Overview of Languages in the Victorian Curriculum Primary teachers

Agenda Overview of the Victorian Curriculum Languages in the Victorian Curriculum Learning area, moving from AusVELs to the Victorian Curriculum, language specific approach Timeline for Languages, structure, strands, content descriptions, elaborations Curriculum planning for Languages Definition of curriculum, extracts from online tool, Achievement standards, using rubrics for assessment Extracts from primary Languages curricula, intercultural capability Online support materials Web tour

Victorian Curriculum F-10 released in September 2015 as a central component of Education State, Victorian Curriculum F-10 provides a stable foundation for whole school curriculum planning incorporates the Australian Curriculum builds on VELS and AusVELS reflects Victorian standards and priorities

Structure of the Victorian Curriculum Learning Areas Capabilities The Arts Dance Drama Media Arts Music Visual Communication Design (7-10) Visual Arts English Humanities Civics and Citizenship Economics and Business Geography History Languages Health and Physical Education Mathematics Science Technologies Design and Technologies Digital Technologies * Critical and creative thinking Intercultural capability Ethical capability Personal and social capability Structure and Design Victorian Curriculum is based on: 8 learning areas 4 capabilities Used to answer the quiz questions Q 1, 2, 3, 8 (marked with *)

The Victorian Curriculum: Languages The Languages curriculum focuses on both language and culture, and students learn to communicate across linguistic and cultural systems develop language awareness and intercultural skills and understandings develop openness to different experiences and perspectives develop skills in negotiating experiences and meanings across languages and cultures reflect on language use and language learning

Moving from AusVELS to the Victorian Curriculum The AusVELS curriculum provided templates for different categories of languages The Victorian Curriculum provides language-specific curriculum documents – 20 in total when all completed

Language specific curricula Language category Language specific curricula Roman Alphabet Languages 8 French German Indonesian Italian Spanish Turkish Vietnamese Roman Alphabet Languages (Generic) Non-Roman Alphabet Languages  5 Arabic Modern Greek Hindi Korean Non-Roman Alphabet Languages (Generic) Character Languages 2 Chinese Japanese Classical Languages 3 Classical Greek, Latin and Classical Framework* Sign Language 1 Australian Sign Language (Auslan)* 1 Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages Victorian Aboriginal Languages*   Quiz Q 9 * Still to be completed

Timeline for Victorian Curriculum Languages 2013-16 From 2016 AusVELS curriculum available AusVELS website archived December 2016 Victorian Curriculum available – language specific curricula being progressively released Implementation required from 2017

Languages structural elements Sequences an F-10 sequence for students who begin the study of the language in primary school a 7-10 sequence for students who begin the study of the language at Year 7 Note: Chinese also includes three pathways: First language learner Background language learner Second language learner

Strands and sub-strands Communicating Understanding Sub- strands Socialising Systems of language Informing Language variation and change Creating The role of language and culture Translating Reflecting

Content descriptions and elaborations Content descriptions are: specific and discrete information identifying what teachers are expected to teach and students are expected to learn found within each sub-strand not a checklist Elaborations are: non-mandated, advisory examples that provide guidance on how the curriculum may be transformed into a classroom activity or learning opportunity

Using the content descriptions The aim is for the teaching and learning program to integrate the content descriptions into ‘topics’/units of work. A thematic approach across a range of learning areas will provide valuable contexts for student learning.

Curriculum defines what it is that all students have the opportunity to learn is represented as a continuum defining increasingly complex knowledge, skills and concepts each school develops the teaching and learning program - how the curriculum is delivered

Importance of curriculum planning http://curriculumplanning.vcaa.vic.edu.au/sat/self-assessment-tool

Importance of curriculum planning http://curriculumplanning.vcaa.vic.edu.au/sat/self-assessment-tool

Achievement standards The learning sequence undertaken by students will determine their progression through the achievement standards, as follows: F–10 Sequence: the first achievement standard for Languages is provided at Foundation–Level 2 and then at Levels 4, 6, 8 and 10. 7–10 Sequence: the first achievement standard is provided at Level 8 and then at Level 10.

Levels of achievement F-10 Sequence: F-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 7- 10 Sequence: 7-8 9-10 The curriculum is represented on a continuum across the levels of achievement For Languages, an achievement standard is provided for each band in both sequences

Demonstrating achievement of standards The achievement standards outline what the student is able to do Students demonstrate what they are able to do through the products they present for assessment

Assessment and reporting Achievement standards as a continuum of language learning, not an age-determined set of expectations Reporting in Victoria to be against the achievement standards At times using assessment to adjust teaching

Assessment “…performances on assessment tasks should be recorded using one or more task ‘rubrics’.”(Masters) Rubrics: provide descriptions of observable characteristics of performance in an assessment task make explicit what is being looked for and valued as evidence of successful learning Rubrics describe observable characteristics of performance at each level. They are used to differentiate different levels of a response They make clear to students what is being assessed They can be used to make ‘on balance judgments’ They can be used in teacher moderation of assessment tasks to look at qualities of responses Examples of student work can assist in clarifying the meaning of verbally described levels. Principle 3: Responses to, or performances on, assessment tasks should be recorded using one or more task ‘rubrics’. Each task rubric consists of two or more ordered levels or response to a task. Generally, responses/ performances are recorded using a single rubric for a task, but for large and complex tasks, several rubrics might be used to assess and record different aspects of performance (sometimes referred to as analytical scoring). Importantly, task rubrics provide the direct substantive link 8 Reforming Educational Assessment: Imperatives, principles and challenges to the larger learning domain. Through their ordered levels of response/performance, they operationalise what it means to make progress within the domain.

Demonstrating achievement of the standards Rubrics or assessment criteria can be developed from the achievement standards Units of work will probably address a number of aspects of the standard at any given level

Assessing progress in the language Make assessment part of program design Have clear criteria (rubrics) Students discuss assessment criteria Collect evidence over term

Creating a teaching and learning program Challenge: Turning the curriculum (what students should know) into teaching and learning programs that will engage and extend students learning in languages Possible action: Could begin by mapping the current school languages program against the new Victorian Curriculum

Curriculum mapping Mapping identifies the extent of curriculum coverage in units of work and clearly links teaching, learning and assessment while working with the curriculum continuum. Mapping templates support teachers to identify where content descriptions and achievement standards are being explicitly addressed within the school’s teaching and learning program. Instructions: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/foundation10/viccurriculum/curriculumplanning.aspx Templates For each Language F-10 7-10

Reporting Schools will not be constrained by a one-size-fits-all approach Schools have the flexibility to determine, in partnership with students, parents and the local community, the timing and format of their reports. Specific sectoral requirements related to curriculum provision and reporting are the responsibility of and published by the relevant sectoral authorities A minimum of two written reports to parents per year. Independent schools must meet the minimum requirements established by VRQA and the requirements of the Commonwealth Government as set out on the Education Act 2013. Government and Catholic sector schools meet these requirements by reporting student progress against the achievement standards set out in the eight learning areas and four general capabilities of AusVELS.

F-10 curriculum planning and reporting guidelines Provides guidelines on teaching and learning within stages of schooling: Foundation (F-2) Breadth (Years 3 – 8) Pathways (Years 9 – 10) Provides guidelines on reporting of student achievement against a whole-school teaching and learning plan. http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/viccurric/RevisedF-10CurriculumPlanningReportingGuidelines.pdf

Use of English Students are encouraged to use the language being studied as much as possible for classroom routines, social interactions, structured learning tasks, and language experimentation and practice. Students will have opportunities to engage with members of the community who speak the language being studied, which in some cases will be facilitated via digital technologies. English is used, where appropriate, for discussion and reflection, enabling students to share complex ideas about language and culture.

Victorian Curriculum - Chinese Levels 3-4 Communicating Content description Elaborations Socialising Interact with teachers and peers in social and class activities, exchanging ideas and opinions, using correct tones (VCZHC017) giving personal information, facts and opinions in response to questions about people and aspects of daily life such as pets (我的狗很可爱), interests, routines and activities expressing opinions and commenting on personal experience using familiar expressions (for example, 很棒。 太好了。我不喜欢…), and turn-taking (该你了) in class games contributing to class activities by asking for (我可以…吗？) and giving permission (可以), apologising and excusing (对不起), raising hand and using phrases such as 老师，我不懂 to request assistance in learning activities initiating conversations in familiar social contexts by greeting participants and introducing themselves (for example, 你好，我叫James，我八岁，我住在悉尼), displaying appropriate social manners to enhance communication

Extract from Levels 3/4 Chinese Achievement Standard: F- 10 sequence Communicating strand By the end of Level 4, students ……… use spoken and written Chinese in simple personal interactions with familiar participants about self, family, people, places, routine, school life, and their own interests and preferences, for example, 你叫什么名字？ 你上几年级？ 你有狗吗？ 你喜欢什么运动？ They use appropriate pronunciation, tone, gesture and movement and some formulaic expressions. They use modelled questions to develop responses, for example, 你的哥哥几岁？， 他是谁？， 你住在哪里？， 这是什么？………………

Victorian Curriculum - French Levels 5 - 6 Understanding Content description Elaborations Language variation and change Understand that the French language is constantly changing due to contact with other languages and to the impact of new technologies and knowledge investigating influences on the French language of major community languages in France such as Arabic (for example, le toubib, le bled, kif-kif), Italian (for example, le fiasco, bravo, espresso) or Chinese, (for example, le ginseng, le tai-chi, le litchi) understanding that French, like all languages, is constantly expanding to include new words and expressions in response to changing technologies, digital media and intercultural experiences, for example, skyper, googliser, le courriel, photophoner

Extract from Levels 5/6 French Achievement Standard Understanding strand By the end of Level 6, students …….. recognise relationships between parts of words (suffixes, prefixes) and stems of words (préparer, préparation; le marché, le supermarché, l’hypermarché). Students make comparisons between French and their own language and culture, drawing from texts which relate to familiar routines and daily life (la vie scolaire, la famille, les courses, les loisirs, la cuisine). They explain to others French terms and expressions that reflect cultural practices (bon appétit, bonne fête). They reflect on their own cultural identity in light of their experience of learning French, noticing how their ideas and ways of communicating are influenced by their membership of cultural groups.

Intercultural Capability Intercultural capability aims to develop knowledge, understandings and skills to enable students to: demonstrate an awareness of and respect for cultural diversity within the community reflect on how intercultural experiences influence attitudes, values and beliefs recognise the importance of acceptance and appreciation of cultural diversity for a cohesive community. There are opportunities for teachers of Languages to support other teachers to work in this area of the curriculum.

Locating information

VCAA Curriculum Planning website The Curriculum Planning website offers a range of resources to support planning and documenting the curriculum. It includes a self-assessment tool and a suite of curriculum planning examples for both primary and secondary schools.

Curriculum planning website

Take the web tour Watch the videos: Overview Introduction Using the view and filter options

VCAA websites Victorian Curriculum F-10 Resources and Support http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/foundation10/viccurriculum/viccurr-resources.aspx Victorian Curriculum F-10 http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au Curriculum Planning Resources: http://curriculumplanning.vcaa.vic.edu.au/home

Contact Details: Maree Dellora Languages Manager dellora.maree.r@edumail.vic.gov.au Tel: 9032 1692