| The
English program, at Cleveland Street Intensive English
High School, aims to give students the skills for their
future success.This is success in our students’ future
lives and future learning. |
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Student
success in life and learning
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Learning
English is very important
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All
our students come from countries where English is NOT
the main language. So all our students are New Arrival
students. Learning English, then, is of great importance
to our students and their parents and communities. Thus,
when students enroll at Cleveland Street Intensive English
High School, they do more periods of English than any
other subject.
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| In
New South Wales schools the subject English is called
English Key learning Area (English KLA). The English Key
Learning Area (KLA) builds essential English language
and cultural "building blocks" for all
students. When students master these language "blocks",
they can use them to "build" successful English
communication. |
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New
South Wales (NSW) High Schools divide students into
three stages.
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Stage 4 is Years 7 and 8 (12 — 14 year olds);
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Stage 5 is Years 9 & 10 (14-16 year olds);
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Stage 6 (16 — 18 year olds).
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Stage
4 = Years 7 & 8
Stage 5 = Years 9 & 10
Stage 6 = Years 11 & 12
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Outcomes
for different Stages
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All
subjects (KLAs) have syllabuses that are the curriculum
framework for all teaching in that subject. These documents
identify Outcomes for Stage 4, Stage 5, and Stage 6
students.
To
"build" skills in English students need the
language and cultural Outcomes in the English KLA syllabus.
So, we refer to these KLA Outcomes when we program,
choose resources, and develop activities for students.
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| The
diagram below shows the 11 Outcome "blocks"
in the English KLA syllabus for Stage 4 students. |
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| Figure
1. English KLA Building Blocks Stage 4 |
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| 1.
Responds to & composes Texts |
2.
A range of processes to respond to & compose
texts |
3.
Technology |
4.
Language forms & features, & structures |
| 5.
Language choices to shape meaning |
6.
Draw on experience, information & ideas to imaginatively
& interpretively respond to & compose texts |
7.
Think critically & interpretively about information,
ideas & arguments to respond to & compose
texts |
8.
Make connections between and among texts |
| 9.
Express views of their broadening world and their
relationships within it |
10.
Identify, consider, & appreciate cultural expression
in text. |
11.
Use, reflect on, and assess individual and collaborative
skills for leaning |
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| Significantly,
English KLA Outcomes have been developed for students
who have been speaking English all their lives. Obviously,
at Cleveland Street Intensive English High School, our
students have not been speaking English all their lives.
So we have selected appropriate English skills
and knowledge descriptors from Stages 4 and 5 of the English
KLA Syllabus for our ESL/English programs. |
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We
have selected appropriate English skills &
knowledge
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We
have selected appropriate English skills &
knowledge
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Stages
1 to 3 of the primary school English Outcomes are focussed
on text types, and the reading, Writing, Listening,
Speaking skills all our students need. So, we have also
identified appropriate Outcomes and descriptors Stages
1 to 3 of the English KLA Syllabus. The building
blocks of this curriculum
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| The
diagram below shows the Outcomes "blocks" in
the English KLA syllabus for Stage 1, 2 and 3 students. |
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| Figure
2. English KLA Building Blocks Stages 1- 3 |
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Talking
and Listening:
Talking
& Listening; Skills & Strategies; Context
& Text; Language Structures & Features.
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Reading:
Reading
& Viewing Texts; Skills & Strategies;
Context & Text; Language Structures &
Features.
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Writing:
Producing
texts; Grammar & Punctuation; Spelling; Context
& Text; Language Structures & Features.
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Another
highly significant document for New Arrivals students
is the Intensive English Program Framework Document
(IEP Curriculum Framework). It has been developed
specifically for New Arrival students. As with all KLAs
in the school, English KLA uses the IEP Curriculum Framework
to:
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program
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assess student progress
•
report on student progress.
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Three
levels:
Preliminary
Ontermediate
Transition
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The
IEP Curriculum Framework identifies English language
learning Outcomes for new Arrival students at four levels:
• Preliminary — students with no/slight
previous English experience
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Intermediate — students after 10 —
20 weeks at the school, or less if they have had good
prior English instruction
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Transition — students after 20 - 30 weeks
at the school, or less if they have had substantial
prior English instruction.
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| IEP
curriculum framework is built around "Text Types".
These are different ways of structuring English speaking
or writing for particular purposes. The Text Types "building
blocks" are illustrated in the diagram below |
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Text
Types for particular purposes
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| Figure
3: Text Type building blocks in the IEP Curriculum Framework |
| Orientation
to Learning |
Simple
Request |
Simple
Transaction |
| Personal
Opinion |
Listen
for simple detail |
Recount |
| Description |
Information
Report |
Procedure |
Narrative |
| Reading
Behaviours |
Explanation |
Poetry |
Review |
Exposition |
| Discussion |
Formatted
Texts |
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Within
each Text Type we provide the essential modelling (examples)
and scaffolding (pointers for how students have to speak,
write and read. Text Types enable us to accelerate English
language acquisition needed for further study at students’
Link Schools. These are the schools students go to after
leaving our High School.
When
we assess and report on, student progress in English
we use the ESL Scales. The diagram below outlines
the four areas of English language acquisition that
are targeted in the ESL Scales.
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| Figure
4. ESL Scales |
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Communication:
How students interact with and communicate in
English
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Language
& Cultural Understanding: Australian society
and culture
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Language
Structures and Features: English Syntax and
Grammar
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| Strategies:
How Students go about Acquiring and using English |
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The
English program integrates the four areas in the ESL
Scales. We enrich our English programs by cross-referencing
the IEP Curriculum Framework to the ESL Scales.
There
are 8 levels of English acquisition described in The
ESL Scales. Level 1 is beginner level. Level 8 is
near native proficiency level.
Students
at Cleveland Street Intensive English High School mostly
start at ESL Scales Level 1 and exit at ESL Scales Levels
3 (and sometimes Level 4).
Reports
on students’ ESL Scales level are sent to their
Link High Schools or TAFE. There students get additional
ESL assistance from the ESL teacher/s to help them further
with their English.
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To
sum up, our English program at Cleveland Street Intensive
English Centre is specifically focussed on students.
Our aim is maximise their life chances in Australia,
an English speaking country. Our aim is improve students’:
• language needs
•
understanding of the Australian culture
•
ability to relate well socially.
Our
English program is outcomes-based. We adapt our teaching
to meet the needs of students. Our English program is
integrated with current syllabus documents and directives.
The specific focus of our English program is the needs
of our students.
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