English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) – information for school leaders
Learn about the English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) – what has changed and where to get further support.
The English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) replaces content in the English EAL/D Stage 6 Syllabus (2017). Planning and preparation will commence from 2025 with implementation in 2026.
The English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) recognises the critical importance of providing students learning English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) with opportunities to develop and refine speaking and listening skills, collaborative and critical thinking skills and intercultural understandings.
What you need to know
- The English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) will be taught from 2026 and will be assessed in the 2027 HSC.
- This syllabus is a live document available via NESA’s digital platform.
- NESA will continue to add teaching advice and support materials throughout the implementation process.
- The English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) has specific text requirements that must be met in Year 11 and Year 12.
- The English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) has specific assessment requirements that must be met in Year 11 and Year 12.
- The eligibility requirements for undertaking study of the English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus have not changed and are available on Eligibility for Stage 6 English courses (NESA).
- The NSW Department of Education will be providing support materials to schools to assist and guide the implementation process on Planning, programming and assessing English 11–12.
The English EAL/D 11–12 syllabus includes:
- a reduction in outcomes from 10 to 6 in both Year 11 English EAL/D and Year 12 English EAL/D
- focus areas which replace modules and focus area content which replace module descriptions
- a new structure that combines the previous syllabus’ outcomes and content with the focus area statement
- each focus area now contains a descriptive paragraph and a series of content points under the headings ‘Understanding’ and ‘Responding’
- many focus areas which maintain the same titles of the 2017 syllabus modules but have significant changes to the content and descriptions
- a structure where each focus area is aligned to all outcomes
- all outcomes should therefore be addressed in each focus area
- no current mention of ESL Scale alignment with course outcomes across Year 11 and 12
- the removal of the ‘Optional teacher-developed’ module in Year 11
- a change to the mandatory assessment weighting in Year 12 and an addition to the assessment requirements that one task must include a listening component in Year 11 and Year 12
- an additional requirement to ‘engage in speaking and listening components in each focus area’ in Year 11 and 12
- the removal of a mandated multimodal presentation as part of the school-based Year 11 and 12 – English EAL/D assessment schedule
- the removal of the requirement for a related text to be included in the ‘Texts and human experiences’ assessment in Year 12
- the inclusion of a new mandatory focus area in Year 11 – ‘Reading to Write: Transition to English EAL/D’ – which must be completed as the first unit of work
- the renaming of the ‘Focus on Writing’ module in Year 12 to the ‘Writing’ focus area with some changes to the description of the content
- an updated examination format for ‘Paper 1: Texts and human experiences’
- an updated examination format for ‘Paper 2: Language, identity and culture, Close study of text, and Writing’
- the removal of the ‘Listening Paper’ in the Higher School Certificate (HSC) examination
- changed text requirements in Year 12
- Students must now study 3 prescribed texts, with ONE drawn from each of the following categories
- prose fiction
- poetry
- drama OR film OR media OR nonfiction
- Students must now study 3 prescribed texts, with ONE drawn from each of the following categories
- updated text requirements across Stage 6 which include the requirement to teach a range of texts authored by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- the wording of the English EAL/D performance band descriptions has changed slightly with minimal impact on meaning
- advice regarding Protocols for collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and engaging with Cultural works.
The organisation of English EAL/D 11–12 content image is from the English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024.
Prior to implementing the English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus, leaders will need to consider the following:
- budget implications for the purchasing of new texts in alignment with the release of the Prescriptions document for English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024)
- complexities of workload for staff preparing to teach multiple new Year 11–12 syllabuses, including
- the reading and preparation of new texts to support informed decision-making about the best pattern of texts for specific school contexts
- building teacher understanding about the changes to the organisation of the syllabus and the implications that this will have on programming
- resource and budget implications including
- providing time for staff to engage with syllabus requirements and build their skills and understanding to effectively teach and plan for English EAL/D 11–12 implementation from 2026
- determining what resources are currently available to address new text requirements across Stage 6 and purchasing additional texts to address areas of need
- purchasing texts for teacher professional learning and factoring in opportunities for teachers to attend professional learning.
- exploring ways to adopt and adapt the sample materials provided by the department and curriculum materials developed in school to support consistency of syllabus enactment
- complexities for staff working to implement multiple new syllabuses and curriculum.
The English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus is based on evidence summarised in the bibliography published by NESA in the Teaching and learning support. This evidence highlights that:
- improving students’ writing is achieved through immersion with quality model texts, including an investigation of how authors use specific language forms and features to craft meaning
- interpretive reading practices that take context into account have a significant impact on the ways that students make meaning of literary texts
- exposure to a diverse range of increasingly complex textual experiences enhances learning in English
- the recursive writing process results in increased engagement and understanding and improved composition.
English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024.
- To what extent do staff understand the syllabus and the evidence underpinning the new syllabus?
- How has this been fostered and understanding evaluated?
- What school practices and systems are in place to support teacher professional learning?
- How are these evaluated to maximise support for teachers?
- Which communities of practice does the school collaborate with to enhance teacher curriculum knowledge and pedagogy?
- What evidence is there that staff have understood syllabus changes and familiarised themselves with the new syllabus?
- Do staff have the skills and understanding to collaboratively undertake syllabus implementation?
- What explicit systems are in place to foster collaboration?
- How has the school engaged with departmental resources and support for curriculum implementation, for example, Curriculum Reform Communities, curriculum resources, professional learning, and DEL network initiatives?
- NSW Department of Education Planning, programming and assessing English 11–12
- NSW Department of Education English curriculum team 7–12 webpages
- NSW Department of Education Professional learning calendar and catalogue
- NESA English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024)
- NESA English EAL/D 11–12 Syllabus (2024) Teaching and learning support
- NESA Introduction to the English 11–12 syllabuses (3:36)
- Controversial issues in schools policy
- Multicultural education policy
- ACE Rules (2024) in effect from 14 October 2024
Further support
- Leading curriculum K–12 for updates and additional information
- English K–12
- Contact the English 7–12 curriculum team: english.curriculum@det.nsw.edu.au
- Join the English statewide staffroom (staff only)