Implementing English K-6

Using the syllabus for consistency of teacher judgement

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2006 Curriculum K-12 Directorate, NSW Department of Education and Training

The aim of the English K6 Syllabus is to encourage positive attitudes towards learning English, to develop students ability in using language effectively and to enable critical reflection on how language works.

p6 English K6 syllabus (1998) Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.

This approach places emphasis on both spoken and written language and provides a comprehensive description of how language works. This is a useful approach for the classroom because it allows for the diversity of language backgrounds within a multicultural society.
p6 English K6 syllabus (1998) Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.
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By engaging with the syllabus: Students will develop: the ability to talk, listen, read, view and write with purpose, effect and confidence. knowledge of the ways in which language varies according to context (eg purpose, audience, channel of communication and content). a sound grasp of the language structures and grammar of Standard Australian English. Teachers will also provide opportunities for students to: develop a broad knowledge of a range of literature including Australian literature. discuss and analyse texts critically and with appreciation.
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p.5 English K6 syllabus (1998) Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.

At the core of the syllabus is an emphasis on language as a resource for making meaning.
p7. English K6 syllabus (1998) Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.

Talking, listening, reading and writing are interrelated. Each one contributes to the development of the others. Discussing our ideas, for example, helps us with our writing; listening to a story helps us when we come to read the story ourselves; reading about a topic provides us with material for our writing, as does viewing a film or documentary.

p.8 English K6 syllabus (1998) Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.

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Learning English involves developing both the ability to use language effectively for a range of purposes and the ability to talk about how the language being used. The syllabus outcomes reflect these two substrands in: learning to use language and learning about language.

p 7 English K6 syllabus (1998) Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.

How does it all fit together?

Content

Indicators

Scope and Sequence

Outcomes

How does it all fit together?

Foundation Statements: A clear picture of the knowledge, skills and understanding that each student should develop at each stage of primary school.

How does it all fit together?

Outcomes are: specific statements of the results Achieved asAchieved students as a syllabus. result of intended by the
engage in the effective content teaching. of the syllabus.

Outcomes

Statements of knowledge, skills and understandings expected to be achieved by most students at the end of each stage.
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How does it all fit together?

Teachers may provide Assist teachers to Not ordered by level of students with range ofor monitor student progress Can be a adapted complexity, therefore can learning experiences (to within a stage or to make to relate be modified taught at any or to address an outcome) on-balance judgements Included in the syllabus specific English learning several times during a beyond the indicators about achievement of as examples only. experiences.. stage. given. outcomes at the end of the stage.

Indicators

Indicator: A statement of the behaviour that Exemplify a range of students might display as observable behaviours that contribute to the the they work towards achievement of achievement of the outcomes. syllabus outcomes.
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How does it all fit together?

Content

Content: Provides direction for the teaching of Talking and Listening, Reading and Writing.

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How does it all fit together?

Scope and Sequence: Further direction for the teaching of Talking and Listening, Reading and Writing. Scope and Sequence

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How does it all fit together?

Content: Further direction for the teaching of Talking and Listening, Reading and Writing. Indicator: A statement of the behaviour that students might display as they work towards the achievement of the syllabus outcomes.

Content

Indicators

Scope and Sequence

Outcomes

Outcomes: Specific statements of the results intended by the syllabus.

Scope and Sequence: Further direction for the teaching of Talking and Listening, Reading and Writing.

Foundation Statements: A clear picture of the knowledge, skills and understanding that each student should develop at each stage of primary school.

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Foundation Statements and Outcomes

Foundation Statements

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Foundation Statements and Outcomes

Talking and Listening strand within Foundation Statement Reading strand within Foundation Statement
Writing strand within Foundation Statement

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Foundation Statements and Outcomes

Activity: using Foundation Statements

Work with someone who is currently teaching at the stage that precedes or follows your stage.

Describe the Foundation Statements in your own words what do they mean to you? What similarities do you see between the two statements? What differences do you see between the two statements?

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Foundation Statements and Outcomes

Syllabus Outcomes and Indicators strands and substrands

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Foundation Statements and Outcomes

Strand Talking and Listening

Substrand Learning to or Learning about

Indicator organisers

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Foundation Statements and Outcomes

Learning to and Learning about

Students learn to use language as they are learning about language.

Learning about outcomes:
These outcomes will be used to plan and assess the development of explicit knowledge of how language works in context and of how to talk about the structures and features of spoken and written language.

Learning to outcomes:
These outcomes will be used to plan and assess students reading, writing and talking and listening and the development of associated reading, writing and talking and listening skills and strategies.

Reflection

Discuss how this might look in your classroom.

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Foundation Statements and Outcomes

Learning to and Learning about

What does this mean in the context of Talking and Listening?

When learning to talk and listen students learn oral presentation skills develop listening skills develop interaction skills learn to consider the purpose, audience and subject matter when making oral presentations When learning about talking and listening students consider the purpose, audience, grammar, structure and expression of spoken language. learn about varieties of language learn about differences between spoken and written language
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Foundation Statements and Outcomes

Learning to talk and listen

Learning about talking and listening

Talking and Listening(T.1)

Purpose Audience, Subject Matter

Context and Text (T.3)

Purpose Audience Channel of Communication Language Varieties

Skills and Strategies (T.2)

Listening Skills Interaction Skills Oral Presentation Skills

Language Structure and Features (T.4)

Text Structure and Features Grammar Expression
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Foundation Statements and Outcomes

Learning to talk and listen Talking and Listening(T.1) Purpose Audience, Subject Matter

Learning about talking and listening Context and Text (T.3) Purpose Audience Channel of Communication Language Varieties Language Structure and Features (T.4) Text Structure and Features Grammar Expression

Reflection

Open your syllabus and turn to pp 20 -27

Skills and Strategies (T.2) Listening Skills Interaction Skills Oral Presentation Skills

Can you see common connections or common elements between the outcomes? What are they? How do the headings that organise the example indicators help you to understand the outcomes? Compare the stage you are currently teaching to the stage above or below. Look back to the Foundation Statements.
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Content, Scope and Sequence

Content, Scope and Sequence

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Content Overview

Linked to learning to talk and listen skills and strategies TS1.2 TS1.3

This is where to find guidelines for: what students will be taught in each stage implications for teachers

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Content Overview

Linked to learning bout talking and listening language structures and features TS1.4 TS1.5

This is where to find guidelines for: what students will be taught in each stage implications for teachers

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Content Overview

Compare and contrast the content in the early part of the stage to the later part of the stage.

Write down differences you notice in your own words.

Reflection
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Scope and Sequence

Scope and Sequence of Text Types

For the purpose of this syllabus, texts are grouped and defined in particular categories. It is important to note that any such classification is to some extent arbitrary and that there is always likely to be overlap between ways of grouping and defining text types. It is important to note that these text types are somewhat idealised for teaching purposes. In real life, we often find mixed texts. A narrative, for example, might include a description of the setting; a procedure for an investigation might conclude with an explanation of the scientific principle involved. p66 English K6 syllabus (1998) Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.

Turn to pages 68-69 and 70-71. Look at the examples of each text type. Think of examples of real life texts that include more than one type of text.

Reflection

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Scope and Sequence

Scope and Sequence of Text Types

Further considerations: The Social Purpose identified in the scope and sequence should be used when planning, programming and assessing. It is important to provide a balance of texts that cover a range of social purposes. Students need to be provided with opportunities to explore these texts in talking and listening, reading and writing across all stages.

Look at the social purpose of each type of text.

Look at a social purpose (to explain) and identify how the expectations differ for each stage.

Reflection

See pp 68-71
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Scope and Sequence

Scope and Sequence of Grammar

The following scope and sequence of grammar framework indicates those grammatical understandings and terms over which students might be expected to have control by the end of each stage. It would be quite appropriate to introduce certain grammatical concepts and terms at earlier stages if desired for example, in the context of work with a particular text. p72 English K6 syllabus (1998) Board of Studies NSW, Sydney. Turn to page 72 and read the first three points. Can you think of examples of these points? Think about the students you teach Turn to pp 74-74 brainstorm ways in which the use of this scope and sequence could inform your teaching. Refer to pp 72-73 to gain further understanding of how the scope and sequence is read.

Reflection

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Scope and Sequence

Scope and Sequence of Phonological and Graphological Processing

When selecting the content of a program to teach students to use phonological and graphological information, teachers should be aware of the importance of, and the relationships between, the following aspects of literacy learning: sound (phonological) awareness visual (graphological) processing lettersound (graphophonic) relationships spelling handwriting. p76 English K6 syllabus (1998) Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.

Reflection
Read pages 76-77 Turn to the scope and sequence for the stage you are teaching. Brainstorm ways in which the use of this scope and sequence could inform your teaching.
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