Planning, programming and assessing languages K–6
Resources to support you with implementing the languages syllabuses.
Modern Languages K–10 Syllabus (2022)
The Modern Languages K–10 Syllabus (NESA) was published in 2022.
In 2023, teachers engage with the syllabus, and plan and prepare for implementation of the curriculum.
In 2024, implementation commences in schools K–6.
In K–6, languages are not mandatory. However, primary schools which do run languages programs are required to use the relevant syllabus.
Information for school leaders explains more about the Modern Languages K–10 Syllabus.
Programming guidelines
Programming guidelines for primary languages teachers using the Modern Languages K–10 Syllabus (2022).
Scope and sequences
Units
The following units have been developed to support teachers implement the Modern Languages K–10 Syllabus. The units have been designed so that they are easy for teachers of any language to adapt to their needs.
Early Stage 1
In this unit, students will use basic nouns and action verbs to give simple classroom instructions in the language to their classmates.
Resources
In this unit, students introduce themselves to an Arabic speaking classmate. They ask and answer questions about their name and age.
In this unit, students learn the language in a greetings song. They greet a classmate, ask them how they are, thank them and say goodbye.
Stage 1
In this unit, students will make a bilingual poster about food available from the school canteen. They will discuss likes and dislikes before ordering food from the canteen.
Resources
In this unit, students read and respond to an unfinished story. They then write the end of the story.
In this unit, students introduce members of their families in Arabic. They use simple greetings and rehearsed phrases to exchange information about their family with peers.
In this unit, students will create a page describing an animal in the class book ‘Who did I see at the zoo?’
Who did I see at the zoo? (मैंने जंगल में क्या देखा?) (DOCX 3.7 MB)
In this unit, students use culturally appropriate informal and formal language to greet and introduce people to each other.
Stage 2
In this unit, students will create a map of their local neighbourhood. They will give directions to a friend on how to get from school to a place in the local neighbourhood.
Resources
In this unit, students create a video demonstrating how to prepare a culturally relevant recipe that they have written.
In this unit, students will create a flyer describing a lost pet. They will ask and respond to questions about their lost pet.
In this unit, students interact with peers using familiar vocabulary, formulaic phrases and questions to buy fruit and vegetables at a market.
In this unit, students describe common ailments and give basic medical advice. They tell a teacher about an ailment and listen to their advice.
I'm sick (sono malato) (DOCX 17.38 MB)
Resources
Stage 3
In this unit, students will label rooms and objects in a home. They will create a video where they describe their home.
Resources
In this unit, students will create a restaurant menu and order food from a waiter.
Stage 3 – Eating at a restaurant (Mangiare in un ristorante) (DOCX 6.8 MB)
Resource
In this unit, students plan an itinerary to Greece that includes places to visit and duration of stay in each place. They book the trip to Greece with a travel agent.
Stage 3 – Family trip to Greece (Οικογενειακό ταξίδι στην Ελλάδα) (DOCX 712.6 KB)
In this unit, students create a bilingual map of their school to support new language speaking families. They use the bilingual map when asking and responding to questions about the different parts of the school.
Resource
In this unit, students promote a shop they have planned. They decide a theme for their store and describe products using modelled language.
Stage 3 – My shop (DOCX 61.11 MB)
Resource
Language-specific syllabuses (2017–2020)
Teachers continue to use the language-specific K–10 syllabuses to plan and program until the end of 2023.
Programming languages K–6
The sample planning proforma (DOCX 57 KB) can be used to plan a languages unit for any stage of learning K–10.
Assessing languages K–6
Advice on assessing languages K–6 – these resources support primary language teachers in their use of evidence-based assessment practices, including the Five elements of effective assessment practice.
Units
Visit our catalogue to access all languages K–6 resources including learning sequences (2-week programs).
Chatterbox unit starter – include the Chatterbox unit starter in a task-based language learning unit of work as an activity to practise language for an upcoming task. It can also be used as an end-of-semester revision activity.
Australian animals – Stage 2 language sample unit
Interactive resources
- Quirky comics – a series of entertaining video texts that support language learning.
- Go Nihongo! – Japanese – Stages 3 to 6
- Basa basi
Content and language integrated learning
Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) outlines a pedagogical approach to learning a language through content from other key learning areas.
Embedding Aboriginal pedagogies into language programs K–6
These resources support language teachers to embed Aboriginal pedagogies into their teaching. The resources make connections between the Aboriginal processes described in the 8 Ways pedagogical framework and language teaching pedagogy.
NESA advice
K–10 language syllabuses and support documentation including units are available from the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).