Course overview
Course requirements
Implementation of the Modern Languages K–10 Syllabus is optional in Kindergarten to Year 6.
Mandatory study of 100 hours in one language is completed in Years 7–10 but preferably in Years 7–8, over one continuous 12-month period. However, students may commence their study of a language at any point along the K–10 continuum.
Course numbers:
| Course name | 200-hour | 100-hour | 200-hour Life Skills | 100-hour Life Skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic | 800 | 801 | 806 | 805 |
| Armenian | 694 | 695 | 696 | 697 |
| Assyrian | 730 | 731 | 732 | 733 |
| Bosnian | 698 | 699 | 700 | 701 |
| Chinese | 810 | 811 | 815 | 816 |
| Croatian | 702 | 703 | 704 | 705 |
| Filipino | 722 | 723 | 724 | 725 |
| French | 870 | 871 | 875 | 876 |
| General | 862 | 863 | 864 | 865 |
| German | 880 | 881 | 886 | 885 |
| Modern Hebrew | 890 | 891 | 894 | 895 |
| Hindi | 63141 | 63140 | 898 | 899 |
| Indonesian | 910 | 911 | 916 | 915 |
| Italian | 920 | 921 | 926 | 925 |
| Japanese | 930 | 931 | 935 | 936 |
| Korean | 940 | 941 | 946 | 945 |
| Khmer | 706 | 707 | 708 | 709 |
| Macedonian | 981 | 982 | 983 | 984 |
| Modern Greek | 990 | 991 | 996 | 995 |
| Persian | 63251 | 63250 | 998 | 999 |
| Polish | 710 | 711 | 712 | 713 |
| Portuguese | 714 | 715 | 716 | 717 |
| Punjabi | 63299 | 63298 | 1005 | 1006 |
| Russian | 1010 | 1011 | 1014 | 1015 |
| Serbian | 718 | 719 | 720 | 721 |
| Spanish | 1040 | 1041 | 1045 | 1046 |
| Tamil | 63303 | 63302 | 1047 | 1048 |
| Thai | 726 | 727 | 728 | 729 |
| Turkish | 1050 | 1051 | 1056 | 1055 |
| Vietnamese | 1071 | 1072 | 1077 | 1076 |
Languages (Stage 5 Mandatory): 4070
Exclusions: Students may not access Life Skills outcomes and other outcomes from the same subject.
Organisation of Modern Languages K–10
The diagram (Figure 1) is an overview of the Modern Languages K–10 Syllabus. It shows that:
- communication is the central goal in language learning
- the 3 focus areas are interacting, understanding texts and creating texts
- knowledge of language systems is applied in all focus areas and is an essential part of communication
- intercultural capability is the capacity to exchange, understand and create meaning between people and across languages and cultures and is developed in all focus areas.
Image long description: The diagram shows 'Communication' encompassing the focus areas of Interacting, Understanding texts and Creating texts. Below the 3 focus areas are the headings 'Applying knowledge of language systems' and 'Developing intercultural capability'.
Access content points
Access content points have been developed to support students with significant intellectual disability who are working towards Early Stage 1 outcomes. These students may communicate using verbal and/or nonverbal forms.
For each of the Early Stage 1 outcomes, access content points are provided to indicate content that students with significant intellectual disability may access as they work towards the outcomes. Teachers will use the access content points on their own, or in combination with the content for each outcome. If students are able to access outcomes in the syllabus they should not require the access content points.
Life Skills outcomes and content
Students with disability can access the syllabus outcomes and content in a range of ways. Decisions regarding curriculum options should be made in the context of collaborative curriculum planning.
Some students with intellectual disability may find the Years 7–10 Life Skills outcomes and content the most appropriate option to follow in Stage 4 and/or Stage 5. Before determining whether a student is eligible to undertake a course based on Life Skills outcomes and content, consideration should be given to other ways of assisting the student to engage with the Stage 4 and/or Stage 5 outcomes, or prior stage outcomes if appropriate. This assistance may include a range of adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment activities.
Life Skills outcomes cannot be taught in combination with other outcomes from the same subject. Teachers select specific Life Skills outcomes to teach based on the needs, strengths, goals, interests and prior learning of each student. Students are required to demonstrate achievement of one or more Life Skills outcomes.
Balance of content
The amount of content associated with a given outcome is not necessarily indicative of the amount of time spent engaging with the respective outcome. Teachers use formative and summative assessment to determine instructional priorities and the time needed for students to demonstrate expected outcomes.
The content groups are not intended to be hierarchical. They describe in more detail how the outcomes are to be interpreted and demonstrated, and the intended learning appropriate for the stage. In considering the intended learning, teachers make decisions about the sequence and emphasis to be given to particular groups of content based on the needs and abilities of their students.
Syllabus framework
The Modern Languages K–10 Syllabus is organised as a framework that can be used to teach any modern language in New South Wales. A modern language refers to any language that is currently in use. There are separate syllabuses for Aboriginal Languages, Auslan and Classical Languages.
Macro skills
There are 4 macro skills, also known as language modes: listening, speaking, reading and writing. They are related to focus areas as shown in the table below.
| Focus Area | Macro skills | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Speaking | Reading | Writing | |
| Interacting | ||||
| Understanding texts* | ||||
| Creating texts |
* The response to texts can be in the target language or English.
For some students with disability, teachers will need to consider appropriate adjustments to speaking, listening, reading, writing and communication experiences in the context of the Modern Languages K–10 Syllabus.
Representation of language systems and culture
The syllabus content is organised to show that knowledge of language systems and culture is required to communicate across all 3 focus areas as shown in the table below.
| Focus Area | Language systems | Culture | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound system | Vocabulary | Grammatical system | Writing system* | ||
| Interacting | |||||
| Understanding texts | |||||
| Creating texts |
* It is the intention of the syllabus that spoken interactions are prioritised; however, written interactions can occur where appropriate.
Learner proficiency
Students come to the learning of languages with diverse linguistic and cultural profiles. This may include a heritage in a particular language and/or a range of prior language experiences, either in the target language or another language.
Proficiency levels recognise what the student can do in the target language. Examples have been provided for each stage to support students learning the language at Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels, where relevant.