Curriuclum Newsletter_Term 2 2019

Curriculum



Newsletter





2019 Term 2 | Issue 2

Curriculum










Curriculum Newsletter Term 2 2019


Welcome to Term 2. This newsletter provides key updates, and other relevant information on a range of Curriculum matters.
Please share this newsletter with interested staff, who can directly subscribe by updating their profile on the AISWA website.


This year sees full implementation of the WA Curriculum and Assessment Outline, unless schools have prior approval for an
alternative curriculum. Full implementation includes teaching, assessing and reporting by schools each semester, on all eight
Learning Areas (with the exception of Languages in Years 5-8).

In this edition read about:
• Changes to the WACE for students starting Year 11 in 2020 What we do


• Getting creative with capabilities The Curriculum team provides leadership and
advice to assist schools implement the Western
• Review of the Melbourne Declaration
Australian (WA) Curriculum. This includes the K-
• Vocational language learning in schools 10 Outline and the WACE. Capturing the diverse
needs of schools, AISWA Curriculum Consultants
• Term 2 Professional learning offerings can support schools through the provision of
tailored Professional Learning to assist in the
development of high quality Teaching, Learning
Kris Stafford | Manager Curriculum
and Assessment Programs that have a genuine
 [email protected]
impact on improving outcomes for students.
 08 9441 1667
 0437 609 791







2019 Term 2 | Issue 2 Page 2

The Curriculum Team





Kris Stafford Glenda Leslie

Curriculum Manager Science
Contact for HPE and Senior Maths  [email protected]
 [email protected]  (08) 9441 1628
 08 9441 1667

Kate Reitzenstein Maree Whiteley
Languages Humanities and Social Sciences
 [email protected]  [email protected]
 (08) 9441 1605  (08) 9441 1630





Jan Clarke Karen LeRaye
Technologies The Arts
 [email protected]  [email protected]
 (08) 9441 1627  (08) 9441 1668




Wade McLeod Linda Hamilton
VET Administrative Support Officer
 [email protected]  [email protected]
 (08) 9441 1621  (08) 9441 1626




Keep up to date with news and information!!!
Most Curriculum Consultants keep email distribution lists to notify of Professional Learning events and other
relevant information to subscribers.
Every year there are invariably changes to staffing and to ensure currency of these lists, please update your
details by emailing the relevant Consultant. This includes if you are in new to a school and your email
details have changed, or you have changed roles within the school.




Health & Humani-
The Arts Languages English ties & Social
PE
Sciences
Curriculum Areas
Click for the latest AISWA
news in each area:
Future
Footprints Mathematics Science Technologies VET










2019 Term 2 | Issue 2 Page 3

News





School Curriculum and Standards Authority News
Changes to the WACE for Year 11s in 2020

You may be aware that the Minister of Education has announced key changes to the Western Australian Certificate of
Education (WACE) following a review undertaken by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) in consultation
with school leaders, training providers, industry, parents and students.
Under the changes, students starting Year 11 in 2020 will now have an additional option to achieve their WACE in 2021
through the completion of five General courses. This new option will prepare students for a range of post-school choices
including alternative university entry, or training in a specialist area.
All other requirements to achieve a WACE remain unchanged. These include a literacy and numeracy standard, breadth
and depth requirements (20 units of the equivalent and a combination of list A and B courses) and an achievement
standard (a minimum number of C grades).
For further information, including the Minister’s Statement and communication from the Authority Chair to Principals,
refer to the SCSA website.
Please note the Year 10 Information handbook and materials have been updated. There is also a PPT presentation available
for schools which outline these changes. Refer to the following link for further details.
If you have questions about these changes, please contact AISWA.

2019 Activity Schedule
The 2019 Activity Schedule Term 2 calendar is available for download for Outlook calendars. For more information refer to
the SCSA website.

SCSA briefings
SCSA is continuing to conduct briefings for schools throughout Term 2. These briefings apply to Primary and Secondary
School Principals, Deputy Principals and Curriculum leaders. For more information and to register click here.

Curriculum Advisory Committees
A big thank you to the many AISWA teachers who have nominated to be a member of a Curriculum Advisory Committee.
These Committees have now been established and first meetings are being convened. Committees will be responsible for
providing expert advice to the Authority on a range of matters including, but not limited to:

• WA Curriculum K-12
• Principles of Teaching, Learning and Assessment
• Pre-primary to Year 10 Teaching Assessing and Reporting Policy Standards
• External assessments (NAPLAN, OLNA, ESTs and ATAR course examinations)
• Assessment and moderation—Pre-primary to Year 2, Years 3-6, Years 7-10, Years 11 and 12
• WACE syllabus requirements
• Australian Curriculum
• Trends and issues pertaining to K-12 curriculum

Parent portal—NEW!
SCSA has recently launched a website for parents , answering questions such as What will my child learn? How will my child
be assessed? And, How is my child progressing? To view the portal click here.



SCSA Circulars

To remain updated about all events and news from SCSA, please register to receive the Kto10 and/or 11to12 Circular.











2019 Term 2 | Issue 2 Page 4

News





AISWA Project—Getting Creative with Capabilities

The General Capabilities encompass the knowledge, skills, behaviour and dispositions that will assist students to live and work
successfully in the twenty-first century (SCSA).


Most teachers would be familiar with the icons representing the seven general capabilities as they appear in the syllabus
materials for the subjects they teach. Many teachers would also agree that the work they do in the classroom addresses
these capabilities through either teaching strategies chosen, or the classroom climate they create. But is it easy to explicitly
teach and monitor student progress in the General Capabilities?

For many AISWA teachers, their journey with capabilities began
last year with a Masterclass led by Dr Bill Lucas who highlighted
the importance of the capabilities, and introduced some key ideas
for embedding them into teaching practice. This interest in
developing capabilities led to an enthusiastic response to the
AISWA Capability project, and there was a real buzz as the
participants from the 18 schools involved launched into the
project. Danielle Cavanagh from ACARA led the first day and
walked the participants through the learning continua for a few of
the capabilities, as well as sharing some illustrations of practice.
Participants also had the chance to begin planning with their
colleagues and think about how addressing the capabilities more
explicitly would look in their school.


AISWA Consultants are currently supporting schools as they make decisions
about which capabilities they will focus on, and how it will work in their
context. A second day with Danielle Cavanagh is coming up in May and it will
be fascinating to see where schools go with this project. Watch this space!








































2019 Term 2 | Issue 2 Page 5

Upcoming Professional Learning





Drama Network Day Dance Network Day Early Bird HOLA Network Meeting
(Languages) MIDLAND
Friday, 17 May 2019 Friday, 24 May 2019
8:30am - 3:30pm 8:30am - 3:30pm Friday, 24 May 2019
Link to register HERE Link to register HERE 7:30am - 9:00am
Link to register HERE


Early Bird HOLA Network Meeting Early Bird HOLA Network Meeting Early Bird HOLA Network Meeting
(Languages) FREMANTLE (Languages) LEEDERVILLE (Languages) ROCKINGHAM

Monday, 27 May 2019 Tuesday, 28 May 2019 Thursday, 30 May 2019
7:30am - 9:00am 7:00am - 8:30am 7:30am - 9:00am
Link to register HERE Link to register HERE Link to register HERE



AISWA HoD Maths Network Meeting Rich Language Tasks in Early STE(A)Ming into History—What does
Childhood Years significance look like? GERALDTON
Monday, 27 May 2019
Wednesday, 12 June & 11 Sept 2019
9:00am - 4:00pm Friday, 7 June 2019
9:00am - 12:00pm
Link to register HERE 9:00am - 3:00pm
Link to register HERE
Link to register HERE





Review of the Melbourne Declaration

The Melbourne Declaration was agreed to by Education

Council Ministers in 2008. It articulates nationally
consistent education goals for young Australians, and
guides the design and delivery of education whilst
laying the foundation for the development of school

curricula and assessment.

On 14 December, Education Council Ministers agreed

to undertake a review of the Declaration. Education
Council welcomes responses from interested
stakeholders. Public submissions are now open. For
further information, please click here.

Submissions remain open until midnight Friday 14 June.













2019 Term 2 | Issue 2 Page 6

Upcoming Professional Learning







Vocational language learning in schools

Sarah Pavy, Principal of Ripponlea Institute in Victoria, recently visited Perth and gave an introductory session on VET Applied
Language courses. An increasing number of schools in Western Australia are establishing auspicing agreements with Ripponlea
Institute to deliver the Certificate II (usually in Years 9 and 10) and Certificate III (in Year 11 and/or 12). Courses currently being
delivered include Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Yiddish and a number of Aboriginal
Languages from the Central Desert and Arnhem Land.

Many schools are using the VET Applied Language courses to retain numbers in Years 9 and 10, when many students drop a
language to study other electives. The VET courses may entice students to continue with their language learning if they know
they can receive a nationally accredited and recognised certificate at the end of Year 10, which is a great thing to add to a
resume or job application.

The courses adopt a communicative and task-based language teaching/learning (TBLT) approach, which is skills-focussed and
emphasises meaning making over accuracy of language. All assessment tasks simulate real-life scenarios, and students must
complete oral and written tasks contextualised around workplace and social settings. There is also a strong emphasis on
intercultural awareness. Many schools have found that when students commit to language learning until the end of Year 10,
they usually want to continue into the senior secondary years with another certificate course or do an ATAR General course.

Schools in WA must be aware that students who complete VET Applied Language courses cannot gain credits toward their
ATAR. However, the qualifications may contribute to meeting the student eligibility requirements for their WACE.
Teachers who deliver the VET Applied Language course must have a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Ripponlea
Institute is a provider of this course and also offers modules for teachers who need to update their qualifications. For more
information about pathway possibilities for students visit the AISWA Languages Teachers’ Stories.
Alternatively, contact AISWA Languages Consultant.









































2019 Term 2 | Issue 2 Page 7

Suite 3/41 Walters Drive
Osborne Park WA 6017
+61 (08) 9441 1600
[email protected]
www.ais.wa.edu.au