Australian Curriculum

Information for parents

Background

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)

• 2008 National Curriculum Board (NCB). • 2009 ACARA became responsible for national curriculum, assessment and reporting.

ACARA website

Why an Australian Curriculum?

• A COAG decision.

• Provides skills, knowledge and capabilities for young Australians.

• The combined efforts of states and territories focused on improving student learning.

• Offers greater consistency for the mobile student and teacher population.

Melbourne Declaration (2009)

Learning areas English Mathematics Science

(inc. physics, chemistry and biology)

Humanities and Social Sciences

( inc. history, geography, economics, business, civics and citizenship)

Languages

(focus on Asian languages)

The Arts

(performing and visual)

Health and Physical Education Information and Communication Technologies Design and Technology

Australian Curriculum

—

Learning areas

Australian Curriculum Learning Areas Phase 1 Year K(P) –10 English History Science Mathematics Phase 2 Arts Geography Languages Phase 3 Health and Physical Education K(P) –10 11 & 12

4 courses 4 courses 4 courses 2 courses

Others may be announced

Developing Australian Curriculum

Australian Curriculum development

Stage Curriculum framing Activity

Confirmation of directions for writing curriculum

Curriculum development

Two-step process for development of curriculum documents: • Step 1 – broad outline; scope and sequence • Step 2 – completion of “detail” of curriculum

Consultation Publication

National consultation and trialing Digital publication

Timelines

Development stage Curriculum framing Curriculum development National consultation and trial

1 March – 23 May 2010

Digital publication Phase 1 English, mathematics, science and history K(P) –10

April 2009 May – Dec 2009 September 2010

Years 11 –12

April 2009 June 2009 Feb 2010 April – June 2010 – September/ October 2010

Phase 2 Geography, languages and the arts Phase 3 ‘The whole curriculum” TBA 2010 K(P) –12

June 2010 Begin late 2010 Early 2011

Advice is being sought regarding ACARA’s approach to the development of the whole curriculum and those learning areas not currently being developed by ACARA

Mid-2011

Australian Curriculum structure

• Rationale • Aims • Organisation of the learning area – strands – content descriptions – content elaborations • Achievement standards – samples of student work

Content descriptions and elaborations

• Content descriptions are explicit statements about what all students should be taught.

• Content elaborations are designed to support teachers’ understanding of the content descriptions.

General capabilities

Literacy Numeracy ICT Thinking skills Creativity Self-management Teamwork Intercultural understanding Ethical behaviour Social competence

Cross-curricular dimensions

Indigenous history and culture Sustainability Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia

What will the Australian Curriculum look like?

Years K(P) –10

K(P) –10 Strands

Learning area

English History Science Mathematics

Strands

Language Literature Literacy Historical knowledge and understanding Historical skills Science inquiry skills Science as a human endeavour Science understanding Number and algebra Statistics and probability Measurement and geometry

K(P) –10 Achievement standards

• The quality of learning expected of students who are taught the content.

• Specified for each learning area by year of schooling.

• Students who have reached the standard are well able to progress to the next level.

Years 11 and 12

Years 11 and 12

Learning area Senior courses

English History Science Mathematics English Literature English for life and the workplace English as an additional language or dialect (EALD) Ancient history Modern history Biology Chemistry Physics Earth and environmental science Essential mathematics General mathematics Mathematical methods Specialist mathematics

English: four courses English for life and the workplace

Focus on further students’ literacy and language skills for effective participation in work, training and community, social and civic life.

English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D)

Focuses on students for whom English is an additional language.

English

Focuses on extending students use of language and literature and meeting the demands for further study, work and community, social and civic life.

Literature

A two-year course focusing on the study of literature .

Science: four courses Biology Chemistry Physics Earth and environmental science History: two courses Modern history Ancient history

Mathematics: four courses Essential mathematics

Focuses on applied mathematics for everyday life.

General mathematics

Focuses on mathematics suitable for preparation for further study with a moderate demand in mathematics.

Mathematical methods

Focuses on substantial development of mathematical knowledge and higher level mathematics.

Specialist mathematics

Focuses on mathematics for further study in mathematics or engineering and students with a strong interest in mathematics.

Assessment — processes and certification will remain a state/school responsibility

• States and territories will be responsible for: − assessment − certification − quality assurance − tertiary entrance.

• Where there is a nationally developed course states/territories will cease to offer any comparable existing course.

• The number of courses may grow over time.

Providing feedback

Providing feedback

Queensland’s alignment with the national approach

Excellence and equity through: • clarity about content • clarity about standards • valuing teacher professionalism.

Keep in touch

Australian Curriculum contacts

General enquiries [email protected]

Subscribe to ACARA Update http://www.acara.edu.au

Sign up for QSA’s Australian Curriculum Latest e-newsletter http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au