English Lower Secondary Syllabus - Department of Education

Lower Secondary SyllabusIntroductionThe National Curriculum Statement states that education in Papua NewGuinea is outcomes based. All Lower Secondary syllabuses use anoutcomes approach. The English syllabus has been designed using learningoutcomes which identify the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that allstudents achieve or demonstrate by the end of Grade 10. It selects theessential knowledge and skills from syllabuses teachers have used in thepast, and incorporates these with developments in English to ensure that thesyllabus provides relevant skills and knowledge for students. Language isone of the national curriculum learning areas and this English syllabus buildson the knowledge and skills students have learnt in primary school.Upper PrimaryLanguageStrandsUpper PrimaryLanguageSubstrandsLower SecondaryEnglishStrandsLower SecondaryEnglishUnit organisationSpeaking andlisteningReadingWritingProductionSkills and strategiesContext and textCritical literacySpeaking andlisteningReading and viewingWritingTexts and contextsLanguageSkills and strategiesAssessment is an important component of teaching for learning and isintegrated into the teaching and learning activities of English. Continuousassessment in English provides feedback to students and the teacher onstudents' progress towards achievement of the learning outcomes. It helpsstudents improve their standards of achievement by knowing what they needto do well and where they need to improve. In English, teachers will gatherevidence from students’ work during the course of the term and use thosecontinuous assessments to improve their teaching and students’ learning.English is explored using a range of texts. Through critical analysis deepermeanings are drawn and discussed. The learner becomes familiar withfeatures of English such as spelling, vocabulary, grammar, punctuation,layout, and the important functions of the different modes ofcommunications. Students understand and use appropriate language tomeaningfully interact with increasingly diverse audiences in their journey aslearners and into adulthood. Students build on prior knowledge, skills, andunderstanding as they progress through to the next grade level.The English syllabus is organised using three strands; speaking andlistening, reading and viewing and writing. It involves learning about thedifferent genres used in school and the wider community. Students use anintegrated text-based approach to study a range of genres includingliterature, media and everyday texts. Teachers will choose from a range oftexts suitable for their students to study individually or in groups. As studentslisten to, speak about, read, view and write a range of texts, they makemeaning and identify and use the appropriate conventions of language.At Grade 9 and 10 emphasis is placed on the development of an appropriatelevel of competence of reading and viewing, writing and speaking andlistening skills. Students undertake a variety of activities to improve their1