South Australian Curriculum Framework - Essay Example

South Australian Curriculum Framework (SACSA). ESL learner views Table of contents Introduction. 2. The document key aspects of languages education. 3. The learning-and-teaching context of the document. 4. Conclusion. 1. The main purpose of this paper is critical evaluation of the South Australian Curriculum Framework (SACSA) with the help of "R-10 English Teaching Resource" document at the view of ESL learner. The key aspects of languages education reflected in the document will be considered. There are some problems pointed out in this paper. The first one is: what is the ESL view of the document analyzed The second one is: are there any mismatches in the document from the ESL point of view The third is: how does the curriculum document combine with the ESL teaching and learning context The analysis of "R-10 English Teaching Resource" document is especially interesting from the view of an ESL learner as there are some mismatches in this particular part. The key decision makers about these mismatches are teachers who critically evaluate the document and make correct decisions on further teaching and learning development: "Thus, the teacher can learn the purpose of their learning a language, their favorite / least favorite kinds of class activities, and the reason why they learn a language" (Hismanoglu, 2000). The mismatches often result from the lack of cultural and sociological context knowledge of ESL learners, and teachers as the main decision makers should pay appropriate attention to it: "Language is culture. When a person decides to learn French, for example, he or she is not merely absorbing the linguistics of the language, but everything to do with French and France" (Tang, 1999). There are some key-point factors shaping the curriculum in the context. The first one is critical analysis of texts - it is a very important part of working at texts and allows understanding contexts. The second one is convenient modes sectioning of the curriculum document. This curriculum shaping factor allows learners to study English in complex and divide learning process into appropriate parts. The third one: the document "provides examples of content at particular levels, while not constraining the possibilities to these examples" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). Appropriate skills and knowledge levels shape the learning context of the curriculum by further language skills improvement practice of learners, and this process is well reflected in the document. The critical analysis of the document allows viewing it from different sides - it is rather useful for making appropriate decisions for improving the English language curriculum for ESL students not only in South Australia, but also in other regions and countries. The document key aspects of languages education is the first item to be observed. The focus age group is 7 - 17 years old learners of primary schools, including ESL learners of the same age. The main ESL context of the document is connected with the learners' work on texts, their structure, analysis and their cultural context. So, the document provides such learning context for ESL learners. It has a variety of different learning activities relevant to ESL learning context, as will be indicated below. 2. The purpose of the document "R-10 English Teaching Resource" is help for teachers in SACSA Framework application in teaching and learning process: "These resources are designed to support teachers to engage further with the SACSA Framework and work towards maximising students' achievement. They arise from the need expressed by many teachers for the requirements of the SACSA Framework to be made more explicit for each year level" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). The targeted group to use the document is a group of teachers who want to develop their personal teaching and learning programs. The document has concept maps which underline basic items concerning listening, speaking, reading, viewing and writing. "R-10 English Teaching Resource" document also divides the process of teaching and learning into parts reflecting the stages of learning. The document consists of the following learning age sections: Early Years (R-2), Primary Years (3-5), Middle Years (6-8), Middle-Senior Years (8-10). The document also has the list of alphabetical glossary which contains the key-point terms which are very important in the program. The first stage (Early Years) concentrates on the following items. A learner "uses strategies for listening attentively to ideas and opinions in a range of spoken texts" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). It means that learners share their ideas concerning the texts and express their own ideas about the contents of the material read. So, they train to discuss common situations - it is very important for developing the main language speaking skills. ESL learners have a very interesting opportunity to compare their native spoken language strategies with the English one. Reading and viewing stage assumes that a learner "reads and views a range of texts containing familiar topics and language and predictable text structures and illustrations and recognises the ways that texts are constructed to represent real and imaginary experiences" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). So, a learner gets skills of texts main ideas allocation and the understanding of semantic structures of sentences; learners also try to express their own ideas connected with the texts contains. They also discuss the main written images; compare them with their own experience; talk about the texts reading strategies. Primary Years students are learnt to "use strategies for listening attentively to ideas, information and viewpoints in a range of spoken texts" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). They learn the skills of information summarizing. This point is extremely important, especially for ESL students who try to develop their communicative skills. Reading and viewing step proposes the learning of different types of poems, visual information. ESL students can develop their skills of the text analysis and different topics knowledge. They discuss multimedia texts features and learn to ask questions while reading texts on unfamiliar topics that is very important for their communicative skills. Learners also get skills of writing different types of letters (practice shows that this kind of writing activity is especially interesting for students), including writing reports on different topics. It can be not easy for ESL learners because of some vocabulary difficulties. Students also learn to collect appropriate information for their writing reports. During the Middle and Middle-Senior Years a learner "produces a range of spoken texts about topics, events and more complex issues of personal, community and global interest, and adjusts speaking for a wide range of audiences" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). ESL students have sometimes their personal vision of events and global interests according to their cultures, so a teacher should pay appropriate attention to these features. Students also should understand constructions of different texts and express their communicative skills with the help of body language and gestures. They read different thematic texts and share their opinion with each other about the content of the texts. Especial attention is paid to the correct use of punctuation and grammar rules. Students also write poems about characters, and their own articles concerning determined topics and themes. They work together combining both individual and collective work. That was description of the main issues and language skills described in the "R-10 English Teaching Resource" document. 3. It is interesting to analyze the "R-10 English Teaching Resource" document in learning-and-teaching context and view some mismatches for ESL learners. Special attention must be paid to the cultural context and previous language experience of ESL learners. A student, including ESL, "listens to and experiments with rhyme, rhythm and word play to create chants, poems and rhymes" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). There is a mismatch. It would be rather difficult for ESL learners to analyze rhyme, rhythm and word play of English poems and verses as they could not be able to know specific linguistic context of English poems. A teacher should firstly learn them appropriate vocabulary and speaking skills through intensive reading and retelling different texts of various topics and themes. The teaching and learning context assumes that a teacher pays appropriate attention to the cultural context of the texts and topics: "My instinct as a teacher was to use the material close to the cultural reality both my students and I were trying to embrace" (Lvovich, 2000). According to the document, a learner should "understand that different kinds of Australian English may be used in different contexts (eg home language, school language, playground language)" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). The mismatch for an ESL learner: cultural context of ESL learning provides appropriate cultural skills development for better understanding of different situations (home, school, playground and others). A learner realizes the key-point differences between Great Britain English and Australian English and different types of Australian English application. A student "talks about television programs, films and advertisements in relation to own experience" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). An ESL learner compares Australian English television programs, films and advertisements with those are spread in his own culture, outline similarities and differences, try to learn Australian English with the help of cultural understanding of Australia and its specifics. A teacher takes into account that some significant learning skills, such as computer literacy, using electronic, media, library resources are already familiar to an ESL learner. According to the document, a student should "demonstrate understanding of one-to-one correspondence between spoken and written words (eg points to each word, or says a word as a teacher points to each written word of a big book)" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). The learning context shows that it can be difficult for him as his first language influences his correspondence skills between spoken and written English words. English has many writing and spelling features for an ESL learner, so a teacher pays appropriate attention to it. A learner should also "construct some poetry forms with the teacher modelling the language and structure (eg acrostic, cinquain, tongue twisters using alliteration)" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). The learning context shows that it is not easy for an ESL learner to construct their own poetry forms as the language and structure of English differ from other languages, and a teacher should explain it to an ESL learner. In general, exercises with poetry are interesting for learners, but an ESL learner must realize all the features of the English poetry. He also should understand all grammar and punctuation differences between English and his first language. A student "listens to jokes, puzzles, rhymes, funny stories and word plays" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). The mismatch here: an ESL learner would hardly understand Australian English jokes, puzzles, rhymes, funny stories and word plays without knowing cultural context. He must understand their sense and meaning. Otherwise this stage of learning wouldn't be interesting to him. He also should "recognise the purposes and language of different types of media programs (eg television, radio)" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). This kind of mismatch for an ESL student is rather common in the document. The teaching and learning context shows that an ESL student learns Australian English through cultural context of Australia and its reality; otherwise it would be difficult for him to understand correctly the purposes and language of some television and radio programs as they have cultural and traditional features: "According to Fantini (1997:5) " language reflects and affects culture". Both are human constructs and a dynamic relation exists between the two" (Rees, 2002). According to the document, a student during his process of learning "comments on incidents from a children's film with attention to plot elements, such as setting, character, conflict and resolution" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). The teaching and learning context also shows that for an ESL learner some settings and characters of the film are difficult to understand appropriately and according to the cultural context of Australia. He also should "identify and analyze, with greater independence, ideas, values and beliefs about abilities, gender, race and culture embedded in texts" (R-10 English Teaching Resource). The mismatch for an ESL learner here is also connected with the cultural context of ESL learners. Their values and beliefs about abilities, gender, race and culture are linked with their personal cultural and language experiences. So, it would take more time for an ESL learner to get such skills. These are the main mismatches of the document from an ESL learner point of view. According to these mismatches, the curriculum must be presented for achieving SACSA goals relevant to ESL learners. In their learning process, they should develop such skills as "the ability to draw on a wide range of language elements and non-verbal ways of communicating; an understanding of the cultural references in texts-the references to other texts or cultural events or significant persons; an understanding of context, the variables of context and the relationships between context and text" (English as a second language). 4. The document "R-10 English Teaching Resource" is very effective instrument for teachers for their teaching skills perfection. From the view of an ESL learner it has some mismatches indicated above, but in spite of that the document is very useful in context of ESL learning and teaching process. It has full description of activities and skills needed for teaching and learning. With my own beliefs, it needs to pay more attention to the ESL learners' adaptation to the relevant curriculum working with the mismatches indicated above. A teacher must emphasize learners' work with texts on different topics and explain them cultural and sociological contexts of the texts and relevant topics, because the mismatches are mostly connected with the cultural context: "Language itself is already culture, and therefore it is something of a moot point to talk about the inclusion or exclusion of culture in a foreign language curriculum" (Tang, 1999). The main purpose of a teacher is critical evaluation of the document and making appropriate decisions concerning determined teaching context and increasing teaching and learning knowledge. Sources Australian Indigenous Languages. South Australia's Curriculum Portal. (http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/curric/pages/languages/indigenous/) English as a second language. South Australian Curriculum, Standards and Accountability Framework. (http://lexised.com/pdf/ESL_S&S_SeniorYearsBand.pdf) Fremont-Elisabeth City High School. 2003 Course handbook. Draft. (http://www.fechshs.sa.edu.au/handbooks/Year8.doc) General introduction to ESL. South Australia's Curriculum Portal. (http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/curric/pages/ESL/10911/) Hismanoglu M. Language Learning Strategies in Foreign Language Learning and Teaching. Hacettepe University (Ankara, Turkey, 2000). (http://iteslj.org/Articles/Hismanoglu-Strategies.html) Leaders' Activity Pack. Updated from the SACSA Framework Trialing Draft. (DRAFT UPDATE FEBRUARY 2001) (http://www.sacsa.sa.edu.au/sacsa/ProfDevLeaders/content/professional_dev/activity_pack.html) Leah Bigley / Staff Writer. ESL students try to adjust to life and school in U.S. (2000). (http://www.bakeru.edu/orangeline/archive/archivesfolder/2000-2001%20archives/09-22-00/9-22%20news/ESL.html) Lvovich N. Becoming a Cultural Insider: How Holidays Can Help ESL Students' Acculturation and Language Learning. (Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York (USA), 2000). (http://iteslj.org/Articles/Lvovich-Cultural_Insider.html) McKenna M. Coping with Problems Caused by Stereotypes in Japan. (Nagasaki Junshin University (Nagasaki, Japan), 1999). (http://iteslj.org/Articles/McKenna-Stereotypes.html) Newsletter issue 4, April, 2000. Research Centre for Languages and Cultures Education newsletter for 2000. (http://www.unisa.edu.au/rclce/newsletters/newsletter4_april_2000.htm) R-10 English Teaching Resource. SACSA Companion Document Series. The State of South Australia, Department of Education and Children's Services (2004). (http://www.sacsa.sa.edu.au/index_fsrc.aspt=Home) Rees D. K. Facing Up to Stereotypes in the Second Language Classroom. (Universidade Federal de Gois (Goinia, Brazil), 2002). (http://iteslj.org/Articles/Rees-Stereotypes.html) Smith H. New Ways of Studying Fluency in English. (Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia, USA, 1999). (http://iteslj.org/Articles/Smith-Fluency.html) Snell J. Improving Teacher-Student Interaction in the EFL Classroom: An Action Research Report. (Toyo Women's College (Tokyo, Japan), 1999). (http://iteslj.org/Articles/Snell-Interaction.html) Tang R. The Place of "Culture" in the Foreign Language Classroom: A Reflection. (National University of Singapore, 1999). (http://iteslj.org/Articles/Tang-Culture.html) Read More