English 7–10 microlearning
Engaging with microlearning will help you develop the required knowledge, understanding and skills for effective syllabus implementation.
Syllabus
Syllabus outcomes from © NSW ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024.
To maximise impact, school leadership teams may facilitate and microlearning for groups or teams. Doing so allows leaders to align professional learning with school priorities and add school-specific contextual information to address students’ learning needs.
Courses
This learning is short, flexible and available on demand. The modules within each course can be completed individually, in any order and at any time.
Course 1 – English 7–10
The course is designed to support the implementation of the Years 7–10 component of the NSW English K–10 Syllabus.
This module focuses on:
- familiarisation with the structure of the syllabus
- the outcomes, focus areas and content groups.
This module focuses on:
- familiarisation with the structure of the syllabus
- the outcomes, focus areas and content groups.
This module focuses on:
- the essential components of a scope and sequence
- understanding how a syllabus requirements planner can aid in the development of context-specific scope and sequences
- developing an understanding of the structure of the sample scope and sequence template for English 7–10
- understanding how features of sample scope and sequences can be adopted and adapted.
This module focuses on:
- understanding the purpose of assessment
- becoming familiar with the features of formative and summative assessment embedded in sample support materials
- recognising how to adopt and adapt sample assessments to suit your context.
Course 2 – Conceptual programming in English 7–10
This short video 'Conceptual heart of English' (3:47) is part of the microlearning course.
Narrator
The English textual concepts are integral to the study of English, and they underpin much of the work we do in this subject. They also have a rich history in the subject of English. Textual concepts help us to explain and describe the distinctive character of our work in relation to other fields and subjects.
We might, for example, read an article or novel about sustainability. But our textual concepts point us to look more specifically for ideas related to authority, for instance a conceptual lens such as authority may help us look at how the writer develops an authoritative writing voice to position the reader.
With this lens, we are not just reading or talking about sustainability. We are supporting students to understand how meaning is made and guiding them to dive deeply into the big ideas that matter to us as responders and composers. For example, in a novel about climate change, raising the sea level around Australia, our conceptual lens would guide us to consider how the engaging narrative voice of the main character positions us to respond to the perspectives of the writer.
We develop lenses like this from the initial organisation of the English 7–10 diagram, where we see the 3 focus areas. Understanding and responding to texts in the middle sits across both understanding texts and composing texts.
There are 3 outcomes in this focus area, and they are labelled Understanding and responding to texts A, B, and C. Understanding and responding to texts B, for example, is the outcome where a student examines and explains how texts represent ideas, experiences, and values. This is where we find the realization of the English textual concepts.
They form the content groups and content points in this outcome. This is where we find content groups such as theme, perspective, and context and argument and authority. Finally, within content groups are the content points This organization brings into focus the textual concepts as a structural feature that clarifies what we do in subject English.
Each textual concept gives us a language to discuss aspects of our field. Coming back to our example lens of authority. This term has general meanings related to politicians, teachers, or police officers. But when applied to composers and texts in English, it narrows the scope to issues such as how a writer develops authority. It supports us to question the believability and trustworthiness of a text, not just what it's about.
The textual concepts provide a powerful pathway into the subjects of English because they are abstract and timeless ideas. They aim to help us understand the world around us. Concepts such as authority, open up the worlds of texts and composers to questioning and critical thinking.
They are a platform for deep investigation about things that matter to subject English. Such as, does anyone have the authority to tell any story? What does it mean for a reader to have authority over a text? These are the types of questions that make our subject interesting and engaging. They are the conceptual heart of English and they are what distinguishes it from other fields and subjects.
[End of transcript]
The microlearning course is designed to support programming for Years 7–10 NSW English K–10 Syllabus.
This module focuses on:
- conceptual knowledge and understanding
- textual concepts and textuality in English.
This module focuses on:
- the Understanding and Responding focus area and its outcomes
- how to use the outcomes for conceptual programming.
This module focuses on:
- the Phases approach to conceptual programming
- how to use the phases in programming
- how to use the phases and adapt sample programs.
This module focuses on:
- how to program conceptually
- how to use the conceptual program framework.
This module focuses on:
- how to design conceptual chunks of learning
- how to plan lesson sequences conceptually
- how to organise learning so that the knowledge and skills develop conceptual understanding.