Introduction
The Primary Matters newsletter, prepared by the ACARA Curriculum team, highlights news and updates on projects relating to primary education in Australia.
Three dimensions of Australian Curriculum
In this edition, we highlight the three dimensions of the Australian Curriculum – learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities. ACARA continues to provide illustrations of practice and resources demonstrating how schools use the dimensions as they implement the Australian Curriculum.
Melinda Gindy is a mother of three children, two in primary school and the third in the second year of secondary school. Melinda is the President of the Gifted Families Support Group Inc. (NSW) and Vice-President of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented. Melissa is sharing with us her view on the Australian Curriculum.
What have been your experiences of the Australian Curriculum?
As a parent, I feel that the role families play in their children’s education, growth and wellbeing is essential. Throughout the development of the new Australian Curriculum, I have observed the importance of family being highlighted and implemented in practical ways, resulting in a positive, collaborative environment. Through the creation of a transparent national curriculum, I have been able to gauge an understanding of what my children will be learning at all stages throughout their educational journeys.
I have previously felt this information was unavailable on a public platform, whereas the rollout of the Australian Curriculum has incorporated parent information sessions and information flyers delivered by my children’s public and independent schools. Additionally, the extensive resource and support section of the Australian Curriculum website offers parents wealth of knowledge, also providing value and recognition of the integral role parents play. With this knowledge and information, I am hopeful to be able to support my children’s unique learning needs into the future.
I have been heartened to see that the Australian Curriculum is in line with the extensive supportive research on acceleration. A clear and concise curriculum has paved the way for measurable off-level testing, resulting in two of my children’s academic needs being met through both full-grade and single-subject acceleration. It has helped me to be confident: what my children will be learning is at just the right level and pace for their individual needs. From reading some of the work done by the Australian Council for Educational Research, I understand that in each year of school in Australia, the most advanced 10 per cent of students are five–six years ahead of the least advanced 10 per cent of students. As a parent of children who are thirsting for extension, I am optimistic that the Australian Curriculum is flexible enough to meet the needs of every child at their individual learning level.
What are the positives for you as a parent?
As a parent, I feel that the delivery of a curriculum structured on a continuum is essential to the unique learning needs of my children. I am thrilled that my children’s teachers have the ability, through the Australian Curriculum, to move around the continuum to ensure the children are indeed learning at school through a rigorous and engaging curriculum.
I believe that the increasing focus on the Australian Curriculum will deliver a national education that is in line with 21st century developments. The Australian Curriculum’s seven general capabilities give every teacher the means to support learners in exciting ways. The explicit incorporation of ICT reflects my children’s interests outside school and brings the home and school environments together.
I also value the delivery of a ‘whole-child curriculum’, so a focus on Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Understanding and Intercultural Understanding, as well as the Australian Curriculum’s cross-curriculum priorities, gives me confidence that my children should be well-equipped to live and work successfully within their global community once they leave school.
Do you have any suggestions for improvements?
The Australian Curriculum is designed as a continuum of learning, in principle, but as a parent, I have observed the struggle that some of my children’s teachers have had in terms of assessment according to stage-based outcomes. I acknowledge the amazing job our teachers do in supporting the diverse learning needs of children, and I would like to see further support delivered on how my children’s school and teachers can make best use of the benefit of a continuum. I would also like to see schools continue to equip all parents with knowledge of, and access to, the Australian Curriculum.
This edition introduces two new members of ACARA's Curriculum team.
Mark McAndrew: Humanities and Social Sciences
Mark McAndrew brings over 35 years of experience in secondary education. His specialist subject is History; he is a co-author of numerous texts that support student learning in this aspect of the curriculum, with a strong emphasis on the skills of analysis, communication and critical historical inquiry. Mark has also worked extensively in teacher professional learning and accreditation in NSW.
How do you feel about taking on this role at ACARA?
I am excited to be joining ACARA’s Curriculum team and hope to build upon the excellent work and support for teachers, which are already in place. It is easy to appreciate the role played by the general capabilities and the cross-curriculum priorities in shaping student learning in the F–6/7 HASS Curriculum, and in each of the 7–10 HASS subjects. The connections are clear. I also see my role in providing support to teachers as they deal with the content demands of HASS. I look forward to working collaboratively with teachers as they explore the rich learning opportunities that are offered by the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences.
Josephine Ardino: Languages
Josephine Ardino is ACARA’s new Curriculum Specialist: Languages. Josephine has been engaged in teaching and learning in the classroom for 30 years and has taught French, Italian and Indonesian across the range of levels in secondary schools. Josephine has also been actively involved in assessing and reporting, and supporting community languages. Her passions are promoting the learning of languages in addition to English, giving students an opportunity to engage with the linguistic and cultural diversity of the world.
Josephine’s major project is the collection of work samples for Chinese, French, Italian, Indonesian and Japanese, with a second phase (Arabic, German, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish and Vietnamese) following in 2018. The aim of the project is to collect and annotate work samples that illustrate performance against the achievement standards: this is one of the most practical ways to support students and teachers as they focus on and enjoy the many aspects of language acquisition through the Australian Curriculum. ACARA will publish the samples on the Australian Curriculum: Resource portal.
Having presented recently at a meeting of ACARA’s Curriculum Directors, a key advisory group to the Curriculum unit, Josephine has accepted invitations to collaborate with schools and teachers around the country as they develop their understanding of the Australian Curriculum: Languages, and she is very keen to hear from any teachers who would like to be involved in the design and collection of work samples. For teachers participating, it is a wonderful professional development opportunity to enhance their skills in designing innovative assessment tasks and building their knowledge of the achievement standards.
Josephine is happy to liaise with the Curriculum directors and schools in the states or territories to set up, explain and scope the project.
In early 2017, the Curriculum Connections resource was published in the Resources section of the Australian Curriculum website. Curriculum Connections is an interdisciplinary resource ACARA has developed through collaboration with a range of expert organisations to support teachers in the delivery of the Australian Curriculum F–10.
Curriculum Connections further strengthens the links between the learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities of the Australian Curriculum. The resources developed to date include consumer and financial literacy; food and fibre; food and wellbeing; outdoor learning.
Visit Curriculum Connections in the ‘Resources’ section of the Australian Curriculum website.
The publication of Auslan and Classical Languages curricula in 2016 marked the final area of the curriculum to be developed for use by schools in Australia. Between 2017 and 2020, ACARA’s Curriculum team will undertake a program of research intended to inform future iterations of the Australian Curriculum. This program will involve curriculum specialists reviewing and analysing international curricula, researching international trends and developments, and reviewing current and relevant literature.
Research will focus on key issues young learners in the 21stcentury are facing and continue the commitment to provide the curriculum that enables young Australians to become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens.