Wednesday 7 December 2011

First Steps Links to Australian Curriculum!

I received a phone call today from Waggrakine Primary School asking for details of how to access the First Steps documents which link the Australian Curriculum in English and Maths to the First Steps Resource books.

Just in case you haven't seen these fantastic documents - Click on the Learning Area name to access the links below...


How will First Steps 2nd Edition English Resources Support the Implementation of the Australian Curriculum: English?
The Australian Curriculum: English includes content descriptions at each year level in the three strands being language, literature and literacy. These describe the knowledge, concepts skills and processes that teachers are expected to teach and students are expected to learn. The Australian Curriculum does not prescribe approaches to teaching.

First Steps 2nd Edition English resources will help teachers make decisions about instruction and appropriate approaches to teaching, including purposeful activities to achieve the learning outlined within all strands of the Australian Curriculum: English. First Steps resources do not stand in place of the curriculum or a set of standards but can be used as a powerful and practical resource in conjunction with the new Australian Curriculum.
The following pages provide an illustration of the broad links between The Australian Curriculum V1.2 and the First Steps resource texts.
This document will provide guidelines of where you will find support information within the First Steps texts for each of the English Content Descriptors. This includes links to the Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening and Viewing Maps of Development and Resource Books.


How will First Steps 2nd Edition English Resources Support the Implementation of the Australian Curriculum: English?

The Australian Curriculum: English includes content descriptions at each year level in the three strands being language, literature and literacy. These describe the knowledge, concepts skills and processes that teachers are expected to teach and students are expected to learn. The Australian Curriculum does not prescribe approaches to teaching.
First Steps 2nd Edition English resources will help teachers make decisions about instruction and appropriate approaches to teaching, including purposeful activities to achieve the learning outlined within all strands of the Australian Curriculum: English. First Steps resources do not stand in place of the curriculum or a set of standards but can be used as a powerful and practical resource in conjunction with the new Australian Curriculum.
The following pages provide an illustration of the broad links between The Australian Curriculum V1.2 and the First Steps resource texts.
This document will provide guidelines of where you will find support information within the First Steps texts for each of the English Content Descriptors. This includes links to the Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening and Viewing Maps of Development and Resource Books.


:-) So useful!

Tuesday 29 November 2011

Our Fave Planning Template!

Our teachers have been planning with a variety of templates.

This is the latest version.


You will notice the difference between this template and the previous one is the removal of the Achievement Standards section where teachers teased out what knowledge and skills would be at the standard, exceeding the standard and greatly exceeding the standard.
Our school is moving towards an evidence based approach to assessment...more on that in the coming weeks!


Monday 14 November 2011

Classroom Planning Templates

Woodlands Primary School has modified and created some useful planning templates for teachers. 

If you are interested in any of the planning templates - please click the photo for a link to Google Docs where you can download the template by clicking on Download.

1. Australian Curriculum Planning Document - this one has a section for listing Grade Allocations from the previous semester. It also has sections for comparing DoE Expected Standards to the AC Achievement Standards. Below is an explanation sheet and a blank planning sheet.

2.  For Kindergarten and Pre Primary teachers - this planning template makes reference to the Early Years Learning Framework and Foundation Australian Curriculum in English. There are domain based sections.

3.  An alternative classroom planning template for Australian Curriculum English with Strand Links.


Here is an example of a classroom lesson plan. It is aimed at the Year 1 level. The strand is Literature. The Sub Strand is Literature and Context. The text is "David Goes to School" by David Shannon. Pop back to The Woodlands Hub later this week to view teacher usage of this plan!


Sunday 13 November 2011

Whole School Implementation Process

The Woodlands Hub 
Our Whole School Process

Woodlands Primary School began implementing The Australian Curriculum in English from the beginning of 2011.  Yes - it has taken a year for teachers to become comfortable and familiar with the set up and language associated with AC English.  

Please click the photo below to view and download the Powerpoint developed by our school to explain the process we used when starting to implement The Australian Curriculum in English.

Welcome!

Welcome to The Woodlands Hub!  

Our school is a Teacher Development School with the Department of Education in Western Australia. As a TDS we have the opportunity to develop and deliver a range of professional development to support teachers and schools to implement the Australian Curriculum. We can support networks and professional learning communities by sharing curriculum expertise and exemplary teaching and learning practice.  We identify and share strategies and resources to support teachers.

Our Woodlands Hub blog is one of the ways we will be delivering support to colleagues regarding the Australian Curriculum.

Some tips for accessing the information contained in our blog:

  1. You will need to be a follower of our blog to leave comments and ask questions.
  2. You may need to ask your IT support to unblock "www.blogger.com" from the Curriculum Server at school. It should work on the Admin server without unblocking.
  3. Any of the documents can be accessed by clicking the photo and downloading via Google Docs.
  4. Please also feel free to email us with any queries - woodlandsps@hotmail.com
This blog is managed and maintained by the teaching staff at Woodlands Primary School.
We hope you will find useful information both as teachers and administrators.