English study is mandatory in NSW from Kindergarten to Year 12.
Students learn about the English language through written, spoken and visual texts of increasing complexity as they progress through their schooling.
English study is mandatory in NSW from Year 7 to Year 12. An understanding of the English language is central to how we communicate and essential for intellectual, social and emotional development.
The study of English should develop a love of literature and learning and be challenging and enjoyable. It develops skills to enable students to experiment with ideas and expression, to become active, independent and lifelong learners, to work with each other and to reflect on their learning.
In Year 11 and 12, the study of English is mandatory. Courses offered include:
- English Advanced
- English as an Alternative Language or Dialect (EAL/D)
- English Extension 1
- English Extension 2
- English Life Skills
- English Standard
- English Studies.
About English at Liverpool Girls High School
The English faculty continues to set high standards for our students. Students are encouraged to be critical thinkers and are provided with a varied range of opportunities for learning. The English faculty strives for excellence and improvement in all student learning by continuing to plan, resource and evaluate the Australian curriculum. The faculty has also created a learning wall in Stage 4 to further enhance student understanding of learning intentions and success criteria and how they can be used to further develop their learning and development of their language and literacy skills.
Many opportunities have been provided to students to engage with their learning by participating in co-curricular activities of debating, public speaking, Shakespeare day, creative writing groups and the drama club.
Faculty focus areas
- Continue to plan, evaluate and resource the Australian curriculum.
- Evaluate current assessment practice and ensure all forms of assessment (assessment for, as and of learning) are embedded into practice and articulated in the learning programs.
- Consolidate the skills of Stage 5 and work towards identifying areas of improvement and address these through our practice and redeveloped learning programs.
- Develop a more extensive literacy program that aligns with our current teaching and learning program as a way of explicitly teaching skills that students require.
- Provide a range of co-curricular activities giving students the opportunity to participate and be further engaged in their learning.
- Use Google Apps, Chrome and Google classroom to engage and support student learning in a technological environment.
- Further enhance student and staff use of the learning wall.
Our strategies
- Aligning SMART data with learning programs embedding literacy and numeracy areas for explicit development and focus in student learning.
- Use SMART data to inform the teaching and learning programs.
- Evaluate programs for the Australian Curriculum integration into new syllabuses.
- Create new ways to assess student learning that is efficient and gives students realistic and meaningful feedback about their learning.
- Collaboratively evaluate student assessment materials and collect samples of student work to create exemplars and benchmarks to report student learning.
- Provide mentoring for teachers on the use of technology in the classroom as a valid tool to aid in learning.
- Embed all literacy strategies that have been introduced in the school professional learning programs into all English learning programs.
- Work closely with the 'writer in residence' program and consolidate the skills of the teaching and learning all programs in writing.
- Showcase sample student work in GLIDES.
- Create and embed a wide reading program as part of Stage 4 and 5.
- Encourage teachers to mentor Beginning Teachers.
- Evaluate PDPs, observe lessons and assist all teachers to achieve their personal learning goals.
- Share experiences and different strategies teachers are using in the classroom.
- Make strong connections with the community through project-based learning activities and exhibitions.
- Celebrate achievements and involve parents in celebrations of success.
- Work closely with performance groups to engage students and provide them with real life experiences.