What is English about?
[ Video Resource ]
- Title: English
- Description: English Subject Expert Group members discuss their experiences in the Review of Achievement Standards
- Video Duration: 5 minutes
- Video URL: https://player.vimeo.com/video/571913369
- Transcript: In conversation with Jane Dewar Mark Edgecombe Natalie Faitala Transcript below: Probably the biggest change will be that there will be a greater range of incorporation. In terms of including language
In conversation with
Jane Dewar
Mark Edgecombe
Natalie Faitala
Transcript below:
Probably the biggest change will be that there will be a greater range of incorporation. In terms of including language, writing, and all of those things in a programme, rather than a focus on individual Standards.
Something we've tried to do in English is to re-emphasise the place of language in the curriculum. That's something that's going to feature more in Year 11 English from next year onwards.
Hopefully students will notice those things as well. That the teaching and learning is more coherent and comprehensive and robust. And that they have given more time to mull over key concepts and ideas. More time to develop their work. Also, that they are able to understand the key skills and ideas that English has.
That focus on skills is going to be something they will see. It's not just the production of a piece for assessment. It's how you go about developing the skills to make many such pieces.
The usefulness of the learning matrix is going to depend on how well people know it, and engage with it, and read it. If teachers and departments take the time to engage with the matrix, it will become a really useful thing, and a thing that informs our practice, as we plan courses.
I absolutely love the learning matrix, because what it does is, it has everything together about what's important about English. But it also sets the scene for what is becoming a real focus on biculturalism in our schools.
Yes, mana ōrite is one of these principles that we talked about much at the last accord day, that is happening, and it's a societal thing, that is happening. That is going to be reflected in our education, and which educators are also pushing.
In English, one thing I reckon is, this renewed focus on language is going to give us opportunities to study this thing that is happening in society.
There's this massive linguistic shift in New Zealand English, whereby Māori words and loanwords are just coming in and in and in. We've got super opportunities to explore that, what's happening on our watch as users of the language. Absolutely, and I think that that all also reinforces identity, which is part of our English...
The big matrix thing we all talked about. The importance of identity as part of language, and as part of the study of English. That the thinking about the mātauranga Māori and bringing that in there, you end up with a sense of identity reinforced by language.
It's a lot of fun.
It's a lot of stuff to do here.
It helps our students understand that our identity as New Zealand is a bicultural identity.
I absolutely loved being part of the SEG. The SEG is amazing, I got an opportunity to meet and work with professional teachers, who are experienced and passionate about English, about their students, about teaching and learning in the classroom, just sharing ideas across a range of contexts.
So the teachers were from all different schools, all different places.
I think that being part of the SEG has forced us to be aware. Like you're saying, Natalie, that the situations in other schools are different from the situations in our own schools. What I might want to see would work for where I'm at, might not work elsewhere.
So the Standards have to be broad enough to encompass the vast variety of schools and students in the country. That was one of the challenges, the tasks, that we were making as well.
I would have liked more time. We could have met for months, really. That was another challenge. Was having the tasks, that you were making, those tasks had to be reflective, and had to have relevance in a whole series of contexts. I found that really fun. It was a lot of fun making those and thinking about them.
I think, one thing to say to teachers is that the essence of the subject hasn't changed. In some respects, some things are not new, they're being re-emphasised. Or we're being called again to focus on what really does matter.
That's an opportunity and a challenge we should embrace.
Yes, obviously there's change, and people are scared of change sometimes.
But really in English, I agree with you Mike, I don't think there is...
We've still got all of the components in there that we have. We've got the writing, and the oral, and the visual. The reading, and those strands are still there. We have such great teaching and learning guides that have been produced, and shared. Course outlines and programmes that teachers can use and adapt to their own context.
I think, just take all those opportunities to refresh what you're doing, and provide something really awesome for your students.
Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.
English is the study, use, and enjoyment of the English language communicated orally, visually, and in writing, for a range of purposes and audiences, and in a variety of forms. It is creative and critical, receptive and productive. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the study of English incorporates mātauranga Māori and considers our place in the Pacific.
The Learning Area's whakataukī is:
Ko te reo te tuakiri
Ko te reo tōku ahurei
Ko te reo te oraLanguage is my identity
Language is my uniqueness
Language is life
The study of English affirms language as integral to identity. Language is one of the walls (tuakiri) that form part of our identity, but a wall is stronger when it is connected to other walls, to foundations, and to a roof. A solitary wall can be transformed into something more than itself. Houses can shelter us, keep us safe, and give us an environment in which to thrive. Language is life, health, and vitality. Houses can be beautiful. This can be seen in the word ‘ahurei’, which in te reo Māori can mean prominence, splendour, uniqueness, importance. The study of English recognises and explores the ways in which language can help build connections to others. Language gives us a strong foundation for our identity and helps us to express ourselves and to connect with others (the other walls of the house through shared language use).
The study of literature is a shared journey that aims to foster belonging and connection through the exploration of texts and ideas. Through experiencing this shared journey, ākonga appreciate and enjoy texts in all their forms. The study of Aotearoa New Zealand, Pacific, and world literature contributes to students’ developing sense of identity, their cultural capital, their understanding of heritage, and of the world.
The study of literature helps ākonga to understand how language helps us to build connections with others: both with people with similar life experiences and perspectives as themselves, as well as those who may have had different life experiences and perspectives. The consideration of vā when studying literature provides a perspective for seeing the world in ways that ākonga might not have experienced before. This can help to build empathy, and awareness of the complexities and beauty of lives and experiences, captured in stories.
Understanding, using, and creating oral, written, and visual texts of increasing complexity is at the heart of English teaching and learning. By engaging with text-based activities, ākonga become increasingly skilled and sophisticated speakers and listeners, writers and readers, and presenters and viewers. This equips ākonga to be able to form developed ideas and to communicate them with confidence, participating critically in their communities, society, and in the wider world.
Ākonga at Levels 6-8 of the New Zealand Curriculum can integrate sources of information, processes, and strategies purposefully and confidently to identify, form, and express increasingly sophisticated ideas. They create and make meaning using evidence in the text, from other texts, and from their own experience.
Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.
English is the study, use, and enjoyment of the English language communicated orally, visually, and in writing, for a range of purposes and audiences, and in a variety of forms. It is creative and critical, receptive and productive. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the study of English incorporates mātauranga Māori and considers our place in the Pacific.
The Learning Area's whakataukī is:
Ko te reo te tuakiri
Ko te reo tōku ahurei
Ko te reo te oraLanguage is my identity
Language is my uniqueness
Language is life
The study of English affirms language as integral to identity. Language is one of the walls (tuakiri) that form part of our identity, but a wall is stronger when it is connected to other walls, to foundations, and to a roof. A solitary wall can be transformed into something more than itself. Houses can shelter us, keep us safe, and give us an environment in which to thrive. Language is life, health, and vitality. Houses can be beautiful. This can be seen in the word ‘ahurei’, which in te reo Māori can mean prominence, splendour, uniqueness, importance. The study of English recognises and explores the ways in which language can help build connections to others. Language gives us a strong foundation for our identity and helps us to express ourselves and to connect with others (the other walls of the house through shared language use).
The study of literature is a shared journey that aims to foster belonging and connection through the exploration of texts and ideas. Through experiencing this shared journey, ākonga appreciate and enjoy texts in all their forms. The study of Aotearoa New Zealand, Pacific, and world literature contributes to students’ developing sense of identity, their cultural capital, their understanding of heritage, and of the world.
The study of literature helps ākonga to understand how language helps us to build connections with others: both with people with similar life experiences and perspectives as themselves, as well as those who may have had different life experiences and perspectives. The consideration of vā when studying literature provides a perspective for seeing the world in ways that ākonga might not have experienced before. This can help to build empathy, and awareness of the complexities and beauty of lives and experiences, captured in stories.
Understanding, using, and creating oral, written, and visual texts of increasing complexity is at the heart of English teaching and learning. By engaging with text-based activities, ākonga become increasingly skilled and sophisticated speakers and listeners, writers and readers, and presenters and viewers. This equips ākonga to be able to form developed ideas and to communicate them with confidence, participating critically in their communities, society, and in the wider world.
Ākonga at Levels 6-8 of the New Zealand Curriculum can integrate sources of information, processes, and strategies purposefully and confidently to identify, form, and express increasingly sophisticated ideas. They create and make meaning using evidence in the text, from other texts, and from their own experience.
Big Ideas and Significant Learning
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each English Big Idea.
The English Learning Area, including its whakataukī, inform this subject’s Significant Learning – learning that is critical for ākonga to know, understand, and do in a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts ākonga should encounter in their education.
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Levels 6, 7, and 8. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the not-to-be-missed learning in a subject.
There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix within each Level. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that ākonga are particularly interested in. This context must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
To allow ākonga to transfer the capabilities developed in one context to new contexts, they need exposure and practice in developing and applying those capabilities across multiple contexts, using a range of content. Teachers can use the Significant Learning to weave together an interconnected and coherent programme of learning.
There are five Big Ideas in English. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each English Big Idea.
The English Learning Area, including its whakataukī, inform this subject’s Significant Learning – learning that is critical for ākonga to know, understand, and do in a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts ākonga should encounter in their education.
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Levels 6, 7, and 8. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the not-to-be-missed learning in a subject.
There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix within each Level. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that ākonga are particularly interested in. This context must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
To allow ākonga to transfer the capabilities developed in one context to new contexts, they need exposure and practice in developing and applying those capabilities across multiple contexts, using a range of content. Teachers can use the Significant Learning to weave together an interconnected and coherent programme of learning.
There are five Big Ideas in English. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.
Big Idea Body:
Language, identity, and perspective (of the writer and the reader) are powerful forces in a conversation that spans past, present, and future. Ākonga learn that their identity (or identities) and the world around them shape what they write, and how they read. They learn that their own perspectives frame their understanding and interpretations of texts. Ākonga learn to recognise the value of other peoples’ stories, along with their own. This empowers ākonga to feel part of a larger whole. They also learn to identify how they themselves are portrayed and can be objectified in texts.
Becoming familiar with a wide range of perspectives in the creation of texts, including the identity of the writer and the reader, will help ākonga understand and communicate increasingly sophisticated ideas based on the insights they gain into themselves and others.
Language and literature give us insights into ourselves and others
Language, identity, and perspective (of the writer and the reader) are powerful forces in a conversation that spans past, present, and future. Ākonga learn that their identity (or identities) and the world around them shape what they write, and how they read. They learn that their own perspectives frame their understanding and interpretations of texts. Ākonga learn to recognise the value of other peoples’ stories, along with their own. This empowers ākonga to feel part of a larger whole. They also learn to identify how they themselves are portrayed and can be objectified in texts.
Becoming familiar with a wide range of perspectives in the creation of texts, including the identity of the writer and the reader, will help ākonga understand and communicate increasingly sophisticated ideas based on the insights they gain into themselves and others.
Big Idea Body:
We make sense of our inner and outer lives through story. Ākonga will learn about the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand through studying a range of Aotearoa New Zealand texts. They will be able to critically respond to, evaluate, enjoy, and be enriched by what they read. The study of the varied stories of Aotearoa New Zealand from the past to the present contributes to students’ developing sense of identity and their awareness and understanding of their place in the world. Ākonga will explore how text creators in Aotearoa participate in local, national, and global conversations.
The stories of Aotearoa New Zealand are unique taonga tuku iho
We make sense of our inner and outer lives through story. Ākonga will learn about the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand through studying a range of Aotearoa New Zealand texts. They will be able to critically respond to, evaluate, enjoy, and be enriched by what they read. The study of the varied stories of Aotearoa New Zealand from the past to the present contributes to students’ developing sense of identity and their awareness and understanding of their place in the world. Ākonga will explore how text creators in Aotearoa participate in local, national, and global conversations.
Big Idea Body:
English is the only Learning Area that mentions joy in its essence statement, and the overarching Big Idea Stories are a source of joy and nourishment foregrounds this aspect of English study. Enjoyment and nourishment come from bringing the aesthetic to the fore, and from being moved when interacting with text. These textual interactions move ākonga forward on a journey towards reading for enjoyment and personal fulfilment.
Enjoyment is enhanced and learners are enriched when they have the ability to use language with control and respond critically to texts. Language carries culture, memory, connects us to the past, connects us to each other, and creates shared experiences. Language can bring us joy and can communicate sadness.
Stories are a source of joy and nourishment
English is the only Learning Area that mentions joy in its essence statement, and the overarching Big Idea Stories are a source of joy and nourishment foregrounds this aspect of English study. Enjoyment and nourishment come from bringing the aesthetic to the fore, and from being moved when interacting with text. These textual interactions move ākonga forward on a journey towards reading for enjoyment and personal fulfilment.
Enjoyment is enhanced and learners are enriched when they have the ability to use language with control and respond critically to texts. Language carries culture, memory, connects us to the past, connects us to each other, and creates shared experiences. Language can bring us joy and can communicate sadness.
Big Idea Body:
The codes, conventions and features of text can interact in sophisticated, surprising, delightful and challenging ways. Engaging with text-based activities, ākonga learn to communicate and interpret. They become increasingly skilled at making meaning through reading and engaging with language and text and in writing and creating meaning for themselves and others.
Appreciating the intended effects of language features, and the structure and organisation of texts will contribute to active meaning making. As the audience, ākonga will be able to think critically about texts and articulate increasingly sophisticated ideas with confidence, understanding and clarity.
Making deliberate choices in crafting and editing texts whilst being able to critique and refine their creative processes empowers ākonga to find and nurture their own voice. Learning to recognise the aesthetic qualities (sensual, perceptual, cognitive, and affective) of a text will allow ākonga to purposefully emulate those skills in the creation of their own text.
Communication depends on shared codes and conventions
The codes, conventions and features of text can interact in sophisticated, surprising, delightful and challenging ways. Engaging with text-based activities, ākonga learn to communicate and interpret. They become increasingly skilled at making meaning through reading and engaging with language and text and in writing and creating meaning for themselves and others.
Appreciating the intended effects of language features, and the structure and organisation of texts will contribute to active meaning making. As the audience, ākonga will be able to think critically about texts and articulate increasingly sophisticated ideas with confidence, understanding and clarity.
Making deliberate choices in crafting and editing texts whilst being able to critique and refine their creative processes empowers ākonga to find and nurture their own voice. Learning to recognise the aesthetic qualities (sensual, perceptual, cognitive, and affective) of a text will allow ākonga to purposefully emulate those skills in the creation of their own text.
Big Idea Body:
Language is not neutral. All uses of it (including our own) involve power, and texts are often shaped according to social and political interests. As ākonga learn to deconstruct and critically interrogate texts, they will understand the power that language has to shape their own and others’ lives. They will learn about the gaps in literature and identify omissions and privileges in the texts with which they interact.
There is a conversation between the reader, the text creator and the text itself which is specific to each reader and creator. Ākonga should be aware of this conversation and learn how to take an active part in it. In this way, ākonga will develop the metacognitive skills to communicate with confidence in their unique voice as creators and critics.
'Texts' refer to written, verbal, visual, and multi-modal texts. Literary texts are the domain of the English Learning Area and will be studied along with a range of other text types and genres.
Literature, language, and texts embody power relationships
Language is not neutral. All uses of it (including our own) involve power, and texts are often shaped according to social and political interests. As ākonga learn to deconstruct and critically interrogate texts, they will understand the power that language has to shape their own and others’ lives. They will learn about the gaps in literature and identify omissions and privileges in the texts with which they interact.
There is a conversation between the reader, the text creator and the text itself which is specific to each reader and creator. Ākonga should be aware of this conversation and learn how to take an active part in it. In this way, ākonga will develop the metacognitive skills to communicate with confidence in their unique voice as creators and critics.
'Texts' refer to written, verbal, visual, and multi-modal texts. Literary texts are the domain of the English Learning Area and will be studied along with a range of other text types and genres.
Key Competencies in English
Thinking
Students of English will:
- bring creative processes to the creation of oral, visual, and written text, as well as in the creation of new ideas and insights in response to oral, visual, and written text
- use critical processes to understand and infer meaning, and to recognise how writers position an audience for a purpose. They will learn to question sources, perspectives, and representation
- use critical processes to reflect on their work as they make deliberate language choices and to ‘look beyond’ the text and make connections
- use meta-cognitive processes as they read and create increasingly sophisticated texts. They are able to reflect on and use a range of strategies to make and create meaning.
Using language, symbols, and text
Students of English will:
- develop their ability to make meaning of written, visual, and oral language with control. They will make deliberate choices in the crafting and editing of visual, oral, and written texts
- learn how language changes and how it is used differently according to purpose and audience
- recognise conventions of text types and learn how lexical choice, sound, form, structure, figurative, and literal language can create sensual, perceptual, cognitive, and affective responses.
Relating to others
Students of English will:
- understand how to use language with control to express developed ideas for different purposes and audiences
- understand how writers make language choices to relate to specific audiences for a particular purpose.
Managing self
Students of English will:
- become capable learners as they develop self-efficacy and confidence to use meta-cognitive processes
- understand and use English processes and strategies
- make increasingly appropriate selection and application of language, symbols, and text
- respond to and use feedback and critique.
Participating and contributing
Students of English will:
- be actively involved in communities through their ability to use oral, visual, and written language to participate in discussion and discourse
- participate as readers in the world of ideas, developing their own viewpoints and positions to contribute from an informed position.
Key Competencies
This section of The New Zealand Curriculum Online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Thinking
Students of English will:
- bring creative processes to the creation of oral, visual, and written text, as well as in the creation of new ideas and insights in response to oral, visual, and written text
- use critical processes to understand and infer meaning, and to recognise how writers position an audience for a purpose. They will learn to question sources, perspectives, and representation
- use critical processes to reflect on their work as they make deliberate language choices and to ‘look beyond’ the text and make connections
- use meta-cognitive processes as they read and create increasingly sophisticated texts. They are able to reflect on and use a range of strategies to make and create meaning.
Using language, symbols, and text
Students of English will:
- develop their ability to make meaning of written, visual, and oral language with control. They will make deliberate choices in the crafting and editing of visual, oral, and written texts
- learn how language changes and how it is used differently according to purpose and audience
- recognise conventions of text types and learn how lexical choice, sound, form, structure, figurative, and literal language can create sensual, perceptual, cognitive, and affective responses.
Relating to others
Students of English will:
- understand how to use language with control to express developed ideas for different purposes and audiences
- understand how writers make language choices to relate to specific audiences for a particular purpose.
Managing self
Students of English will:
- become capable learners as they develop self-efficacy and confidence to use meta-cognitive processes
- understand and use English processes and strategies
- make increasingly appropriate selection and application of language, symbols, and text
- respond to and use feedback and critique.
Participating and contributing
Students of English will:
- be actively involved in communities through their ability to use oral, visual, and written language to participate in discussion and discourse
- participate as readers in the world of ideas, developing their own viewpoints and positions to contribute from an informed position.
Key Competencies
This section of The New Zealand Curriculum Online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Connections
Connections with other subjects
English has particularly close links with subjects such as Media Studies, Drama, History, Languages, and Art History, but it also links to all subject areas because the skills that ākonga acquire in English are universally useful and applicable. This is because:
- all ākonga need certain literacy and language knowledge, skills, and attitudes to meet the reading and writing demands of the curriculum. Reading and writing, listening and speaking, and viewing and presenting are required tools in every curriculum area. Literacy in English is therefore a crucial factor in student success
- all Learning Areas depend on ākonga being able to understand, respond to, and use a variety of written, oral and visual language to think about, locate, interpret, and evaluate ideas and information and to communicate with others. The Key Competencies similarly depend on these skills for their development
- the critical thinking and analytical skills developed in English are important in all areas of the curriculum
- English plays a major role in developing the Key Competencies and values that are also of benefit in other subjects.
The four aspects in English (purposes and audiences, ideas, language features, and structure) can also be a way of embedding literacy in all senior subjects.
“As language is central to learning and English is the medium for most learning in The New Zealand Curriculum, the importance of literacy in English cannot be overstated.” The New Zealand Curriculum
Connections beyond the classroom
English learning extends well beyond the classroom. Most schools provide opportunities for ākonga to get involved and be part of:
- school productions
- debating clubs
- book clubs
- writing clubs
- school newspaper
- school magazine.
Many schools provide opportunities for ākonga to participate in competitive activities such as:
- Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival
- debating competitions
- poetry and short story competitions
- Ngā Manu Kōrero (English and te reo Māori oral speaking)
- Pacific festivals now often include regional speech and drama performances.
Connections with other subjects
English has particularly close links with subjects such as Media Studies, Drama, History, Languages, and Art History, but it also links to all subject areas because the skills that ākonga acquire in English are universally useful and applicable. This is because:
- all ākonga need certain literacy and language knowledge, skills, and attitudes to meet the reading and writing demands of the curriculum. Reading and writing, listening and speaking, and viewing and presenting are required tools in every curriculum area. Literacy in English is therefore a crucial factor in student success
- all Learning Areas depend on ākonga being able to understand, respond to, and use a variety of written, oral and visual language to think about, locate, interpret, and evaluate ideas and information and to communicate with others. The Key Competencies similarly depend on these skills for their development
- the critical thinking and analytical skills developed in English are important in all areas of the curriculum
- English plays a major role in developing the Key Competencies and values that are also of benefit in other subjects.
The four aspects in English (purposes and audiences, ideas, language features, and structure) can also be a way of embedding literacy in all senior subjects.
“As language is central to learning and English is the medium for most learning in The New Zealand Curriculum, the importance of literacy in English cannot be overstated.” The New Zealand Curriculum
Connections beyond the classroom
English learning extends well beyond the classroom. Most schools provide opportunities for ākonga to get involved and be part of:
- school productions
- debating clubs
- book clubs
- writing clubs
- school newspaper
- school magazine.
Many schools provide opportunities for ākonga to participate in competitive activities such as:
- Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival
- debating competitions
- poetry and short story competitions
- Ngā Manu Kōrero (English and te reo Māori oral speaking)
- Pacific festivals now often include regional speech and drama performances.
Learning Pathway
Learning pathways
- School
- Tertiary
- Learning for life and the world of work
At school
Through English, ākonga can develop the literacy, communication, and interpersonal skills they need to access learning in other subjects and contexts. Studying English also develops the critical thinking and analytical skills that are valued in all subjects and in many occupations.
Ākonga say:
- “By studying English, I will use my skills to create well-structured pieces of writing.”
- “English is like a stepping-stone in your life, a basic thing you need to have, in order to survive the world after school.”
At tertiary level
Studying English is important preparation for tertiary study, on-the-job training and for life-long learning. English is foundational to numerous tertiary programmes and learning and professional development in work contexts. Studies in English can enhance career options. Many tertiary courses and occupations, including those in the Health Sciences, require proficiency in English.
Ākonga say:
- “I’m getting A's in Geography at Victoria and one of the main reasons is that I learned how to structure a university level essay in Year 13 English.”
- “The best preparation I had for study was the reading and thinking I did when doing my Year 13 research, not to mention that I learned how to do referencing properly.”
Learning for life and the world of work
To make the most of their life, learning, and work opportunities, ākonga need to become effective oral, written, and visual communicators with the capacity to think critically and in depth.
Literacy in English gives ākonga access to the understandings, knowledge, and skills required for full participation in social, cultural, political, and economic life.
Studying English enhances employability. According to Business New Zealand, the single most important attribute valued by employers is the ability to communicate effectively. See: Careers NZ: The skills most valued by employers.
Further information and guidance around vocational pathways can be found at: http://youthguarantee.education.govt.nz/
The study of English can open up all kinds of opportunities, occupations, interests, activities, and explorations. Every time a person engages in any of the following, for example, they are putting into action what they learned in English:
- reading online, or a book, magazine, or newspaper
- creating a tailored and convincing job application based on a position description
- interviewing for a job
- giving a presentation
- writing a CV and cover letter
- interpersonal skills such as active listening, writing an email, or blog
- forming and expressing an opinion
- considering issues from a range of perspectives
- developing research skills such finding, referencing, and discerning the sources information
- speaking at a gathering on behalf of whānau or yourself in an ao Māori context such as at a tangihanga, wedding, or graduation
- creating an internet document
- devising a set of instructions
- discussing why you like a particular play, novel, or film.
Learning pathways
- School
- Tertiary
- Learning for life and the world of work
At school
Through English, ākonga can develop the literacy, communication, and interpersonal skills they need to access learning in other subjects and contexts. Studying English also develops the critical thinking and analytical skills that are valued in all subjects and in many occupations.
Ākonga say:
- “By studying English, I will use my skills to create well-structured pieces of writing.”
- “English is like a stepping-stone in your life, a basic thing you need to have, in order to survive the world after school.”
At tertiary level
Studying English is important preparation for tertiary study, on-the-job training and for life-long learning. English is foundational to numerous tertiary programmes and learning and professional development in work contexts. Studies in English can enhance career options. Many tertiary courses and occupations, including those in the Health Sciences, require proficiency in English.
Ākonga say:
- “I’m getting A's in Geography at Victoria and one of the main reasons is that I learned how to structure a university level essay in Year 13 English.”
- “The best preparation I had for study was the reading and thinking I did when doing my Year 13 research, not to mention that I learned how to do referencing properly.”
Learning for life and the world of work
To make the most of their life, learning, and work opportunities, ākonga need to become effective oral, written, and visual communicators with the capacity to think critically and in depth.
Literacy in English gives ākonga access to the understandings, knowledge, and skills required for full participation in social, cultural, political, and economic life.
Studying English enhances employability. According to Business New Zealand, the single most important attribute valued by employers is the ability to communicate effectively. See: Careers NZ: The skills most valued by employers.
Further information and guidance around vocational pathways can be found at: http://youthguarantee.education.govt.nz/
The study of English can open up all kinds of opportunities, occupations, interests, activities, and explorations. Every time a person engages in any of the following, for example, they are putting into action what they learned in English:
- reading online, or a book, magazine, or newspaper
- creating a tailored and convincing job application based on a position description
- interviewing for a job
- giving a presentation
- writing a CV and cover letter
- interpersonal skills such as active listening, writing an email, or blog
- forming and expressing an opinion
- considering issues from a range of perspectives
- developing research skills such finding, referencing, and discerning the sources information
- speaking at a gathering on behalf of whānau or yourself in an ao Māori context such as at a tangihanga, wedding, or graduation
- creating an internet document
- devising a set of instructions
- discussing why you like a particular play, novel, or film.
Introduction to Sample Course Outlines
Sample Course Outlines are being produced to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning and Assessment Matrices. Examples of how a year-long English course could be constructed using the new Learning and Assessment Matrices are provided here. They are indicative only and do not mandate any particular context or approach.
Sample Course Outlines are being produced to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning and Assessment Matrices. Examples of how a year-long English course could be constructed using the new Learning and Assessment Matrices are provided here. They are indicative only and do not mandate any particular context or approach.
Assessment Matrix
Conditions of Assessment for internally assessed standards
These Conditions provide guidelines for assessment against internally assessed Achievement Standards. Guidance is provided on:
- specific requirements for all assessments against this Achievement Standard
- appropriate ways of, and conditions for, gathering evidence
- ensuring that evidence is authentic.
Assessors must be familiar with guidance on assessment practice in learning centres, including enforcing timeframes and deadlines. The NZQA website offers resources that would be useful to read in conjunction with these Conditions of Assessment.
The learning centre’s Assessment Policy and Conditions of Assessment must be consistent with NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess. This link includes guidance for managing internal moderation and the collection of evidence.
Gathering Evidence
Internal assessment provides considerable flexibility in the collection of evidence. Evidence can be collected in different ways to suit a range of teaching and learning styles, and a range of contexts of teaching and learning. Care needs to be taken to allow students opportunities to present their best evidence against the Achievement Standard(s) that are free from unnecessary constraints.
It is recommended that the design of assessment reflects and reinforces the ways students have been learning. Collection of evidence for the internally assessed Achievement Standards could include, but is not restricted to, an extended task, an investigation, digital evidence (such as recorded interviews, blogs, photographs, or film), or a portfolio of evidence.
A separate assessment event is not needed for each Standard. Often assessment can be integrated into one activity that collects evidence towards two or three different Standards from a programme of learning. Evidence can also be collected over time from a range of linked activities (for example, in a portfolio).
Effective assessment should suit the nature of the learning being assessed, provide opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students, and be valid and fair.
Ensuring Authenticity of Evidence
Authenticity of student evidence needs to be assured regardless of the method of collecting evidence. This must be in line with the learning centre’s policy and NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess.
Ensure that the student’s evidence is individually identifiable and represents the student’s own work. This includes evidence submitted as part of a group assessment and evidence produced outside of class time or assessor supervision. For example, an investigation carried out over several sessions could include assessor observations, meeting with the student at a set milestone, or students' use of a journal or photographic entries to record progress.
These Conditions provide guidelines for assessment against internally assessed Achievement Standards. Guidance is provided on:
- specific requirements for all assessments against this Achievement Standard
- appropriate ways of, and conditions for, gathering evidence
- ensuring that evidence is authentic.
Assessors must be familiar with guidance on assessment practice in learning centres, including enforcing timeframes and deadlines. The NZQA website offers resources that would be useful to read in conjunction with these Conditions of Assessment.
The learning centre’s Assessment Policy and Conditions of Assessment must be consistent with NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess. This link includes guidance for managing internal moderation and the collection of evidence.
Gathering Evidence
Internal assessment provides considerable flexibility in the collection of evidence. Evidence can be collected in different ways to suit a range of teaching and learning styles, and a range of contexts of teaching and learning. Care needs to be taken to allow students opportunities to present their best evidence against the Achievement Standard(s) that are free from unnecessary constraints.
It is recommended that the design of assessment reflects and reinforces the ways students have been learning. Collection of evidence for the internally assessed Achievement Standards could include, but is not restricted to, an extended task, an investigation, digital evidence (such as recorded interviews, blogs, photographs, or film), or a portfolio of evidence.
A separate assessment event is not needed for each Standard. Often assessment can be integrated into one activity that collects evidence towards two or three different Standards from a programme of learning. Evidence can also be collected over time from a range of linked activities (for example, in a portfolio).
Effective assessment should suit the nature of the learning being assessed, provide opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students, and be valid and fair.
Ensuring Authenticity of Evidence
Authenticity of student evidence needs to be assured regardless of the method of collecting evidence. This must be in line with the learning centre’s policy and NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess.
Ensure that the student’s evidence is individually identifiable and represents the student’s own work. This includes evidence submitted as part of a group assessment and evidence produced outside of class time or assessor supervision. For example, an investigation carried out over several sessions could include assessor observations, meeting with the student at a set milestone, or students' use of a journal or photographic entries to record progress.
Students may work on this Achievement Standard both in class and at home. The final presentation of evidence must be completed with appropriate assessor supervision to ensure authenticity.
Students are required to submit either a transcription of the context they have used for this assessment (being aware of any cultural protocols or sensitivities) or a link to the source material (text) they are using for the Achievement Standard with their work.
Assessors should use their discretion when considering the appropriateness of the context the students will be using and whether there are any cultural or personal safety issues that could arise during the assessment.
Assessors should check that the context and text types (when appropriate) chosen by students provide sufficient verbal language, at an appropriate level.
Assessor involvement during the assessment event is limited to feedback that consists of broad guiding statements. For example, "what further examples could you provide as evidence, and where is the best place for them?" Feedback should avoid correction of specific details.
Word and time limits in the Assessment Activities are indicative only. It is expected that students should be able to meet the Standard within these limits, but professional judgement should apply.
Text types could include extended texts, short texts, poems, song lyrics, graphic novels, short films, films, podcasts, etc. Assessors should check that the text choice will allow students to respond with appropriate depth. Texts should be age appropriate, ie not inclusive of films that are R16.
Assessor involvement during the assessment event is limited to feedback that consists of broad guiding statements. Feedback should avoid correction of specific details.
Word and time limits in the Assessment Activities are indicative only. It is expected that students should be able to meet the Standard within these limits, but professional judgement should apply.
Students will be assessed on the quality of their response, not the presentation of the response.