I. SUBJECT DESCRIPTION
English as an Additional Language is a 10‑credit subject or a 20‑credit subject at Stage 1, and a 20‑credit subject at Stage 2.
English as an Additional Language is designed for students for whom English is a second language or an additional language or dialect. These students have had different experienc es in English and one or more other languages. Students who study this subject come from diverse personal, educational, and cultural backgrounds.
II. ELIGIBILITY FOR ENROLMENT
English as an Additional Language in the SACE is designed for students who speak English as a second or additional language or dialect, and whose English language proficiency is restricted.
All students who want to enrol in an English as an Additional Language subject will be required to apply to their school for eligibility. (Refer to Eligibility for Enrolment Guidelines: English as an Additional Language on the SACE website.) Students whose eligibility applications are approved for Stage 1 English as an Additional Language do not have to reapply for eligibility to enrol in Stage 2 English as an Additional Language.
III. CAPABILITIES
The capabilities connect student learning within and across subjects in a range of contexts.
The SACE identifies seven capabilities.
1. Literacy
Literacy is critical in the development of the skills and strategies needed to express, interpret, and communicate complex information and ideas. In English as an Additional Language literacy skills are developed in conjunction with language learning through comprehending and creating written, spoken, visual, and multimodal texts, and using and modifying language for different purposes in a range of social and cultural contexts, including study, work, and community life. In English as an Additional Language students apply, extend, and refine their repertoire of literacy skills and practices by studying the use and impact of English in texts and contexts. English as an Additional Language develops an awareness of the sociocultural and sociolinguistic aspects of language, including the language of business and enterprise, international affairs, and global communications.
2. Numeracy
Students develop their numeracy skills in English as an Additional Language as they practise and apply the skills of interpreting and analysing, comparing and contrasting, making connections, posing and proving arguments, making inferences, and problem‑solving as they create and respond to a range of texts. They draw conclusions from statistical information, interpret graphic representations of data, use quantitative data as evidence in persuasive texts, and evaluate the use of statistics in media, business, research, and other reports.
3. Information and communication technology (ICT) capability
There is a focus in English as an Additional Language on ICT; developing students’ capabilities through the use of digital and multimodal texts, including social media communication, in personal and professional contexts; and on understanding and creating multimodal texts. Students use digital technologies when they access, manage, and use information, and when creating their own texts. They develop skills in reading, viewing, and responding to multimodal texts, and create texts using different modes and mediums to practise and consolidate their English language skills. Students recognise that global communication is enhanced through the use of e-literacy skills and context-appropriate etiquette and expectations.
4. Critical and creative thinking
Critical and creative thinking is integral to the study and creation of texts in English as an Additional Language. Students analyse and evaluate ideas and perspectives presented in texts. In both thinking about and creating their own texts, they recognise and develop arguments, use evidence, and draw reasoned conclusions. Students apply critical thinking when they use their knowledge of language to analyse the purpose, audience, context, and language features of a range of texts. They recognise ways in which language is used to present individuals and social and cultural groups. Students experiment with text structures and language features as they transform and adapt texts for different purposes, audiences, and contexts. Creative thinking enables students to apply imaginative and inventive strategies in the creation of their own original works.
5. Personal and social capability
Students develop their sense of self, and understand their role and place in communities, through the development of their language skills. They develop their personal and social capability in this subject by extending their communication skills, teamwork, and understanding of verbal and non‑verbal modes of interaction.
The study of English as an Additional Language helps students to understand different personal and social experiences, perspectives, and challenges. Students identify and express their own opinions, ideas, and responses by interacting with a range of texts and in different social situations. Students learn through working and researching independently and collaboratively. English as an Additional Language assists students in the development of communication skills needed for conversation, research, presentations, and the expression of viewpoints and arguments. They develop empathy with and appreciation of the perspectives of others.
6. Ethical understanding
When learning to communicate, students consider ethical positions. They learn to acknowledge and value difference in their interactions with others and to develop respect for diverse ways of perceiving the world. Through working with a variety of texts, students question generalisations and stereotypes. English as an Additional Language provides students with opportunities to reflect on their own ethical dispositions.
Ethical understanding is explored in English as an Additional Language through the selection of texts for study, for example, when students engage with ethical dilemmas presented in texts, and consider reasons for actions and implications of decisions. They examine and question information, ideas, and perspectives in texts, comparing these with their own knowledge and understanding. Students develop empathy with the rights and opinions of others by interacting with and interrogating a range of texts in different social situations. English as an Additional Language assists students to develop the skills of visualising and predicting the consequences of certain behaviours and exploring rights and responsibilities. They develop ethical research strategies and research protocols.
7. Intercultural understanding
English as an Additional Language develops an intercultural capability that includes an understanding of diversity and difference, and openness to different perspectives and experiences that, in turn, develop world‑mindedness, respect for the rights of others, and a sense of global citizenship.
Through the study of past and contemporary texts, and texts from diverse cultures, students explore and analyse these connections. Students understand and can express the interdependence of language, culture, and identity and are able to appreciate and empathise with the cultural perspectives and values of others. They study how cultural concepts, beliefs, practices, and perspectives are represented in a range of textual forms and for a variety of purposes and audiences. Students appreciate that English is used differently in different cultural and national settings. Intercultural understanding is enhanced by developing intercultural communication skills and an understanding of international etiquette.
IV. SACE LITERACY REQUIREMENT
Students who complete 20 credits of Stage 1 English as an Additional Language with a C grade or better, or Stage 2 English as an Additional Language with a C– grade or better, will meet the literacy requirement of the SACE. Credits gained from any of the subjects can be combined with credits gained from other subjects in the English Learning Area.
V. LEARNING REQUIREMENTS
The learning requirements summarise the knowledge, skills, and understanding that students are expected to develop and demonstrate through their learning in Stage 2 English as an Additional Language.
In this subject, students are expected to:
- understand and analyse how language and stylistic features are used to achieve different purposes
- comprehend and evaluate information, ideas, and opinions presented in texts
- analyse and evaluate personal, social, and/or cultural perspectives in texts
- respond to information, ideas, and opinions, using sustained, persuasive, and effective communication
- create extended oral, written, and multimodal texts appropriate to different purposes, audiences, and contexts.
VI. CONTENT
Stage 2 English as an Additional Language is a 20‑credit subject.
This subject focuses on the development and use of skills and strategies in communication, comprehension, language and text analysis, and text creation.
Through studying a variety of oral, written, and multimodal texts, including informational and literary texts, students develop an understanding of text structures and language features. Texts could include, for example, a newspaper article, a podcast, a short story, an extract from a prose text, or a scene from a film. Students explore the relationship between the structures and features and the purpose, audience, and context of texts. Information, ideas, and opinions in texts are identified and evaluated. Personal, social, and cultural perspectives in texts are analysed and evaluated.
Students develop confidence in creating texts for different purposes in both real and imagined contexts. Students broaden their understanding of sociocultural and sociolinguistic aspects of English, through their study of texts and language. They develop skills for research and academic study.
The subject focuses on the following skills and strategies:
- Communication skills and strategies
- Comprehension skills and strategies
- Language and text analysis skills and strategies
- Text creation skills and strategies.
1. Communication skills and strategies
Students understand and analyse how language and stylistic features are used to achieve different purposes.
For example, they:
- develop oral communication skills by participating in and managing collaborative discussions and presentations in a range of contexts, including the academic context
- use stress, pitch, pace, and intonation for particular effects
- use a range of non‑verbal cues to complement and enhance meaning
- understand and use technical and/or other context‑specific language
- develop the use of cultural references, idioms, and colloquialisms
- develop written communication skills through creating texts for varied purposes and audiences
- develop the skills to make stylistic choices through the grammatical control of language and an increasing vocabulary.
2. Comprehension skills and strategies
Students comprehend and evaluate information, ideas, and opinions presented in texts.
For example, they:
- comprehend and evaluate information, ideas, and opinions in a range of texts of increasing complexity
- distinguish between and evaluate facts and opinions
- compare and contrast the different purposes, forms, and mediums of texts
- reflect on and evaluate how language choices and rhetorical devices are designed to influence personal interpretations and those of others
- integrate ideas and information from texts.
3. Language and text analysis skills and strategies
Students analyse and evaluate personal, social, and cultural perspectives in texts.
For example, they:
- analyse how language features and conventions are used to influence or persuade audiences
- analyse how texts present different perspectives on information, ideas, and opinions
- consider how concepts such as knowledge or authority are conveyed through language choices
- analyse how variations of the English language, and choice of register, convey meaning in different cultures
- examine the use of text structures and language features to achieve particular purposes
- evaluate the relevance and bias of evidence and assumptions in texts
- reflect on personal and cultural values, attitudes, and beliefs.
4. Text creation skills and strategies
Students respond to information, ideas, and opinions, using sustained, persuasive, and effective communication. They create extended oral, written, and multimodal texts appropriate to different purposes, audiences, and contexts.
For example, they:
- create a range of types of texts, using digital, multimodal, and print‑based technologies, particularly those suited to academic settings
- use language appropriate to the context
- make stylistic and grammatical choices for appropriate effect
- use culturally specific phrases, idioms, and ideas
- select language features and text structures suited to purpose and audience
- use a range of research sources and appropriate referencing methods
- plan, edit, and refine their texts.
VII. EVIDENCE OF LEARNING
All Stage 2 subjects have a school assessment component and an external assessment component.
The following assessment types enable students to demonstrate their learning in Stage 2 English as an Additional Language:
School assessment (70%)
- Assessment Type 1: Academic Literacy Study (30%)
- Assessment Type 2: Responses to Texts (40%)
External assessment (30%)
- Assessment Type 3: Examination (30%).
Students provide evidence of their learning through seven assessments, including the external assessment component. Students complete:
- two tasks for the academic literacy study (one oral and one written)
- four tasks for the responses to texts (at least one oral and two written)
- one examination.
VIII. ASSESSMENT DESIGN CRITERIA
The assessment design criteria are based on the learning requirements and are used by:
- teachers to clarify for the student what they need to learn
- teachers and assessors to design opportunities for the student to provide evidence of their learning at the highest possible level of achievement.
The assessment design criteria consist of specific features that:
- students should demonstrate in their learning
- teachers and assessors look for as evidence that students have met the learning requirements.
For this subject, the assessment design criteria are:
- communication
- comprehension
- analysis
- application.
The specific features of these criteria are described below.
The set of assessments, as a whole, must give students opportunities to demonstrate each of the specific features by the completion of study of the subject.
1. Communication
The specific features are as follows:
- C1: Clarity and coherence in written and spoken communication, using appropriate vocabulary.
- C2: Grammatical control and complexity.
2. Comprehension
The specific features are as follows:
- CP1: Comprehension and evaluation of information, ideas, and opinions in texts.
- CP2: Comprehension of ways in which texts are composed for purposes, audiences, and contexts
3. Analysis
The specific features are as follows:
- AN1: Analysis and evaluation of personal, social, and/or cultural perspectives in texts.
- AN2: Analysis of the relationship between the purpose, conventions, and language features of texts.
4. Application
The specific features are as follows:
- AP1: Use of language features and conventions to produce texts for different purposes, audiences, and contexts.
- AP2: Selection and use of evidence and examples from a range of sources, with appropriate referencing.
IX. SCHOOL ASSESSMENT
The school assessment component for Stage 2 English as an Additional Language consists of two assessment types:
- Assessment Type 1: Academic Literacy Study
- Assessment Type 2: Responses to Texts.
1. Assessment Type 1: Academic Literacy Study (30%)
Students develop their academic literacy skills through creating written and oral academic texts and extending their communication skills and strategies.
Students investigate a question or a topic and present their findings in an academic style by producing two tasks:
- a written report
- an oral interaction, such as a tutorial or discussion.
When investigating the question or topic, students use a range of sources. One of the sources must include a listening and/or multimodal presentation on an aspect of the question or topic studied (e.g. public lecture, online lecture, conference keynote address, public address, seminar, broadcast, podcast, TED talk, interview, speech).
In presenting their findings, students use language appropriate to an academic context.
1.1. Written Report
The written report consists of the findings of the study.
The findings of the study should be a maximum of 1500 words. The written report must be structured with an introduction that indicates the question or topic. The body of the report should be organised under headings and subheadings. Elements such as an abstract, a sources analysis, an annotated bibliography, or an account of the research methodology may be included as part of the report, provided that they are within the word count. The conclusion should summarise the findings, evaluate information, and/or make recommendations. The report must include references to sources, using consistent referencing.
1.2. Oral Interaction
In the oral interaction, within a group context, students should:
- briefly present the findings of their study or an aspect of their study
- answer questions posed by other group members, and/or lead a group discussion, and/or contribute collaboratively to the group.
The oral interaction focuses on the spontaneous use of language within a prepared structure.
Students may use technology to aid the presentation of the oral interaction.
The oral interaction should be a maximum of 10 minutes.
For this assessment type, students provide evidence of their learning primarily in relation to the following assessment design criteria:
- communication
- comprehension
- application.
2. Assessment Type 2: Responses to Texts (40%)
The responses to texts focus on developing comprehension skills and language and text analysis strategies.
In developing comprehension skills, students evaluate facts and opinions in texts. They also explain personal, social, and cultural perspectives reflected in texts. Each response to texts should focus on at least one of these perspectives, but it is not necessary for all three to be covered each time.
In developing language and text analysis strategies, students analyse the effects of persuasive techniques and how language features and conventions influence audiences.
Students complete four responses to a range of texts, at least one of which must be a literary text. (A suggested text list is available on the subject minisite.) At least one response must be presented in oral form and two must be in written form. These responses must include:
- a response to one or more texts with a focus on a theme or issue
- a creative response to a text or texts (e.g. a journal entry written by a character in the text; a narrative from a minor character’s viewpoint; a speech by a character from the text; a role play)
- an analysis of a persuasive text or the emotive elements of a text (e.g. poem, short story, film trailer).
Students also complete a fourth, free‑choice response (i.e. teachers and students may choose the form of this response). The responses should total a maximum of 3000 words or the equivalent in oral or multimodal form, where 6 minutes is equivalent to 1000 words.
For this assessment type, students provide evidence of their learning primarily in relation to the following assessment design criteria:
- communication
- comprehension
- analysis.
X. EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT
The external assessment component for Stage 2 English as an Additional Language consists of an examination.
Assessment Type 3: Examination (30%)
Students complete a 160‑minute external examination that is divided into two sections:
- Section 1: Comprehending Multimodal Texts
- Section 2: Written Paper.
Section 1: Comprehending Multimodal Texts
This section is divided into two parts. In both parts students respond to aural and/or visual texts. In their answers to questions, students must use information from the texts. Texts may be drawn from a range of oral and visual text types such as discussions, interviews, broadcasts, podcasts, lectures, and advertisements.
Part A
The text for Part A is presented twice. Students may make notes during the presentation. Between the first and second presentations there is a pause during which students may write notes. After the second presentation students are given 10 minutes to complete their answers.
In answering the questions, students may be required to, for example:
- take notes from a lecture
- insert information in a table, chart, or diagram
- respond to cues in the text or texts
- provide a summary of the text
- plan the structure of an extended response.
Part B
For Part B, students analyse one or more texts. The text(s) may have an aural component (e.g. excerpt from a radio broadcast, recording of an interview, aural advertisement) or an aural and visual component (e.g. film trailer, television interview, video recording of a lecture, YouTube). Students demonstrate an understanding of the text(s) and analyse how language is used to persuade an audience.
The text or texts for Part B are presented twice. Students may make notes during the presentation of the text(s). Between the first and second presentations there is a pause during which students may write notes. After the second presentation students are given time to complete their answers.
Students may be required, for example, to:
- analyse the texts
- evaluate how successfully the texts achieve their intended purpose
- consider the techniques (for example, persuasive language in an advertisement or arguments in a short debate)
- focus on the language, purpose, audience, or context.
Section 2: Written Paper
Students are required to read and interpret related texts. Texts presented could contain information, opinions, and descriptions of experiences. The texts could also include information in the form of graphs, diagrams, or pictures.
Students use the information and opinions in the texts to produce an extended written response in the form of an essay, a persuasive piece, or a report.
For this assessment type, students provide evidence of their learning in relation to the following assessment design criteria:
- communication
- comprehension
- analysis
- application.
XI. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
The performance standards describe five levels of achievement, A to E.
Each level of achievement describes the knowledge, skills, and understanding that teachers and assessors refer to in deciding how well students have demonstrated their learning on the basis of the evidence provided.
During the teaching and learning program the teacher gives students feedback on their learning, with reference to the performance standards.
At the student’s completion of study of each school assessment type, the teacher makes a decision about the quality of the student’s learning by:
- referring to the performance standards
- assigning a grade between A+ and E– for the assessment type.
The student’s school assessment and external assessment are combined for a final result, which is reported as a grade between A+ and E–.
Stage 2 performance standards for English as an Additional Language can be viewed below.
Communication | Comprehension | Analysis | Application | |
A | Consistently clear and coherent writing and speaking, using a diverse and sophisticated vocabulary.
Sophisticated and consistent demonstration of grammatical control and complexity. |
Thorough comprehension and evaluation of information, ideas, and opinions in texts.
Sophisticated comprehension of ways in which texts are composed for varied purposes, audiences, and contexts. |
Consistently clear analysis and evaluation of personal, social, and/or cultural attitudes and perspectives in texts.
Thorough analysis of the relationship between purpose, conventions, and language features of texts. |
Discerning use of a wide range of appropriate language features and conventions to produce coherent texts for different purposes, audiences, and contexts.
Comprehensive selection and use of information from sources, with consistent and appropriate referencing. |
B | Usually clear and coherent writing and speaking, using a sound vocabulary.
Effective and usually accurate grammatical control and complexity. |
Well‑considered comprehension and evaluation of information, ideas, and opinions in texts.
Detailed comprehension and evaluation of ways in which texts are composed for specific purposes, audiences, and contexts. |
Well‑considered analysis and evaluation of personal, social, and/or cultural attitudes and perspectives in texts.
Effective analysis of the relationship between purpose, conventions, and language features of texts. |
Effective use of a range of appropriate language features and conventions to produce texts for different purposes, audiences, and contexts.
Effective and considered selection and use of information from sources, with appropriate referencing. |
C | Generally clear and coherent writing and speaking, using an appropriate vocabulary.
Appropriate grammatical control and some complexity. |
Comprehension and some evaluation of information, ideas, and opinions in texts.
Accurate comprehension of ways in which texts are composed for familiar purposes, audiences, and contexts. |
Appropriate analysis of personal, social, and/or cultural perspectives in texts, with elements of evaluation.
Some analysis of the relationship between purpose, conventions, and language features of texts. |
Appropriate use of language features and conventions to produce texts for different purposes, audiences, and contexts.
Selection and use of information from sources, with appropriate referencing. |
D | Occasionally clear and coherent writing and speaking, using a restricted vocabulary.
Partial grammatical control and some complexity. |
Some comprehension of aspects of information and/or ideas in texts.
Some comprehension of ways in which some texts are composed for purposes and audiences. |
Some recognition of the personal, social, and/or cultural perspectives in texts.
Some description of the relationship between purpose, conventions, and language features of texts. |
Some use of language features and conventions to produce texts with some awareness of purposes and audiences.
Use of information from a narrow range of sources, with attempted referencing. |
E | Limited clarity and coherence in writing and speaking, with a restricted vocabulary.
Limited grammatical control. |
Limited comprehension of information in texts.
Limited awareness of one or more ways in which texts are composed for a purpose and audience. |
Limited recognition of the personal, social, or cultural ideas in a text.
Limited description of purpose, conventions, and/or language features of a text. |
Limited use of language features to produce a text.
Use of information from a source. |