THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM

1. THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM AN OVERVIEW

2. 2012 – Western Australian Context • The three year formal implementation period will commence in July 2012 as the total curriculum package, comprising Curriculum Content, Achievement Standards and Resources, including annotated work samples for the first phase of the Australian Curriculum, is now available. • ACARA has indicated that NAPLAN tests will draw from the Australian Curriculum from 2014. • Implementation timelines for the Year 11 and 12 courses are still being negotiated.

3. In Western Australia • For Semester 1, 2012 : What do I need to stop/What do I need to start; Nice to know/Need to know/ developing school plans to prepare for implementation/ refining . • Schools will not use the Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards to make a summative assessment or report student achievement during 2012. • The Department’s Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Policy is current at this point in time. • For most teachers, this means that what they teach and how they teach it will remain largely unchanged in 2012.

4. What about the Curriculum Framework? • Schools are required to implement the Curriculum Framework. • The content of the Australian Curriculum will provide students with opportunities to demonstrate the Curriculum Framework’s learning outcomes. • The Curriculum Framework’s Principles of Learning, Teaching, and Assessment provide advice which is relevant to the delivery of the Australian Curriculum.

5. What YOUR STAFF might like to do…..

6. AnOTHER CHANGE….. • RCS – Repetitive Change Syndrome • Why do we need it? • No-one asked us! • Why should we bother? – it will probably change again in ten years!

7. RCS – Repetitive Change Syndrome • Outcome Statements • Middle Schooling • Both had positive points; Both were implemented inconsistently and at times badly and teachers and students bore the brunt of this • When adopting change it needs to: • Keep the best of what is currently in place • Adopt it sensibly, context specific– be smart • Ensure we have the support and resources • Ensure that the students remain our key focus

8. Why do we need it? • We have a future that is unknown. • We cannot predict what our world will be like in 20 years. • With these exponential times the skill sets of our youth need to be revisited. • If we do not reassess then we severely deplete this – our most valuable resource. • Evolution of what we teach, and how we teach it, is inevitable. • This mandates the what – not the how.

9. No-one asked us! • Every State was involved in collaboratively reviewing the most contemporary Educational views from 1989 – 2008. • From this the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians emerged. • The Melbourne Declaration commits to supporting all young Australians to become successful learners, confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens, and promotes equity and excellence in education. • All facets of the Australian Curriculum have been and are being collaboratively developed with input from all states and allowing all to have a say.

10. Why should we bother – it will probably change again in ten years! • What will change is our teaching strategies – they have to. • What is unlikely to change is the curriculum • This is not going to go away • Is it better for our students – yes, provided it is delivered inclusively • Is it better for our teachers – yes, provided it is introduced sensibly and they feel supported!

11. Melbourne Declaration • We must focus on improving outcomes for all young Australians. • Goal 1 promoting equity and excellence. • Goal 2 successful learners, confident and creative individuals, active and informed citizens.

12. What is covered in the aC • As the basis for a curriculum designed to support 21st century learning the Melbourne Declaration emphasises the importance of: • knowledge, skills and understanding of learning areas, • general capabilities. • cross-curriculum priorities.

13. Catering for diversity • The Australian Curriculum focuses on an entitlement for all students while acknowledging that the needs, interests and abilities of students vary. – [See Rationalisation -14 – 15 pages] • Schools and teachers will be able to implement the curriculum in ways that value teachers’ professional judgements and best reflect local and regional circumstances, educational philosophies and learning environments.

14. Advantages of an AC • 1. School and curriculum authorities can collaborate to ensure high quality teaching and learning materials are available for all schools. • 2. Greater attention can be devoted to equipping young Australians with those skills, knowledge and capabilities necessary to enable them to effectively engage with and prosper in society, compete in a globalised world and thrive in the information-rich workplaces of the future. • There will be greater consistency for the country’s increasingly mobile student and teacher population. • There will be improved outcomes for our students.

15. Development of the Learning Areas

16. General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum • Literacy • Numeracy • ICT • Critical and creative thinking • Personal and social competence • Intercultural understanding • Ethical behaviour

17. Cross-curriculum Priorities Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability

18. English (Foundation to Year 10)

19. Mathematics (Foundation to Year 10)

20. Science (Foundation to Year 10)

21. History (Foundation to Year 10)

22. Additional support for implementation • 62 Teacher Development Schools provide targeted support to schools and school networks. • The Institute for Professional Learning plays a key role in co-ordinating and brokering support for teachers and administrators. • Teachers have access to digital resources through the K-12 Resources website and Resources Online. • 4 Day Program in each LA – Later this term – Train the Trainer version – 2 people per region • Network capacity within the Mandurah region

23. Early Childhood • Big Ticket Items: • Need to embed General Capabilities: • Literacy • Numeracy • Personal and social competence • Be familiar with the EYLF – Early Years Learning Framework • Familiar with the Teaching for Growth Report WA – literacy in Preprimary and Year 1. • Findings and recommendations

24. SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS • Referred schools to the ACARA Diversity of Learners Fact sheet • Guidance for using the Australian Curriculum for students with special education needs • Units of work, assessment tasks and work samples online (TBA)

25. SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS • The majority of SEN students can engage provided adjustments are made to: • the learning activities – the way they are organised and presented • the learning environment and/or • the assessment strategies • the way students are expected to demonstrate their learning • SENAT – English, Maths, Health and Phys Ed focus currently – will align to all Learning Areas • General Capabilities – Literacy/Numeracy/Personal and Social Competence • Work being done F-2 - Based on the UK (P) scales • Curriculum Support – Assessment and Reporting Support for Special Education Needs. • Further curriculum advice and examples of how teachers can use the AC to identify current learning and plan for teaching of students with disability is underway

26. WA PERSPECTIVE - SEN • DoE Mini-trial term 2-3 looking at how schools identify where a student sits within the F-10 curriculum and then how they differentiate the curriculum within an age appropriate context. (Units of work, assessment tasks and student work samples available Term 4) • Teacher development schools (3 SEN) • DoE has offered to trial the Prior to Foundation content • Support – Visiting Teacher Service (Centre for Inclusive Schooling) • SEN Assessment Tool has been aligned to AC Maths, English, History and Science F-Year 2 (Plus First Steps Maths and English)

27. EAL/D • Now combined with Aboriginal team • General Capabilities – intercultural understandings • EALD Teacher Resource – ACARA • Position students on progression • Offers strategies to support them • Understand where challenges exist and why – for leavers • ESL Resource Centre • EALD Teacher Resource • ESL Progress Maps – online West One • NSW – translator notes

28. Getting Started • Establish/refine your familiarisation plan for 2012 • Which areas of the Australian Curriculum content will be the focus during 2012? • What professional learning is required? • What support is needed to adapt teaching programs to address the content of the Australian Curriculum? • Are current resources addressing the content of the Australian Curriculum?

29. RESOURCES & CONTACTS: • Work Smarter not Harder • www.det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport • www.acara.edu.au • www.qsa.qld.edu.au • http://www.acwa.wa.edu.au/ • SCOOTLE ( On right hand side of Portal Homepage) • PORTAL Resources Tab • http://www.edleadership.spydersweb.com.au - set up for the Mandurah Leader’s Network • CONTACTS – See contact sheet

30. Local NETWORKS • Valuable and targeted professional learning that needs to be shared strategically back at your school • Extremely valuable for your experienced, your aspirants, your potential future aspirants. • Networks are shaped by the participants • Designed to be sustainable beyond the funding duration

31. Mandurah NETWORK • Caters for Leaders –Principals, Deputies and other key personnel, allowing them to access and share focused information and ideas at point of need and locally. • Builds capacity of staff within schools and cells as instructional leaders • Builds capacity of staff within schools and cells as instructional leaders • Allows for schools to implement according to their context and needs • Blends in and compliments with Secondary SCOPE Network • Is efficient and strategic in Resource management • Has school and network accountability mechanisms in place • Links to broader networks where useful

32. LET’S ENJOY THE JOURNEY TOGETHER…