[Text on screen: NSW Department of Education
Unpacking the Modern Languages K–6 scope and sequence: an introduction and Early Stage 1]

Speaker

[Screen shows: laptop showing the Scope and sequence document]

Let's explore the new and enhanced K–6 Languages sample scope and sequence, following the progression of learning from Early Stage 1 through to Stage 3.

[Screen shows: Scope and sequence document and the table showing 4 stages and 8 terms]

As we explore the scope and sequence, you'll notice how learning has been carefully planned and sequenced. When new concepts are introduced and how they're revisited to consolidate and extend understanding over time.

The scope and sequence organises learning across each stage.

Early Stage 1 represents kindergarten and is organised across 4 terms.

Stages 1, 2, and 3, each span 2 years and are organised across 8 terms.

Let's begin with Early Stage 1. This is the Early Stage 1 sample scope and sequence.

[Screen shows: Early Stage 1 Scope and sequence document table with the first column on the Focus areas and the subsequent 4 columns for each term]

Let's start by getting familiar with the layout. Across the top are the terms. Terms 1 to 4 for Early Stage 1.

Down the left are the 3 focus areas: Interacting, Understanding texts, and Creating texts. Within each focus area, you'll find the outcome, content groups and content points. The content points identify the specific learning introduced in each term.

This structure is consistent across every stage from Early Stage 1 through to Stage 3. Once you're familiar with the layout, it becomes easier to see how learning is organised and sequenced across the stage. As we work through the scope and sequence, you'll notice that only selected content points appear in each term.

When a content point appears in a term, it signals where that new learning becomes the focus of explicit teaching. You'll notice that Interacting and Understanding texts both begin in Term 1. This reflects the NESA teaching advice that the comprehension of meaningful language is the foundation of language learning.

As students begin developing this understanding, they also begin using modelled language in purposeful interactions.

Let's look at Term 1. In Interacting, students ‘greet and farewell others’, ‘interact in classroom routines’ and ‘recognise and reproduce modelled sounds as they interact’. In Understanding texts, ‘students respond to simple texts using actions, drawing and singing’.

They also ‘recognise and reproduce sounds’ and ‘begin to understand that there are many languages and cultural practices around them’. Together, this carefully selected content provides students with the foundations they need to begin understanding and using language in meaningful ways.

Now look at Creating texts in Term 1. There are no new content points here yet, and that's intentional. As we saw, Interacting and Understanding texts begin together in Term 1, because the comprehension of meaningful language is the foundation of language learning. This reflects how learning has been organised and sequenced.

Students first develop understanding and interaction before Creating texts becomes the focus of explicit teaching.

Looking at Term 2, Creating texts now comes into focus. Building on that foundation, students ‘represent an idea or information about themselves using modelled vocabulary, formulaic phrases and visuals’, and they ‘label objects and caption images’. Notice how they're drawing on the modelled language introduced in Term 1.

In Interacting, students ‘introduce themselves’ and ‘answer common questions about themselves’. In Understanding texts, the intercultural content point returns. Marked as repeated, providing another opportunity for students to revisit and consolidate their learning.

By Term 3, the learning is deepening. In Interacting students ‘interact in games, and imaginative play’. In Understanding texts, ‘students follow simple instructions’. They also ‘use auditory cues, gestures, visuals, and other forms of nonverbal communication to understand texts’. For example, ‘recognising a familiar greeting through its rhythm and intonation’. Again, this content point is repeated. Another opportunity for students to revisit and consolidate their learning.

Creating texts continues to build. Students ‘create texts, reproducing modelled vocabulary with visuals to express meaning’.

In Term 4, let's focus on Interacting. There are no new content points this term. That doesn't mean students stop interacting. The scope and sequence continues to provide opportunities for students to apply previously introduced learning. No new content point becomes the focus of explicit teaching this term. This is a carefully planned shift, not a gap.

In Understanding texts, you'll notice both repeated and new content points. Earlier content points return to provide further opportunities for students to revisit and consolidate their learning, while new learning is introduced as students begin recognising the meaning of modelled vocabulary on familiar themes.

In Creating texts, students ‘begin using modelled sound-symbol correspondences to create written texts’.

By the end of Early Stage 1, students have developed the foundational knowledge and skills to create texts, drawing on what they've learn throughout the year. The foundations are now in place for students to apply and practise their learning in Stage 1.

[Text on screen: NSW Government

© State of New South Wales (Department of Education) 2026]

[End of transcript]

[Text on screen: NSW Department of Education
Unpacking the Modern Languages K–6 scope and sequence: Stage 1]

Speaker

[Screen shows: Stage 1 sample scope and sequence document with the first column on the Focus areas and the subsequent 8 columns for each term]

Now let's move to Stage 1, which is organised across 2 years and 8 terms. The format is the same as Early Stage 1, so you'll already be familiar with how to read the scope and sequence.

As we work through the stage, you'll see how students revisit and extend learning established in Early Stage 1, while continuing to build their knowledge and skills across the 8 terms.

Now let's focus on Interacting. In Term 1, notice the content point on ‘expressing simple emotions and preferences’. Here, the focus of explicit teaching is expressing preferences. When the same content point returns in Term 5, the learning is extended with the focus shifting to expressing emotions. This shows how a repeated content point can provide a planned opportunity to extend earlier learning.

Now let's look at Understanding texts and how the learning deepens across the stage. Students continue to develop their ‘understanding of the sounds of modelled vocabulary’ and ‘sound-symbol correspondences’ alongside their developing ability to ‘read or view simple texts on familiar themes’. As this learning develops across the stage, students draw on their growing knowledge of language to understand texts in increasingly complex ways.

Now let's look at how Creating texts develops across Stage 1. In Term 2, students ‘label or describe objects and images’. By Term 3, they create text using ‘familiar vocabulary, phrases and visuals’. By Term 4, they ‘create a simple sentence about themselves and their personal world’.

As these content points return later in the stage, students draw on the language and knowledge they have developed across the sequence to create increasingly complex texts. This progression shows how learning in Creating texts builds across the stage from working with familiar words and phrases towards creating simple sentences.

[Text on screen: NSW Government
© State of New South Wales (Department of Education) 2026]

[End of transcript]

[Text on screen: NSW Department of Education
Unpacking the Modern Languages K–6 scope and sequence: Stage 2]

Speaker

[Screen shows: Stage 2 sample scope and sequence document with the first column on the Focus areas and the subsequent 8 columns for each term]

Now let's move to Stage 2, which is also organised across 2 years and 8 terms. The structure remains familiar, but as we move through the stage, we'll see how students build on the knowledge and skills developed through earlier learning.

Now let's focus on Interacting and follow one content point across the stage. In Term 1, students ‘share information about themselves to describe their personal world’ in interactions with familiar audiences such as friends and familiar context, such as home. When the same content point returns later in this stage marked as repeated, the learning develops. Students draw on a broader range of language to ‘share information about their personal world, such as their community or neighbourhood’. The content point remains the same while the language and context become more complex as students build on their earlier learning.

Now let's look at Understanding texts and how students' engagement with texts develops across the stage. Students ‘listen to, read and view information in texts on familiar themes’. As the learning develops, they ‘respond to questions about specific information’ and ‘use strategies to locate, organise, classify and sort information for a range of purposes’.

You'll also notice the intercultural content point, 'Responding to texts, identifying connections between language and cultural practices and reflecting on their own language and culture'. The content point returns across the stage providing further opportunities for students to ‘develop their intercultural understanding’ as they engage with texts. Together, these content points show students drawing on developing knowledge and skills to understand and respond to texts in increasingly complex ways.

Now let's look at Creating texts. The progression is clear and so is the sequencing. Notice that informative texts come first. In Term 3, students ‘create informative texts describing themselves and their personal world’. In Term 4, ‘imaginative texts are introduced with students using a series of modelled, sentence structures and visuals to add meaning’. You'll also notice that spoken texts come before written texts. In Term 3, students ‘use pronunciation and intonation patterns to create spoken texts’. In Term 4, they ‘use sound-symbol correspondence to create written texts’. This reflects the NESA teaching advice that oral language provides the foundation for written language.

As these content points return across Terms 6, 7 and 8, the language students draw on continues to develop, providing opportunities to create increasingly complex texts.

Together, this sequencing shows how students build on earlier learning as they create texts in increasingly developed ways across the stage.

[Text on screen: NSW Government
© State of New South Wales (Department of Education) 2026]

[End of transcript]

[Text on screen: NSW Department of Education
Unpacking the Modern Languages K–6 scope and sequence: Stage 3]

Speaker

[Screen shows: Stage 3 sample scope and sequence document with the first column on the Focus areas and the subsequent 8 columns for each term]

Finally, let's move to Stage 3 and begin with Interacting. Notice the content point, 'Ask for clarification or repeat information to facilitate understanding in familiar interactions'.

In Term 3, the focus of explicit teaching could begin with asking for clarification when meaning isn't clear. When the content point returns in Term 5 marked as repeated, the learning could be extended by focusing on repeating information to help make meaning clear. Across this learning, students are developing the language and skills to sustain familiar interactions and negotiate meaning when understanding isn't immediately clear. This shows how different aspects of the same content point can be explicitly taught and extended across the sequence.

Now let's look at Understanding texts. Notice the content point 'Listen to, read and view information and opinions in a range of texts on familiar themes'. For the first time, opinions are included alongside information, increasing the demands on students as they engage with texts.

In Term 1, the focus of explicit teaching could begin with identifying and understanding information in texts, when the content point returns in Term 6 marked as repeated, the learning could be extended by focusing more explicitly on identifying and understanding opinions. Across this learning, students develop their ability to process and respond to both information and opinions. Building on the knowledge and skills developed earlier in the sequence. This shows how different aspects of the same content point can be explicitly taught and extended across the stage.

Finally, let's look at Creating texts and follow one content point across the stage. Notice the content point 'Create imaginative texts appropriate to context, purpose and audience, using a series of sequence, sentences and visuals to express ideas on familiar themes'. When this content point is first introduced, explicit teaching would place particular emphasis on creating a series of sequence sentences with consideration of context, purpose and audience.

When the content point returns later in this stage marked as repeated, teachers could build on this by placing greater emphasis on using visuals to express ideas while continuing to ‘consider context, purpose and audience’. This is a significant development in Creating texts. Think back to Stage 1 where students created a single simple sentence about themselves and their personal world. By Stage 3, students are creating a series of sequence sentences and considering the ‘context, purpose and audience for their texts’. This makes the progression in Creating texts visible across the stages.

This is the progression the scope and sequence makes visible, learning that builds on what students already know and develops across the stages.

[Text on screen: NSW Government
© State of New South Wales (Department of Education) 2026]

[End of transcript]