Foundation–10 Curriculum

New Guide to Formative Assessment Rubrics now available

The VCAA has worked with Pam Robertson, Jason Pietzner and Narelle English, from the Assessment Research Centre, University of Melbourne, to develop a new Guide to Formative Assessment Rubrics. The guide supports excellence in teaching and learning.

Formative assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning cycle. It enables teachers to identify what a student can currently do and plan the next steps to progress student learning. The guide provides advice about how to develop a formative assessment rubric. This process includes teachers explicitly describing what progress looks like and using this information to plan the teaching and learning program.

The guide has been published as an exposure draft for trialling and feedback. For more information, see the Formative assessment webpage.

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English as an Additional Language consultation

A new English as an Additional Language (EAL) curriculum is due to be released in August 2018. To support the release of this new curriculum, the VCAA is seeking feedback from schools, stakeholder bodies and other organisations that have students with learning needs associated with EAL. The consultation closes on Friday 15 June 2018. Please refer to Notice to Schools 47/2018.

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Activate Citizenship conference

The study of Civics and Citizenship is essential for students to develop knowledge and understanding of political and legal systems and is grounded in learning about the values of respect, civility, equity, justice and responsibility. The Victorian Curriculum F–10: Civics and Citizenship aims to ensure that students become active and informed citizens who understand, participate in and sustain Australia's democracy.

On Monday 30 April, 88 teachers attended the Activate Citizenship conference held in collaboration between Social Education Victoria and the VCAA. The professional learning program included primary and secondary school workshops to provide support to teachers across all levels of the curriculum. It included three keynote speakers, who represented a range of perspectives about contemporary issues related to the law, democracy and civic engagement in Australia.

Australian barrister, Julian Burnside AO QC, spoke passionately about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the importance of addressing both past and contemporary issues, with a focus on the legacy of dispossession. Other issues and challenges, such as the rights of refugees and climate change, were provided as examples that encourage students to explore, engage and debate in relation to civic participation and law reform in contemporary Australia.

Conference participants also heard from Dr Bella d'Abrera, Director, Foundations of Western Civilisation Program at the Institute of Public Affairs, who demonstrated the strong links between modern Australia's political and legal institutions and their foundations in Western civilisation. Dr d'Abrera used a teaching resource that included a set of statements about Australian values and principles and our political and legal institutions. Participants debated their preconceived notions about the values that underpin the contrasting statements.

Former Chief Executive Officer of World Vision Australia, Reverend Tim Costello, presented on the challenges of global poverty. He discussed the universal importance of education irrespective of a student's social and economic background and geographic location, and highlighted the importance of Civics and Citizenship education for our future leaders. Rev. Costello praised young people for their deep sense of social justice and their ability to question structures that may result in inequality in the world today.

Participants heard from a Year 5 student from Rosanna Primary School, who spoke about the importance of student voice and agency. Teachers were able to share their own learning and experience implementing teaching and learning programs based on the Civics and Citizenship curriculum. This included opportunities to share advice, expertise and resources that support the teaching of contemporary issues. Activities designed to engage students in active civic participation included enhancing student voice and agency through establishing representative councils or through mock-elections. The conference provided a balanced range of speakers and workshop topics and a breadth of quality resources to support the teaching of Civics and Citizenship.

For more information, see the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Civic Participation Resources webpage.

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