During 2021 the QCAA reviewed and refreshed the prescribed text lists for English senior syllabuses Schools will follow these lists from 2023 to 2025.
Background
English and English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Literature General senior syllabuses are supported by lists of prescribed texts approved by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) as suitable for study in Units 3 and 4. The lists reflect the diversity of Queensland’s school contexts and cultural sensibilities and allow schools sufficient flexibility to make choices about what is appropriate and equitable for their school community and students.
The current lists were developed by a Prescribed Text Selection Working Group, including English curriculum experts from the State, Catholic and Independent schooling sectors following research and consultation with stakeholders. The lists were released in 2017 for use with students in in Units 3 and 4 for the years of 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The prescribed text lists are reviewed and refreshed every three years.
Process
The QCAA establishes two Prescribed Text Selection Advisory Panels to oversee the review and refreshment of the two current prescribed text lists. Panel members include experts from the three schooling sectors as well as the English Teachers Association of Queensland, universities, State Library of Queensland, Aboriginal communities, Torres Strait Islander communities, and the QCAA.
Stakeholder consultation
The QCAA seeks feedback from schools on the current text lists via a survey about each list sent to principal’s delegates for English faculty leaders and their staff to complete. We request only one submission per survey per school.
Individual teachers, students, parents/carers and other education stakeholders are invited to suggest new additions to text lists via an online forum on goodreads.com.
Selection criteria and guidelines
Text selection is made in accordance with the following criteria and guidelines.
Criteria for the text list
The text list as a whole will:
- meet the syllabus requirements
- reflect the cultural and social diversity of the Australian context and student cohorts
- provide a range and balance of texts and writers with respect to time, place and gender
- encourage critical and creative engagement
- include texts that provide affirming perspectives
- consider broad community standards and expectations in the context of a senior secondary study of texts.
Criteria for inclusion of texts
Texts selected for the list will:
- have merit in genre and style
- provide opportunities for sustained intensive study and challenge
- provide opportunities for student engagement.
- Texts include novels, nonfiction works, plays, poetry, and film and television programs.
- No single text is prescribed — schools have the opportunity to choose texts from the lists that are suitable for their contexts and cohorts.
- Schools can engage with writers from different times, places and cultures, and of varied outlook and gender.
Guidelines
- Texts include novels, nonfiction works, plays, poetry, and film and television programs.
- No single text is prescribed — schools have the opportunity to choose texts from the lists that are suitable for their contexts and cohorts.
- Schools can engage with writers from different times, places and cultures, and of varied outlook and gender.
Timeline
The refreshed prescribed text lists were released in Term 4, 2021 for use with students in Units 3 and 4 for 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Finding out more
Please email EnglishandLanguages@qcaa.qld.edu.au or phone (07) 3864 0129.
- Last updated:
- 15 November 2021
