English Policy

Rationale

The study of English is central to the learning and development of all young Australians. It helps create confident communicators, imaginative thinkers and informed citizens. It is through the study of English that individuals learn to analyse, understand, communicate with and build relationships with others and with the world around them. The English curriculum guides them become ethical, thoughtful, informed and active members of society. It also helps students to engage imaginatively and critically with literature to expand the scope of their experience.  The AusVELS  English curriculum values, respects and explores the contribution the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have contributed to Australian society and to its contemporary literature and its literary heritage through their distinctive ways of representing and communicating knowledge, traditions and experience.  It also emphasises Australia’s links to Asia.

Aims

The Australian Curriculum: English aims to ensure that students:

• learn to listen to, read, view, speak, write, create and reflect on increasingly complex and sophisticated spoken, written and multimodal texts across a growing range of contexts with accuracy, fluency and purpose
• appreciate, enjoy and use the English language in all its variations and develop a sense of its richness and power to evoke feelings, convey information, form ideas, facilitate interaction with others, entertain, persuade and argue
• understand how English works in its spoken and written forms and in combination with non-linguistic forms of communication to create meaning
• develop their interest and skills in inquiring into the aesthetic aspects of texts, and develop an informed appreciation of literature.

Implementation

The Australian Curriculum: English Foundation to Level 10 is organised into three interrelated strands that support students' growing understanding and use of English. Together the three strands focus on developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking and writing. The three strands are:

• Language: knowing about the English language
•  Literature: understanding, appreciating, responding to, analysing and creating literature
• Literacy: expanding the repertoire of English usage.
• The teachers will devise the yearly planners using the Australian Curriculum F-10 prescribed content and achievement standards, activities, resources and progression points.
• The teaching and learning programs will build on students’ interests, strengths, goals and learning needs, to ensure engagement and successful English learning.
• Student achievement will be ongoing and learning opportunities will be planned and provided to cater for the identified learning needs of each student.
• Student progress in English will be recorded progressively for each strand. Final judgements against the Australian Curriculum progression points will be moderated by teachers and reported in half and end of year parent reports, and the school’s annual report.
• A Strategic Plan English team will be allocated the responsibility of coordinating the school’s English program. The team will oversee the delivery of the English curriculum, provide ongoing teacher professional learning, allocate resources and promote the value of in the school.

Evaluation

This policy will be reviewed as part of the school’s three-year review cycle

This policy was last ratified by School Council on:  25/11/13.