The document discusses the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority's (ACARA) development of the Australian Curriculum: Languages. It provides an overview of the languages included in the curriculum, which are Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish, Vietnamese and Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander languages. It describes the second language learner, background language learner, and first language learner pathways. It outlines the curriculum's design including strands, substrands and content descriptors. An example achievement standard for Foundation to Year 2 is also provided.

1. ACARA and what it will mean for
Languages educators
Sherryl Saunders
Secretary, AFMLTA
Professional Learning Officer, MLTAQ
as at 20 August 2014

2. Overview
• Presentation can sit within a much more
substantial workshop
• Snapshot of
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

3. Languages of the curriculum
• Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Indonesian,
Italian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek,
Spanish and Vietnamese
• A Framework for Aboriginal Languages and
Torres Strait Islander Languages
(consideration being given to additional curriculum in Auslan,
Classical languages, Hindi and Turkish – recall Federal Budget)

4. Languages of the curriculum
• Second language learner pathway
– Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian,
Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish
• Background language learner pathway
– Arabic, Chinese and Vietnamese
• First language learner pathway
– Chinese

5. Languages of the curriculum - Pathways
• Second language learner pathway
– F – 10 Sequence (divided into bands F-2 , Years 3-4, Years 5-6, Year
7-8, Years 9-10) – written for time on task of 350 hours for F-6
– Year 7- 10 Sequence (divided into bands Year 7-8, Years 9-10) –
written for time on task of 160 hours + 160 hours for 7-10
• Background language learner pathway
– F – 10 Sequence (divided into bands F-2 , Years 3-4, Years 5-6, Year
7-8, Years 9-10) – written for time on task of 350 hours for F-6
– Year 7- 10 Sequence (divided into bands Year 7-8, Years 9-10) –
written for time on task of 160 hours + 160 hours for 7-10
• First language learner pathway
– Year 7- 10 Sequence (divided into bands Year 7-8, Years 9-10) –
written for time on task of 160 hours + 160 hours
Note this pathway assumes at least primary education has occurred
in the first language.

6. Languages curriculum design -
Strands
• Encompass three interrelated aims at a
design level so that students will learn to
– Communicate in the language
– Understand language, culture and their relationship
– Understanding self as a communicator
Communicating
Understanding

7. Languages curriculum design -
Substrands
• Communicating seeks to capture the nature of language
learning described through various purposes or dimensions
– Socialising & taking action
– Obtaining and using information
– Responding to and expressing imaginative experience
– Translating
– Reflecting on intercultural language use
• Understanding underpins language learning that focuses on
systems and variability of language use
– Systems of language
– Language variation and change
– The role of language and culture

8. Languages curriculum design -
Substrands
Strand Sub-strand Description
Communicating
(Using language for
communicative
purposes in
interpreting, creating
and exchanging
meaning)
1.1 Socialising and taking action Interacting orally and in writing to exchange
ideas, opinions
1.2 Obtaining and using
information
Obtaining, processing, interpreting
1.3 Responding to and expressing
imaginative experience
Engaging with imaginative experience – creating
a range of texts
1.4 Translating Moving between languages
1.5 Reflecting on intercultural
language use
Considering how interaction shapes
communication and identity
Understanding
(Analysing and
understanding
language and culture
as resources for
interpreting and
shaping meaning in
intercultural
exchange)
2.1 Systems of language Understanding systems that have written,
sound, grammatical conventions
2.2 Language variation and
change
Language variability (register, style); change
over time and place
2.3 The role of language and
culture
Analysing and understanding language and
culture in meaning
(ACARA, 2013)

9. Languages curriculum design –
Content descriptors
Sub Strand F-Yr2 Yr3-Yr4 Yr5-6 Yr7-8 Yr9-10
Socialising
(Interacting orally
and in writing to
exchange, ideas,
opinions,
experiences,
thoughts and
feelings; and
participating in
shared activities
through planning,
negotiating,
deciding, arranging
and taking action)
Interact with
each other and
the teacher
using simple
language and
gestures for
exchanges such
as greetings and
farewells,
thanks and
introductions,
and for talking
about self and
family.
Use simple
language in
routine
exchanges such
as asking each
other how they
are, offering
wishes and
providing
personal
information
Interact using
descriptive and
expressive
language to
share ideas,
relate
experiences and
express feelings
such as concern
or sympathy
Participate in
an increasing
range of
spoken and
written
interactions,
for example,
exchanging
views or
experiences,
apologising or
excusing,
inviting or
congratulating
Use formal
and
information
registers to
discuss young
people’s
interests,
behaviours
and values
across cultural
contexts
(ACARA, Draft F-10 Australian Curriculum:
Languages: French, 2014)

10. Languages curriculum design –
Content descriptors
Sub Strand Content Descriptor
Socialising and taking action
(Interacting orally and in
writing to exchange, ideas,
opinions, experiences,
thoughts and feelings; and
participating in shared
activities through planning,
negotiating, deciding,
arranging and taking action)
1. Interact with each other and the teacher using simple language and
gestures for exchanges such as greetings and farewells, thanks and
introductions, and for talking about self and family. [Key concepts: self,
family, home, friendship; Key processes: interacting, greeting, thanking,
describing]
2. Recognise and respond to routine classroom interactions such as
opening and closing of lessons, transition activities, giving and following
directions. [Key concepts: roles, routines, rules, interactions; Key
processes: listening, observing, cooperating, responding]
3. Use simple repetitive language in songs, rhymes, games and
transactions such as choosing partners, items or activities. [Key concepts:
play, performance, action learning, exchange; Key processes:
participating, performing, taking turns, requesting]
(ACARA, Draft F-10 Australian Curriculum:
Languages: French, 2014)

11. Languages curriculum design –
Content descriptors
Sub Strand Content Descriptor
Obtaining and using
information
(Obtaining, processing,
interpreting and conveying
information through a range of
oral, written and multimodal texts)
1. Identify key points of information in simple texts. [Key concepts: text,
meaning, context; Key processes: decoding, guessing, making meaning]
2. Use simple statements, gestures and support materials to convey
factual information about self, family, friends and possessions. [Key
concepts: self, family, school; Key processes: naming, labelling, showing,
describing]
Responding to and expressing
imaginative experience
(Engaging with imaginative
experience by participating in,
responding to and creating a range
of texts, such as stories, songs,
drama and music)
1. Engage with a range of imaginative texts through action, dance,
drawing and other forms of expression. [Key concepts: imagination,
response, character, expression; Key processes: responding, acting,
dancing, expressing]]
2. Play with sound patterns, rhyming words and non-verbal forms of
expression to interpret French stories, songs or nursery rhymes. [Key
concepts: rhythm, expression, pronunciation; Key processes: chanting,
miming, drawing, dancing]
(ACARA, Draft F-10 Australian Curriculum:
Languages: French, 2014)

12. Languages curriculum design –
Content descriptors
Sub Strand Content Descriptor
Translating
(Moving between languages and
cultures orally and in writing,
evaluating and explaining how
meaning works)
1. Translate simple French words, phrases and gestures for family and
friends, noticing which are similar or different to English or other known
languages. [Key concepts: language, vocabulary, meaning; Key processes:
demonstrating, explaining, comparing,]
2. Create simple print or digital texts which use both French and English,
such as labels, word banks, wall charts or ID cards. [Key concepts:
vocabulary, translation, meaning; Key processes: naming, comparing,
copying]
Reflecting on intercultural
language use
(Reflecting on intercultural
language use and how language
and culture shape identity)
1. Notice how using French feels and sounds different to using own
language(s) and involves behaviours as well as words. [Key concepts:
language, culture, difference; Key processes: noticing, considering,
comparing]
2. Recognise and reproduce the sounds and rhythms of spoken French,
noticing how they are produced and how they are represented in words
and symbols. [Key concepts: pitch, stress, intonation, letters,
pronunciation; Key processes: listening, distinguishing, reading,
recognising]
(ACARA, Draft F-10 Australian Curriculum:
Languages: French, 2014)

13. Languages curriculum design –
Achievement Standard
Foundation to Year 2 Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 2, students use French to interact with teachers and each other
through action-related talk and play. They respond to directions and instructions
verbally and non-verbally and choose between options when asked questions such as
Tu veux le rouge ou le bleu? They exchange greetings such as Bonjour! Comment ça va?
Très bien, merci and respond to question cues with single words or set phrases: Qu’est-ce
que c’est? Un éléphant. Tu veux un croissant? Non, merci. They participate in games,
songs, chants and shared reading of simple texts. They experiment with French
pronunciation, approximating vowel sounds and consonant combinations with some
accuracy. They identify key words in spoken texts, such as names of people, places or
objects. They use numbers up to 20, simple forms of address and vocabulary related to
themselves, their class and home environment. They rely on scaffolded examples and
formulaic language to convey factual information at word and simple sentence level,
such as making statements about the weather or date. They write simple texts such as
lists, labels, captions and descriptions. They use some pronouns, prepositions and
simple present tense forms of regular verbs.

14. Languages curriculum design –
Achievement Standard
Foundation to Year 2 Achievement Standard
Students recognise that French sounds different to English but that it
uses the same alphabet when written. They recognise that some words
are written the same in both languages but pronounced differently. They
know that French is the language used in France and also in many other
regions of the world. They are beginning to understand that language is
used differently in different situations and between different people.
They are developing awareness of cultural differences and similarities
and of their own and each other’s languages and cultures.

15. Current availability
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/
•Go to ‘F-10 Curriculum’ (top toolbar)
•Select ‘Languages’ (note it is possible to refer
to a particular year levels)
•Select ‘Subjects’ (current availability is
Chinese, French, Indonesian and Italian)
•Select individual language
•Select pathway

16. Other useful information
Ongoing development for other languages
http://acaraeduau.com/2014/07/21/afmlta-welcomes-the-
release-of-the-australian-curriculum-languages/
http://afmlta.asn.au/2014/07/12/australian-curriculum-
languages-update-from-acara/
Intercultural perspectives in Australian
Curriculum:Languages
http://www.lls.edu.au/teacherspace/#!/professionalle
arning/34