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Primary Matters September 1996

Primary Matters September 1996

From Board Bulletin, Vol 5, No. 7 September 1996

K-6 projects in progress at the Board of Studies

English K-6 Review

The first report (Report A) on the review of the English K-6 Syllabus was presented to the Board on August 6. The focus of this report was on the key findings of the Review Committee based on an investigation of the experience of schools in using the English K-6 Syllabus and Support Document. The major findings from this report concern such issues as:

the number and nature of the outcomes
the delineation of content
the scope and sequence of content
ways in which the functional approach to language is being understood and used in schools
the place and scope of grammar in learning and teaching, along with its associated concepts and terminology
the size, organisation, layout, design, and language of the syllabus and support document
planning, programming, assessing and reporting
support documents for teachers and parents
the 'load of newness' in the syllabus (the extent to which the syllabus was the prime vehicle for the introduction of aspects of teaching and learning in addition to English).

Report B will draw on the findings of the Review Committee, propose solutions to the issues identified in the first report, and provide advice to the Board about the revision of the existing syllabus leading to a replacement document (due for release in 1998).

Linkages

The Board has approved the development of a project proposal by the Curriculum Integration Working Party aimed at investigating the development of generic outcomes in primary syllabuses and identifying linkages across the Key Learning Areas based on the Board's Guiding Statement on Curriculum Integration. Material developed as a result of the investigation will be made available to schools as part of the Primary Curriculum Package (see 'Primary Matters', p 10 Board Bulletin, Vol 5 No 6, August 1996).

Primary Matters - Information Days

Information days for primary teachers have been held recently on the south coast of NSW (Albion Park, Goulburn, Bega and Queanbeyan) and north-west NSW (Narrabri and Armidale). These information days have been very well received, enabling teachers from country schools to gain insight into the development of primary syllabuses in the Key Learning Areas, to ask questions about the Board's approach to the development of staged outcomes, and to clarify matters regarding the Board's curriculum responsibilities.

Science and Technology K-6

The Board recently endorsed a proposal by the Science & Technology K-6 Syllabus Advisory Committee to undertake a limited evaluation of the Science & Technology K-6 Syllabus by conducting group interviews in forty schools across NSW. These group interviews will be conducted by panels comprising members of the Syllabus Advisory Committee, consultants, officers of the Board and school systems. The interviews will enable the panels to discuss aspects of the Syllabus and Support Document with staff in both government and non-government schools, schools of various sizes, K-12 schools, inner city schools, outer suburban schools and country schools. The interviews will take place over a period of eight weeks during September and October. At the end of the period set aside for the visits, the panel members will draft a summary report of the findings from the consultation. The report will then be sent to the Board's K-6 Curriculum and Assessment Committee and the Board along with recommendations from the Science & Technology K-6 Syllabus Advisory Committee. It is expected that information obtained from the limited evaluation of the syllabus will inform the Board of the degree and type of support required by teachers up until the full evaluation of the syllabus (planned for 1998).

If you would like further information regarding these items or K-6 curriculum matters in general, contact Margaret Malone, Inspector, Primary Education (phone (02) 9927 8199 or fax (02) 9954 9218).