Speaker

The New South Wales Curriculum Reform, provided NESA with the opportunity to build all of the syllabuses in the primary curriculum in a coherent manner. Over time, syllabuses had been developed at different times with different emphasis and different structures, and the curriculum reform offered an opportunity to look at what the student learning entitlement is and to make the syllabuses easier for teachers to navigate. NESA has put students and teachers first. For teachers, how do we make a curriculum that is clear and easy to navigate and for students? How do we make it rigorous? Clear for our teachers and rigorous for our students. To do that, these questions were front and centre during the development of the curriculum. What do all students have a right to learn? What is the curriculum entitlement? What are the essential learnings in the foundations of the learning area and how can teachers be supported to provide opportunities for students to apply their knowledge, across the curriculum in primary school? We all know the importance of literacy and numeracy. The syllabuses were built purposefully to develop the foundational knowledge of the learning area and the skills of the domain, but also to provide opportunities for students to practice and apply their literacy and numeracy skills in context.

The syllabuses are evidence-based. We researched how students learn and what is needed in a curriculum to support learning and how a world-class curriculum needs to be structured to support learning. Much of the research is summarised in the AERO paper, ‘How students learn best’. The research about how students learn aligns with the research about how students learn to read. We know the English curriculum does a lot of heavy lifting in the area of how students learn to read and it has a particular emphasis in the early years, ensuring that students can lift the words off the page to become automatic and fluent readers. One of the things that the research shows clearly is that students need background knowledge to understand what the words mean.

Language comprehension and lifting the words off the page, play an equal part in learning to read. The English syllabus does a lot of work in comprehension and fluency, and these can be considered the keys to reading, but the rest of the curriculum needs to support students by providing background knowledge and vocabulary, so that students can understand what their reading. Research shows that to develop language comprehension, background knowledge is key, because background knowledge supports the development of vocabulary. When students have language comprehension and vocabulary, they are more able to reason and infer and so the building of knowledge in the curriculum is of the utmost importance. You'll find a summary of that in the AERO paper, ‘A knowledge rich approach to curriculum design’.

What do we mean by knowledge? Knowledge means the disciplinary knowledge. Knowledge of the approaches or general principles in a specific learning area, such as how you might use a source in history or why using sources are important. And then of course, this also means the factual or declarative knowledge, which are facts and theories and information that can be explicitly stated. Historically, New South Wales primary syllabuses had been quite strong on the disciplinary knowledge, but the factual knowledge got lost, so you'll find the factual knowledge is much clearer. Shared knowledge nurtures belonging and cross-cultural understanding in our society. Shared knowledge and understanding emphasises the importance of knowledge as a lever for equity and excellence. The research is clear, knowledge builds knowledge, and it's a pathway for the development of skills. Students must have something to communicate about, to communicate effectively. For example, students must know something about science to be able to think critically and creatively and communicate their understanding about science. So, there are many reasons why building knowledge is really important for our students.

Let's look at the primary curriculum. It is selective. Content has been purposefully selected for each subject with the alignment to the vision of education, which is excellence and equity. Content is designed to build a student's background knowledge and vocabulary in the learning area. It is coherent. The content within the syllabuses is coherent, not only within the learning area itself, but also across learning areas. For example, the geography focus area is aligned to mathematics and the writing in science is aligned with English. This coherence provides opportunities to connect the learning and for students to apply learning from one area to another. It is sequenced. The learning progresses over time from Kindergarten to Year 6 and then of course to Year 10. The content progresses in complexity, across each stage of learning, it is specific and clear. There is clarity for teachers. What we expect our students to know, understand and do by the end of each stage is explicit.

There is creating written texts content in the curriculum to ensure all students have an opportunity to write, across a range of areas in the curriculum. Writing builds understanding in a learning area. It also supports the development of reasoning and critical thinking. The curriculum allows time for our youngest learners to develop language and vocabulary to communicate in creative arts and PDHPE, being immersed in the practicalities of the learning area, have been prioritised. When students reach Stage 2 and 3, there are explicit writing expectations. In HSIE, the explicit writing content is in the history focus area, and there's a content group from Kindergarten that progresses right through to an outcome in Stage 3. The syllabuses include the language that our students will need to understand and control to write and learn in HSIE. It is similar in science and technology, the focus centres on the language students will need to communicate and express their learning as they learn to control that language. Specific content in the Stage 3 outcome, shows this progression of learning and this progression supports students' writing, well into their secondary education.

Another feature of the primary curriculum is the inclusion of access content points, which are in all of the primary syllabuses. These are specifically to support students with a significant intellectual disability who are working towards Early Stage 1 outcomes. Access content points guide teachers to lean into a student's abilities and support them in their education journey. Decisions regarding curriculum options for students with a disability should always be made in the context of collaborative curriculum planning with families and the school. Let's take a look at human society and its environment.

For a long time in New South Wales education, HSIE has been the mirror, reflecting back students' immediate experience. The cognitive research is quite clear that young children can learn about interesting things, beyond their immediate experiences. Not only can they do this, but they need to because the brain needs inputs to learn. The new HSIE syllabus acts as not only a mirror for students to see themselves and their experiences, but a window into the world, a window through which to view the world at different times and places, and as a result, there is new and exciting content in the HSIE syllabus.

Teachers will be familiar with the Australian focus that we have in HSIE, but there is now more of a global focus in both history and geography. You will notice a strong civics and citizenship thread that runs right through geography and also in history as well as a democracy outcome in Stage 3. The HSIE syllabus contains a progression of learning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priority content, under a single unifying outcome. Students learn the ways Aboriginal peoples connect to country in geography and in history. They can use this knowledge to provide context when exploring significant Aboriginal sites and objects as evidence of Aboriginal cultures and histories. Diverse cultures are represented not only in the content, but in the examples. Geography content is closely aligned to mathematics and history is closely aligned to English.

Here is an example of how the content is selective in line with the vision for education of excellence and equity. The 2012 syllabus for history in Stage 1, looks at family structures and continuing to keep the concept of excellence and equity as drivers and building background knowledge and vocabulary for all our students in New South Wales. The syllabuses are designed to provide a window into the world. The ancient past, China, Egypt, Greece, and Rome are referenced and re-referenced throughout a student's learning experience at school and in daily life. Building this learning into the primary curriculum is a gentle way of beginning to build a schema, about these ancient cultures and their influence and legacies on today's world. There is also a lovely alignment to geography as students learn to locate these places on globes, maps, and images. There are a number of elements of literacy that this learning will start to build, not only a students' vocabulary, but their knowledge and understanding about stories, myths, and legends, and this builds the schema of learning about how stories, images, objects and sites help archaeologists understand the past.

Personal development, health and physical education. In PDHPE, the new syllabus is very clear about what to teach in each focus area. There is a new focus area called self-management and interpersonal skills. We all understand that self-management and interpersonal skills are key to being able to function well in society and develop respectful relationships and the syllabus is clear about how those skills progress, across the primary curriculum. The PDHPE content is comprehensive and age appropriate, and you'll see strengthened content for respectful relationships and online safety. There is a focus on movement and physical activity, because we know movement and physical activity are so important and that moving helps a student learn, it can improve their health and wellbeing and many other aspects of their life. The focus on movement also includes the educative purpose of movement and students will learn about the differences, between sedentary and active lifestyles. As with all of the curriculum, the implementation of the PDHPE syllabus is supported with teaching advice.

Let's focus for a moment on how movement is valued in the primary curriculum. Researchers once thought that the movement proficiency developed naturally. Movement proficiency was attributed to maturation and possibly to heredity, but what we know now is that instruction and practice are significant in movement development and competence. That's why across the curriculum, there are many opportunities for instruction and practice of gross and fine motor development. Motor control is important in and of itself and it enhances learning. Fine motor skills in visual arts, gross motor for dancing, motor skills for handwriting in English and fine and gross motor skills in music, especially percussion and performing and composing. In PDHPE, the fundamental movement skills expectations are explicit.

Here is an example of specific and clear content. The 2018 syllabus has dots and dashes and sometimes there are examples within the examples. To help teachers and make the syllabus user friendly and to be clear about what students need to know, understand, and do at particular points in time, essential content has been provided and the content works with the content group headings and the outcomes. It's essential that all students in New South Wales, have the opportunity to learn how important it is to protect their personal information, their identity in online environments and to learn about respectful digital citizen behaviours.

Now, let's take a closer look at science and technology. The syllabus is clear for teachers about where to develop concepts and skills. The content provides the foundations for the development of complex concepts, because the learning that occurs in primary school, supports the building of knowledge and skills as students move into secondary learning. The examples in science and technology, support teachers to build their background knowledge, the content is practical and engaging for students. Data is important in science and technology and where possible, it has been aligned to provide an opportunity for students to apply mathematical knowledge and skills in context and there is new content about the human body, earth and space.

Here is an example of how the content is carefully sequenced. In Stage 1, students investigate the human body's sense organs to learn how the human body sense organs detect its environment. Then in Stage 2, students learn how body systems work together to enable movement. And then in Stage 3, they learn how body systems coordinate for survival. Again, the idea of this learning about the human body is purposeful and selective. This knowledge develops across the stages of learning. It is acknowledged that when concepts and ideas are referenced and re-referenced, they build a schema which includes language and vocabulary over time. Just like in HSIE, science and technology writing has a content group that starts from Kindergarten and progresses through to Stage 3. This is an example of how the syllabus is coherent. It aligns to the English syllabus and you can see the language that students will need to use to be able to communicate in science and technology and to specifically create written texts in science has been included, because we know creating written texts is not only a mechanism for communication, but it is also something that helps students learn. It helps students learn to think and it helps them reason and be critical about what they're learning. Also, in Stage 3, right across the curriculum, there is content about note-taking, journaling and annotations, et cetera, to support students as they learn to start taking notes for their own study.

Let's look at creative arts. As with all of the primary syllabuses, front and centre in the design is equity. Equity for all of our students and in creative arts, the content is clear and explicit, so that all teachers teaching creative arts, understand what the learning expectations are for our students. There is a progression of learning that builds the practices for the arts in all 4 of the focus areas. All of the art forms in this syllabus are unique, but they do come together under the banner of the creative arts syllabus. There is dance, drama, music and visual arts and they're all acknowledged as unique art forms. The syllabus makes it clear what the learning expectations are for each of those art forms. From Stage 1, there is content about the arts through time and for our students to understand the importance of the arts, it's also important for them to know that they're not just something that they practice at school, but creative arts are intrinsic to the human experience and whilst creative arts can be contemporary and new, there is also a strong tradition in the arts. There's a strong history and the art forms, have been around since time began. From Kindergarten, students will explore the arts across cultures. Content over the seven years of primary school, illustrate a variety of cultures and contexts. As it is in all the learning areas, the examples and teaching advice in creative arts, supports teacher background knowledge.

This is an example of how to navigate the syllabus and here we're looking at Stage 2 dance. Each of the art forms have practices and in this case, dance is the example. You can see that the content groups are highlighted, these being, composing, performing and appreciating. If we zero in on the content group, composing, dance is composed using the elements of dance to communicate ideas. You can see that this statement supports teachers to understand the intent of the content clustered underneath. You'll also see that the vocabulary expectations are explicit, making sure that students are learning the vocabulary of the art forms. And you can see that writing content is embedded here, so students will create written sentences to describe and give an opinion about in this instance, a dance performance.

Here you can see an example from Stage 1, visual arts. Students will observe artworks from cultures and contexts around the world to explore how art making connects to place. There is a strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices thread in each of the art forms and you'll also see in the syllabus, students will explore ancient and historical artworks to understand how art making practices are influenced by time and place. All of the primary syllabuses are supported with teaching advice and some have additional downloadable teaching advice as well. Connections to mathematics and English and to other learning areas have been identified in the section at the bottom there, labelled ‘Making connections through related content’ and these are just suggested connections. They're there to help you start to see the coherence, across the curriculum and how they might support students to apply their learning in different contexts. When we think about applying knowledge, it's important to consider how a student might develop their understanding and how prior knowledge is important, right across the curriculum.

Let's use this content as an example, because it's new to the primary curriculum from HSIE Stage 1. As mentioned earlier, the ancient past is referenced and re-referenced in modern-day life. Stage 1, students learn about ancient China, Egypt, Greece and Rome, and they begin to develop an understanding of the ancient past and continuing in Stage 1, creative arts, where students are looking at ancient and historical artworks, teachers may explore with their students ancient and historical artworks such as Egyptian paintings, some Greek urns or the Chinese terracotta warriors.

Still in Stage 1, science and technology in the content group, the sky is our window to the universe, students examine the cultural representations of the sun, moon, and stars, and we'll learn that there are many ancient Roman, Greek, Egyptian and Chinese stories that are linked to the sun, moon, and stars. And there are also references to many of these cultures in arts and music. As we progress into Stage 2 when students are learning about the solar system in science and technology, there is content for students to research cultural references to the solar system, including Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander knowledges of the night sky, and they'll learn that the names of the planets are named after Roman and Greek gods, which gently continues building on the learning, about the ancient past that they began in Stage 1, but also provides a deeper understanding of the solar system.

In Stage 3, students learn about democracy and democratic roles and responsibilities and they will describe the origins and values underpinning the Australian bicameral parliamentary system of government. As per the examples in the syllabus, students may learn the origin of the word democracy, which comes from the Greek term and means, ruled by the people. In these illustrations, students are developing layers of understanding, about democracy and the solar system, which supports a rich understanding about ideas and topics that may at first glance appear to be completely disconnected. To further this example, consider that in the English syllabus, Stage 3 students explain the etymology of taught roots and apply this knowledge when creating written texts. And so when learning about etymology and the spelling and meaning of some words roots, students have some context of where these roots come from and may have also collected their own examples, along their schooling journey.

That's a brief look at how learning can be interconnected and build slowly over time and how a student's background knowledge in one area can be leveraged and used to lean into another area. To view the New South Wales primary curriculum, please scan the QR code or follow the link.

Primary (K–6) syllabuses

[End of transcript]

Matt Hill

Hi, I'm Matt. I'm here with Jane from NESA and we're going to have a talk about the Creative Arts K–6 Syllabus.

Jane Lancaster

Hi Matt.

Matt Hill

Hi. The syllabus provides opportunities for learning in dance, drama, music, and visual arts. Can you please tell us about the strengths of the syllabus?

Jane Lancaster

Thanks, Matt. Yeah, well The Creative Arts K–6 Syllabus provides a curriculum entitlement for all students, and the outcomes and content really work together to provide that opportunity for students. There's a distinct body of knowledge in each of the creative arts focus areas for dance, drama, music, and visual arts and it builds a progression of learning, developing students' terminology and vocabulary, which then enhances their understandings in each of those focus areas.

Matt Hill

Could you expand on the distinctions between the focus areas for us?

Jane Lancaster

Sure, so in dance students are learning how to use the human body and movement to express and communicate ideas. And in drama, they're enacting and embodying people, worlds, and experiences. In music, students recognise how music is a form of personal and cultural expression and a way of expressing things through sound and silence. In visual arts, students recognise how they themselves as artists and other artists represent and communicate ideas about the world and subject matter through their artworks, and that that communicates understandings to audiences.

Matt Hill

And what do you view as the most important changes to impact student learning?

Jane Lancaster

Yeah, well, we know that students are coming from lots of different contexts, and the syllabus is really clear about the expectations of what students need to know, understand, and do, and it clarifies the learning for them and the content and the outcomes really work together to do this. The syllabus is really clear about the learning expectation for students, which aligns with our beliefs about excellence and equity for all students in education. The students engage in practical experiences where they develop curiosity, creativity, and imagination. Students develop artistic and aesthetic understandings by engaging in critical and creative practises. So through the progressions of learning, students are learning about the arts through time and across cultures, which is really important as well.

Matt Hill

The creative arts syllabus builds students artistic and aesthetic knowledge, skills, and understandings, and lays the foundation for learning across the focus areas. What are some other important features of the creative arts syllabus?

Jane Lancaster

Yeah, that's right, Matt. So the content is accessible for all students in New South Wales and for the first time we have access content points which support students with significant intellectual disabilities who are working towards early Stage one outcomes. This allows students to demonstrate achievement and experience success. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Priorities highlight rich and meaningful learning experiences for students as well, teaching specific vocabulary of the elements of dance, drama, music, and visual arts. And the art world concepts also prepare students with terminology and vocabulary, which deepens their knowledge and understandings. Creating written texts in stages two and three builds on students vocabulary that they've developed in early Stage one and Stage one, and reinforces their knowledge and their learning as they're creating written texts. The examples that we have in the syllabus are really illustrative of the content and the teaching advice supports teachers and provides background knowledge for them.

Matt Hill

Thanks, Jane. We see there's a lot of support in the syllabus through the teaching advice and examples. The syllabus contains a clear structure with content groups that identify the practises in each focus area. For example, in music the practises of performing, listening, and composing structure, the content. How do the content groups support students to develop knowledge, understanding, and skills in each focus area?

Jane Lancaster

So, the syllabus shows a really clear progression in learning in the content groups and to make it very explicit about the learning expectations for students. And we've done that throughout all of the syllabuses. And the example that you referenced there in music performing, listening, and composing, they're interrelated and should be taught in interrelated ways across the content area, so students are applying their knowledge and their learning.

Matt Hill

The syllabus is based on evidence, highlighting that the arts foster creativity and the imagination. How does the syllabus provide opportunities for students to generate ideas and develop their creativity and imagination?

Jane Lancaster

So there's a lot of opportunities for teachers to provide stimuli such as music, texts, images, objects, things like that to inspire students' creativity and connecting to other learning areas, of course, is a lot of opportunity to stimulate their thinking and their creativity. And the critical and creative thinking skills are embedded in all content across all of the syllabuses. And for example, in creative arts, in drama, there are opportunities for students to improvise and experiment. And in visual arts, students have opportunities to explore materials and experiment with different effects and techniques and different ways of representing ideas and subject matter and really focusing in on their own intentions and interests. Students have lots of opportunities to explore connections across the curriculum in the primary school. So for example, in visual arts, they'll be learning about ancient artworks, and that obviously connects to their learning in HSIE when they're learning about the ancient past.

Matt Hill

Yeah, there are some fantastic opportunities there. And we also see a lot of opportunities in the syllabus for students to develop knowledge and understanding of cultures and contexts. Can you explain how this content will strengthen student learning in the creative arts?

Jane Lancaster

So when students experience dance, drama, music, and visual artworks from around the world, it really expands their understandings of the way peoples express and communicate ideas and meaning. Students develop an understanding that the creative arts have been a part of all cultures throughout history, and in particular, they learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practises and that they've been part of the oldest continuous living culture. And that's a really important thing for students to develop understandings about. Developing these intercultural understandings really builds empathy in students as they understand different perspectives and views of the world. And it's a really great opportunity for students to explore their own cultural backgrounds and to make associations to their own experiences and understanding of the world and that builds a sense of identity and belonging for them as well. And exploring these creative works from cultures around the world is really a great source of inspiration for all students in terms of their own making and composing. And so it feeds back into their learning and ways of expressing themselves.

Matt Hill

Thanks so much, Jane, we really do see there are a lot of exciting opportunities for students to develop their creativity through this syllabus.

Jane Lancaster

Yeah, that's right. Thanks, Matt.

Matt Hill

So, if you haven't already, please head to the NESA website, check out the new syllabus there, and also the introductory video that goes along with it.

[End of transcript]

Melissa Cairn

Hi, I'm Melissa. I'm from the Department of Education, and I'm joined here today by Sharna and Ananda from NESA. And we are going to talk about the new HSIE syllabus. The new HSIE syllabus contains specific outcomes and content for Aboriginal cultures and histories for the first time. This is in addition to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content that is priority content in all K–6 syllabuses. We know that this content has been developed in collaboration with Aboriginal knowledge holders. Why are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities important?

Sharna Tosevic

So for the first time, the syllabus includes explicit outcomes that form a coherent sequence of learning about Aboriginal cultures and histories across each stage of learning in K–6. And the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities are important because they provide opportunities for all students to develop cultural knowledge and understanding by engaging with, respecting and recognising the world's oldest continuous living cultures. They help students to understand that Aboriginal communities are diverse with around 70 language groups, and they develop knowledge and understanding in the cultural protocols, practices, and connections to country and place, whilst also appreciating the historical and ongoing contributions to Australia by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Melissa Cairn

Thank you. We all agree that this is important content. What advice do you have for teachers when engaging with essential Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities content?

Sharna Tosevic

So, it's important to respect appropriate ways of interacting with Aboriginal communities and cultural material when planning for teaching and learning that focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priority content. NESA has advice in the course overviews of all syllabuses about following Indigenous, Cultural and Intellectual Property Protocols, otherwise known as ICIP. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's ICIP protocols include cultural knowledges, cultural expression, cultural property, and the documentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's lived experiences and identities. It's really important to recognise the diversity and complexity of Aboriginal communities across New South Wales and that these protocols may differ between communities. Establishing and maintaining respectful relationships with Aboriginal peoples. So our elders, our parents, our community members are your local, regional, or state Aboriginal education consultative group, your AECG, is really important to assist schools to implement Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities content.

Melissa Cairn

That's great advice for schools. What else can assist schools to engage with their local communities?

Sharna Tosevic

So, the NESA website has links to the principles and protocols, and there's a working with Aboriginal communities guide that will also support schools to engage with community.

Melissa Cairn

Excellent. Ananda, there is new content in Stage 1 and Stage 2 where students have the opportunity to learn about ancient civilisations. Can you talk a bit more about that, what that content involves, and how that develops students' understanding of the world around them from an early age?

Ananda Horton

So, the introduction of the content also aligns to the vision for education around equity and excellence. It provides all students with an opportunity to learn. It starts to build background knowledge, and it's quite a rich source of vocabulary as well for students. It's a gentle introduction and a beginning to developing a schema that students can refer to when the ancient past is referenced in society today. There's also a number of elements of literacy that this content provides lovely opportunities for students to be developing their literacy skills. It not only provides a rich area of vocabulary, but it also gives students an opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding around stories, myths and legends. Story itself is a powerful tool, and it helps students to develop perspective, the, you know, sequencing of information and making connections to stories from other times and places.

The ancient past, China, Egypt, Greece, and Rome are referenced and re-referenced throughout a student's learning experience at school and in daily life in areas such as architecture, art, and sport. As you can see from this image, the idea is built into the stage one content and detailed support is provided for teachers through the teaching advice. Building this learning into the primary curriculum is a gentle way of beginning to build a schema about these ancient cultures and their influence and legacies on today's world. There is also a lovely alignment to the geography content within the syllabus. As students developing the ability to look at maps and understand where places are located, they can then apply this understanding when they're looking at where ancient civilisations were. It's important to recognise that the placement of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities content has been really carefully and strategically sequenced and placed. And I'll just get Sharna to speak to that a little bit more.

Sharna Tosevic

Thanks, Ananda. So in particular, content in Stage 1 and Stage 2 that feature ancient civilisations do not feature Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities content. As a reminder for teachers, the syllabus celebrates and recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures as the oldest continuous living cultures. And it is this continuity that is why we do not refer to Aboriginal cultures and histories as ancient.

Melissa Cairn

That makes sense. Thank you for that explanation. The new primary curriculum is a knowledge-rich curriculum that makes essential learning clear for students. In the geography focus areas, students learn to use geographical information, and in the history focus area, they use sources as evidence. Can you talk to us a little bit more about that, please?

Ananda Horton

NESA has taken a knowledge and skills explicit approach in the development of the syllabuses. And as with all of the primary syllabuses, content makes it very clear what students are to know and to understand and do. In HSIE, the skills and concepts have been embedded within content, and the content group headings are really helpful for teachers to see where the essential content has been grouped. The skills and concepts have been embedded with appropriate context. The understandings build very sequentially across each stage of learning. Within the geographical content, content has been carefully aligned to the mathematics syllabus, in particular the focus areas of data and geometric measure. So, this provides a fantastic opportunity for students to apply their learning in HSIE. As you can see in this example of Stage 1 history content from the syllabus, the use of sources including stories, images, objects, and sites provide students with evidence of the past. Examples and detailed teaching advice such as shown here, support teachers to engage students in detailed observations, discussions, and questioning to draw conclusions about what life may have been like in the past. The history focus area has strong links to the English syllabus, in particular in the creating written text content. Within this content, students have an opportunity to develop their ability to handle tense, as well as sentence level grammar and text features, and the examples provide further support.

Melissa Cairn

Thank you for clarifying the new approach. There are strengthened civics and citizenship opportunities in both the history and geography focus areas. Can you please elaborate on this content and explain why these are important in the HSIE syllabus?

Ananda Horton

So, in the civics and citizenship content, students have the opportunity to learn and to value the democratic roles and responsibilities that people have in Australia. They also have the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to act as informed and active citizens into the future. Through the syllabus, there is a clear progression, in particular the content groups in the geography focus area. I'll speak to those first, what content is there. And then the progression moves into the history focus area in Stage 3. So, in Early Stage 1, this is our foundational knowledge that students are developing, and they look at the connections that they have to places, each other, and how people care for places. In Stage 1, students start to develop an understanding of active citizenship that we can work together with people to care for places and to care for each other. They research work that people do in the community, and they explain the benefits of participating in communities.

In Stage 2, students look at how people participate in Australian society, in particular around the act of citizenship. They investigate how and why people respond to community needs. There's a lovely opportunity to have a look at the importance of volunteering, and in their learning, they look at the origins and the work that a New South Wales organisation does in response to community needs. There is also opportunities for students to look at community needs and to design responses. In Stage 3, in the history focus area, students dive a little bit more into civic knowledge and understanding. And in particular, they have a look at the origins and the values underpinning Australia's bicameral or parliamentary system. Students have the opportunity to explore the principle that all people are equal before the law and must obey laws. And they also have the opportunity to learn about Australia's democracy, the foundations, federation, the Constitution of Australia, roles and responsibilities of government, and how bills pass through Parliament and become laws.

Melissa Cairn

And that explicit content makes it really clear what students should learn in schools. The study of Aboriginal languages content in Stage 3 is a new inclusion. What practical guidance and advice and resources can you suggest for teachers to help support the teaching of Aboriginal languages in schools?

Sharna Tosevic

So, schools should make contact with their local Aboriginal community to ascertain the availability of local language resources. The content group in this focus area explores the diversity of Aboriginal languages across New South Wales and the importance of revitalising Aboriginal languages for Aboriginal peoples.

Melissa Cairn

Thank you, Sharna, and thank you, Ananda, for your time today to talk about the new HSIE syllabus. If you haven't done so already, please head over to the NESA website to explore the new syllabus. And don't forget to watch the introductory video.

[End of transcript]

Hugh Rothwell

Hi, I am Hugh Rothwell, Curriculum Support Advisor for PDHPE K–6, and I'm here with Cristy Budd from NESA to talk to you about the new PDHPE syllabus.

Cristy Budd

Hi, Hugh, thanks. It's great to be here with you today.

Hugh Rothwell

The evidence base for the PDHPE syllabus indicates that the development of essential movement skills during childhood lays the foundation for an active lifestyle during adolescence and into adult life. In this syllabus, fundamental movement skills are explicitly taught from Early Stage 1. Which fundamental movement skills are introduced in the early years?

Cristy Budd

The fundamental movement skill content has been developed in line with the research on children's motor development. We understand the instruction and practice is really important for students to develop these fundamental movement skills. And once those skills are developed, then they can transfer and apply these skills across games and sports. In Early Stage 1, the static balance, sprint run, vertical jump, catch, hop, side gallop, skip, throw, kick, and strike should be taught. The leap and dodge are a little more complex, and we follow the research to introduce them in stage one. These skills are then practiced and refined through the stages of learning as students participate in games and sport.

Hugh Rothwell

Thanks, Cristy. The inclusion of complementary content supports the explicit teaching of fundamental movement skills to enable some students with physical disability to develop these skills with a focus on ability. Can you please tell us how and when teachers should use complimentary content to support student learning in PDHPE?

Cristy Budd

Complimentary content for fundamental movement skills is in all stages of learning. This allows for all students to see themselves in the syllabus. This complimentary content flow chart demonstrates the decision making process. If adjustments do not provide access to the content for a particular fundamental movement skill, the complimentary content for that movement skill should be considered. A teacher may need to plan to use some or all of the complimentary content for a student.

Hugh Rothwell

Thanks for clarifying that. Respectful relationships and consent education have been strengthened in this syllabus. Can you please talk to us about this?

Cristy Budd

We can all acknowledge how important it's for our students to learn about respectful relationships and consent. Respectful relationships support effective communication and participation in society. In the 2018 K–10 syllabus, consent currently appears in examples in Early Stage 1 and Stage 1. In the new PDHPE syllabus, it is essential content in the respectful relationships and safety focus area, and it appears in all stages of learning. Content group headings cluster essential content, making it really clear for teachers in what students need to know, understand, and do when learning about respectful relationships and consent. Students in primary school learn about consent through gaining permission, body autonomy, personal boundaries, and protective behaviours. Sharing personal information online helps seeking and respecting others' responses and choices. Respectful relationships go hand in hand with self-management and interpersonal skills.

Hugh Rothwell

I can really see how this has been strengthened in the new syllabus. Self-management and interpersonal skills is now a focus area in this syllabus. Can you talk to us about this focus area?

Cristy Budd

Yeah, research suggests that the ability to self-regulate emotions and behaviours in different situations fosters independence, resilience, and success. Research also highlights the benefits to society when citizens are connected, contributing, responsible, and caring. Supporting the self-management of emotions can support students' social and emotional skills right into adulthood. Communicating respectfully and effectively supports the establishment and maintenance of respectful relationships, and supports confident navigation in offline and online environments. Strengthening leadership skills increases personal, social, and academic development, fostering meaningful contributions to the school and the wider community. Self-management and interpersonal skills are integral to a student's personal and social success, and can be taught in all learning areas. It is a dedicated focus area with essential content, so students learn strategies to self-regulate, communicate, and cooperate, enhancing relationships and contributing to wellbeing.

Hugh Rothwell

That certainly highlights the importance of self-management and interpersonal skills. Recent statistics indicate that primary age students are using digital devices and engaging in online platforms at an increasing rate. How does the syllabus develop students' digital capabilities while also develop their understanding of health, safety, and wellbeing in online environments?

Cristy Budd

Developing students' understanding of why it is important to balance screen time and follow agreed rules enhances their health and wellbeing. It is important for students to think critically when using technology and they're equipped to navigate the increasingly digital world. The dedicated content group from stage one teaches students about online safety and how responsible digital citizen behaviours can contribute to safety. Students are taught to apply problem solving strategies in online context, what to do if they encounter inappropriate material and how to report. Content in the syllabus support students getting outside and moving and provides opportunities for them to investigate active and sedentary lifestyles.

Hugh Rothwell

A new addition to the identity, health, and wellbeing focus area is teaching students how saving, goal setting, and financial decision making can influence their wellbeing. Can you please give us some more information about this inclusion?

Cristy Budd

This content has been included in PDHPE as it connects to both wellbeing and respectful relationships as managing finances and financial literacy builds responsibility and independence. This content lays the foundational understanding of financial literacy for students.

Hugh Rothwell

Thanks for providing that information today, Cristy.

Cristy Budd

You're welcome, Hugh.

Hugh Rothwell

If you haven't already, please head over to the NESA website to view the syllabus and the introductory video.

[End of transcript]

Rod Cheal

Hi everyone. My name's Rod Cheal from the Department of Education, and I'm here with Shirley Casper from NESA. We're going to be talking about the new Science and Technology K–6 Syllabus. Shirley, the new syllabus has some amazing and very distinct content. It's got skills embedded through that content. There are practical examples for teachers to be inspired by, and it's still a syllabus of creating a sense of wonder and sense of awe in the world around us for students.

Shirley Casper

I certainly hope so.

Rod Cheal

Mm mm. What would you say are the strengths of this syllabus for students?

Shirley Casper

I think one of the things, Rod, is that we've tried to make this syllabus very user-friendly, so that teachers have the time to plan and the content is clear and rigorous for our students. We'd like teachers to be able to allow students to explain their thinking verbally and in written form, and we've tried to develop both those oral and written communication skills throughout the syllabuses. We've tried to make the content quite explicit because every child is entitled to learn certain things. It's a matter of equity really. We have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities content, which provides students with opportunities to explore and understand the connections between traditional and contemporary knowledges in science and technology.

By engaging with science and technology content, students can gain insights into the rich cultural knowledges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and develop cultural understanding and appreciation. This content is embedded and authentic. It is written by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all people to build Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and scientific knowledge and skills simultaneously. By engaging with these ideas, students develop cultural understanding and appreciation, which is enriched across stages and content areas. Research shows that it's a lot more successful and powerful if there is content with authentic connections. So, for example, when students are carrying out investigations, they're measuring, they're gathering data, they're representing that data, and this is a clear reflection and application of what students are doing in mathematics.

Rod Cheal

Shirley, that's really exciting for students coherence and that clarity. What would be your key messages for teachers?

Shirley Casper

So, in the structure of the syllabus, we have very clearly defined content groups, and those content group headings show the enduring understanding that we would like students to gain from the content. There's teaching advice, and this has suggestions for teachers, but some of it also builds background knowledge, which I think is very important.

Rod Cheal

I think teachers will appreciate that.

Shirley Casper

But the content is structured in such a way that it's very clear and very explicit what teachers should be teaching, and this has been designed with students' concept development in mind, and they are able to prepare their students with information and skills that will enable those students to continue.

Rod Cheal

It's very systematically thought out in that progression. Well, let's talk a little bit more deeply about the content. There's some new content, specifically the human body, for example, across all stages. Would you like to explore that a little bit and you know, talk about the reasons why that's in there?

Shirley Casper

We've developed a lot of content around the human body, where in Early Stage 1, when we're teaching students how to observe using all of their senses, we also do a bit about movement. So, a little bit about the way in which we move. In Stage 1, we go more deeply into using the senses and how our senses give us information about the environment around us. Stage 2, we start looking a bit more at movement and muscles and joints, ball and socket joint, hinge joints, those sorts of things. And in Stage 3 we get into the respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems and how they work together.

Rod Cheal

Shirley, we've talked a little bit about the content. Let's talk about the skills and what we have in the current syllabus, but what has changed is that very clear table of skills and we don't see that in the new syllabus. Could you please explore that a little bit for us?

Shirley Casper

We certainly want scientific inquiry and investigative methods to be front and centre in this syllabus. And to that end, we've written not only outcomes to help achieve that, but we've written it directly into the content. So, one of the things that we've tried to do is really make the teaching and the learning very explicit. We have some strong outcomes, the outcomes around questioning, developing student questions so that students can take charge of the investigations themselves. They can pose investigative questions to test what they're interested in based on the content. We also have explicit outcomes around the gathering and representation and interpretation of data, and we have content about how to express all of that knowledge and all of that information. So, we are trying to build those investigative skills very clearly into the content so that teachers know when there are really good examples, good ways to develop those skills.

Rod Cheal

Finding the hotspot of a skill married up to the content without the burden of the whole process every term. That's, I think that will a relief for some teachers. Shirley, this syllabus appears to have a very strong focus on science knowledge and digital literacy, and of course that's critical. That's critical. What advice would you have for teachers as they approach programming for the rich digital technologies?

Shirley Casper

We've written the digital literacy skills into the syllabus because they are incredibly important for students to understand and to be competent with their digital literacy skills. So, we want students to be able to create, edit, save, refine documents that they may have done. That sort of digital literacy is essential. They also need to have some shared knowledge about the way in which science works and the way in which the design and digital technologies work, and they are complimentary to each other. Of course, a big thing in the digital technologies side of the syllabus is the work on developing algorithms, algorithmic thinking, and that indeed is all about sequencing and recognising patterns and being able to manipulate those. And we've also made sure that the content is structured in such a way that students can do this in both a plugged and an unplugged way.

Rod Cheal

Shirley, I think this syllabus will be extremely helpful for our teachers with its clarity and very, very distinct content. It's been lovely talking to you today.

Shirley Casper

Lovely talking to you too, Rod. And thanks for the opportunity.

Rod Cheal

Thank you for joining us. I encourage you to visit the NESA website where you can view the syllabus and also the introductory video. Bye-bye.

[End of transcript]