particular language course. However, as mentioned at the workshops, languages have been identified as a priority area by NESA, and quality language teaching is best delivered by language teachers wherever possible. Q: How can regional and rural non-language trained teachers gain skills to teach a language and the new syllabus? Are there qualified teachers to support? Intensive holiday courses? Weekend courses? Ongoing courses? Semester 3 unit start courses with NESA accreditation? A: The Languages and Culture team supports teachers to maintain and develop their language skills by offering funding support to attend immersion opportunities offered by foreign government agencies, for example:
Some universities and foreign government agencies run distance education courses in a range of languages. In addition, the Languages and Culture team offers a mentoring program for early career language teachers called the Virtual Languages Mentoring Network (VLMN). This program matches early career language teachers with an experienced, language-specific mentor for two years. The VLMN will be recruiting new ‘mentees’ for 2019-20 in Term 4 through an EOI process which will be advertised on languagesnsw.com. Q; What PL is available for actual language learning to teach languages, especially in rural schools? A: See above. Q: In running this “roadshow”, have you noticed any differences or patterns that emerge as issues in regional schools? A: We had expected significant differences between the experiences of teachers in metropolitan and regional schools. Contexts vary so much across schools in both metropolitan areas and regional areas, that sometimes teachers have more in common with schools located in a very different geographical area than one located in the same city. One difference we were expecting was that regional schools would have more Stage-based classes (for example Years 7 and 8 in one class), but we found this happens quite often in metropolitan schools too. Language teachers face many of the same challenges regardless of their location. Q: Do you suggest trying choices of learning tasks to fit with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles? How much variation of a learning task is a good idea? A: UDL is a framework for instruction based on three guiding principles:
Q: When and how can we include Life Skills outcomes in our own teaching programs? A: For some students with special education needs who are not able to access the mainstream curriculum, particularly those with an intellectual disability, Life Skills outcomes and content can provide relevant and meaningful learning experiences. The relevant outcomes and content for Life Skills students can be found in the syllabus after the content for Stage 5. It is important to remember that the decision about whether a student should follow a Life Skills program is a collaborative one, taken by a number of different stakeholders including the principal, the learning and support team, teachers, the student and the student’s family. Teachers cannot decide independently to teach Life Skills outcomes . NESA’s website has a section on Collaborative Curriculum Planning which may be helpful when considering differentiation for students with special learning needs. Q: If we have international students arriving in Year 9 or 10, do they have to do a mandatory 100 hours language course to qualify for the RoSA? If so, can we do that in Stage 5? A: Students transferring from overseas into Stage 5 don’t have to do the mandatory 100 hours of language learning to be eligible for the RoSA. Principals have delegated authority from the Board to deem that the mandatory requirements in all key learning areas have been met. Please visit the NESA website for more information. That's the final instalment of our Languages K-10 syllabus questions and answers! Remember to get in touch with the Languages and Culture team if you need any further information about any of the above, or come up with more questions. Happy programming! Continuing our K-10 syllabus question and answer series, this post looks at the ongoing support available from the Languages and Culture team, logistical questions arising from the workshops and school registration.
You can find previous posts on implementation, syllabus content and outcomes, target language use in the classroom, three learner groups, learning across the curriculum content, programming, Program Builder, the role of language and culture objective, assessment and reporting by clicking on the 7-10 category on the right hand side of the Languages NSW News page: https://www.languagesnsw.com/news Ongoing support The Languages and Culture team will be developing and offering a range of follow-up professional learning to support teachers as they implement the new syllabuses: 1. We are developing an eCourse for teachers who were unable to attend the face-to-face workshop or who would like to strengthen their learning about the new syllabus documents. 2. Teachers who participate in the face-to-face workshops and/or the eCourse are invited to participate in programming days (participation in the face-to-face workshop and/or the eCourse is a prerequisite, and details are emailed to eligible teachers). 3. Syllabus support modules will be developed in 2019 in response to teacher feedback. Q: Can we please have a session on how to adapt outcomes to “authentic” assessment tasks SPECIFICALLY for non-background Year 7 students with no prior knowledge and low motivation and behavioural problems? A: Developing engaging teaching and learning activities to meet the outcomes was identified by many teachers as their top priority for further professional learning. This will be incorporated into syllabus support modules to be developed in 2019. Q: Further workshop ideas: Assessment development or tasks (not for assessments). A: Both of these areas will be addressed in the upcoming syllabus support modules. Q: When will NESA provide more support materials for all languages? A: NESA is gradually developing resources to support all 8 of the new language syllabuses. The Languages and Culture team is also working to develop resources, subject to the availability of writers in each language. French and Japanese are being developed this term. If you're interested in being part of the writing team, look out for our expression of interest. Logistics Q: Could we please have a copy of the PPTs from today? (especially the morning session ones) A: Since the Hornsby workshop on 29 May, copies of key PowerPoint slides were provided at all workshops. Copies were emailed to participants who attended workshops in early May. If you did not receive a copy of the key slides summary, please get in touch. Q: Can we have an electronic version of the PowerPoint presentation “Familiarisation & Planning workshop” sent to the participants please? A: We are unable to share the PowerPoint electronically, as we will be delivering additional workshops in 2019. We are also developing an eCourse, through which teachers can access the key information. Q: Could we please have a copy of the backward mapping template? A: This has been emailed to all workshop groups who requested a copy. We have also included it in a post on languagesnsw.com. If you have not received a copy and/or are unable to access the Languages NSW post, please get in touch. School registration Q: What are the expectations from NESA regarding programs as we transition to the new syllabuses? Will they expect everything to be brand new or can we gradually create new units? A: NESA monitors the compliance of NSW public schools, ensuring schools remain consistent with the department’s policies and procedures – you can find more information on the NESA website. Evidence of compliance in relation to curriculum can be found at 4.7 of NESA’s Registration Process for the NSW Government Schooling System Manual. Programming documents, including scope and sequences, units of work and assessment, must reflect the new K-10 syllabuses from 2019 for Years 7 and 9, and from 2020 with Years 8 and 10. Keep an eye out for the final question and answer instalment coming soon. The last instalment will cover transition to Stage 6 and questions on a number of other issues. Remember to get in touch with the Languages and Culture team if you need any further information about any of the above. As a follow-up to our recent K-10 syllabus workshops (run by the Languages and Culture team), last term we started posting the questions you raised, with answers from our team.
As promised, we're continuing the series in the first weeks of Term 4, starting today with assessment and reporting. You can find previous posts on implementation, syllabus content and outcomes, target language use in the classroom, three learner groups, learning across the curriculum content, programming, Program Builder and the role of language and culture objective by clicking on the 7-10 category on the right hand side of the Languages NSW News page: https://www.languagesnsw.com/news Please note that the information provided below is for Stages 4 and 5 in NSW public schools only. Stage 6 assessment and reporting requirements are set by NESA and must be adhered to. Assessment Assessment in K-10 is a school-based decision. The Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K-12 policy details how NSW public schools plan curriculum and teaching programs including assessment. All teachers should be familiar with the Advice on Assessment provided by NESA, which guides approaches to student assessment: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/assessment Q: Do we need to assess all outcomes? A: No. You need to address all outcomes across a Stage, but you can choose which ones you formally assess. Q: Do all outcomes need to be assessed formally? Do they need equal weighting? A: No – see above. All outcomes should be continuously assessed using formative assessment strategies (assessment for and as learning). The decision about which outcomes are formally assessed using summative strategies (assessment of learning) is a decision for individual teachers and schools. Weightings are a school-based decision. Q: Do all of the outcomes included in a unit (in the scope and sequence) need to be assessed in that unit formally? A: No – see above. Teachers can choose which outcomes are formally assessed in any given unit of work. Q: How to allocate marks to indicate outcomes from rich, multi-macro skills tasks? Standards-based. A: Teachers design their own marking criteria when developing an assessment of learning task. Stage outcomes and Stage statements can support you in developing assessment criteria and marking guidelines. Q: Assessment – do we provide different assessment tasks to students in different learner groups? Is this compulsory? Q: Types of assessments for Stage 4/5 for 3 different group learners? A: How students from different learner groups are assessed is determined by the school and teacher. All students must be given an opportunity to demonstrate achievement of the outcomes. For students with a disability, this may be via support or adjustments. Q: How many outcomes (max.) should we allocate for a summative task, so as to not over-burden? A: Teachers determine how many outcomes are formally assessed in an assessment of learning (summative) task. Whilst there is no specific number of outcomes recommended, it is sensible to focus on a limited number of outcomes in an assessment of learning task to allow for quality, reliable and valid assessment of the selected outcomes. Q: Should all assessments be authentic (in other words, no more written exams)? Q: Are exams accepted for assessment of learning? A: It is important to provide students with a range of tasks that allow them to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills, including their ability to engage in authentic, purposeful language use. Teachers are encouraged to use a wide range of assessment tools that allow students to demonstrate their learning, which may include formal written exams, if appropriate for the learners and the context. Q: No formal exams compulsory/needed? Is it okay to do 100% task-based assessments? A: It is not mandatory for students to complete formal exams in Stages 4 and 5. See above. Q: How do I show assessment FOR, AS and OF learning in my programming? A: Your units of work should contain a range of assessment activities. How you indicate this in your programming documents will vary depending on the format of your units of work. Some teachers include assessment for learning and as learning strategies with their teaching and learning strategies, others choose to show them in a separate part of the program. It is, however, very important that your programs show evidence that you use a range of assessment strategies to support your students’ learning. Reporting Q: How do we report to the outcomes? Q: Should we now consider changing reporting outcomes to match the new syllabus outcomes? Currently listening, speaking, reading and writing. A: How the new K-10 outcomes will be reported on is a school-based decision. Student achievement is judged in relation to syllabus standards and reports must reflect relevant syllabus outcomes. Teachers in NSW public schools can find advice on assessment and reporting in the Policy Standards for Curriculum Planning and Programming, Assessing and Reporting to Parents K-12 (updated July 2018) at https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/associated-documents/policystandards161006.pdf Q: Can we select specific outcomes to be reported on each semester? A: See above – reporting is a school-based decision. If you have questions about any aspect of this information, don't hesitate to contact the Languages and Culture team. As a follow-up to our recent K-10 syllabus workshops (run by the Languages and Culture team), we have been posting the questions you raised, with answers from our team.
In our first post, we looked at implementation and syllabus content and outcomes. In our second post, we looked at target language use in the classroom and the three learner groups. In our third post, we looked at learning across the curriculum content and programming. Today we're looking at Program Builder and the role of language and culture objective. We will continue this series in Term 4. Program Builder Q: Need training in using Program Builder. A: Program Builder is very intuitive to use. There is also a range of “how-to” videos on the Program Builder site, for example:
Q: When will Program Builder be ready for other languages? A: Program Builder is close to release in the remaining 6 languages. Make sure you’re subscribed to NESA News so you know when they become available. Subscribe at http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/about/news/newsletters The role of language and culture Q: Are principals aware of the cultural aspect of the new syllabus? A: In the 2003 syllabus documents, students developed knowledge of the culture of [Language]-speaking communities as part of the Moving Between Cultures objective. In the new syllabuses, students understand and reflect on the role of language and culture in the exchange of meaning, and consider how interaction shapes communication and identity through the role of language and culture objective. There has been no formal announcement via NESA or the department regarding the culture-related objective in the syllabus. Individual teachers are encouraged to discuss these changes with their principals, including the implication for timetabling non-language teachers on to classes. Q: Our school has done research tasks in English in 7 and 8. Can these still work in the new system? A: They should work. Given the open nature of our syllabuses (no prescribed topics), they should support both research tasks and project-based learning, as long as the research tasks incorporate the intended learning (dot points) of the syllabus. As a follow-up to our recent K-10 syllabus workshops (run by the Languages and Culture team), we will be answering your questions via this blog.
In our first post, we looked at implementation and syllabus content and outcomes. In our second post, we looked at target language use in the classroom and the three learner groups. Today we're looking at learning across the curriculum content and programming. Learning across the curriculum content Background: Learning across the curriculum content assists students to achieve the broad learning outcomes defined in the K-10 Curriculum Framework, Statement of Equity Principles and in the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (December 2008). Cross-curriculum priorities enable students to develop understanding about and address the contemporary issues they face. The cross-curriculum priorities are: - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures - Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia - sustainability. General capabilities encompass the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours to assist students to live and work successfully in the 21st century. The general capabilities are: - critical and creative thinking - ethical understanding - information and communication technology capability - intercultural understanding - literacy - numeracy - personal and social capability. NESA’s syllabuses include other areas identified as important learning for all students: - civics and citizenship - difference and diversity - work and enterprise. (Source: http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/) Q: Did I understand correctly – we do NOT have to use the icons for the LATC section? A: There is no requirement from NESA or the department to use the icons in your programs, however, individual schools may have their own requirements. Q: How many capabilities are to be addressed in one year/Stage? A: Teachers address the outcomes across a Stage – there is no mandate regarding how you choose to address the learning across the curriculum content. Schools may have their own mandatory requirements which teachers need to follow. Programming Q: Could European languages have a day to write Stage 4 and 5 programs together? A: Later in 2018 and into Semester 1 2019, the Languages and Culture team is planning programming days for secondary languages teachers in NSW public schools who have attended a face-to-face syllabus familiarisation and planning workshop, or completed the online course (for release in Term 4). The days will be organised around the number of outcomes in your language syllabus (8 or 9 outcomes). Q: Collaboration time? A: In addition to the programming days, we encourage teachers to access their local Language Teacher Network to organise times to collaborate on a more informal basis. These events are advertised via this blog, and many networks are currently including a focus on the new syllabuses. Q: Values and attitudes – where in program? A: Values and attitudes should underpin everything you do in the classroom, and should form the basis of all the teaching, learning and assessment activities you design – will the activity develop an interest in and enjoyment of language learning? Will it support students to appreciate and value their own heritage, culture and identity? Will it support students to appreciate and respect the culture, beliefs and values of others through language learning? Values and attitudes objectives do not have outcomes, therefore they are not assessable (as we assess outcomes, not objectives) but they form a critical part of curriculum design. Q: Will NESA provide a template/proforma that we can all use? Provide some uniformity. No – NESA will provide sample scope and sequences and sample units of work across a range of languages. The department will also provide a range of sample scope and sequences, sample units of work and sample assessment tasks across all 8 languages, in a range of formats. There are no definitive templates or proformas, as school contexts vary. Scope and sequences must include:
The department recommends including 2 additional elements in your scope and sequence:
Q: When programing, do we include both an outcome as well as content “point”? A: Yes, you include both. The outcome can be included as a code, however the content dot point (intended learning) should be included in full, for clarity. Correction from previous post regarding NSW School of Languages courses: Q: Stage 5 learners – do you envisage the teachers catering to the 3 learner groups within one classroom? NSW School of Languages can assist here. A: Yes, if you have learners from each of those groups in your classroom. As mentioned in the question, NSW School of Languages can assist with Stage 5 Chinese and Japanese moodle courses for students who may matriculate into the Stage 6 [Language] in Context or [Language] and Literature courses. A $200 administration fee applies. As a follow-up to our recent K-10 syllabus workshops (run by the Languages and Culture team), we will be answering your questions via this blog.
In our last post, we answered your questions regarding implementation and syllabus content and outcomes. Today we're looking at target language use in the classroom and the three learner groups. Target language use in the classroom Q: Where does ICT use in the TL fit in the syllabus, eg typing in scripted languages such as Korean, Japanese, etc. A: Information and communication technologies (ICT) are valuable tools to support language learning in the classroom and will continue to be useful as you implement the new syllabus. How you choose to use technology in the classroom to support the development of the target language will depend on the resources you have available, your learner group and your context. The use of ICT should always be strategic and planned. Remember to always have a back-up in case the technology doesn’t work! Q: With such a focus on speaking the target language in the classroom, will the universities change their major/minor criteria and provide more language-specific study and language pedagogy (including language-specific methodology)? As an experienced teacher I have noticed a decline in the standard of language skills and confidence of uni graduates, in large part because they simply don’t have enough exposure to, or study of the language behind them. Will preservice language teachers also be encouraged to pursue languages as a major and study more than one language to increase their employability? A: Decisions regarding patterns of study in Initial Teacher Education courses are determined by individual universities. Learner groups Q: Who decides which of the three groups a learner falls into (ie non-background, prior learning or background)? A: Teachers decide which of these groups a student belongs in. You may wish to consult with the student and/or the student’s family. Students may also access content for different learner groups, depending on their competencies in receptive and productive language use. For example, a student who understands their grandparents speaking to their parents in [Language], but who cannot speak or write the language may access ‘background speaker’ content for outcome LXX4-2C: Accessing and responding, but non-background content for outcome LXX4-4C: Composing. Q: If a student speaks Cantonese at home, but is not able to read and write in Chinese, which group would they belong to? A: This decision would best be made in consultation with the student and their family. As mentioned above, students may access content for different learner groups. The student’s motivation for learning may also influence your decision. Q: Stage 5 learners – do you envisage the teachers catering to the 3 learner groups within one classroom? NSW School of Languages can assist here. A: Yes, if you have learners from each of those groups in your classroom. As mentioned in the question, NSW School of Languages can assist with Stage 5 Chinese and Japanese moodle courses for students who may matriculate into the Stage 6 [Language] in Context or [Language] and Literature courses. A $200 administration fee applies. Q: How do we assure Stage 4-5 content for background students is met, when there may only be 1-2 of these students in the class? A: Meeting the individual learning needs of students can be challenging for teachers. The differentiated content in the new syllabuses supports you to meet the needs of students with widely varying levels of language by giving you three levels of content and related examples to work with. Students are all working toward the same outcomes, and the provision of differentiated content can help you ensure that students are meeting the outcomes and that they are engaged in and challenged by their learning at an appropriate level. Q: For the 3 learner groups in Stages 4 and 5, I’m assuming should have different resources…will they have same/different exams? A: How you address the different learner groups in your classroom is a decision you make, as the teacher. You may decide to use a range of resources of varying depth and complexity, or you may decide to use the same stimulus material and differentiate activities and tasks. In reality, you’ll probably use some combination of these strategies. Example 1 (free time) – the students to listen to teenagers talking about their free time activities (the stimulus text is the same for all students). Non-background students may answer a series of questions to identify key information; students with prior knowledge and/or experience may have an additional/alternative activity in which they answer a more open-ended question, such as “Which person did you identify most with, and why?” (in English, or target language, depending on ability); students with a background listen to the stimulus text then rewrite the text in the third person and/or in a different tense. Example 2 (sport) – the students are provided with stimulus materials from an authentic Chinese sports event (eg Beijing Olympics). Non-background students may access information from simple texts such as a timetable or basic flyer; students with prior knowledge and/or experience may look at event descriptions and times and plan an itinerary for a day visit; background students may use more complex information about the event as a stimulus to compose a text that describes their plan for the day, commenting on their feelings about the event. As the focus of assessment moves away from tests and exams toward assessment FOR and AS learning (formative assessment) decisions about how to assess the outcomes for each learner group will be part of the planning process for units of work and will depend on the type of task you are using to determine student achievement against the outcomes. And here's one we missed from our last post on content and outcomes... Q: Which language syllabuses have the better examples? A: The examples that you find most helpful and inspiring will depend on your teaching style and your students. It is worth reviewing the examples for Stages 4 and 5 in a range of languages, and choosing examples which you think will best meet the needs of your students and that you find most interesting and relevant. You can also develop your own examples. At the recent K-10 syllabus workshops (run by the Languages and Culture team), teachers had the opportunity to ask a range of questions, and we promised to publish the answers here. We have categorised your questions, and will publish the questions and answers over the coming days. Today we'll be answering questions relating to implementation and syllabus content and outcomes.
We'd also like to thank teachers for their engagement and enthusiasm at the workshops – it was a privilege to work with you! Implementation Q: We teach a non-mandatory Year 7 course (<50 hours) – when do we introduce the new syllabus? A: The new syllabus will be implemented with all Year 7 classes in 2019. Q: What happens if you teach taster courses in Year 7, then 100 hours in Year 8? A: You will implement the new syllabus with the taster courses in Year 7 in 2019, and with your Year 8 mandatory course in 2020. Q: We offer a Year 8 elective course. Which syllabus should we use? A: You will use the current syllabus (2003) in 2019 and the new syllabus from 2020. Q: What is the official advice for combined Stage 5 courses in 2019? Q: At our school, we have a mix of Year 9 and 10 students in the Stage 5 elective class. Students only need to do the elective for 100 hours. What happens in this situation? When do we implement the new syllabus? Q: SSCL – how are they going to manage next year with combined classes? A: If you are starting a combined Year 9/10 class in 2019, you can implement the new syllabus with both year groups if both year groups follow the same program. However, if you have a separate program for each of the year groups in the combined class, you will follow the implementation timeline for the individual year groups. Q: What options are there for Stage-based classes or composite 7-10 classes? A: When students from both year groups within a Stage are studying the same program in the same class, you can implement the new syllabuses with both year groups in 2019. Q: Is it still possible to do the mandatory hours in Year 9? A: Yes – there are currently no changes to the mandatory requirements with the implementation of the new syllabuses. The mandatory requirement can be taught anywhere between Years 7 to 10, but preferably in Stage 4. (Reference: https://ace.nesa.nsw.edu.au/ace-4007) Q: Can a student select a new language subject in Year 10? A: Yes they can. Some schools run 100 hour elective courses (in Year 9 and/or Year 10), in which students elect the language for one school year. Schools which offer these courses will need to consider the implications for Stage 6 courses – if a student does the mandatory 100 hours in a particular language in Stage 4 and then continues with that language via a 100 hours elective in Stage 5, they are ineligible for the Stage 6 Beginners course. However, if a student does one language for the mandatory 100 hours in Stage 4, and then elects a different language for a Stage 5 elective, they are eligible for Stage 6 Beginners courses in both languages, provided they have had no other prior experience with either language. (Reference: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-languages/eligibility) Content and outcomes Q: Are the outcomes sequenced (eg 1, 2, 3, …) under each strand for a particular reason (eg easier to more difficult)? A: No, the outcomes are not sequenced in order of difficulty. There is no prescribed sequence for teaching and/or assessing the outcomes; you can address them in an order that suits your context, learner group and teaching style. Q: Do you have to address all aspects of an outcome? A: You have to address all aspects of the outcome across a Stage. This means that, for example, by the end of Stage 4, a student can use German to interact with others to exchange information, ideas and opinions, and make plans (LGE4-1C). However, within a unit, you may choose to only address certain aspects of an outcome. For example, in a unit at the start of Stage 4, students may only be exchanging information for LGE4-1C. Remember, these exchanges do not have to be highly complex; some exchanges may be quite simple, for example an opinion – “I like bananas more than apples”. The level at which students meet the outcomes will be determined by individual students’ abilities and interests, and outcomes should be addressed in a way that is appropriate for the learner group. Q: Are there prescribed text types? A: No, there are no prescribed text types. The examples of intended learning provided with each outcome (dash points) give suggestions for text types, but these are not mandatory. You may want to refer to text types commonly used in the HSC when teaching Stage 5 elective classes. Q: Can we get more examples of demonstrating outcomes relating to Systems of language? A: The Systems of language outcomes focus on the linguistic aspects of language learning. These outcomes look specifically at pronunciation and intonation, grammar and structure, language variation over time and text types in all languages, and also encompass the writing system for scripted languages. The dash point examples in the syllabuses provide guidance about how to incorporate these aspects in your teaching. As indicated in the Organisation of content diagram (on page 27-31, depending on your syllabus), the Communicating and Understanding strands are interrelated. As such, the outcomes for both strands complement each other. For example, when composing a written text (LXX4-4C), students would also be demonstrating outcome LXX4-6U for non-scripted languages, or outcomes LXX4-6U and LXX4-7U for scripted languages. Next post will look at target language in the classroom and learner groups. |
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