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NCEA and Literacy

The Government have confirmed the final change package for NCEA, following a comprehensive review of NCEA and  announcement of  seven changes in May 2019.

There are two changes to the original proposed package and they relate to strengthening NCEA’s literacy and numeracy requirements:

  • the new, more robust, literacy and numeracy assessment will be offered to students from Year 9 onwards, rather than from Years 7 and 8
  • in some cases, exceptions to a single literacy and numeracy benchmark qualification without any alternative pathways may be appropriate – particularly for students with English as their second language.

Although no changes to NCEA will be implemented in 2020, the Ministry has started work to progress the changes. We’ll be working alongside teachers and other experts from the education sector, through subject expert groups, to develop the new achievement standards and resources across all NCEA subjects – starting with Level 1. 

The full NCEA change package is available online.

  • Literacy Unit Standards Resources  - These resources have been developed to assist with the planning, implementation and assessment of the level 1 Literacy unit standards.
  • Implementing the literacy unit standards (Word 2007 26KB) - This report prepared by Trish Holden from UC Education Plus investigates how schools are implementing the literacy unit standards in 2011. The report identifies issues, responses from schools, positive aspects and considerations when implementing the standards.

 

Tomorrow when the war began

Students study several aspects of the novel Tomorrow When the War Began, then plan and write about responses based on a selected aspect.

Learning Outcomes | Teaching and Learning | Assessment and Evaluation | Printing Version

Writer: Mark Osbourne
Year level 11
Who are my learners and what do they already know? See:  Planning using inquiry
School curriculum outcomes How your school’s principles, values, or priorities will be developed through this unit

Learning Outcomes

 (What do my students need to learn)
Curriculum achievement objectives (AOs) for:  
English

Processes and strategies

Integrate sources of information, processes, and strategies purposefully and confidently to identify, form, and express increasingly sophisticated ideas:

  • thinks critically about texts with understanding and confidence
  • creates a range of increasingly varied and complex texts by integrating sources of information and processing strategies

Ideas

Select, develop, and communicate connected ideas on a range of topics.

  • develops and communicates comprehensive ideas, information, and understandings

Language features

Select and use a range of language features appropriately for a variety of effects.


  • uses a wide range of text conventions, including grammatical and spelling conventions, appropriately, effectively, and with accuracy.

Structure

Organise texts, using a range of appropriate, effective structures.


  • achieves a sense of coherence and wholeness when constructing texts
Achievement Standard(s) aligned to AO(s) 1.1 Show understanding of specified aspect(s) of studied written text(s), using supporting evidence

Teaching and Learning

 (What do I need to know and do?)
1-2 related professional readings or links to relevant research

Effective Practices in Teaching Writing in NZ Secondary Schools [available from February 2011]

Planning using inquiry

English Teaching and Learning Guide [available from February 2011]

Assessment and Examination Rules and Procedures

Learning task 1:

Learning intention(s)

Establishing prior learning and linking it to the text
KCs/ Principles/Values focus

KCs:

Thinking – explore texts

Relate to others – peer discussion

Learning task 1

Exploring the text

  1. Use the internet to locate answers to these questions. Before you begin, select keywords you will use to carry out your search.
    • How many wars has New Zealand been involved in during the last 50 years?
    • Was there any warning before the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre Towers in New York? (September 2001)
    • Are there any civil defence guidelines for what to do if New Zealand was attacked by another country?
    • Where is East Timor, who invaded it in 1975, and what was New Zealand's response to this invasion?
  2. Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden is about a group of young people trying to survive after a foreign invasion of Australia. As you read the novel, consider any comparisons you can make between information you located in the pre reading internet search and the text.
  3.  Complete the cloze activity after you finish reading the first chapter.

Learning task 2:

Learning intention(s)

Examining key text aspects
KCs/ Principles/Values focus

KCs:

Thinking – using a range of thinking strategies to build understandings

Learning task 2

Examining plot, setting, character and theme

Plot sequence

Photocopy these events resources and cut them up. In groups, refer to your copies of the novel to put the events in the order in which they occur in the novel.

Plot - building tension

Map key events listed on the plot graph resource to show rising tension within the text.

Being succinct about setting

The broader setting for the novel is modern day Australia. This exercise asks you to clarify exactly what you believe is important and to think carefully about how you express your opinions. Talk about these two questions then develop an answer to each of them within a tight word limit of no more than 25 words for each:

  • How would the novel have been different if it was set in a different time?

  • How would the novel have been different if it was set in a different country?

Understanding characters

  1. Use the profile resource to draw up a list of profiles from the story. Look at all of the major characters (Ellie, Fi, Homer, Chris, Corrie, Lee, Kevin, Robyn).
  2. Choose one of the characters you have created a profile for and examine them in greater depth. Look at the way they develop or change over the course of the novel. Choose one of the characters you think is most important in the novel.
  3. For this character:
    • Identify the kind of person they are at the beginning of the novel. Provide a piece of evidence like a quotation from the novel, or an action that the person undertakes.
    • Identify three steps in their development throughout the novel. Think about behaviours they adopt, new ways of thinking or viewing the world, decisions they make, or things they learn. For each step, identify how they change and provide a piece of evidence for this change. How do you know they have changed?
    • Identify what kind of person they are at the end of the novel. Provide a piece of evidence for how they have changed since the beginning of the novel: a quotation or an action that the person undertakes
    • Comment on why you think they changed. This may be a response to a situation or a challenge, or it may have more to do with what kind of person your character is.
    • Choose the event you believe to be the most important in the novel. Explain how your event does the following:

      • helps to develop character
      • teaches the reader or the character(s) something
      • gets the reader thinking about important ideas behind the novel
      • overcomes a problem for the character

Themes

A theme is a "big" idea contained in a text. It should be a generalised statement that has no reference to the actual text.
Using the themes resource, find three events from the novel and identify the themes these events make you think about.

Learning task 3:

Learning intention(s)

Examining key text aspects
KCs/ Principles/Values focus

KCs:

Thinking – close reading

Learning task 3

Close reading - style

One of the reasons Tomorrow When the War Began is so successful as a novel is the way that John Marsden maintains suspense through his writing. Explore exactly how he does this by completing the following activities.

In this passage, the narrator, Elle, is entering a house where she suspects foreign soldiers might be present. This analysis focuses on the passage which begins on P 127 (McMacmillan edition) with "I sidled closer to the door and stood in an awkward position ...... to P 128 "Robyn!" I screamed.” Read the passage a couple of times. The author has created a mood of suspense and tension. He has done this through:

Choice of words

  1. The author's choice of verbs is important in the passage. He creates a sense of tension, stealth and caution though his use of verbs like "sidled", "pressed", "crouched" and "slipping" early in the passage as Elle enters the room. Later Elle's fear is made clear through the use of verbs like "grip the knob".
  2. The author also makes considerable use of adverbs ("silently", "smoothly", "quietly", "desperately") to underscore the fear and tension of the scene. He also uses adjectives such as "dull shapes" and "dreadful confirmation" to provide insight into the Elle's state of mind and "slow, careful step" "creaking board and "soft tread" to stress the tension of the moment and the need for quiet.

Imagery

  1. The author makes limited use of imagery. When he uses the metaphor "screech of a tortured soul" to compare the sound of the door opening to someone being tortured he is trying to suggest how loud the sound seems to Elle at the same time as he implies the danger she is in.
  2. He uses the simile "I could hear Homer shuffling around, sounding like an old dog trying to get comfortable" to exaggerate the noise Homer was making and also to try to make it clear that this added to Elle's fear.

Structure

  1. The sentences, especially at the most tense moments, are mainly short or broken up into shorter phrases with commas. This helps create a tense breathless feel from Elle, underscoring her fear and the tension of the scene.
  2. the idea of the need for quiet and Elle's attempt to be quiet, is repeated throughout the passage in words like "sidled" "silently and smoothly" "slow, careful" "quietly slipping".
  3. The passage build towards the climax of the sound of the gun being cocked.

Sounds

  1. The author uses the alliterative "silently and smoothly" with the repetition of the 's' helping to establish the idea of stealth and the need for quiet and tension.
  2. He also uses onomatopeia eg: “screech" and "rasped" to depict how loud even small sounds seemed to the nervous Elle.

Dialogue

The only dialogue used is the one word "Robyn!" which together with the "I screamed" and the exclamation mark helps emphasise her panic, her fear of being shot.

Evaluation

  1. Read the sample evaluation of this passage:

    Although written in simple language the passage is mainly successful in depicting the tension felt by the narrator. The short, sometimes staccato sentences, together with the well chosen verbs such as "sidled" and "grip" help us understand her fear and adverbs like "silently and smoothly" and "desperately" are also effective in conveying her state of mind.

    I found the author's choice of images less convincing as I could not imagine how a door opening could sound like "the screech of a tortured soul". Also, to compare Homer to "an old dog trying to get comfortable" in such a tense and dangerous situation, seemed homely, friendly and inappropriate.

    Overall though John Marsden succeeded in making me feel the tension of the scene and the fear of the narrator.

  2. Your teacher will select another short passage. Using the headings above, complete a close reading identifying examples and making comments about meanings and effects.

Thinking Critically

Read this review of the novel
. Identify the key reasons why the reviewer thought the book was excellent. For each reason, decide whether you agree or disagree with the reviewe and provide a piece of evidence (different from examples contained in the review) from the novel to back up your opinion.

Learning task 4:

Learning intention(s)

Drafting and polishing writing.
KCs/ Principles/Values focus

KCs:

Use language, symbols and texts – structure and express understandings about texts

Learning task 4

Developing a piece of formal writing

  1. Develop your responses to this novel in a piece of formal writing. Your writing can be developed and assessed against Achievement Standard 1.5 Produce formal writing. At the end of the year, this work will also become part of preparing for the externally assessed AS 1.1 Show understanding of specified aspect(s) of studied written text(s), using supporting evidence. AS 1.1 requires you to show an understanding of a text and support the points you make with relevant examples and details.
  2. In selecting a topic, it is vital that you select one suited to this text and to your understandings about it. As a first step in choosing, reading then responding to a text you have selected, consider the sample topics set in the draft external assessment resources for AS 1.1. Note the highlighted sections: there are two parts to each topic that should be addressed. After describing a key text aspect [like character, setting, language features, or an event], you are asked to comment on why that aspect helped you understand an important idea in the text.
  3. Choose or adapt one of these topics from the sample topics. Use ideas from learning tasks 1 -3 to help develop your response. Follow the writing guide.
  4. Craft a piece of formal writing which will later be assessed as a piece of formal writing for AS 1.5. Write at least 350 words. Support your ideas with specific details from your text.
  5. After completing a first draft, read your piece aloud to help identify parts of the writing that require reworking. Before writing a final version of your piece, proof-read it to improve on technical accuracy. This piece of writing can now be considered for assessment for AS 1.5 Produce formal writing.

Preparing for the external standard 1.1

Look back at the formal writing piece you developed earlier and use it to help prepare for AS 1.1 Show understanding of specified aspect(s) of studied written text(s), using supporting evidence. Don’t rote learn this essay then attempt to somehow adapt a learnt essay to a topic in the exam. You will be much better prepared if you familiarise yourself again with the text as well as its ideas and supporting evidence, then adapt your understandings and supporting evidence to fit the requirements of the topics set.

Assessment and Evaluation

 (What is the impact of my teaching and learning?)
Formative and/or Summative assessment task(s), including how will feedback be provided 1.5 Produce formal writing. Refer to the assessment schedule.

Provision for identifying next learning steps for students who need:

  • further learning opportunities
  • increased challenge

This piece of writing should be an integrated part of the year’s writing programme. Refer to

English Teaching and Learning Guide 

Conditions of Assessment Guidelines for formal writing

Effective Practices in Teaching Writing in NZ Secondary Schools

for more details.

Tools or ideas which, for example might be used to evaluate:

  • progress of the class and groups within it
  • student engagement

leading to :

  • changes to the sequence
  • addressing teacher learning needs
 See:  Planning using inquiry

Printing this unit:

If you are not able to access the zipped files, please download the following individual files.

Innocence, imagination, obsession – Heavenly creatures

Students respond to controversial ideas in the film Heavenly Creatures and the play Daughters of Heaven then deliver presentations to the class about important aspects of the film and/or the play.

Learning Outcomes | Teaching and Learning | Assessment and Evaluation | Printing Version

Writer: Lucy Moore
Year level 12
Who are my learners and what do they already know? Planning using inquiry
School curriculum outcomes How your school’s principles, values, or priorities will be developed through this unit

Learning Outcomes

 (What do my students need to learn)
Curriculum achievement objectives (AOs) for:  
English

Processes and strategies

Integrate sources of information, processes, and strategies purposefully, confidently, and precisely to identify, form, and express increasingly sophisticated ideas.


  • thinks critically about texts with understanding and confidence
  • creates a range of increasingly coherent, varied, and complex texts by integrating sources of information and processing strategies

Ideas

Select, develop, and communicate sustained ideas on a range of topics.


  • develops, communicates, and sustains increasingly sophisticated ideas, information, and understandings

Language features

Select and integrate a range of language features appropriately for a variety of effects.


  • uses a wide range of oral, written, and visual language features fluently and with control to create meaning and effect and to sustain interest

Structure

Organise texts, using a range of appropriate, coherent, and effective structures.

  • organises and develops ideas and information for a particular purpose or effect, using the characteristics and conventions of a range of text forms with control.
Achievement Standard(s) aligned to AO(s) AS 2.5 Construct and deliver a crafted and controlled oral text

Teaching and Learning

 (What do I need to know and do?)
1-2 related professional readings or links to relevant research

Using inquiry to plan secondary English programes

English Teaching and Learning Guide 

Assessment and Examination Rules and Procedures

Learning task 1

Learning intention(s)

Establishing prior learning and linking it to the text
KCs/ Principles/Values focus

KCs:

Thinking – explore texts

Learning task 1

Building Prior Knowledge

Before engaging with either text explore the Parker Hulme Case newspaper archive on the Canterbury Public Library website, which contains an archive of newspaper articles discussing the case.

Select the appropriate information in order to complete a fact sheet.

Learning task 2

Learning intention(s)

Examining key text aspects
KCs/ Principles/Values focus

KCs:
Thinking – using a range of thinking strategies to build understandings

KCs:
Thinking – explore texts

 Relate to others – peer discussion

Learning task 2

Reading the play Daughters of Heaven

  1. Understanding key aspects of the play Daughters of Heaven will be enhanced if a variety of approaches are used:
    • participate in drama games designed to enliven interpretation and deepen understanding of Daughters of Heaven.
    • various parts from the play could be allocated to students in advance in order to facilitate
    •  to help develop an understanding of key characters, individuals or groups could be allocated one character, in preparation for a hotseat.
  2. "Innocence. Imagination. Obsession" are three words which go a long way towards summing up the central themes in Daughters of Heaven. For each of these three words brainstorm how it is presented in the play, using quotes to support your ideas.
  3. Use a values continuum by making a judgement on the following issue:
    • Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme "have been resurrected as unlikely folk heroes - bright women in a repressive, dull town resolving a personal crisis in the only way the powerless kids knew how". Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
    • Allocate one side of the room for those who strongly agree with the question/statement and the other side of the room for those who strongly disagree with the question/statement. Go to the area of the room which represents your response to the question/statement.
    • The space in between these areas should represent a continuum where you can place yourself in according to the strength of your response. If you are unsure how you feel, stay in the middle to watch and eventually participate in the proceedings.
       The teacher then facilitates a controlled discussion by calling upon students to outline why they have taken that particular stance. At any time you may choose to adjust where you are standing.

Learning task 3

Learning intention(s)

 Examining key text aspects
KCs/ Principles/Values focus

KCs:

Thinking – close reading

Learning task 3

Viewing the film Heavenly Creatures

Pre-viewing

Before viewing the film consider the choice of title. It comes from a poem, The ones that I worship, written by Juliet and Pauline. Using the text of the poem to support your ideas, write a journal entry discussing the significance of the title and its relationship to what you already know about Juliet and Pauline from your study of Daughters of Heaven.

Viewing

Use the viewing focus sheet. As each group views Heavenly Creatures they should record information to help them answer the questions listed under their allocated heading. At the conclusion of the film each group should present its information to the class. Students can then incorporate relevant information as they develop their presentations.

Setting

Peter Jackson went to great lengths to use actual locations and archival film footage to precisely recreate the environment. Discuss the following points as a class:

  • What was the purpose of the archive footage? What effect did it have upon the beginning of the film?
  • How does Jackson use contrast in setting to convey the differences in the upbringing of Juliet and Pauline?
  •  In what ways is Heavenly Creatures a specifically New Zealand film? Does the fact that Heavenly Creatures is a film about New Zealanders by New Zealanders have any effect on the film as a whole?

Learning task 4

Learning intention(s)

Examining key text aspects
KCs/ Principles/Values focus

KCs:

Thinking – close reading

Learning task 4

Heavenly perspectives

Heavenly Creatures and Daughters of Heaven feature different narrative perspectives. In Daughters of Heaven the audience is largely shown the situation through the eyes of Bridget O'Malley, housekeeper of the Hulme household. In Heavenly Creatures, however, Pauline's diary entries are used in a voice-over method to convey her motivation and intentions

In small groups choose a sequence from Heavenly Creatures or Daughters of Heaven which presents a subjective point of view. Talk about the effects that the subjective point of view has upon the audience's reaction to the content of the film.

Learning task 5

Learning intention(s)

 Preparing and delivering an oral presentation
KCs/ Principles/Values focus KCs: Use language, symbols and texts – structure and express understandings about texts 

Learning task 5

Deciding on a presentation topic

  1. Look over the aspects of the two texts you have worked on in tasks 1 to 4. One or more of these aspects could form the basis of your presentation. You may choose to give an impression of the play or film as a whole or a particular theme, character, quotation or scene.
  2. Make a final decision on your topic. Your presentation will be about an important aspect(s) in your study of the film Heavenly Creatures and the play Daughters of Heaven, although your presentation could focus on one text.
  3. Ensure that topic gives you enough scope to speak for at least four minutes and that it will be informative and interesting to your class. Briefly discuss your topic with your teacher before developing your presentation any further.
  4. Plan the content of your presentation. Structure your material as follows: 

    in your introduction:
    • decide on an arresting opening to interest your audience
    • which highlight the key aspect(s) of the text(s) you will focus on.
    in the body:
    • give further key details, supported by explanations or examples which could be drawn from your work in tasks 1 to 4.
    in the conclusion:
    • signal that you are finishing
    • restate your key points in summary form.

 Rehearsing and delivering your presentation

  1. You will be assessed on how well you:
    • develop and communicate ideas about your topic
    • integrate visual and verbal delivery techniques to present your ideas to your audience
  2. In pairs, practise delivering your presentation. Make any necessary adjustments. Your presentation must be at least four minutes long. Look at selected exemplars on the Level 2 NCEA Speeches and Performances video. Comparable exemplars for your presentation can be found for the internal assessment resource I Know Where You're Coming From. Discuss the exemplars' strengths and areas they could be improved. Look at and discuss the assessment schedule.
  3. Deliver your presentation.
  4. In 2011, your presentation can be assessed against Achievement Standard 90376: Deliver a presentation. From 2012, it can be assessed against its replacement, the new Level 2 oral presentation standard, AS 2.4 Construct and deliver a crafted and controlled oral text.The same standard of oral presentation is required at each achievement level for both the old and new achievement standards.

Assessment and Evaluation

 (What is the impact of my teaching and learning?)
Formative and/or Summative assessment task(s), including how will feedback be provided AS 2.5 Construct and deliver a crafted and controlled oral text

Provision for identifying next learning steps for students who need:

  • further learning opportunities
  • increased challenge

This piece of writing should be an integrated part of the year’s writing programme. Refer to

English Teaching and Learning Guide 

Conditions of Assessment Guidelines for oral presentations.

 for more details.

Tools or ideas which, for example might be used to evaluate:

  • progress of the class and groups within it
  • student engagement

leading to :

  • changes to the sequence
  • addressing teacher learning needs
 Planning using inquiry

Printing this unit:

If you are not able to access the zipped files, please download the following individual files.

Speech making

TEACHER Elaine Herbert

 

 YEAR

 LEVEL

 DURATION

7 3-4 8 weeks

 

Achievement Objective Being Assessed

Learning Outcomes

Interpersonal Speaking  Students will present a speech that holds the interest of their audience using using appropriate pauses, gesture, props, and varying pitch and pace. The material presented will have clear meaning and continuity, and because the material will be carefully practised eye contact with audience will be maintained.
Transactional Writing Students will write confidently, organising and linking ideas logically and making language choices appropriate to the audience according to the "Hamburger" format.

Processes

 Listening and Speaking:
Exploring Language 		Students will confidently present a speech to their class that shows use of effective speaking techniques, clear organisation of material, and holds the interest of their audience. They will also record, deliver, and then speak in an impromptu manner, a "mini" one minute speech.

 

Teacher Background Reading

TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES

 Select and adapt these learning activities to best meet the needs of your students, and to fit the time available:

Learning task 1

Learning task 2

ASSESSMENT

  1. In table topic assessment (see #8), the evaluator will have specific, previously agreed upon, points to evaluate. These are recorded and show development of achievement objective success in the oral function.
  2. Some of the written material in activity 5 and 6 is evaluated formally (on criteria sheets) by both pupil and teacher.
  3. Prepared speech is written and submitted for assessment by teacher.
  4. Prepared speech is evaluated by pupils and teacher using agreed criteria.

  5. As a school we assess using Essential Skills, in terms of the Achievement Objectives on a five point written criteria:

    Essential Skill - Communication
    Subject Definition - "Identify and discuss language features and their effects; use these features in speaking; and adapt them to the topic, purpose and audience."

     1. Attempts to give a speech to an audience.
     2. Prepares a speech and attempts to deliver it.
     3. Presents a prepared speech confidently, using cue cards.
     4. Presents a well researched, well structured speech confidently.
     5. As for (4) including strong audience appeal.

    Essential Skill - Information
    "Organise, analyse, synthesise and use information."

     1. Attempts to write a speech but is incomplete.
     2. Writes a speech with a beginning, middle and end.
     3. As for (2) with evidence of research.
     4. Researched a topic, attempted to edit and rework text, conveying ideas logically.
     5. Has researched the topic thoroughly, organising and linking ideas logically to express ideas appropriate to the audience.

    Essential Skill - Social and Co-operative
    "Take responsibility as a member of a group for jointly decided actions and decisions."

     1. Takes part only when called upon.
     2. Occasionally generates ideas and follows through with actions for joint decisions.
     3. Frequently generates ideas and follows through with actions for joint decisions.
     4. For (3) but also uses the group decisions to assess self and others.
     5. Pro-actively assesses self and others along joint decisions, getting optimum advancement from group decisions.

assessment (RTF 12KB)

RESOURCES

Print

  • Murphy, Sally. (1997) Speak Out. Ready-Ed Publications
    Stuttard, Marie. (1994) Power of Speech. David Bateman Ltd

Electronic

Learning task 2: Making kites

Design and build a kite

Build, construct a kite, reading and following the instructions. Draw a kite to scale. Decorate by painting, printing, and collage.

Discuss

  • How a kite flies.
  • How, when, where to fly a kite - wind.

Chart responses, use procedural text form (English Online).

Set up area where there are instructions and materials for kite making. Students may choose to work individually or in pairs. Display kites with comments from the students on how they made their kite, problems and how they solved them, and how well they were able to follow the directions.

Come, fly the kites!

Record kite flying experiences. Set up a website so that students can record their experiences using this computer technology. Alternatively, students could use a drawing program to draw and record their experiences kite flying.

Create a class book "Kites" poems, stories, and illustrations.

  • Origin of kites.
  • Kite festivals.
  • Kites of other counties.
  • Famous people who used kite flying to solve scientific problems (Ben Franklin, Wright Brothers).
  • Flight aerodynamics
  • Design and make your own kite. Write instructions on how to make this kite.

Students to design a kite shape and present their independent work on this shape to hang in the class.

From history to idiom – D Day

Learning Outcomes | Teaching and Learning | Assessment and Evaluation | Printing Version

Writer: Helen Nicholls
Send feedback about this resource
Overview This unit is written for secondary English language learners to develop specific reading skills as a scaffold to NZ Curriculum learning area achievement objectives. It focuses on identifying main events, the use of idioms and other language features in the context of a historical recount.

Learning Outcomes

(What do my students need to learn?)

What are my students’ current strengths and learning needs?

Use previous reading assessments (e.g. asTTle or PAT scores, ESOL unit standard assessments, PROBE assessments, formative assessments) alongside The English Language Learning Progressions (ELLP) reading matrix to establish the level at which students are working and their current strengths and needs. Resources from the Assessment Resource Bank (ARB) can also be valuable for this purpose e.g. identify the main idea at levels 3-4.
Curriculum Links Assessment Links
Learning area: English (ESOL)

Students could be assessed formatively or summatively using the following ESOL unit standard:

Unit standard 27983: Read and understand simple texts on familiar topics (expired)
Focus: Written language 

English: Reading

AO L4:

Ideas

Show an increasing understanding of ideas within texts

Language features

Show an increasing understanding of how language features are used for effect within texts

English Language Learning Progressions:

Students will be working at ELLP stage 2.

English Language Intensive Programme:

Students will work with a sample text at ELIP stage 2.

Key Competencies: all five with particular emphasis on:

Using language, symbols and text: to identify main ideas and understand how idiom and other language features are used for effect in a historical recount

  

Specific learning outcomes:

Students will be able to:

  • identify the main events in a historical recount
  • know and explain the meaning of an idiom
  • follow a lexical chain though a historical recount
  • identify pronoun referents in a historical recount
  • identify different types of verb processes in a historical recount
Language learning outcomes

Key vocabulary:

idiom, idiomatic phrase, headword, lexical chain, pronoun reference, pronoun referent, verb processes, linking verbs, action verbs, mental verbs, saying verbs

Language:

figurative and literal language

idioms

chronological sequencing

See also:

Features of text forms – Recounts

ELIP stage 2 sample historical recount genre texts with language features annotated:

John F. Kennedy (3d); Captain James Cook (9c)
Suggested Duration 2 weeks

Teaching and Learning

(What do I need to know and do?)

Teacher background reading:

lexical chains

Learning task 1

Learning task 2

Learning task 3

Assessment and Evaluation

(What is the impact of my teaching and learning?)
Students could be formatively assessed using ESOL US 2969 with another stage 2 ELIP historical recount e.g. Captain James Cook – A New Arrival (9c)

Printing this unit:

If you are not able to access the zipped files, please download the following individual files:

Plants

This topic is broken into 3 subtopics – click on a link to see the activities in each subtopic:

In each subtopic, students:

  • listen, look, read and talk to establish familiarity with the context
  • are introduced to 20 target words
  • practise recognising and producing the written and spoken forms of each word
  • relate form and meaning
  • practise recognising the environment in which the words usually occur
  • use the words in new contexts.

Topic objective

  • Recognise and use specialist and general vocabulary relevant in the study of plants.
  • Read and listen in order to understand and respond to simple texts about plants.
  • Talk about plants.
  • Write simple texts about plants.
  • Recognise and respond to simple question forms.

What you need

  • Audio player
  • Scissors
  • Felt pens or coloured pencils
  • Glue
  • Poster paper
  • A quiet space where students feel comfortable listening and speaking
  • A range of easy factual readers
  • Bilingual dictionaries
  • Grammars and dictionaries for teacher reference

Monitoring and recording student progress

You can monitor and record student progress using the examples of good assessment practice in the English language learning progressions.

English Language Learning Progressions (ELLP) Pathway professional development module

This is a self-access professional development module on the ELLP Pathway document.

It explains the features of the resource and how the ELLP Pathway can be used to meet the English language learning needs of emergent bilingual and multilingual students. It also explores where the ELLP Pathway sits in the suite of Ministry ESOL resources. The module is self-pacing, with places to pause and complete 3 optional tasks.

The module will take approximately 45 minutes to an hour to complete.

 It is designed to be used by anyone new to the document and who is interested in what it has to offer. This could be a:

  • School leader
  • ESOL Coordinator / ESOL teacher
  • Learning Support Coordinator (LSC) / SENCO
  • Classroom or subject teacher
  • Teacher new to the profession, or new to teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Teacher aide/ Learning assistant.

The module could be used to lead a team meeting, for a whole school professional learning session, or to upskill yourself personally.

ELLP Pathway professional development module

Before you start the video, download and print the ELLP Pathway and the three tasks so you can refer to them.

Resource links for these modules can be downloaded, and are available at the bottom of the page.

Video transcript

Slide 1

Kia ora koutou and welcome to this introduction to the ELLP Pathway document. 

I’m Jane van der Zeyden and I’m here with my colleague, Erin McKechnie and we are going to walk you through this professional development module.

Slide 2

During this module, you will learn about the ELLP Pathway document including how it fits into the suite of Ministry ESOL resources, and especially how it links to the ELLP matrices. We will explore what the ELLP Pathway has to offer you and your students. You will also gain a deeper understanding of the pedagogy that is crucial for supporting students in their acquisition of English and that underpins the ELLP Pathway.

This module is designed to be self-pacing – you might like to watch it in its entirety, or you may choose to pause the recording at the suggested times to reflect or complete some of the optional tasks provided. 

By the end of this module, you will have a broader understanding of how the ELLP Pathway can support your teaching and planning for emergent bilingual and multilingual students.

Slide 3

What do you already know about the ELLP Pathway document? Maybe it is absolutely brand new to you, or maybe you have heard a little bit about it already. Task one is an Anticipatory Guide. Read the statements and consider whether they are true or false. Pause the recording now.

The answers to the Anticipatory Guide will become clear from the information contained in this module or from the content of the ELLP Pathway itself. You can change your answers along the way, or at the end of this presentation.  

Slide 4

The ELLP Pathway was born out of the need to help teachers to make accurate decisions about their emergent bilingual and multilingual students - their English language learning stages and next learning steps.  It is a supplementary resource that is not designed to replace the ELLP matrices, but rather complement them.  It is essential that you still refer to the ELLP booklets – both the Introductory booklet and the one relevant for the year level you are teaching. You can see these booklets on the screen if you’re not sure what they look like. These have a wealth of crucial information needed to understand language acquisition and progression. The writing exemplars in the ELLP booklets are particularly useful and guide you in noticing aspects of written texts and 'where to next’ in terms of your teaching. 

Slide 5

When you download the ELLP Pathway, you will see that you have the choice of a Word document, or a Google Doc version. It is personal preference as to which version you choose to look at.  The ELLP Pathway has the same stages and function headings as the ELLP Matrices. The indicators on the ELLP Pathway are in some cases an elaboration or they may give more detail than the indicators on the ELLP matrices. They are designed to show you an expected progression of learning English as an additional language.  One of the ELLP Pathway’s key purposes is to guide you with what to notice about your students and then provide suggestions on what to do next.  Effective formative assessment practices are at the heart of the ELLP Pathway document.

The Foundation to Stage 3 document is the full edition of the ELLP Pathway. It includes teacher support material, and it is the edition we will be focusing on today. The Record of Progress and the Student Agency versions are other forms of the same document that are used for other purposes, which we will discuss later.

Slide 6

Pages 2-4 of the ELLP Pathway have a focus on knowing your learner. On the slide you can see a screenshot of Page 2. You would find it useful to pause the recording here and take a moment to read page 2. 

Page 2 is an overview of the journey that an English language learner is likely to take. The ELLP stages are very broad and are likely to take a year or more for a student to move through. 

The arrow at the bottom of the page is particularly important to understand and refer to.  This shows a common pathway for students who begin school at five AND who have a strong grounding in their first language.  It is important to consider what year level you teach and have a look at the stages that students in your class are likely to be working within. For instance, if you are teaching at the Year 1 and 2 level your students will be working within Foundation or Stage 1. If you are teaching at the secondary school level, your students could be working anywhere from Foundation to Stage 3. If they are beyond Stage 3, you would continue tracking their progress using the ELLP Matrices.

Slide 7

Let’s turn to page 3 of the ELLP Pathway document now. A key ESOL principle is knowing your learner, and page 3 supports you with building your knowledge of your emergent bilingual and multilingual students - what do they bring to their learning, and what do they need to learn next? 

The top section of the page suggests some actions that you could take to get to know your learners, including the suggestion of using a supplementary enrolment form. Your school’s enrolment processes might be an area that you wish to reflect on and evaluate as a result of this session. It is so important to have robust enrolment processes that ensure you are identifying emergent bilingual and multilingual students as they arrive at your school and also collect relevant information that will be useful to aid your planning and teaching.

There are also links to some supporting videos on the topic of knowing your learner. These four videos might be useful to you at a later date to view and deepen your knowledge of the importance of knowing your learner.

Now is your opportunity to think about an emergent bilingual or multilingual student that you know well.  Using task 2, take some time to fill out the sections. How well do you really know your learner? Pause the recording and complete the task now. 

Some possible learner profiles are provided in the table. These may help you to consider what students bring to their learning, the challenges they may face and what you need to know to maximise their learning.

Slide 8

Turn to page 4 of the ELLP Pathway document. This page builds on the idea of knowing your learner with links to another four videos that have more of a focus on supporting and scaffolding your learner. Again, these can be viewed and explored at a later date. 

Slide 9

From page 5 onwards we get to the detail of the ELLP Pathway with the indicators of language use and understanding as the focus. The first section is about Listening.

You will notice that the function headings at the top of each column are the same as the ELLP matrices. The indicators on the ELLP Pathway document are an elaboration of the ones from the ELLP matrices and in some cases have more specific detail. The indicators are written as ‘I statements’ and make it easy for you to notice and respond as a teacher.  Some indicators are considered ‘achievement indicators’ and are highlighted when the student has achieved this independently, and consistently in a range of contexts across the curriculum.  Other indicators such as: “I need wait time to process language” are ‘support indicators’ and are highlighted when the supports are in place for students.

One of the key understandings about language acquisition is the notion of BICS and CALP.  BICS is an acronym for Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills or a person’s social language – the language they might need for everyday and social interaction. CALP stands for Cognitive, Academic Language Proficiency or the language of the curriculum.  When thinking about the indicators from the ELLP Pathway, or the ELLP matrices, it is important to be considering the student’s CALP.  To deepen your understanding of BICS and CALP, it would be useful to read page 4 of the ELLP introductory booklet. You can see a visual of that booklet on the slide. There is a downloadable version of this booklet on ESOL Online and a link to this is provided in the resource section that accompanies this module.

You will notice that there are teaching strategies and suggestions down the right-hand side which will help with planning effective teaching that incorporates best ESOL practices. The tasks suggested there are only examples and by no means a finite list!  They are hyperlinked to ESOL Online where there is an explanation of the strategies often with video footage to support your own learning about these strategies.

Slide 10

Let’s explore the links between the ELLP matrices and the ELLP Pathway. On this slide we have an indicator from the ELLP matrices, stage one, writing. “Errors in words and structures are likely to be frequent and obvious”. This indicator is broad and may be hard to pinpoint and notice within a piece of writing. It doesn’t necessarily help us with what to teach next. In the ELLP Pathway, this has broadened to several, more specific indicators which are:

  • I have increasing control over word groups in my writing.
  • I am learning to use simple present, past and future tenses.
  • I am learning to use the verbs be (am, are, is, was, were) and have (has, have, had, will have).
  • I am learning to write ‘tighter’ sentences with expanded structures e.g. The tall, blond boy yelled loudly.

You may find that these indicators are easier to notice in a piece of writing, and consequently, easier to make decisions about whether this has been achieved – or if it’s a next learning goal for students.

Slide 11

Here’s another example from the ELLP matrices:

Stage 2 Speaking

Ask questions, give instructions, negotiate disagreement, buy something in a shop, arrange appointments or explain a problem.

Again, this indicator has several parts to it.

In the ELLP Pathway, we now have…

  • I use a range of question words confidently.
  • I can use language for important practical purposes e.g., say I’m not well and describe symptoms.
  • I am confident to ask for help/ask for clarification.

Slide 12

Now it’s your turn to look closely at the indicators from the ELLP Pathway.  Use task 3, to locate the indicators from the ELLP Pathway that align with the ones from the ELLP matrices included on the task template.  Make sure you look carefully at the same language mode, stage and function heading that the original statement has come from. You might like to discuss what you discover with your colleagues. Pause the video and complete the task.

Slide 13

So, that is a brief introduction to the ELLP Pathway resource. Now you might like to consider what steps to take next.

We suggest you spend some time exploring the ELLP Pathway. You might like to begin with the teaching strategies and suggestions section and have a go with using some of them with groups of students or follow some of the resource hyperlinks to see how useful SELLIPS and ELIP are to all teachers.

We also suggest watching the 8 short videos included in the resource. They provide excellent information about second language acquisition and would be a good basis of future short PLD sessions for your wider school staff.

Once you are familiar with the resource you have some options as to how you want to use it.

  • You can use the ELLP Pathway to plan your programmes and inform your planning and teaching. For instance, you might have a group of students with language learning needs who aren’t making expected progress and the ELLP Pathway may support you to provide more targeted teaching.
  •  You can start to track your ESOL funded students for the upcoming funding round using the ELLP Pathway.  Schools have the option of highlighting indicators on either the ELLP Pathway or the ELLP matrices to record a student’s progress.  The Record of Progress version of the ELLP Pathway is available on the website.  It is important to remember that whichever document you choose, it is essential it is used regularly for planning and teaching as well as recording student progress for funding.

For further support, you could join an ESOL Professional Learning Community (PLC).  There are many schools who are already well on their way with their journey in using the ELLP Pathway document and can offer their advice based on what has worked in their school.

Most importantly, start sharing the ELLP Pathway resource with your colleagues, as the real benefits for students will come when it is used for collaborative planning and teaching across the school.

Slide 14

Let’s revisit your Anticipatory Guide now.  How did you go?  Are there any answers that you want to change? If you’re working with other teachers, you might like to discuss your responses with each other.  Pause the recording to do this.

Anticipatory reading guides are one of the strategies mentioned in the ELLP Pathway and explained on ESOL Online.  They are just one of many useful and supportive teaching strategies for emergent bilingual and multilingual students. On the screen, you can see the page from ESOL Online where Anticipatory Guides are described. Have a think about how you could use an Anticipatory Guide with your students.

Slide 15

We hope that this introduction to the ELLP Pathway has been useful for you as you become familiar with it.  Including the ELLP Pathway in your pedagogical kete will benefit both teachers and students. Take some time to explore the ELLP Pathway in some more depth either by yourself or with colleagues. We’re sure that you will find that this is time well spent.

Ngā mihi.

 

Module resource downloads

Task 1 ELLP Pathway PD Module Anticipatory Guide (PDF 105KB)

 

Task 2 ELLP Pathway PD Module Know Your Learner (PDF 98KB)

 

Task 3 ELLP Pathway PD Module Comparing ELLP matrices and the Pathway (PDF 128KB)

 

ELLP Pathway module resource links (Word 2007 17KB)

 

Module resource links

Use these links from ESOL Online to find the resources referred to in the ELLP Pathway module.

  • ESOL Professional Learning Community (PLC) - Contact the Ministry of Education [email protected] for more information about your local group.

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