The English curriculum is presented in curriculum levels from Foundation to Level 10. Content is organised under 3 interrelated strands:
Each strand is organised by sub-strands. Sub-strands group content descriptions under an appropriate concept, to provide both a focus and a clear sequence for the development of related concepts and skills within strands and across levels.
| Strand | Language | Literature | Literacy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-strands |
Language for interacting with others Text structure and organisation Language for expressing and developing ideas |
Literature and contexts Engaging with and responding to literature Examining literature Creating literature |
Interacting with others Phonic and word knowledge (F–6) or Word knowledge (7–10) Building fluency and making meaning (F–6) Texts in context Analysing, interpreting and evaluating Creating texts |
In the Language strand, students develop their knowledge of the English language and how it works. They learn how language enables people to interact effectively, build and maintain relationships, and express and exchange knowledge, skills, attitudes, emotions and opinions. They explore language across all language modes, engaging with spoken language as the foundation of learning and an essential component of exploring ideas, expressing viewpoints, forming arguments and building vocabulary. Students also explore how language operates within a contextual framework, in which choices vary according to topic, purpose and audience. They discover the patterns and purposes of English usage, including spelling, grammar and punctuation at the levels of the word, sentence and extended text. By acquiring a body of knowledge about these patterns and their connections, students learn to communicate effectively through coherent, well-structured sentences and texts. They develop a consistent way of understanding and talking about language: language in use and language as a system. This enables them to reflect on their own speaking and writing, and to discuss these productively with others. This strand informs teaching and learning activities and connects to key concepts and skills in the other strands.
The Language strand has 3 sub-strands.
Students learn that language varies according to relationships, social setting, purpose and audience, and is a means for expressing personal and social identity.
Students learn how texts are structured for different audiences and contexts, and to achieve particular purposes. They learn the techniques that authors use to guide and influence the reader or viewer through effective use of resources at the levels of the word, sentence and extended text.
Students learn how to control and use a range of clause structures and word groups as well as combinations of sound, image, movement and layout. They build vocabulary and learn how to understand and use words according to context.
The Literature strand engages students in the study of literary texts of personal, cultural, social and aesthetic value. These texts include works that are recognised as having enduring social and artistic value, some of which may be referred to as classic or canonical texts, and some that attract contemporary attention. Literature is a dynamic and evolving body of work comprising texts (written, spoken, visual, multimodal, print and digital) from diverse historical and cultural contexts. These texts are valued and appreciated for their form and style, and their contribution to cultural, historical and social understanding. Learning to appreciate literary texts and to create their own texts that draw from literature enriches students’ understanding of the breadth and complexity of human experiences. It builds students’ knowledge of the interrelationship between language and culture, and stimulates creative and critical thinking. Students appreciate, analyse, interpret and evaluate a range of literary texts. This range includes the oral narrative traditions and literature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, classic and contemporary literature from a wide range of Australian authors, and world literature including texts from and about Asia. Students create texts such as short stories, poetry, plays and short films.
The Literature strand has 4 sub-strands.
Students learn how characters, events, perspectives and issues in literary texts are shaped by the historical, cultural and social contexts in which they were created.
Students learn to respond personally to literary texts and make connections to their own lives, other texts and the responses of others.
Students learn how to explain, analyse and evaluate the ways in which stories, characters, ideas, experiences, opinions and contexts are reflected in texts. They learn to compare and appraise the ways that authors use language and literary devices to influence readers. They also learn to understand, evaluate, interpret and discuss how certain stylistic choices can create multiple layers of interpretation and effect.
Students learn how to use personal knowledge and literary texts as starting points to create their own texts. They create texts with imaginative and literary qualities in different genres and forms, and for particular audiences. Using print and digital texts, students develop skills that allow them to convey meaning, address significant issues, and heighten engagement and impact.
In the Literacy strand, students make meaning through application of skills and knowledge from the Language strand. They develop their ability to interpret and create texts with appropriateness, accuracy, confidence, fluency and efficacy for learning, both in and out of school. This ability helps them to participate in Australian life more generally. When they begin to read and write, they learn the sound (phonemes) and letter (graphemes) correspondences of English and how these combine. Students learn to adapt language to meet the demands of general or specialised purposes, audiences and contexts. They learn about the different ways in which knowledge and opinion are represented and developed in texts. They learn that varying degrees of abstraction and complexity can be shown through language and multimodal representations. Texts chosen include media texts, everyday texts and workplace texts from increasingly complex and unfamiliar settings. Texts are composed using language ranging from the everyday language of personal experience to more abstract, specialised and technical language, including the language of schooling and academic study. Students engage with print and digital texts, and develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, viewing and writing systematically and concurrently.
The Literacy strand has 6 sub-strands.
Students learn how language is used to express ideas, arguments and opinions in spoken and written presentations by selecting and using linguistic and multimodal elements.
Students develop knowledge about the sounds of English (phonemes) and learn to identify the sounds in spoken words. They learn the letters of the alphabet and how to write words using combinations of these letters. They apply their knowledge of phonemes and graphemes to decode words. Students learn that patterns and generalisations relate to the spelling of words in English. They learn to apply phonic knowledge to decode text, especially from Foundation to Level 2.
From Level 7, this sub-strand is called Word knowledge to reflect the fact that students have progressed beyond phonic development.
Students build and develop decoding and text processing skills and strategies to read with increasing automaticity and for meaning.
This sub-strand ends after Level 6 to reflect the fact that from Level 7 students have consolidated the skills of reading fluently.
Students learn that texts are influenced by historical and cultural contexts, and particular purposes and audiences.
Students learn to apply text processing skills and strategies to navigate increasingly complex texts. Students learn to comprehend what they read and view. They develop more sophisticated processes for interpreting, analysing, evaluating and critiquing ideas, information and issues from different sources. Students explore how conventions and structures are used in written, digital and multimedia texts. They use their growing knowledge of text structures, language and visual features, and literary devices to explain how texts influence different audiences.
Students apply knowledge and skills they have developed in other strands and sub-strands to create spoken, written and multimodal texts. They create these texts with clarity, authority and novelty, by selecting key aspects of a topic as well as language and multimodal features. As part of the process of creating texts, students learn to edit for meaning and enhanced effect. They develop and consolidate a handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic, and that supports sustained writing.
Achievement standards describe what students are typically able to understand and do, and they are the basis for reporting student achievement.
In English, students progress along a learning continuum that provides the first achievement standard at Foundation and then at Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
In English, content descriptions sequence and describe the knowledge, understanding and skills that teachers need to teach and students are expected to learn.
Elaborations are examples that provide guidance on how the curriculum may be transformed into a classroom activity or learning opportunity. They are provided as advisory material only.
