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NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority

K–10English K–10 Syllabus

Record of changes
Implementation for K–2 from 2023 and 3–10 from 2024
Expand for detailed implementation advice

Content

Stage 2

Understanding and responding to literature
Narrative
  • Describe the interplay of plot, character and setting in different types of narratives

  • Describe how narratives set up expectations using familiar, real and imagined characters, situations and phrases

  • Describe how narrative conventions engage the reader

  • Describe connections between own or shared experiences and those depicted in narratives

  • Identify the purpose and structure of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural narratives

  • Experiment with narrative structures and narrative conventions encountered in literature when creating texts

Characterisation
  • Understand that characterisation refers to the qualities attributed to real and imagined characters, including their personality and emotional attributes

  • Recognise that characters may be identified through familiar, individual or group characteristics

  • Identify how authors use dialogue to convey what characters say and think, and experiment with dialogue when creating texts

  • Describe how a character drives the plot in a narrative

  • Describe how characters invite emotional engagement with literature

  • Describe ways in which characters are represented in literature and experiment with characterisation when creating texts

Imagery, symbol and connotation
  • Recognise imagery and symbols in literature

  • Identify figurative language in literature and how it can influence meaning, and experiment with figurative language when creating texts

  • Describe how words, sounds, images, logos and colour contribute to meaning in literature

  • Recognise how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors use imagery and symbols in texts

Genre
  • Understand that genre refers to texts that are grouped according to purpose, subject matter, form, structure and language choices, and that a type of text can differ in mode and medium

  • Identify different text genres when a text is characterised by more than a single genre

Theme
  • Describe the difference between themes and topics in literature

  • Identify themes in literature, recognising that there may be multiple themes within and between texts

Perspective and context
  • Understand that literature is created by drawing upon personal, social and cultural contexts and perspectives

  • Identify and describe ways in which perspective is represented in literature

  • Identify and discuss the purpose of a text, and its intended audience, mode and medium

  • Understand how context informs the setting within a text, and experiment with setting for different contexts when creating texts

  • Describe how Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander authors use language to build cultural understanding and context

Argument and authority
  • Recognise that an argument is not a dispute but can be a single perspective that is presented or defended

  • Describe the difference between authorship and authority

  • Understand that to control impact and effect authors make intentional choices about language, form and structure

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