Prep–Year 6 English familiarisation and planning 1: Understand this learning area

Acknowledgment of Country

The QCAA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we meet today. We pay our respects to their Elders and their descendants who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country, and we extend that respect to Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people here today. We thank them for sharing their cultures and spiritualities and recognise the important contribution of this knowledge to our understanding of this place we call home.

Learning goal and success criteria

Today’s learning goal is to understand implications of changes to the Australian Curriculum v9.0: English to plan for the transition in your own context.​ At the end of today’s session, you will know you if are successful if you have more knowledge about the intent and structure of the learning areas in Australian Curriculum v9.0: English and can identify actions for planning in your school.

Session 1 outline

This recording is accompanied by a worksheet for you to record your responses to the activities and reflection points throughout the presentation. ​

If you have not already done so, please take some time now to download or print the Session 1 outline resource.

Outline for Session 1

Outlined on screen, you can see there are three parts in this session.​ We will begin with an overview of the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0.​ We will then unpack the Understand this learning area section of the curriculum, highlighting the changes in Version 9.0. Finally, we will consider what these changes mean for you in your context and start formulating some next steps to take following the session.

Introduction to Australian Curriculum v9.0

We’ll start by orienting ourselves to the process of moving to a new curriculum and the purpose and structure of the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0.​ Knowing what drives our curriculum helps us to contextualise English and transition our plans to the new version.

Identifying actions for planning in your context

Firstly, let’s consider what the process of moving to Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 might look like in your context. You may have identified a process like that outlined on screen now.

This might mean that you want to:

• reflect on current programs to identify strengths, limitations and opportunities
• review and audit your current programs against the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 to discern what is the same and what will be different from your current practice.

Ultimately, once you have completed your reflection and auditing, you can start to make some decisions about how much you need to refine, realign, reimagine or remove aspects of your current plans to align with the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0.​

This session will help you frame up the work that needs to be done to make sure you, and your colleagues, are ready for the change. We are going to be looking at the specific elements of the curriculum that will need to be considered for your teaching, learning and assessment. Keep your current programs in mind as we work through these elements. Think about the challenges and opportunities of Version 9.0 for your school context.

Pause and reflect

Let’s start that process now by reflecting on your current programs and evaluating what you want to keep and what you might like to change.

Identifying actions for planning in your context

Therefore, your first action today is to consider:

• those elements that you know are working well — Reflect: can you still see the place for them in the Version 9.0 curriculum for English?​
• those parts of your plan that you are looking for an opportunity to review — Reflect: how can the Version 9.0 curriculum for English support you to make these adjustments to your program/s? ​

As we now navigate the changes in Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 for English, try to keep these reflections front of mind.

English in the three-dimensional Australian Curriculum

Let’s turn our attention to the curriculum itself.

While there are changes in the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0, the three-dimensional interrelated structure of the Australian Curriculum has not changed as part of the review.

The diagram on screen visually represents these three dimensions.

The Australian Curriculum consists of eight learning areas, with English indicated in blue.

Then there are the seven general capabilities — Literacy, Numeracy, Digital literacy, Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capability, Intercultural understanding and Ethical understanding. ​

You’ll notice a name change of the ICT General Capability to Digital Literacy to reflect current understandings in the field. ​

The general capabilities have been refined, with changes to elements, sub-elements and continua.

And finally, there are the three cross-curriculum priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia and Sustainability. ​

When reflecting on how you are going to transition your current plan for teaching and learning, consider what opportunities exist to make connections across the dimensions.

Organisation of English and changes

Now let’s look at the learning area structure, which helps us to organise our teaching and assessment for English.​ Each learning area in Version 9.0 now follows a similar structure, allowing for more consistency when planning. The Understand this learning area document provides detail of the intent and a snapshot of the structure. The Curriculum elements show the content.​ Now that we know where English is in the three-dimensional representation of the curriculum, let’s look at its structure which helps us to organise our teaching and assessment for English.​ On screen, you can see an overview of Version 8.4 compared to Version 9.0, with the main changes noted. Let’s breakdown these main changes now.

In the Organisation of the Australian Curriculum in Version 8.4 represented on the left, you will see that it is in two parts​. The first part is ‘Understanding how the learning area works’ which included the rationale, aims, key ideas, structure and resources.

The second part includes specific elements about the learning area curriculum such as the year level description, the achievement standard, strands and sub-strands, content descriptions, threads and content elaborations.

Moving across to Version 9.0 on the right, we can see the changes, especially in the language and grouping of ideas, helping to sharpen our understanding of what English is.​ Each learning area in Version 9.0 now follows a similar structure, allowing for more consistency when planning.

Version 9.0 begins with the Understand this learning area section, which provides detail of the intent and a snapshot of the structure.

Following the Understand this learning area is the Curriculum elements section, which shows the content associated with English.

Other variations between Version 8.4 and Version 9.0 are indicated by changes struck out and bolded in blue new sections which include the key considerations and key connections. These will, at different times, influence planning.

Pause and reflect

Take a moment to review the changes in structure that we have just outlined.​

Understanding the structure of Version 9.0, and the relationship between the parts, is a key factor in strengthening our understanding of English and the changes within it.​

You may wish to pause here to consider what will be important for you to consider as you begin planning for Version 9.0.

Understand this learning area

We will now move onto our core focus for this session.​

It is the Understand this learning area section of the curriculum.

Organisation of English

On screen in the shaded box, you will see the sections that form Understand this learning area. We will work through each of these sections throughout the presentation.

We will focus on the Curriculum elements in the next session of the Familiarisation and planning series.

Our final session in the series will focus on planning using all of these aspects of the curriculum.

Identifying actions for planning in your context

As we work through each element of the English Understand this learning area section and the changes we can see in Version 9.0, let’s keep our process in mind.​

Here is where we can begin to audit our current plans and consider what is the same in Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 and what is different.

Pause and reflect: Similarities and differences

You may wish to construct your own note-taking template like the one indicated on screen to help you identify the similarities and differences you notice in Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 for English as we move through the presentation.​

A table has been provided for you on the Session 1 outline resource referred to at the start of this recording.

Organisation of English

We will begin by focusing on the intent of the learning area.​ We’ll explore the introduction, rationale and aims.​

In English, the introduction in Version 9.0 is one sentence: The Australian Curriculum: English has been developed on the basis that all students will study English in each year of schooling from Foundation to Year 10.​

The rationale and aims then capture why we teach English and reflect the vision and goals for education in Australia.

Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration, 2019

In doing this, it’s important to consider the relationship of the rationale and aims to the goals of education in Australia, as expressed in the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration, 2019.​

The vision is ‘for a world class education system that encourages and supports every student to be the very best they can be, no matter where they live or what kind of learning challenges they may face’ (p. 2).​

With this in mind, the Declaration sets out two distinct, but interrelated goals.

The first of these goals is that ‘The Australian education system promotes excellence and equity’.​

Therefore, as we are planning for Australian Curriculum Version 9.0, we want to consider how our plans can enhance equity for all and promote the highest quality teaching, learning and assessment experiences for our students.

The second goal from the Mparntwe Education Declaration states that, ‘All young Australians become confident and creative individuals, successful lifelong learners and active and informed members of the community’.​

The three dimensions of the curriculum, and the English content presents wonderful opportunities to engage with this goal.

Pause and reflect: Rationale and aims

So, what role does English play in enacting these goals?​ Let’s start by considering the rationale and aims.​

Go to the link indicated in the companion session document where you found this recording. Alternatively, use your mobile device and the QR code on screen to access the rationale and aims.​

Review the rationale and the aims, identifying the big ideas and/or main points.​

Reflect on your school’s plans to evaluate how the goals of the Education Declaration and the curriculum are evident in that plan.​

Please pause the session recording to allow some time for you to review the rationale and aims for English.

Organisation of English

You may have reflected on details from the aims such as ‘students develop interest and skills in examining the aesthetic aspects of texts’ and ‘students enjoy the English language’.​

Now that we have looked at the intent of the learning area, let’s turn our attention to exploring the structure of content descriptions in English. This structure provides a way for you to: ​

• consider the distinctive contribution English makes to Australia’s goals for education, and
• conceptualise the nature of English.

Structure of English: Strands

Firstly, the Australian Curriculum: English positions the strands as being interrelated. ​The three strands, Language, Literature and Literacy, work together to strengthen students’ knowledge, understanding and skills.  ​

The language strand — develops students’ knowledge of the English language and how it works.​

The literature strand — engages students in the study of literary texts of personal, cultural, social and aesthetic value. (This is what makes this an English curriculum and not a Literacy curriculum.)​

The literacy strand — develops students’ meaning making through application of skills and knowledge from the Language strand.​

In each strand there are sub-strands, under which are the content descriptions, and the content elaborations. And just a reminder that the content elaborations are not the compulsory part of the curriculum but are there to support teachers with ideas and examples.

Structure of English: Strands and sub-strands

Let’s now look at the sub-strands of each strand.​

The sub-strands indicate that which is valued in the teaching and learning of English. Importantly, within each sub-strand are threads of content that tease out the knowledge, understanding and skills.​

You will note, however, that there have been refinements to the sub-strand structure. In black text are the Version 9.0 names of strands and sub-strands. In grey and with a strikethrough are the names and location of Australian Curriculum Version 8.4.​

Specifically, some changes include:​

• the content from Language variation and change is no longer a sub-strand and has been redistributed ​
• phonics and word knowledge has been moved to the Literacy strand. ​
• in Literature, ‘Responding to literature’ has been refined to strengthen the relationship between engagement with literature and responding to literature.

Organisation of English

The final sections of Understand this learning area provide further support and advice for teachers when planning for Version 9.0 in English.

Key considerations

On screen are the key considerations for English. ​

This is a new section consistent across all learning areas and includes the refined key ideas from Version 8.4. It helps teachers think about teaching and learning specific to English. ​

The first consideration draws our attention to the central role played by the English learning area, and its contribution to all other learning areas ‘by establishing and expanding students’ knowledge of the English language and how it is applied in different contexts’ (ACARA, 2022, https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-learning-area/English). ​

In addition, in English we consider how to integrate the strands, and use a range of modes and texts in planning. ​

Note that examining and creating texts in the following language modes: written, spoken, visual and multimodal is a focus for units in English. ​

The two new considerations in all learning areas including English are Protocols for engaging First Nations Australians and Meeting the needs of diverse learners.​

The advice for diverse learners is specific for English and can influence how a school might integrate the strands, use the modes and select texts to support specific students.

​Key connections

The key connections in the curriculum support teachers to integrate English with other learning areas, embed relevant general capabilities and provide possible contexts for learning through the cross-curriculum priorities.​

This integration can enrich and deepen student engagement with learning area content. ​

However, it should be considered only when it provides opportunities to enrich or strengthen learning area content where most appropriate and authentic.

General capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities advice and resources

These QCAA resources identify the connections ACARA has made between learning areas and the general capabilities. ​

Level overviews provide an overview of where the General Capabilities can be developed or applied in the content descriptions. ​

There are also continua for five of the General Capabilities which provide more detailed information about the capabilities in the form of elements and sub-elements. This resource provides a sequence of learning for the capability from Level 1 to Level 6. This can be helpful for teachers when catering for students with diverse needs.​

The QCAA has also developed advice documents to support teachers to use the literacy and numeracy progressions. These progressions provide observable indicators of increasing complexity in literacy and numeracy which can help teachers to develop targeted teaching and learning plans for students who are working at, above and below year-level expectations. ​

These resources can support teaching teams to interrogate connections between the general capabilities and the learning area content in more detail.

Organisation of English

The final section of Understand this learning area provides further support and advice for teachers when planning for Version 9.0 in English.

Glossary — developing shared meanings

Useful for developing shared understanding of terms used in the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 English is the glossary.​

Sometimes the glossary unpacks aspects of the curriculum where a concise term or expression has been used. ​

For example, the term  ‘language features’ is defined as ‘features that support meaning (e.g. clause- and word-level grammar, vocabulary, figurative language, punctuation, images). Choices vary for the purpose, subject matter, audience and mode or medium.’

Pause and reflect: Key messages

What are the key messages from this section of the curriculum that have resonated with you?​

Take a moment now to note down your key messages from this session. ​

Formulating next steps

Let’s pause and recap what we have done in this first session in our Familiarisation and planning series and what can be done with new knowledge to help us transition to Version 9.0.

What we have covered

Here is the summary of the sections of the curriculum we have covered in this first session.

We have considered the intent of the curriculum by reviewing the Introduction, Rationale and Aims.

Next, we examined the structural changes for English by reviewing the strands and sub-strands.

And finally, we reflected on some new elements to the curriculum by reviewing the key considerations, key connections and resources associated with English.

Identifying actions for planning in your context

To finish this session, let’s revisit the task we set ourselves as we began exploring the Understand this learning area section.​

What have you learned in this first session about what is the same and what is different in English Version 9.0?

Pause and reflect: Similarities and differences

Consider how the changes will inform your planning by reviewing the similarities and differences you have noted throughout the session.​

What actions will you take to help prepare your plans for Version 9.0?​

For example, you may identify the following actions to support the transition to Version 9.0 in your context download and read through the new section on Key considerations​ or organise time in your next year or school meeting to review the changes to strands and sub-strands in teams.​

Pause the session recording at this point to reflect on the notes you have taken throughout the session. Identify 2–3 actions you will now take to plan for English Version 9.0 in your context.

Learning goal and success criteria

As the session comes to a close, let us reflect on our learning goal and success criteria. ​

We have built our knowledge about Australian Curriculum Version 9.0: English and identified some actions for planning in our particular school context.

Extending curriculum knowledge

Before you begin the next session in the series, you may wish to access QCAA resources at the location noted on screen to extend your curriculum knowledge. ​

There are many Version 9.0 resources located here that will support you in planning for the transition in your context. ​

These can be accessed by going to the landing page for P–10 English and then clicking on the Australian Curriculum v9.0 tab.

In Session 2

That concludes the first session and our discussion on the Understand this learning area section of Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 for English.​

In the next session of our series on Familiarisation and planning, we will be discussing the Curriculum elements section displayed on screen.

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Contact

If you have any queries regarding the information from this session, please reach out to the K–10 Curriculum and Assessment Branch​ with the contact details noted on screen.

We thank you for your time in completing this session and look forward to working with you in Session 2 of the Familiarisation and planning series.