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Teaching

Policies & Curriculum

Teaching - Policies & Curriculum

Education in Australia Schools

All students in Australian schools deserve the right to languages education for life in our plurilingual and multicultural community in Australia and beyond.

Government Responsibilities in Education

Under the Commonwealth Constitution, the state and territory governments are responsible for providing schooling to all school-age children. They have the major financial responsibility for government schools, contribute supplementary funds to non-government schools and regulate school policies and programs. They determine curricula, course accreditation, student assessment and awards for both government and non-government schools. State and territory governments are also responsible for the administration and major funding of vocational education and training (VET) and for legislation relating to the establishment and accreditation of higher education courses.

The Commonwealth government has special responsibilities in education and training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, migrants, international partnerships in education, and providing financial assistance for students. It is principally responsible for funding non-government schools and higher education institutions, and provides supplementary funding for government schools and VET.  (Source: ABS)

 

CURRENT LANGUAGE POLICY IN VICTORIA

Victorian Department of Education and Training

All Victorian schools are required by legislation, the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, and as a condition of their registration with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority to provide instruction in all learning areas, including languages.

Past planning document.

 

Australian Curriculum

A national approach to curriculum has been agreed to by all Ministers for Education resulting in ACARA developing the Australian Curriculum. The implementation of the Australian Curriculum remains the responsibility of the states and territories.

Australian Curriculum for Languages: German

The curriculum for German is now on the Australian Curriculum website and has been endorsed by ACARA. Independent schools determine their own curriciulum and choose if they follow the Australian or Victorian Curriculum.

 NB: In Victoria, Government and Catholic schools are required to follow the Victorian Curriculum. Independent schools can choose to follow the Victorian curriculum or use it as a resource.

 

CURRENT TERMINOLOGY RELATED TO LANGUAGES

The term 'Languages' has replaced 'LOTE' ,and 'Foundation' has replaced 'Prep' to align with the Australian and new Victorian Curriculum. Domains have gone back to 'Learning Areas'.

A pathway in the Australian Curriculum Languages refers to whether the student is a first, second or background language learner.  For German, the Australian and Victorian curriculum is designed for second language learners.

Definitions of terminology-

  • Second language learners - These students are introduced to learning German at school as an additional, new language. The first language used before they start school and/or the language they use at home is not German.
  • First language learners - These students are users of the language who have undertaken at least primary schooling in the language. They have had their primary socialisation as well as initial literacy development in the language and use it at home.
  • Background language learners - These students may use the language at home, not necessarily exclusively, and have varying degrees of knowledge of and proficiency in the language. These students have a base for literacy development in the language.

 

PROTOCOLS FOR KOORIE EDUCATION IN VICTORIA

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture has existed in this land for around 50,000 years. The uniqueness of these cultures and the wisdom and knowledge embedded in them, are things to be highly valued by all Australians. To this end, these protocols seek a way to protect the integrity of these cultural expressions and a way in which all Australians can engage respectfully and feel connected to this identity.

Protocols and principles for working with Victorinan Koorie communities:

 

CURRICULUM IN VICTORIA

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) are an idependent statuatory authority responsible for the curriculum for Victorian Government education from ages 0 to 18.

VCAA Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum

VCAA is responsible for setting the curriculum i.e. the 'what' is to be taught,  not the 'how' it is to be taught.

'The Victorian Curriculum F-10 incorporates the Australian Curriculum and reflects Victorian priorities and standards. Independent schools can choose to use the Victorian Curriculum as a model and resource for the effective implementation of the Australian Curriculum. 

Governmnent and Catholic schools in Victoria are requred to implement the Victorian Curriculum, and any Independent schools choosing to follow this curriculum.' (VCAA)

General Capabilities' are known as 'Capabilities' and are less in number in the new Victorian Curriculum. There are also no organising 'threads' in the Victorian Curriculum.

VCAA Online Professional Development on the Victorian Curriculum

A series of sessions were offered in 2016 for the new Victorian Curriculum.

Archived Curriculum in Victoria

Includes AusVELS and CSF

VCAA Senior Curriculum

NB: The VCE Study Design for German (and others) is being reviewed in 2017.

Information about how to qualify for the VCE Bacculaureate introduced in 2013

Other Senior Curriculum related to Languages

 

Victorian Department of Education and Training

The Victorian government values the diverse range of languages learnt and spoken in schools.

The DET Languages Homepage has important information for all teachers of languages.

Specific areas from the Languages Homepage:

Other DET websites:

Other

 

Literacy and Numeracy Across the Curriculum

Older documents from 2009 that are still useful in thinking about literacy and numeracy across the curriculum.

 

Australian Policies

The Melbourne Declaration was agreed to in 2008 by the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) on goals for the next 10 years.

 

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority

 

Other Australian States and Territories Curriculum Boards

 

European Policy and Curriculum

* A portfolio is a document in which language learners can record their language learning and cultural experiences. All levels of language ability are valued.

UK Curriculum

New Zealand

Singapore

Organisation for Cooperation and Development (OECD)

 

 

 

ARCHIVED

VCAA - Archived VELS

 

 

 

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