CONTEMPORARY

TEACHER
LEADERSHIP
Assignment 1
Abstract
The following report focuses on the improvement of a Stage 4, Year 8 English Unit: ‘Changes’.
This unit was originally designed for use in lower-ability classes at Chifley College: Bidwill
Campus. This report proposes recommendations for the improved suitability of the unit in
regard to teaching a comprehensive class with students that are Gifted and Talented, EAL/D,
and students with a diversity of learning needs. In order to effectively achieve this, the unit
has been reconstructed through the utilisation of the Understanding by Design (UbD)
framework to ensure that the proposed changes are concomitant with success for students
in the class. The targeted areas of improvement through this report are the improved
sequencing of learning, Literacy and Numeracy development, and the development of
personal and social capabilities through the learning.
Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... 2
Objective and Context .................................................................................................................. 2
Goals ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Recommendations........................................................................................................................ 3
Part I – Comparative Table of Unit Alterations ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Part II – Contextual redesigned program documentation ................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Context .......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Concept Map ................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Scope and Sequence...................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Assessment Schedule .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Unit Outline ................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Assessment Task............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Part III – Report of Recommendations .............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Reference List ................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix – Original Program Documentation .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Scope and Sequence...................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Assessment Schedule .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Unit Outline ................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Assessment Task............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Executive Summary
Objective and Context
This report has been designed for the English faculty at Chifley College: Bidwill, which is located in
Western Sydney. Chifley College: Bidwill is a comprehensive co-educational school which has
streamed classes for English. The population of the school is highly diverse, with 40% of students
being from a language background other than English (LBOTE), and with 17% of students at the
school identifying as Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander individuals. Couples with this, the
socioeconomic status of the school is relatively low, with 81% of parents in the bottom quarter of
earners. The school is relatively even in terms of female to male students, with 52% to 48% split
respectively.

Originally, this unit was taught in a Year 8 English classroom with lower streamed students at Chifley
College: Bidwill. This class consisted primarily of students from a LBOTE, with socioeconomic factors
impacting students in the classroom.

Reference: Statistics and tables above are retrieved from the MySchool Website. Retrieved from:
https://myschool.edu.au/school/41838/profile/2017
Goals
- Address the literacy concerns through the learning in the unit and incorporate further
strategies for numeracy priorities through the learning.
- Improve the integration of ICT in the classroom as a resource to support learning.
- Challenge students through an inquiry focused learning, that focuses on solving problems
through collaborative approaches to learning
- Facilitate and encourage students to be able to demonstrate learning through a variety of
means, providing flexibility in the approach to assessment
- Provide effective differentiation for students in order to meet the needs of a diversity of
learners in the classroom
- Improve the sequence of learning across the unit to ensure that learning is meaningful and
has a clear progression.

Recommendations
The following recommendations will consist of the unit being taught in a comprehensive classroom
without streaming, meaning that there will be students of mixed academic ability in the classroom.
Furthermore, in the classroom there will be students with a LBOTE, and students that are Gifted and
Talented, as well as students that identify as Indigenous and/or Torres Strait Islander, and students
that are impacted by socioeconomic issues. Inclusive in this comprehensive classroom will be a
diversity of learners, including students with additional learning needs. Therefore, the
recommendations within this report primarily focus upon differentiation, literacy and numeracy
concerns, and the improvement of sequencing and assessment in the unit.

- Improve the differentiation provided in the classroom through ensuring all students in the
class have opportunities to engage with the learning and succeed.
- Improve the explicit instruction of Literacy as well as modelling in the classroom to ensure
that students are scaffolded through learning.
- Improve the sequencing of learning to ensure that there is a coherence between units, and
that the learning within the unit of work has a clear progression to assist in the development
of skills.
- Improve the provision of formative assessment through the development of a portfolio task
that operates as a key component in the learning.