VELS GENERIC COURSE OUTLINE for Language Teachers

Transcription

CONTENTS
Introduction
2
VELS Course Overview
3-5
Prep& Year 1: VELS Level 1 - Overview
8
Years 7 & 8: VELS Level 5 - Overview
68
Themes:
Themes:
Learning a language
Numbers, Colours and Shapes
My school and class environment
Seasons
My Body
Clothing
My family
Fairy tales /Folk stories
Animals
Teacher Modification Sheet
9
10
11
12
13-14 15
16
17
18
19
22
Shopping
Food Pyramid and Healthy Lifestyle
Geography
The Migration Experience
Occupations
Sports and Leisure Activities
The Olympic Games
An Introduction to Literature
69-70
71-72
73
74-75
76
77-78
79
80
81
84
Themes:
Themes:
In the classroom
I am feeling…
Sports
Leisure Activities
Transport
Shopping
Food
Animals
23
24
25-26 27
28
29
30
31
32
34
85-86 87-88 89-90 91-92 93
94
95
96-97 98-99 100-101
102
Themes:
The Many Facets of My Life
Identity
Travel
Endangered Species
Communication
Radio Program
People in Our Community
Recycling and the Environment
Planning A Wedding
Literature Highlights
Appendix
Country Cultural Celebration
My School
Family
Food
Clothes
Farm Animals
Lifestyle
35
36-38 39-40 41-42 43
44
45
46
48
Themes:
Setting Goals – Portfolio
Belonging Where I live
What I Do at School
The Community
Travelling Around the World
Healthy Mind Healthy Body
Keeping Fit
The Media
Dinosaurs
A Special Treat to Eat
The Animal Kingdom – Australian Animals
Teacher Modification Sheet 49
50-51 52
53
54
55
56-57 58
59
60
61-62 63-64 65
Acrostic Poem
Mind Map
Sequence/Flow Chart
Brainstorming
Word Find
Venn Diagram
Fishing Game
Mirror Activity
Simon Says
Chinese Whispers
A Chinese folk tale
Thinkers T
Starburst
Ranking Ladder
Cube
Y Chart
Student Action Teams (PDSA 9 Step Improvement Process)
103
103
104
104
105
106
107
108
109
109
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
103
1
VICTORIAN SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES
INTRODUCTION
The VELS Generic Course Outline for Language Teachers has been written by practitioners at the Victorian School of Languages (VSL) in accordance with the Victorian Essential Learning Standards. This course outline is designed to provide teaching ideas for the language classroom from Prep to Year
10 or Pathway One students. The aim of this project has been to consolidate as many different teaching ideas for the language classroom. It offers
teachers of emerging community languages a structure around which to design their own courses. We encourage practising teachers to take from it what
they will to enhance their own method, in particular, the application of technology, thinking tools, linking to the community and student centred learning. The course outline is written as a guide and not meant to be prescriptive. The topics are by no means exhaustive. Teachers should take elements from
them and adapt to their classes at the appropriate level or cultural context. All suggested classroom activities can be simplified or enriched in order to be tailored for a particular class. Teachers should incorporate their own cultural content in lieu of the suggested cultural activities which have been
included as examples only.
Character Language teachers will have to modify the content of the course to incorporate the teaching of characters. This has not been included.
The book is set up thematically and sequentially with
(a)
A VELS Course Overview which provides a succinct thumbnail of content and possible teaching topics or themes at each VELS level, aligned to the VELS Languages other than English Dimensions, thinking tools and possible assessment activities.
(b)
The sections for each VELS level include:
• VELS summary of LOTE dimensions, progression measures and points for Roman, Non-Roman and Character languages
• Inter-related VELS Domains
• Thematic Classroom Activities with grammar, vocabulary and suggested assessment tasks
• A Teacher Modification Sheet at the end of each VELS level for teachers to modify classroom activities for their own particular situation.
(c)
The Appendix includes samples of the teaching tools included in the course outline for classroom use.
It has been a pleasure working on this document and I hope that it will prove to be useful to language teachers. I wish to acknowledge the invaluable
contribution of the follow VSL staff, Antonella Cicero for the initial course preparation, Mahe Castles for additions and refinements and Maree Usher for
final editing. Layout and cover by Len Taylor from Logogo Design.
Pandora Petrovska
Assistant Principal
Victorian School of Languages
2
LEVEL 1 | VICTORIAN SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES
2.
1.
Vels
Level
Animals
Food
Shopping
Transport
(Student Action Teams)
Leisure Activities
Sports
I am feeling
In the Classroom
Animals
Folktales/Fairytales
Weather
Seasons
My Family
My Clothes
My Body
My School
Number, Colours and
Shapes
Learning a Language
My Self
Themes
Alphabet sounds
Present Tense
Definite and
Indefinite articles
Nouns
Adjectives
Pronouns
Prepositions
Singular
Plural
Time
Weather
Seasons
Family
School
Body parts
Clothes
Greetings
Feelings
Instructions
Health
Habitats
Animals
Foods
Shops
Modes of transport
Sports equipment
Physical Activities
Clothing
Body Parts
Months, days and time
Rules
Feelings/emotions
Senses
Vocabulary
Consonants
Colours
Cloze activity
Calendar
Cloze activity
Venn Diagram
Posters
Student Portfolio
Guided writing activity –
sentence structure
Mirror Activity
Pattern Activities
Mind Mapping
Dialogue – Pair work
Word Search
Rules Book
Reading Activity – Role Play
Word Find
Drawing and labelling
Acrostic Poem
Matching Activity
Mime
Pyramid
Star Burst
Cloze Activity
PMI
Class Survey - graph
Comic Strip
Fishing Game
Y Chart
Diorama
Venn Diagram
Family Tree
Forensic kit
Labelling activity
Pattern Activity
Matching activity
Date Chart
Picture and sentence matching
Colouring Activity
Memory
Pictograph
Self Portrait - identikit
Concentration
Wheel Chart
Show and Tell
Matching activity
Posters
Animal Bingo
Role Plays
Games: Snap
Puppet Performance
Brainstorming
Assessment
Activities
Mind Maps
Thinking Tools
Gender
Complete posters for classroom display in the
LOTE.
Compare popular sports in LOTE country with
Australia.
Note similarities in language structures e.g.
sentence order, gender, agreement
Study landmarks in the LOTE country.
Compare sounds, tones and words with
English.
Identify cultural icon or practice e.g. national
costume.
Compare seasons from the different
hemispheres.
Compare some sounds, tones and letters/
characters with English.
Use of culturally appropriate introductions and
gestures.
Intercultural/ Langauge
Awareness
Pronouns
Answering questions
Interrogative
Negatives
Agreements
Prepositions
like, wear, play, jump, run, eat
Verbs:
Present Tense
Singular and Plural Nouns
Definite and Indefinite
articles
Grammar
Agreements
Gender
Vowels
Grammar
Number
Vocabulary
Communicating
In The Lote
4.
3.
Vels
Level
The Animal KingdomAustralian animals
Dinosaurs
The Media
Special Treat to Eat
Keeping Fit
Healthy Mind – Healthy
Body
Travelling around the
world
My Community
Where I live
Belonging
Setting Goals
Student Action Teams
Lifestyle
Farm Animals
Clothes
Food
Family
LOTE Cultural
Celebrations
My School
Themes
Schools
Family
Local Community
Rooms /house
Shops, Landmarks
Modes of Transport
Climate, Lifestyle
Technology, Food
Continents, countries,
seas, oceans
Directions, Hemispheres
Colours, Human organs
Sports, Ingredients
Forms of media
Newspapers
Dinosaurs
Forest – environments
Animal habitats, Species
Vocabulary
Celebrations
Months
Seasons/weather
Days/time
Transport
School
Locations
Activities
Subjects
Family members
Numbers and Colours
Mealtime
Clothing
Animal products
Leisure activities
Age
Vocabulary
Syntax
Future Tense
Verbs related to belonging
Interrogatives
Questioning techniques
and structures
Verbs: to be, live, exercise, threaten
Past tense
Like/dislike
Gender
Personal pronouns
Prepositions: across, over, through, to
Comparative and
superlative adjectives
Grammar
Adjectives
Interrogative pronouns
Conjunctions
Verbs: to be, like, celebrate,
enjoy, dance, eat, sing.
Present / past Tenses
Reflexive verbs
Nouns: gender and
number
Definite and Indefinite
articles
Adjectives: singular and
plural
Verb conjugation
Agreements: article, noun
adjective
Possessive pronouns
Numbers: cardinal/ordinal
Adverbs
Demonstrative pronouns
Grammar
Communicating
In The Lote
Community members visit the classroom
to discuss their younger years, as a way
of extending students’ understanding of
perspectives in the My community theme.
Students reflect on their language learning
using their Student Portfolio – VSL Language
Passport.
Rules and expectations regarding politeness
e.g. classroom protocols
Demonstrate understanding of different writing
conventions for specific discourse forms e.g.
messages, letters and postcards.
Understand formal and informal modes of
address e.g. respectful address of older
people.
Develop revision material for language rules
and applications to share with other students
e.g. conjunctions, interrogative pronouns,
gender.
Compare and contrast like events based on
cultural celebrations e.g. birthdays, New Year.
Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate
cultural values in the context of celebrations in
the LOTE country.
Compare concepts of family in country where
LOTE is spoken.
Awareness
Graph and table
Tinkers T Chart
Sequencing
Venn Diagram
Mind Maps
Preference Chart
Graphs
Venn Diagrams
Pyramid (sorting tool)
PMI
Matching activities
Mind Maps
Thinking Tools
Survey
Postcards
Matching activities
Role Play
Story book
Cloze exercise
Research project
PowerPoint
Oral presentation
VSL Passport student Portfolio
VSL Passport student portfolio
Writing Tasks
Celebration Book
PowerPoint
Oral Presentation
Wordfind
Acrostic poem
Comic Strip
Cloze Activity
Posters
Survey and graph
Self portrait
Venn Diagram
Reading and book review
Email
Family Tree
Audio CD /podcast
Performance
Family Album
ID Card
Research Task
Dialogue
Assessment
Activities
6.
5.
Vels
Level
Consumable products
Colours/textures
Food, drink, drugs
Health ailments
Exercise
Human body
Geographical terms
Landmarks, Directions
Race, Migration
Childhood, Adulthood
Equipment
Job classification
Personality traits
Literary genres &
Conventions
Metalanguage
Poetry
Short stories
Family, Career
Aspirations, Occupations
HumourChildhood memory
Roles
Endangered Species
Habitat, Continents
Traditional rituals
Recreation, Directions
Maps/legends
Itinerary
Travel documents
Accommodation
Migration terms
Clothes
Weather
Communication
Recycling
Environments
Idiomatic expressions
Identity
Literary Highlights
People in our community
Planning a wedding
Radio Program
Recycling and the
environment
Communication
Endangered Species
Travel
Vocabulary
The many facets of my life
My Sporting Hero
Literature
Linking to Community
Occupations
The migrant experience
Geography
Vocabulary
Healthy Lifestyle
Tense Present
Future
Modal verbs
Gerund
Nouns/articles
Perfect and Imperfect
tense
Possessive Pronouns
Present Perfect
Adjectives
Conditional tense
Prepositions
Agreements
Gender
Grammar
Tenses
present perfect/imperfect
imperative/
future/
conditional
Adjectives
Possessive pronouns
Definite/
indefinite articles
Prepositions
Adverbs
Comparatives
Superlatives
Grammar
Communicating
In The Lote
Advertising
Themes
Describe personal values and opinions and
compare them with previously held views e.g.
traditional rituals associated with weddings.
Interact with members of the language
community e.g. People in our community.
Understand the concept of culture and the
relationship between cultures e.g. travel topic.
Test understandings of language as a complex
system through contact with speakers of
the language, research and observation e.g.
People in our community, radio program and
studying literature.
Understand cultural influences on the way
people behave and use language e.g. Planning
a wedding, Travel and Identity.
Demonstrate an awareness of language
through the creation of realistic applications
e.g. Radio Program, interviews with members
of the community.
Express views and values in healthy life style
topic.
List
Menu
Class concert
Diary Entry
Research Project
Advertisement
Board Game
Newsletter
Short Story
Brochure
PMI
Song
Recipe
Email
Power Point
Personal Journal
Time capsule
Display
Thinkers “T”
Lotus Diagram
Spider Diagram
Gantt Chart
Venn Diagram
Star Burst
Flow ‘Chart
Translation
(b) interviews with people in the community
from different occupations and backgrounds.
Opinionative piece
Reading comprehension
(a) performance to Elderly Citizens groups
Script
Performance
Survey
Role Play
Advertisment
Photo Story
PowerPoint Presentation
Assessment
Activities
Story Writing
Fishbone
Evaluation PMI
Classification
Mind Map
Graph
Venn Diagram
Metalanguage chart
Thinking Tools
Interact with speakers of the language in the
Linking to the community topic e.g.
Translate and interpret text in the Literature
and other topics.
Create posters and grammar rule charts,
metalanguage charts to create and maintain
language in the classroom.
Awareness
VELS LEVEL 1
Prep–year 1
VELS LEVEL 1
Dimension 1:
Communicating in a
language other than English
LEVEL 1
• Students learn the knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant to the language studied.
• Skills include listening, speaking, reading, viewing and writing and the use of body language.
• The application requires knowledge of linguistic elements, including vocabulary and grammar.
• Students need to be familiar with a wide range of texts and genres in print and electronic form.
Dimension 2:
Intercultural knowledge and
language awareness
• Students develop knowledge of the connections between language and culture.
• Students will develop an understanding of how culture is embedded throughout the communication
system.
• Students gain an awareness of the influence of culture in their own life and first language students
develop curiosity about and openness to a variety of values, practices and in-depth knowledge of the
diverse cultural traditions.
Interrelated domains
• Interpersonal Development
• Personal Learning
• Communication
• Thinking Processes
• Civics and Citizenship
• Information and Communication Technology
• Health and physical education
Progression measures
Communicating in a Language other than English
• Repeat teacher modelled use of language.
• Participate in choral use of the language.
• Identify the names of visible objects and items from aural/visual cues.
• Introduce themselves, greet and farewell the teacher.
• Follow simple classroom directions.
• Recognise some culturally specific gestures and body language, and demonstrate how these are used.
• Observe the process of interpreting and perform some of its simple features using single words
or phrases.
 Α Students of Roman alphabetical languages should be able to:
• recognise the different sounds of similar letters, and demonstrate differences for key sounds
• identify letter-sound relationships and copy and trace letters and letter clusters and match them to
sounds and words.
 Ω Students of Non-Roman alphabetical languages should be able to:
• notice and discuss the different writing system, and practise writing individual letters and other symbols
• distinguish selected letter sounds from English, match sounds and letters, identify words for concrete
items from cues, etc.
• copy or trace selected letters and match them to sounds and words.
 
Students of Character languages should be able to:
• notice and discuss the different writing system, and practise writing selected letters, characters or other
symbols
• recognise characters associated with specific concrete items and their different sounds, matching
symbols to meanings and forms
• trace or copy selected characters.
Intercultural knowledge and language awareness
• Demonstrate an understanding of some of the differences in how people eat, dress, sign, gesture, write
and say things.
• Identify some of the relationships between selected letters, sounds or tones in the language compared
to English or other familiar languages.
• Identify a cultural icon, geographic feature, famous building or cultural practise and make a simple
statement about it in the language.
• Display an awareness of different ways of doing things in particular situations.
• Express their own preferences in the language, or by responding to cues given in the language.
8
THEME Learning a Language
LEVEL 1
Classroom Activities
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1 – Myself
• Students are introduced to simple greetings and respond to answer with
simple greetings orally. Repeat teacher modelled use of language.
• Students are introduced to What is your name? and My name is… They
introduce themselves to others.
• Students draw a self portrait and write their name and a greeting.
• Discuss different types of greetings and when to use with friends, parents,
teachers, etc.
• Introduce grammar activities on pronouns and/or gender using games
• Write greetings students would use with a friend and an adult.
• Play ‘Snap’ with flash cards, using greetings vocabulary and basic
introductions.
• Roleplay: greet the teacher and friends using culturally appropriate language
and gestures.
Grammar
• Present tense ‘is’
• Pronouns
• Gender
• Self portrait
Activity Cluster 2 (oral and written)
• Students are introduced to the alphabet, script and/or characters. They repeat
the same sounds then trace over the letters. Comparisons with English can be
made here.
• Teacher reads an alphabet book.
• Students complete an activity sheet. The letters of the alphabet are listed and
there is space for a picture. They copy/trace each word in the book for each
letter of the alphabet and draw the picture for it.
• Students listen to alphabet song and participate in choral use of language.
• Students are introduced to the numbers up to 10. They repeat the numbers
after the teacher.
• The teacher gives each student 5 flash cards each with words introduced in
the previous activity. Students count the number of letters in each word. On a
worksheet they write the word and the number of letters.
• The class creates a word list. In small groups the children brainstorm as many
words starting with the letters that the teacher has assigned the group.
9
• Roleplay
Vocabulary
• Greetings
Grammar
• Vowels and consonants
Vocabulary
• Alphabet
• Numbers
• Activity sheet
• Word list
THEME Numbers, Colours and Shapes
LEVEL 1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Students revise orally the numbers from 1-10. They are then introduced to
11- 20. Students count from 1-20.
• Identify numbers by responding to the question What number is this?
• The class plays ‘Bingo’ up to number 20.
• Children match the correct number to the correct number of objects.
• Each student selects a number and designs their own flashcard.
• Class listens to a song about numbers, e.g. 10 Little Indians. Students learn
the words and sing along too.
• Students play ‘Dominoes’ in the LOTE (Small groups/pairs)
Grammar
• Present tense is
Vocabulary
• Numbers 1 to 20
• Matching activity
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
• Present tense is
Vocabulary
• Colours
• Objects
• Numbers
• Colouring activity
Grammar
• Labelling activity
• Students are introduced to colours via a song.
• Students complete colouring in activities. They are given a worksheet where
each part of the picture is numbered. They must colour the picture in the
nominated colour for that number.
• Students colour in a rainbow and trace/write the colour.
• Students identify the different colours of various objects by following simple
directions responding to the question: What colour is this?
• Students count and identify how many colours they can see in the class,
outside etc. The teacher then graphs the colours and the total number.
• Play ‘Snap’: Match colours with words.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher shows pictures of different shapes e.g. circle, square, triangle, rectangle.
• Students label each shape.
• They play a matching game.
• In groups, students identify how many shapes there are in each category.
• Count and colour all the same shapes in one colour e.g. four squares (green),
two circles (red).
• Do a tally of the total shapes in each column.
10
• Counting activity
• Matching game
Vocabulary
• Shapes
• Tally/counting activity
THEME My school and class environment
LEVEL 1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Students walk around their classroom identifying key objects. Teacher designs
flash cards and labels the objects.
• Students draw a picture of their classroom and write a sentence describing it
(revising colours, shapes and numbers).
• The teacher reads a story about the classroom and then asks students questions.
• Students draw a picture of their favourite part of the story and state why they
liked it.
• Students complete a wordfind on the classroom objects.
• Students match flash cards of classroom items/objects to the correct picture.
Grammar
• Definite article
• Singular and plural nouns
gender of nouns
Vocabulary
• School objects
• Picture of the favourite
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
singular and plural nouns
gender of nouns
Vocabulary
• School objects
• Finish the pattern activity
Grammar
• Cut and paste activity
• Students trace over classroom vocabulary and copy the word. They repeat
after the teacher.
• As a class, students identify objects in the classroom as a choral activity.
• Students complete a ‘finish the pattern’ activity sheet. For example: desk,
book, pen, ....., book, pen.
• In small groups, the teacher gives students flash cards with the short
sentences and flashcards with the classroom objects. Students need to match
them correctly.
• Students count how many same shaped classroom objects there are in the
room and what colour they are. Teacher then graphs this information and then
discusses findings with the students.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher and students walk around the school grounds and identify different
• Gender of nouns
• Students are introduced to a map of the school. Students cut and paste the
Vocabulary
• School objects
• Group discussion on what is outside of the classroom.
parts of the school.
different school structures on the map and then label them. • Students match flash cards of the school structures with the pictures.
• Using flash cards, students match the question What is this? to the object.
Activity Cluster 4
•Teacher introduces the VSL Student Passport (Student Portfolio)
• Teacher explains the different sections e.g. student photo page, self assessment and work samples.
• Class brainstorms language learning goals.
• Students decorate their cover page.
• With teacher assistance, students write some simle goals as to what they
would like to learn in their LOTE.
• Students draw a self portrait at school and write a sentence describing what
they are doing at school e.g. sitting at my desk, playing outside with my friends.
11
Vocabulary
• Words about oneself
part of the story
• Wordfind
• Graph
• VSL Student Passport
• Self portrait
THEME Seasons
LEVEL 1
Linguistic Elements
Integrated Assessment
Activity Cluster 1
• Students are introduced to the days of the week with flash cards. They identify
a different activity they do for each day.
• Students sit in a circle and pass the ball to each other. Whenever a student
holds the ball he/she has to say one day of the week in order.
• Students complete a cut and paste activity. They need to paste the days of the
weeks in the correct order.
• Students complete a ‘wordfind’ with the days of the week.
• Teacher reads out a sentence about days of the week. The student acts out
what the teacher has read.
• Students have a ‘date chart’ in the class. They learn the phrases ‘Yesterday
was…’,‘Today is…’,‘Tomorrow will be…’
• Students are introduced to a class teddy. A student a week will be
responsible for taking the teddy home each weekend. The following lesson
they will tell the class what they did with the teddy bear, related to the topic
that is being studied.
Grammar
• Present tense verbs
related to activities.
Vocabulary
• Days of the week
• Activities
Grammar
Activity Cluster 2
• Students are introduced to the months with flash cards. They identify a
• Wordfind
• Proper nouns
• ‘Bingo’
different activity for each month.
• In small groups, students play ‘Pass the Parcel’. When the music stops the
student removes a layer of wrapping and reads the month that’s written. The
last child to unwrap wins the prize.
• Students complete a cut and paste activity. They need to paste the months in
the correct order.
• Students tell their peers the day, date and month of their birthday.
• Teacher creates a class birthday board. The children’s names and birth dates
are listed under each month. Children are congratulated on their birthday.
• Students revise the numbers 1-20 and learn 21–31. Students play ‘Bingo’ to
reinforce the numbers.
• In pairs, students perform a roleplay. They greet each other, ask how they are
feeling (vocabulary is from previous topics) and then ask when each others
birthdays are.
Vocabulary
• Months
• Numbers
• Birthday greeting
Activity Cluster 3
Grammar
• Present, past and future
tense - is
Vocabulary
• Months
• Numbers
• Picture and sentence
Grammar
• Present, past and future
tense - is
Vocabulary
• Months
• Numbers
• Seasons
• Weather journal
• Class brainstorms a calendar, highlighting important dates to them, e.g.
birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day.
• Students, in pairs, are given flash cards of the days and months. They need to
separate the two and then list them in the correct order.
• Students complete a ‘wordfind’ with months.
• Students now extend the ‘date chart’ to include the days and months.
The phrases ‘Yesterday was…’, ‘Today is…’, ‘Tomorrow will be…’ for both days
and months.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students look at different types of weather. They match pictures with the word
e.g. sunny, cloudy, windy, wet.
• Students use the ‘date chart’ to indicate what the weather is.‘Yesterday was…’,
‘Today is…’,‘Tomorrow will be…’ (Cloze activity)
• Students keep a weather journal for the week using the same phrases from
the ‘datechart’.
• Teacher introduces the students to the seasons. Teacher assists students in
matching weather and seasons.
• Students complete a calendar by drawing a picture, reflecting the weather, for
each month including day, dates, months and seasons.
• Teacher designs a wheel chart divided into quarters. The students need to
place the pictures of different weather conditions on the inside of the circle
and the corresponding season on the outside. Velcro should be used so
pictures and flashcards can easily be moved around.
• Students are given an outline of Australia and the LOTE country. They colour it
in and orally compare the weather and seasons. Students can use the wheel
chart from the previous activity.
• Sudents express their preference of season.
12
• Roleplay
• Wordfind
• Date chart
• Cloze activity
• Calendar
THEME My Body
LEVEL 1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Task
Activity Cluster 1
• Identify and name various parts of the body on a large poster.
• Teacher provides the students with a template of the body. Students label
body parts.
• In pairs, students play a concentration game by matching words to pictures.
• Students play ‘Simon Says’ in LOTE e.g. ‘Simon Says’ put your hands on your
knees.’
Grammar
• Possessive pronoun - your
Vocabulary
• Body parts
• Verbs – touch, put
• Concentration game
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
• Possessive pronoun your, my
• Subject pronoun – I
Vocabulary
• body parts
• verbs – touch, put
• physical activities
• Hand outline
Grammar
• Possessive pronoun
– your, my
Vocabulary
• Body parts
• Physical activities
• Labelling
Grammar
– your, my
• Adjectives
Vocabulary
• Body parts
• Physical descriptions
• Forensics kit activities
• Students complete a body jigsaw puzzle. They then present the completed
puzzle to the class identifying the body parts.
• Students trace an outline of their hand. They write a sentence ‘With my hand
I can…’ and list activities or verbs. This activity can be repeated for other body
parts. Students then collate all the hands and complete a class collage.
• Using the verbs and activities on the collage, students then list all the different
vocabulary.
• Students listen to a song in the LOTE about the body. They complete a cloze
activity.
• Students learn the words to the song and sing along. Students can
choreograph moves to the song and present this to older students.
• Teacher introduces students to a few pictographs related to parts of the body.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students take part in an oral activity. Teacher shows students flash cards of
different activities. Students identify the body parts involved. They can also
describe what each body part can do, using the verbs and activities from the
collage.
• Students trace or copy single words about parts of the body and draw their
body.
• On large pieces of butcher’s paper, students trace their whole body and label.
Paint eyes, hair, lips etc.
Activity Cluster 4
• Teacher develops a ‘forensics kit’ for the class. The teacher provides coloured
outlines of different eyes, hair, nose, mouths and ears. Students are given an
outline of a blank face. They need to construct a face and then describe it.
• Students are given a blank template of a person. Teacher gives oral
description of this person. Students draw, colour in and complete the picture
based on the teacher’s description. e.g. This person has long brown hair, blue
eyes etc. This activity can be first done for the face then repeated for the whole
body.
• Students write a sentence about the completed face.
• Grammar activity – adjectives and agreements (as appropriate) e.g. short, tall,
curly, long, straight.
13
• Labelling
• List
• Song
THEME My Body CONTINUED
LEVEL 1
Activity Cluster 5
• Students play ‘Guess Who?’ This is a generic board game with numerous
faces on it. One student provides clues and the other has to guess whose face it is.
• Students are shown items of clothing and then need to tell the teacher to
which part of the body they belong.
• Teacher introduces clothing vocabulary using flash cards–appropriate/
prepositions e.g. to wear/on/in.
• Students complete a worksheet activity. They have a template of a body and
paste cut outs of different items of clothing on the body.
• Students play dress ups. They bring their favourite dress up clothing to school.
Students do an oral presentation on the clothing they are wearing and the
body parts it covers .e.g. ‘I am wearing a red skirt and a blue shirt. I have
green shoes on my feet.’
• Dress up can be teacher directed. Teacher asks: ‘Where do you put your hat?’
Student replies ‘I put my hat on head.’
• Students work in pairs. They roleplay. One student asks ‘Where do you wear
…?’ And the other replies ‘I wear … on my …’ Students then reverse the roles.
14
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Task
Grammar
• Presentation
– your, my
• Subject pronoun –
I and you
• Prepositions
• Worksheet
• Roleplay
• Poster
Vocabulary
• Body parts
• Physical attributes
• Clothing
THEMES Clothing
LEVEL 1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Identify and name various items of clothing using flash cards.
• Read aloud items of clothing on flashcards with the teacher. • Teacher provides the students with a template of the body. Students draw
clothes on the body. Label clothing drawn or cut out a variety of clothes from
magazines.
• In pairs, students play a concentration game by matching words to pictures.
• In pairs, students play a game. They face each other, look at each others
clothing, turn back to back and make 3 minor changes to their clothing.
Students face each other and state the items of clothing that have changed.
e.g., student rolls sleeves on jumper up. Answer, jumper.
Grammar
• Definite article, singular
and plural
Vocabulary
• Body parts
• Clothing
• Concentration game
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
• Definite article – singular
and plural
• Verb- are
• Possessive pronoun – my
Vocabulary
• Body parts
• Colours
• Clothing
• Outline of body
Grammar
• Definite article – singular
and plural
• Verb – like
• Subject pronoun
Vocabulary
• Body parts
• Colours
• Clothing
• Self portrait
Grammar
• Poster
• Students complete a jigsaw puzzle on clothing. They then present the
completed puzzle to the class identifying the items of clothing.
• Students trace an outline of their body. They write a sentence ‘My favourite
clothes are…’ and list their favourite clothing. This activity can be repeated for
other body parts. Students then collate all the outlines and display around the
class /school.
• Students list the items of clothing on their outline and state which colour they
are.
• Students complete a Venn Diagram of winter clothing, summer clothing and
clothing worn all year round.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher asks students what their favourite clothes are. Students reply, ‘I like
to wear…’
• Students match the words to picture flash cards.
• Students play a memory game in small groups, similar to ‘Chinese Whispers’.
• Students draw a self portrait and write a sentence describing what they are
wearing.
• In pairs students perform a roleplay, using all the language. They greet each
other, introduce themselves and ask how they are feeling and describe what
they are wearing.
Activity Cluster 4
• Teacher brings example of traditional costumes of language being taught.
• Conjunction–whereas
• Students label costumes and compare how people dress in Australia and
Vocabulary
• Clothing
compare words used for different clothing items.
• Sudents draw / colour in and label the national costume poster. The posters
are put on display.
• The teacher can also introduce culturally specific aspects of the costumes
e.g. buttons, head scarves, shoes.
15
• Work sheet
• Clothing list
• Venn diagram
• Roleplay
THEME My Family
LEVEL 1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Introduce family member flash cards. Students repeat the names of various
family members including aunt, uncle, cousins.
• Teacher reads a short descriptive story of a family. Students complete an
activity sheet. They colour in and label the picture of the family in the story.
• Using worksheets, students match pictures of family members from the story
with the family member.
Grammar
and plural
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Adjectives
• Colours • Matching activity
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
and plural
• Verb – is and are
• Verb – has and have
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Adjectives
• Colours
• Body parts
• Clothing • Numbers
• Alphabet activity
Grammar
• Mirror activity
• Students try to find a word for each letter of the alphabet related to family.
• Students list 15 words related to family and descriptions.
• Students complete a wordfind.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students complete a ‘mirror’ activity sheet. They are given a picture of a
blank mirror with a series of instructions. e.g. ‘My mother has blue eyes.’
They follow the instructions by drawing the picture in the mirror. This activity
can be rotated to include various family members and revise body parts and clothing.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students complete a family tree of their own family using a guided activity
worksheet
• Students bring in photos of their family members and describe them.
• Students create their own family album, using the photos and descriptions.
• Teacher provides students with a written description of family members from
the story. Using an identikit, students construct the family member.
Activity Cluster 5
• As a class, students brainstorm ‘What do I do with my family?’ Students list
and group the activities. They state their preferences.
• Children bring in a photo of a special family event. They decorate (scrap
booking) the page and then describe the event and family members there.
• The teacher selects a song/s relevant to a family get-together.
• Children prepare for a small concert, inviting parents and family to attend.
Children can get dressed in costumes for their performances.
• Other work on this unit can be displayed for parents to view after the
performances.
16
• Wordfind
and plural
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Adjectives
• Colours • Body parts
• Clothing
Grammar
• Family tree (guided
and plural
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Adjectives
• Colours
• Body parts
• Clothing
• Family album
Grammar
• Scrap booking activity
and plural
• Likes and dislikes
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Adjectives
• Colours • Body parts
• Clothing • Numbers
• Activities
activity)
• Identikit
• Performance
• Presentation
THEME Fairy tales/Folk Stories
LEVEL 1
Linguistic Elements
Integrated Assessment
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher reads a popular international fairy tale/folk story to the students.
• Class discusses the different characters and moral of the story.
• Students complete a cut and paste sequencing activity. They paste the
pictures in the correct order of the story.
• Students create a prop or mask related to the fairytale. The teacher provides
the template and instructions.
Grammar
and plural
Vocabulary
• Revision of :
Adjectives
Colours Body parts
Clothing Numbers
• Sequencing activity
Grammar
• Drawing and description
Activity Cluster 2
• Students select their favourite part of the fairytale; they draw a picture and
describe it. The teacher can write the sentence for the student.
• In groups, each student creates a hand puppet of a character in the fairy tale.
The teacher provides the instructions for the children.
• The teacher provides sentence strips from the fairytale. The students unjumble
them and then re-enact the fairytale using the hand puppets.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher displays pictures of all the key characters and revises clothing, body
parts and colours.
• As a class students brainstorm adjectives to best describe the characters.
• Orally, students complete a descriptive profile of one character or listen to an
audio performance.
• In small groups, students prepare a roleplay to be presented to the school
community. Students dress up in character.
Activity Cluster 4
• All of the above activities can now be repeated for a LOTE specific fairytale.
and plural
Vocabulary
• Revision of :
Adjectives
Colours Body parts
Clothing Numbers
Grammar
and plural
Vocabulary
• Revision of :
Adjectives
Colours Body parts
Clothing Numbers
• Mask
• Hand puppet
• Story re-enactment
• Character description
• Roleplay
• Venn Diagram.
• Teacher assists students to make comparisons and similarities with an English
fairy tale using a Venn Diagram.
17
THEME Animals
LEVEL 1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher introduces nouns/vocabulary e.g. cat, dog, mouse, horse, pig and
appropriate articles.
• Students learn a LOTE song about animals e.g. ‘Old Macdonald had a farm.’
They listen to the song and complete a cloze activity.
• Teacher introduces adjectives e.g. a fluffy cat, a vicious dog, a black and white
cow etc (teacher reinforces colours).
• Students learn the words to the song and choreograph a dance to the lyrics.
Students invite another class to watch the performance.
• As a class, students play ‘Animal Bingo’.
• Students complete a guided note taking sheet, about their favourite animal.
They describe what his/her favourite animal looks like.
• Students play a game of animal charades. Working in teams, students place
face down, animal flash cards. In turns, a student selects a card and acts it
out. The others need to guess which animal it is.
• Students bring their favourite stuffed animal toy from home for ‘Show and tell’.
Grammar
• Definite articles
• Singular and plural
• Nouns
• Adjectives
• Song and dance
18
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Habitat
• Appropriate adjectives
• Cloze activity
• Performance
• Guided note taking sheet
• Group work–’Animal
Bingo’
• Game–‘Animal Charades’
• Oral Presentation–‘Show
and tell’
TEACHER MODIFICATION SHEET
LEVEL 1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Activity Cluster 2
Activity Cluster 3
Activity Cluster 4
Activity Cluster 5
19
VELS LEVEL 2
years 1 & 2
VELS LEVEL 2
Dimension 1:
Communicating in a
LEVEL 2
• Skills include listening, speaking, reading, viewing and writing and the use of body language.
Dimension 2:
language awareness
• Students develop knowledge of the connections between language and culture.
• Students will develop an understanding of how culture is embedded throughout the communication system.
• Students gain an awareness of the influence of culture in their own life and first language.
• Students develop curiosity about and openness to a variety of values, practices and in-depth knowledge of
the diverse cultural traditions.
• Communication
• Civics and Citizenship
• Information and Communication Technology
Progression Measures Part B
Communicating in a language other than English
• Generate simple original sentences (including expressing likes and dislikes)
• Introduce themselves, greet and farewell the teacher, and express thanks and apologies
• Respond to simple questions about short songs, stories and rhymes
• Extrapolate from familiar sounds, tone markers, signs, and so on, to spell new words
• Write words/letters in context and in modelled sentences
• Recognise the use of the language in several media and information and communications technologies,
and produce simple multimedia texts in the language
• Recognise some culturally-specific gestures and body language and integrate them into their own oral
communications
• Demonstrate the general characteristics of interpreting and translating in specific activities
• Recognise variations in how people respond in daily situations and describe the values underpinning these
responses
• Demonstrate an understanding of variation in language use, depending on the audience and context.
 Α Students of Roman alphabetical languages should be able to:
• pronounce the sounds attributed to letters in context by reading aloud or repeating pronunciation associated
with written words
• independently produce words in writing and produce original variations on modelled written sentences
• recognise and use accents and punctuation suited to the language, where applicable.
 Ω Students of Non-Roman alphabetical languages should be able to:
• identify letter-sound relationships and practise pronunciation
• write words in context and in modelled sentences, including relevant accents and punctuation.
 
• practise writing characters and other symbols and develop links between visual cues, sounds and meaning
• recognise fundamental differences between the use of an alphabet, as in English, and a different
writing system
• read aloud and for meaning
• write specific characters associated with particular words or sounds
• identify and compare elements of punctuation in context in more than one language.
• express their own preferences or views and communicate meaning for their own purposes in the language
• name some colours, shapes, objects, places and people associated with a country where the language is
spoken
• identify two or more places, features, famous buildings, landmarks or cultural practices in another society,
and describe some aspect of these in simple sentences in the language
• recognise variations in how people respond in daily situations and describe the values underpinning these
responses
• participate in the creation and maintenance of the language and cultural ambience in the classroom
• recognise the similarities and differences between languages; for example, in sentence structures.
22
THEME In the classroom
LEVEL 2
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher discusses classroom rules and expectations e.g.
‘When we are in class, we: - listen to each other
- listen to the teacher
- bring our equipment etc.’
• Teacher demonstrates a Classroom Rules Chart.
• Together, teacher and students construct five simple classroom rules.
• Teacher writes these sentences on the board, reads them out and students
repeat them.
• Students copy the rules in their workbook.
• Next lesson, teacher asks students to say one of the rules aloud.
Activity Cluster 2
• Teacher introduces the VSL Student Passport (Student Portfolio).
• Teacher explains the different sections e.g.photo page, self assessment and
work samples.
• Students brainstorm learning goals.
• Teacher writes ideas on the board.
• Teacher introduces sentence structure orally and then in written form e.g. ‘My
goal this semester will be to_______.’
• Students repeat the variety of goals.
• Students choose three goals of their own.
• In their Student Passport, students write their three goals.
• Students decorate their cover page.
23
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Written rules in workbook
pronouns and gender
• Verbs–listen to, bring,
follow
• Sentence structure and
syntax
Vocabulary
• Rules
Grammar
• Word order
• Future tense
Vocabulary
• Various goals
• Oral task–saying the rules
• Reading the rules
• Goals writing task
• VSL Student Passport
THEME I am feeling...
LEVEL 2
Activity Cluster
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Classroom brainstorms vocabulary on board or butcher’s paper about feeling
and senses e.g. hungry, thirsty, sad, angry, tired, happy, hot, cold, warm, cool,
sick, sweaty.
• The teacher demonstrates the question structure and response ‘How are you
feeling?’ ‘I feel_______.’
• Teacher reinforces vocabulary by extrapolating familiar sounds, tone markers,
signs in order to spell new words.
• Students read words on flash cards as a whole group and mime feelings/
senses.
• In pairs, students play ‘Snap’ by matching words with illustrations of feelings.
• Teacher models sentence structure e.g. ‘Today I feel happy. I feel warm etc.’
• Class brainstorms sentences about feelings.
• Students draw a picture about how they are feeling and write a sentence using
the sentence structures that were introduced,
Grammar
• Present tense verb –
I feel, I am
• Agreement of adjectives
Vocabulary
• Feelings
• Senses • Class brainstorm
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
I feel, I am
Vocabulary
• Feelings
• Senses
• Class rules
• Class discussion on
Grammar
I feel, I am
• Interrogatives
Vocabulary
• Feelings • Senses
• Class rules
Grammar
• Bar graph/survey
• The class revises classroom rules /expectations so all students feel happy and
comfortable. e.g. no bullying
• Students complete a wordfind on the classroom rules / expectations and
positive feelings, reinforcing language introduced in Cluster 1.
• Students match flash cards of positive feelings to the correct picture.
• Students make a ‘feelings’ or ‘senses’ cube with a different feeling / sense
on each face.
• In pairs, use the cube to play a ‘roll and say’ game. Students read the feeling on the
face of the dice then act out the feeling. They also put the word into a sentence.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students complete a ‘finish the pattern’ activity sheet. e.g: happy, excited,
sad/______, excited, sad/happy,______, sad
• Class sits in a large group. Teacher introduces a survey on feelings and asks a
series of questions e.g. ‘How did you feel this morning before school?’ ‘How do
you feel now?’ ‘How do you feel when it is raining?’ ‘How do you feel when you
play with your friends at recess?’ ‘How are you feeling at lunchtime?’
• Teacher demonstrates how to record survey responses, in a chart, on the
board with the class as participants.
• In small groups, the teacher gives students flash cards with the short
sentences and flashcards with the pictures representing different feelings.
Students play ‘Snap’ by correctly matching the word to the picture.
• Students survey their peers on feelings. They graph this information and then
discuss findings with the class.
Activity Cluster 4
• The teacher introduces/demonstrates how information can be recorded on
Excel and also demonstrates a bar graph of the results.
• In groups of four or five students, students survey peers on feelings using the
questions modelled.
• Teacher demonstrates superlatives and comparatives e.g. More than, less
than, most students, fewer students, the least students.
• The teacher inputs information on Excel and produces a bar graph. Students
then present the findings to the class.
Activity Cluster 5
• Students complete a mind map of the feelings, emotions and the impact of
other people’s actions.
• Using flash cards, students match the question How do I feel? to the emotion.
• Students draw a self portrait and write a few sentences describing how they
feel and why.
• In pairs students perform a roleplay, using all the language studied so far. They
greet each other, introduce themselves, ask how they are feeling etc.
24
I feel, I am
• Mime a feeling /sense
• Play ‘Snap’ – matching
activity
• Writing task – constructing
a sentence guided activity
• Picture and sentence
feelings.
• Class rules
• Wordfind on classroom
rules.
• Feeling /senses cube
• Game using the cube
• Game – ‘Snap’
• Class survey
• Graph
• Informal Class question
and answer activity
• Comparatives and
• Presentation
Grammar
• Mind map
superlatives
I feel, I am
Vocabulary
• Feelings
• Emotions
• Actions
• Self portrait
• Roleplay
THEME Sports
LEVEL 2
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• As a class everyone brainstorms popular sports in LOTE country and in
Australia e.g. Aussie Rules Football, Chinese Ping Pong, Tai Chi, Cricket and
Volley Ball. Complete a Venn Diagram about popular sports in each country
and sports common to both.
• Students look at pictures and flashcards and match the different sports with
the word. Students read aloud the words on the flashcards.
• Teacher introduces: ‘I play ______.’ ‘I don’t play _____.’ ‘I like _____.’ ‘I don’t
like ______.’
• Students associate sports with particular physical activities. e.g. Soccer
– running.
• Students draw a picture of their favourite sport and write a sentence
describing it. e.g. ‘Tennis is fun.’
• Students complete a wordfind of the sports vocabulary.
Grammar
• Articles
• Nouns
• Agreements
• Present tense – I play, I
don’t play, I like, I don’t like
• Prepositions
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
• Venn diagram
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
• Articles
• Nouns
• Agreements
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
• Class activity – List
• As a class, students list several types of sports that need special equipment.
They complete a worksheet matching the equipment with the sport.
• Whole class stands in a circle and plays a game. One student in the centre
throws a ball at random to another student in the circle. He/She says a sport
and the student catching the ball replies with equipment required.
• Students select their favourite sport and complete an acrostic poem.
• Teacher selects a popular LOTE country sport and discusses how it is played,
rules and equipment. Students then play the sport/game.
• Students design a poster of their favourite sports person or team and write a
caption.
• Students survey each other on sports played by class members. The teacher
inputs the information on to Excel to create a pie graph that summarises the
findings.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher shows students a TV sports’ guide. They look at each of the days and
what sports are being played.
• In groups, students prepare a TV sports’ guide for the week. Each group
prepares one for a specific day of the week.
• Students read a dialogue of two friends discussing their preferred sport.
Students perform the roleplay.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students complete a comprehension activity once they have listened to an
aural text. Teacher guides a group discussion before students individually
complete the comprehension activity. e.g. the World Cup.
• In pairs, students select a team or sports’ person and prepare an oral
presentation of five sentences to the class about that person/team. Include
uniform, location and pictures.
25
• Matching
• Drawing and labelling
• Wordfind
different sports
• Worksheet
• Class game
• Acrostic poem
• Class discussion
• Class play game/sport
• Poster
• Survey
• Graph
Grammar
• Articles
• Nouns
• Agreements
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Months of Year
• Time
• Group work - Sports’ guide
Grammar
• Comprehension activity
• Articles
• Nouns
• Agreements
• Roleplay/reading activity
• Oral presentation
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
• Months of Year
• Time
THEME Sports continued
LEVEL 2
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 5
• Students invite a Physiotherapist or other therapist as a guest speaker.
• Students listen to the Physiotherapist who provides general information
about exercises and different parts of the body. He/She demonstrates some
exercises.
• The class completes a PMI activity about the Physiotherapy presentation.
• Students use this information to make posters about the body and importance
of exercise for themselves, their parents and their community.
• Posters are displayed at the Physiotherapy Clinic or at another community
venue for two weeks.
• In groups, students create in their LOTE a ‘Body Vocabulary Book.’ These
books are photocopied and presented to younger students.
Or
• Students make a book titled ‘Our Body.’ They write sentences about the
functions of the body and accompany it with illustrations. The book is read to
younger students and displayed in library.
(This activity is well suited to multi level classes as the end products vary
in complexity. Beginner level students can complete activities with more
advanced students in a cross-age learning situation.)
• In pairs, students prepare a roleplay where one student is the Physiotherapist
and the other is the patient. Students present their roleplay to the class. The
teacher should guide students in developing dialogue.
Grammar
• Definite and indefinite
articles.
• Verbs-present tense e.g.
‘I fell down and hurt my
knee.’
•‘My back is sore.’ ‘My back aches.’
Vocabulary
• Bodyparts
• Posters
26
• Books (Vocabulary and
Body)
• Roleplay
THEME Leisure Activities
LEVEL 2
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• As a class, discuss various activities.
• Students complete a mind map of the activities
• Class brainstorms verbs related to activities with the teacher. Students design
flashcards for the physical activities and related verbs.
• Teacher introduces the various activities e.g. ‘I am/I was reading, swimming,
playing computer games, dancing, gardening, cooking.’
• Students play ‘Dominoes’ using the flashcards. e.g. cooking – mixing
– gardening – watering.
Grammar
• Verbs related to physical
activities-present
continuous and past
continuous.
Vocabulary
Grammar
• Poster
Activity Cluster 2
• As a class, students complete a mime activity. One student quietly states
an activity; the other performs it and the rest of the class guess what is
happening. Students rotate roles.
• Teacher introduces sentence structures (orally) e.g. ‘This is Fred. He likes to
ride his bike in the park’. Students repeat sentences.
• Teacher writes the sentence structure on the board. Students copy these onto
their worksheet while matching the sentences with the pictures.
• Using a digital camera, students take photos of each other. They download
pictures of themselves and friends doing various activities. Students write the
appropriate word for each picture
OR
• Teachers introduce Photostory to the class. He/She demonstrates how to
incorporate the visual with the caption.
• Via the internet students download pictures of people involved in leisure
activities.
• Using these pictures and relevant words, students create a Photostory with
their teacher called ‘Leisure Time’
Activity Cluster 3
• Using pictures as stimulus, students talk about things they can do and are
good at and what they consider difficult. e.g. ‘I’m good at drawing but I find
painting difficult.’
• Complete a Y chart – activities I’m good at/activities I’m not good at/activities
I would like to improve on.
• In small groups, students conduct a class survey about students preferred and
less preferred activities.
• The teacher graphs the findings on computer.
• Students present their findings to the class/community.
27
activities
Vocabulary
• Body parts
• Physical activity
Grammar
activities
• Verb – I like, I prefer, I
don’t like, I don’t prefer
Vocabulary
• Body parts
• Physical activity
• Mind map
• Flashcards
• Group work – play
‘Dominoes’
• Mime activity
• Photostory
• Y Chart
• Class survey
• Graph
• Presentation to school
community
THEME Transport
LEVEL 2
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Class brainstorms the different modes of transport.
• In groups, students classify them into land, sea and air. Each mode of
transport is further classified into wheeled and powered.
• Class discussion on where transport is housed e.g. garage, hangar, shed, port,
depot etc. Students complete an activity sheet matching the places where
different modes of transport are kept.
• Students play a memory game matching pictures of transport to the word.
They place flashcards face down and take turns at revealing the cards. They
pair the picture to the correct word.
Grammar
• Questions – singular and
plural. Where is…? Where
are…?
• Adverbs – Where?
Vocabulary
• Modes of transport
• Where transport I s
housed
• Class brainstorm
Activity Cluster 2
• Students design their own flashcards cut in the shape of the mode of
transport. They can then be displayed around the room.
• Students select a mode of transport and complete an acrostic poem.
Grammar
• Where is…? Where are…?
Vocabulary
• Where transport is housed
• Flashcards
Activity Cluster 3
Grammar
• Questions – Where is…?
Where are…? What am I?
• Statements – I have…,
I am… etc
Vocabulary
• Adjectives
• Colours
• Numbers
• Wordfind
Grammar
• Questions – Where is…?
Where are…? What am I?
• Statements – I have…, I
am… etc
• Prepositions
Vocabulary
• Adjectives
• Colours
• Numbers
• Directions
• Class discussion on
• Students complete a wordfind on different modes of transport.
• Students select their preferred mode of transport. The teacher provides
several sheets with a template in the shape of that particular mode of
transport. Students cut out the shape, design a front cover with the question:
What am I? Each subsequent page has a descriptive sentence. The last page
has the answer. They create a book.
• Students play a game – What am I? They read out the description from their
booklet and the rest of the class needs to guess the mode of transport.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students make a comparison between transport in Australia and LOTE
country. Class discussion on why there may be some different modes of
transport between Australia and LOTE country – weather, economy etc.
• Complete a Venn Diagram comparing similarities and differences of transport.
e.g. trams, trains, boats, donkeys, ferries, motorbikes, scooters, walking.
• Students look at a map of the local area. They highlight their route from home
to school.
• Teacher introduces prepositions and directions e.g. ‘Turn left at the corner,
turn right behind the supermarket, go straight etc.’ Other prepositions: above,
behind, over, between, in front of etc.
• In pairs, they prepare a dialogue; one student asks questions about the other
student’s route from home to school. The other student replies providing
directions based on the map.
• Students create their own map and label, with arrows, how to get to school
from their home.
• Students write 3 sentences using ‘directions’ language structures.
28
• Group work -
classification activity
• Memory game
• Acrostic poem
• Book review
• Book
• Game
transport
• Pair work - Dialogue
• Venn Diagram
• Dialogue
• Map and writing acitivy
THEME Shopping
LEVEL 2
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher introduces different types of shops.
• Student brainstorm what different shops sell.
• Student create a mind map of items/products sold. (Teacher introduces new
related vocabulary e.g. types of shops and specific items sold.)
• Teacher puts up a map of a community shopping precinct and models the
question: ‘Where is the supermarket/bank/ice cream shop/greengrocer/
chemist/newsagent/clothes boutique?’
• Student responds by giving correct directions and placing a sticker on the
correct shop.
• At the end of the activity, students are given a worksheet with a map
and a cloze activity. The activity includes the shop names, directions and
prepositions.
Grammar
• Adverbs–Where?
• Prepositions–behind,
between, next to, opposite,
near, in front
Vocabulary
• Types of shops
• Items sold in specific
shops
• Mind map
Grammar
• Worksheet–matching the
for...
Vocabulary
• Currency
• Family members
• Items
• Types of shops
• Shopping list
Activity Cluster 2
• Teacher introduces currency by showing examples of different coins and notes.
• Students fill in a worksheet where they match the amount of the currency with
the visual.
• Students create a shopping list, for Christmas presents or for another
celebration, that they will buy for each family member. The list should include
four columns e.g. The Family Member, The Item, The Shop and The Cost.
• With their teacher, students add up the total cost of the shopping list.
• Students write three sentences describing what they will buy for their families
for Christmas (or other celebration).
29
• Statement – I will buy...
• Cloze activity
• Map
currency
• Writing activity
THEME Food
LEVEL 2
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Students complete a Thinkers T – foods I know like, foods I think I like.
• As a class, students brainstorm food.
• Teacher introduces sentence structure : ‘My favourite food is______.’
• Students, in pairs, play a matching game. Students match words and pictures.
• Students complete a Y chart – popular LOTE foods, popular Australian foods,
my favourite foods.
Grammar
• Verbs – I like, I don’t like
• Negatives
• Masculine and feminine
Vocabulary
• Foods
• Food groups
• Thinkers T
Activity Cluster 2
• Students cut out food pictures from magazines, glue and label to complete a
montage.
• In pairs, students exchange information about their favourite food. They then
present to the rest of the class what their partner’s favourite foods are.
• Students complete a wordfind about food.
• Students complete a ranking ladder of most to least preferred foods.
Grammar
• Verbs – I like, I don’t like,
I prefer…
• Negatives
Vocabulary
• Foods
• Montage
Activity Cluster 3
• Students listen to a cultural song in the LOTE about foods. They complete a
cloze activity.
• In groups, students create a food jingle. Students record each other singing.
• Students and teacher make a list of healthy and unhealthy foods.
• Students design a poster promoting healthy eating or the negative effects of
poor diet.
Grammar
• Verbs – I like, I don’t like, I
prefer…
• Negatives
• Present tense
– eat, drink
Vocabulary
• Foods
• Health
• Aural activity – song
Grammar
• Verbs – I like, I don’t like,
I prefer…
• Negatives
Vocabulary
• Foods
• Colour and label activity
Activity Cluster 4
• Students colour in and label food pictures. They cut out the pictures and group
the foods, e.g. fruit, vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, dairy and fats etc.
• Class discusses the healthy food pyramid. Students complete a worksheet
related to the pyramid.
• Throughout the week students complete a weekly food program, documenting
all the foods they eat.
• Students compare their diet to the recommended intake from the healthy food
pyramid.
• On computer, students prepare a revised and improved weekly food program
for themselves based on the healthy food pyramid.
30
• Y chart
• Pair work - Presentation
• Wordfind
• Ranking ladder
• Cloze activity
• Group work - Food jingle
• Record the jingle
• List of healthy and junk
foods
• Poster promoting healthy
eating
• Food grouping
• Healthy food pyramid
activity
• Weekly healthy food plan
THEME Animals
LEVEL 2
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Students complete a Star Burst, they list different places where animals can
be found e.g. zoo, jungle, farm, home, sea
• Students look at a range of animal pictures and identify where they are found.
• Teacher provides animal names to students. They repeat the names of
animals on the flashcards after the teacher.
• In pairs, students play a memory game. Pictures and names are placed face
down. In turns, students turn cards over attempting to match the animal name
with the picture.
• Students, in groups, complete a diorama of a particular animal habitat.
Throughout the course of this unit students add animals and other necessary
information to the diorama. They also gradually label the animals.
Grammar
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Habitat
• Star burst
Grammar
• Mind map
Activity Cluster 2
• Teacher reads a story about animals to the students. They listen and identify
names of animals and habitat. Students complete a mind map.
• Students discuss what their favourite part of the book was and why.
• Students complete a sequence chart of the events in the story.
• Students match animals with correct habitat.
• In groups, students complete an animal alphabet vocabulary list. They
research and list as many animals starting with each letter of the alphabet.
• This would be an excellent activity to do on computer, using simple word
processing and a calculator.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students watch a film on animals e.g.‘The Lion King’, in the LOTE. They
complete a guided comprehension worksheet while watching the film that
uses pictures to support meaning.
• In groups students complete a 5 picture comic strip summarising the film.
• Each group writes a brief sentence to accompany each of the pictures.
31
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Habitat
• Adjectives
Grammar
• Acrostic poem
• Group work - Diorama of a
particular animal habitat
• Book review
• Sequence chart
• List-group work
• Adjectives
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Habitat
• Pair work – memory game
• Film
• Guided comprehension
worksheet
• Comic strip
• Film review
LEVEL 1
2
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Activity Cluster 2
Activity Cluster 3
Activity Cluster 4
Activity Cluster 5
32
VELS LEVEL 3
years 3 & 4
VELS LEVEL 3
Dimension 1:
Communicating in a
LEVEL 3
• Skills include listening, speaking, reading, viewing and writing and the use of body language, visual cues
and signs.
Dimension 2:
language awareness
• Students develop knowledge of the connections between language and culture and how culture is
embedded throughout the communication system.
• Students gain an awareness of the influence of culture in their own life and first language.
• Students develop curiosity about and openness to a variety of values, practices and in-depth knowledge
of the diverse cultural traditions.
• Interpersonal Development – Level 2
• Personal Learning – Level 2
• Communication – Level 1
• Thinking Processes – Level 2
• Civics and Citizenship – Level 2
• Information and Communication– Level 2
• The Arts – Level 2
Progression Measures Part C
Communicating in a Language other than English
• Write simple sentences based on modelled examples.
• Listen to short, simple texts and show understanding.
• Use a dictionary in guided situations to find the meaning of simple words and to expand their vocabulary
resources.
• Use substitution strategies to generate changed meaning.
• Understand new words introduced into familiar written texts, predicting from clues.
• Use basic structures in response to simple questions.
• Construct questions themselves using information from the answers they receive in structured situations.
• Appropriately integrate many culturally specific gestures into their oral communication.
• Use simple software applications to demonstrate understanding of known vocabulary and structures.
• Participate effectively in very simple interpreting and translating routines.
Α Students of Roman alphabetical languages should be able to:
• read and respond to simple and familiar texts
• write in the language using modelled texts and generating original materials with teacher guidance.
Ω Students of Non-Roman alphabetical languages should be able to:
• read sentences on familiar topics
• practise writing by copying, using modelled text and generating sentences of original text.
• read and write known characters and other symbols and also expand their repertoire of known
characters
• begin to understand that the number of characters that they can read is greater than those they can
write, and to reflect on why.
• Demonstrate an understanding of culturally appropriate values, responses and patterns of behaviour in
particular situations related to the topics being studied.
• Identify and use key features of the language, such as grammatical gender, tones, formal and informal
modes of address.
• Compare and contrast like events in cultures which use different languages.
• Explore a topic of interest through the language.
• Develop revision materials for language rules and applications and share with other students.
34
THEME LOTE Country Cultural Celebration
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher leads a class discussion on a popular LOTE country celebration: when,
where, what, how and why it is celebrated.
• Teacher introduces conjunctions and vocabulary relevant to the celebration
e.g. costumes, locations, dance, songs, food etc
• The teacher reads a story about the LOTE country celebration. Students
discuss their favourite part of the book.
• In small groups students list things they like about the LOTE country
celebration.
• Using flashcards, students match their favourite celebration activities to
the corresponding picture. In pairs students write 5 sentences describing a
celebration.
LEVEL 3
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Question words– When?
Where? What? How?
Why?
• Present tense verb - like
celebrate, enjoy, dance,
sing, eat
• Conjunctions – and, but,
although, sometimes
Vocabulary
• Celebrations
• Activities
• Months of the year
• Seasons
• Writing task
Grammar
• Question words – Why?
• Present tense verb – like
• Nouns – gender and
number
articles
Vocabulary
• Celebrations
• Activities
• Seasons
• PowerPoint Presentation
Activity Cluster 3
• Students complete a wordfind related to vocabulary about LOTE country
celebration.
• Students select a word from the wordfind and complete an acrostic poem.
• Students look at a comic strip related to the LOTE country celebration. They
bring the comic strip to life by completing the empty speech bubbles. Students
add their own ideas and can be completed on computer.
• In pairs, students practise and perform their comic strip.
• Students complete a cloze activity. They read a short story describing a LOTE
country celebration. They fill in the blanks using the correct words at the
bottom of the sheet.
Grammar
• Question words
number
articles
• Adjectives
Vocabulary
• Celebrations
• Activities
• Seasons
• Wordfind
Activity Cluster 4
• Using all the vocabulary and grammar taught in the previous clusters, students
plan a LOTE country celebration. They first survey the class to see what type of
celebration students want to plan.
• In groups, students record information in Excel and produce a pie graph
demonstrating the results.
• Students prepare a LOTE song to be performed.
• Teacher demonstrates how to write a dialogue. In the same groups, students
write a small play of approximately 10 sentences.
• Students present a brief play on the LOTE celebration.
• Students prepare invitations for parents and community members to attend
the celebration.
• Students advertise the celebration designing posters, collages or murals.
• In groups, students design and create costumes for the LOTE country
celebration. They present to the class why they have selected the design and
how it relates to the celebration.
• As a class, students decide which foods to bring to the celebration to share
with family and friends.
• Students present their work during the celebration.
Grammar
• Question words
number
articles
• Adjectives
Vocabulary
• Celebrations
• Activities
• Seasons
• Survey and Excel graph
Activity Cluster 2
• Teacher leads class discussion on what the LOTE country celebration
represents. Why is it so important?
• In pairs, students select an aspect of the celebration and present it to the
class. They must include both written and pictorial information.
• Using the sentences from the previous cluster, students create and present a
PowerPoint presentation (10 slides – 5 slides per student).
• The class combine each pairs’ information to create a ‘Celebration Book’.
35
(oral presentation)
• Celebration book
• Acrostic poem
• Comic strip – oral
presentation
• Cloze activity
• Poster/Collage
• Costume design
• Presentation
• Song
• Play
• Celebration activities
THEME My School
LEVEL 3
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• The whole class discusses different ways in which students get to school.
Teacher lists different modes of transport and introduces relevant vocabulary.
• Students complete an activity sheet matching the mode of transport to the
picture.
• In groups, students conduct a survey finding out which are the different modes
of transport students use to get to and from school. They record information in
Excel. Students create a pie graph or bar graph, then analyse the information.
• Students draw self portrait and include a speech bubble. In the speech bubble
students introduce themselves and state the name of their school and how
they get to school.
• In pairs, students complete an aural activity and complete a guided note
taking sheet. They listen to each other introducing themselves and how they
get to school.
Grammar
• Present tense singular
conjugation of regular
verbs
• Adjective singular and
agreements
Vocabulary
• Preposition – by
• Survey
Activity Cluster 2
• Class brainstorms different activities that are completed at school. e.g.
reading, addition, singing etc. Teacher lists these on the board.
• Using flashcards, students match the activity to the subject.
• Students complete a crossword puzzle on subjects. The clues will be on the
activity.
• Students label school map, including specialist classrooms and facilities.
• Students add more information to the self portrait (speech bubble) in the
previous cluster. They now include their favorite subject and the activities that
take place in that particular class.
• In groups, students read each others description.
• In groups they then play a ‘Guess Who?’ game. One student reads out another
student’s description and the rest of the group needs to guess who it is.
Grammar
verbs
agreements
Vocabulary
• School activities
• School locations
• School subjects
• Crossword Puzzle
Activity Cluster 3
Grammar
verbs
agreements
articles – singular and
plural
number
• Comparatives and
superlatives
• Conjunctions
Vocabulary
• Classroom objects
• School subjects
• List of classroom items
• As a class, students list items found in a typical classroom.
• Students complete a cut and paste activity. They paste classroom items on a
picture of an empty classroom.
• Class plays a memory game using the classroom vocabulary.
• Students complete a crossword puzzle about classroom items.
• Students are given two pictures of a classroom that are almost identical.
Students need to spot and list the differences. They record these differences
on a Venn diagram and write sentences that explain the similarities and
differences (up to 5 sentences). Students link sentences by using conjunctions
where appropriate.
36
• Graph and Excel data
• Self portrait
• Aural activity
• Label school map
• Self portrait
• Oral/Aural
• Crossword Puzzle
• Spot the differences
• Venn diagram
• Writing task
THEME My School CONTINUED
LEVEL 3
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 4
Grammar
verbs
agreements
plural
number
• Comparatives
• Superlatives
• Conjunctions
Vocabulary
• School subjects
• Book review – writing
Grammar
• Cloze activity/time table
• Teacher leads class in brainstorming exercise about schools in Australia and in
the LOTE country.
• The class discusses the similarities and differences between schools in
the LOTE country and Australia. e.g. play equipment, classroom structures,
furniture and subjects. Students complete a PMI Chart.
• Students write a short story comparing a child going to school in the LOTE
country and a child going to school in Australia. They draw a picture to describe
the similarities or differences.
• Teacher reads a story about going to school in the LOTE country. Students write a 5 sentence summary of the book. Students write 2 extra sentences
highlighting their favourite part. Where appropriate, students link sentences
with conjunctions. They draw a picture highlighting that part of the book.
• In small groups, students read aloud each other’s favourite part.
Activity Cluster 5
• Students revise the days of the week.
• Teacher introduces relevant sentence structures e.g. ‘On Monday mornings,
between 9am and 11am we do maths. After that, we have a recess break.’
This is written on the board. The teacher also demonstrates other variations.
At this point, the teacher also introduces time i.e. 1 o’clock, a quarter past 2,
half past 5, a quarter to 3, etc.
• Students complete their weekly class timetable in the LOTE and email it to a
friend. In the email the two friends need to discuss their timetable.
• Students listen to a CD of a student discussing his/her weekly timetable with a friend. They complete the empty timetable.
• Students complete a table with 3 columns – Subject/Like/Dislike. Next to
the subjects listed they indicate if they study that subject or not and which
subjects they like and which ones they dislike.
• Students collate the information, using Excel, from the previous activity and
present it in the form of a graph.
• In goups, students write up the results as a report (5 sentences).
37
verbs – to go, to attend,
to learn, to play, to
participate
agreements
plural
number
• Prepositions – on, during,
between, after, before
• Pronouns
• Negative form
Vocabulary
• Time
• School subjects
activity
• Reading activity
• PMI Chart
– aural
• Time table
• Email
• Excel
• Graph
• Table – like and dislikes
• Report
THEME My School CONTINUED
LEVEL 3
1
Activity Cluster 6
• In groups, students play the pyramid game. The teacher draws a pyramid with
one letter at the apex. Two letters are written at either side of the pyramid,
vertically down to the base. As students go down the triangle, each word,
beginning with the letter indicated, should be larger by one letter than the
previous one. Students try to figure out the words using the first and last letter
as a clue. The teacher uses vocabulary introduced in the unit.
a
desk
c _ _ _ s
p _ _ _ _ l
t _ _ _ _ _ r
h _ _ _ _ _ _ k
• Students complete a mind map on the subjects they study at school, what they
do at school and adjectives that best describe the subjects
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Mind map
verbs
agreements
plural
number
Vocabulary
• Time
• School subjects
• Adjectives – interesting,
fun, boring, easy, difficult
• Pyramid game
• Cloze activity
• Students revise the time, introduce in the previous cluster. Students complete
cloze activities on the time.
38
THEME Family
LEVEL 3
Activity Cluster 1
• The teacher introduces nuclear family and/or extended family members to the
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Family tree
• Audio CD activity
class, using a family tree of a fictitious character.
• Students complete their own family tree. They also indicate the name and
relationship of each family member.
• Students, in pairs, play a memory game using flashcards. Two sets of cards are
placed face down, one set has drawings and the other has words related to
family members. Students are to match the picture to the words.
• Students listen to an audio CD of children describing the number of siblings
they have. On a guided note taking sheet students match the name of the
child on the CD to the sentence stating how many siblings he/she has.
article
• Possessive pronouns
• Adjective agreements
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Numbers
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
article
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Dance
Grammar
article
• Age
• Question – Where is
your family from?
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Numbers
• Colours
• Tongue twister
Grammar
article
• Question–Where is your
family from?
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Address
• Adjectives
• Family album
• Students are introduced to a LOTE song related to family. Class discusses the
cultural component of the song.
• Students listen to the song several times and choreograph a dance routine.
• Students learn the song and perform it to younger students.
Activity Cluster 3
• In pairs, students create tongue twisters on family. They read aloud, some
tongue twisters on family.
• Students play the ‘Guess Who?’ game. One student has several pictures
of people’s faces and secretly selects one. The other student looks at all
the pictures and tries to ‘Guess Who?’ it is by asking questions about their
physical appearance.
Activity Cluster 4
• The class plays a game of vocabulary ‘Bingo’, using vocabulary from the unit.
• Students bring family photos into class and create a family album. Under each
photo they include a caption or descriptive sentence about the photo and the
family members.
• Using an atlas, students look at the LOTE country and where family members
came from. Students label the map (country, region, city, town) and explain
that their family originally came from a particular area.
• Students look at where family members in Australia live. They select one
member and create an ID card on computer, including the address, date of
birth etc.
• In pairs, students ask a partner where their family originally came from. They
prepare a dialogue to be presented to the class along with a map of the LOTE
country, labelling where their friend’s family came from.
39
• Performance
• ID card
• Label LOTE country map
• Discussion
• Label
• Dialogue
THEME Family CONTINUED
LEVEL 3
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 5
Grammar
article
Vocabulary
• Family members
• Address
• Adjectives
• Activities
• List
• Students, as a class, list what they enjoy doing with their family in their spare
time.
• Students identify the 5 most popular activities. The class is divided into 5
groups, one for each activity. The students in each group research on the
internet then plan for that particular activity to take place at school. e.g.
Going to movies - students research/survey a popular film, hire it in the LOTE,
negotiate a time to view it in class and include a film review sheet for all to
complete.
• In pairs, students read a dialogue about two family members deciding what
to do. They memorise the script and perform it in class. Students can bring in
props for the performance to make it more realistic.
40
• Research activity
• Dialogue
THEME Food
LEVEL 3
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Present tense
• Gender of nouns
• Reflexive verbs – first
person singular
Vocabulary
• Time
• Days of week
• Food – including LOTE
specific dishes
• Mealtime lexicon
• Timeline of daily routines
Grammar
• Present tense
• Gender of nouns
person singular
Vocabulary
• Time
• Days of week
• Food
• Sentence and paragraph
Grammar
• Present tense
• Gender of nouns
person singular
• Verb – like
• Adverbs
Vocabulary
• Time
• Days of week
• Food
• Roleplay
• Teacher revises time, days of the week and mealtime vocabulary.
• Class discussion on meal times at home.
• Teacher reads a simple story about a child’s eating routine. Students draw a
timeline of the characters’ eating routine.
• Teacher shows the children pictures of various LOTE foods. Teacher introduces
LOTE food vocabulary. Children, in pairs, need to match the meals with the
appropriate meal times and the name of the meal time.
• Children listen to a CD of a conversation between a child and a parent
discussing what the child wants to eat for breakfast. Children compare the
conversation with their own breakfast foods. They complete a Venn diagram
listing differences, similarities and foods in common.
• In pairs, students develop a dialogue which they perform to the class. The
dialogue is based on their findings in the Venn diagram of the LOTE country
and local Australian food.
Activity Cluster 2
• Children look at numerous pictures and compare typical Australian mealtimes
and meals to those in the LOTE country. Students write a few brief sentences
to create a paragraph.
• In small groups, students play a memory game. The teacher gives students
time to memorize either words or sentences related to foods and the
corresponding pictures.
• Teacher introduces a song about food in the LOTE. Students listen to the song,
complete cloze activities and sing the song in class.
• In pairs, students digitally design their own ideal school canteen menu.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students, in pairs, write a script and perform a roleplay. They ask each other
what their favourite foods are and why. Students must bear in mind that foods
must have a nutritional content.
• Students design and label a food poster. They present their work to the rest of
the class.
• Teacher compares different eating habits between Australia and LOTE country.
e.g. typical breakfast, lunch and dinner in both countries. Why are there
differences? Climate? Foods available? The ideas are brainstormed and
recorded on the board. A Venn diagram may be used.
• In pairs, students contruct 2 paragraphs (3 - 4 sentences each) summarising/
explaining the differences in eating habits between Australia and the LOTE
country.
41
• Matching foods to
mealtimes
• Audio CD activity
• Dialogue – oral
presentation
• Venn diagram
writing
• Presentation
• Cloze activity
• Menu
• Poster
• Discussion
• Writing task
THEME Food CONTINUED
LEVEL 3
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 4
Grammar
• Present tense
• Gender of nouns
person singular
• Verb – like
• Adverbs
Vocabulary
• Time
• Days of week
• Food
• Recipe
• Provide students with a number of simple recipes for either a typical LOTE
lunch or dinner. In small groups, students select a recipe, follow the method
instructions and create the meal. They invite family members to come to the
school and sample their cooking.
• In pairs, students orally present foods to each other. They explain ingredients
used, brief history of the meal etc.
• Students design computerised invitations for family members to attend the
food sampling.
• All students share the food with other class mates.
42
• Invitation
• Presentation
THEME Clothes
LEVEL 3
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
articles
Vocabulary
• Weather
• Clothing
• Seasons
• Colours
• Venn Diagram
Grammar
• Collage
• Class brainstorms about clothing required for both summer and winter in
Australia. They then compare with clothing required in the LOTE country.
• Students complete a Venn Diagram of summer, winter and all year round
clothing in the LOTE country.
• Students play ‘Snap’ by matching names of clothes with the corresponding
pictures then complete a word/picture matching worksheet.
• Teacher reads a story related to clothing. The class lists the clothes mentioned
in the book, colors and styles. The class also completes a comprehension
activity.
Activity Cluster 2
• Identify and cut out from magazines, casual and formal clothes and then label
these. Make a class collage.
• In groups, students discuss the differences between casual and formal clothes
and occasions when the clothing should be worn. Students, in pairs, prepare a
survey about people’s favorite clothing. They interview several people and then
graph the findings.
• In pairs, students write a script: one is a fashion consultant, advising a young
aspiring fashion designer on current fashion trends based on the results of
their survey. They perform the roleplay in class using appropriate props.
Activity Cluster 3
• In small groups, students organise a fashion parade for their year level or for
a different class at their school. The group will need to decide on the theme of
the fashion parade, target audience, type of clothing modelled and invitations
for VIP guests.
• Each student will have equal input into the planning and delivery of the
parade.
• In pairs, students will write a paragraph introducing a piece of clothing that
will be presented at the parade. Students will need to describe the clothing,
colour, fabric, cost, designer and where they can be purchased.
• Students will present their paragraph in pairs at the parade.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students design a digital fashion catalogue for the items that were modelled
at the fashion parade. If this activity is too complex, students may design a
fashion catalogue by cutting and pasting pictures/photographs. The written
information may be created as a word processing activity.
• Students complete a Thinkers T or a PMI to evaluate what they have gained
from this topic.
43
articles
• Word/picture matching
worksheet
• Survey
• Graph
• Adjectives – agreement
• Script
Grammar
articles
and number
• Formal address
Vocabulary
• Weather • Clothing
• Seasons • Colours
• Numbers
• Fashion parade
Grammar
articles
and number
• Formal address
Vocabulary
• Numbers
• Fashion catalogue
and number
Vocabulary
• Roleplay
• Fashion item – written
description
• Fashion item – oral presentation
• Thinkers T
• PMI
THEME Farm Animals
LEVEL 3
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Present tense – is
• Demonstrative pronouns
articles
• Nouns – singular and
plural
• Adjectives – gender and
number
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Colours
• Animal products
• Cloze activities
Grammar
articles
plural
number
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Colours
• Animal products
• Body covering (animals)
• Parts of body (animals)
• Mind map
Grammar
articles
plural
number
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Colours
• Animal products
• Animal behaviour
• Survey
Grammar
• Animal profile
• Class brainstorms different farm animals and what they produce. The teacher
introduces new, relevant vocabulary e.g. names of farm animals and produce.
• Students complete cloze activities on farm animals.
• Teacher gives each student a picture of a farm animal. The student identifies it
and provides the class with a sentence (orally) about the animal. The students
write up their sentences.
• In pairs, students play ‘Snap’ by matching names of animals with pictures.
• Students draw a bird’s eye view of a farm and label the animals.
• Teacher reads a book on farm animals. In groups, students write sentences
to form a paragrah about a specific animal. The groups complete their animal
profiles.
• Students work as a class to combine their paragraphs and pictures to create a
book, ‘Animal Profiles’.
• The students read out their part(s) to the class.
Activity Cluster 2
• Class discusses different parts of an animal’s body and different body
covering.
• Students complete a mind map of the different farm animals, colours, size,
body parts and covering.
• Compare two farm animals by completing a Venn Diagram – completely
different body parts and similar ones.
• Draw a picture of a farm animal and label the body parts and covering.
Activity Cluster 3
• In groups, students discuss their favourite animals – names, colour,
behaviour, etc.
• In pairs, students survey the class about their favourite farm animals.
• Each pair presents their findings to the class in a PowerPoint presentation.
• In small groups, students write a simple book about the adventures of their
favourite farm animals. They then read it to younger LOTE students.
Activity Cluster 4
• Teacher cuts out different animal body parts and body covering. Each student
randomly selects 5 and then create their fantasy farm animal and complete a
profile for the animal. They present the completed animal profile to the class. • Students watch a video of a typical LOTE country farm. Individually they list the
differences and similarities between the LOTE country and Australian farms.
• As a class, students discuss the similarities and differences – climate,
geography etc.
• In groups, students design a diorama of a LOTE country farm, labelling the
animals. They prepare a speech on LOTE country farms that can be read out to
parents along with the presentation of the diorama.
44
• Bird’s eye view of a farm
• Animal profile
• Writing task – Animal
Profiles book
• Venn Diagram
• Picture of farm animal
• Presentation
• Book
• List
• Diorama
articles
plural
number
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Colours
• Animal products
• Farming
THEME Lifestyle
LEVEL 3
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Verb – I like/I don’t like
Vocabulary
• Leisure activities
• Adjectives
• Venn diagram
Grammar
• Teacher introduces some of the most popular leisure activities in the LOTE
country. Using a Venn diagram the class discusses the similarities and
differences with the Australian lifestyle. Students identify LOTE leisure
activities that appeal to them. They write a sentence stating their reasons.
• In pairs, students list leisure activities and state whether they like or think they
would enjoy each one. Students complete a preference chart – like/don’t like/
not sure.
• Students discuss the differences between outdoor and indoor leisure
activities. They state their preference and complete a worksheet.
• Students write one or two paragraphs.
Activity Cluster 2
• Teacher reads a story about leisure activities. Class discusses the story.
Students use information in the text to complete a comprehension activity.
• Students play a memory game, matching pictures with the corresponding
sentences strips describing the leisure activities.
• In groups, students talk about their favourite leisure activities. As a class all
the leisure activities are listed and displayed in the classroom.
• In pairs, students design a simple questionnaire about leisure time
preferences. Each pair interviews class members about their individual
preferences and then graphs the findings using Excel. A brief oral report is
presented to the class based on the findings.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher gives students a picture of a LOTE lifestyle activity with instructions.
Students follow the instruction to complete the activity. e.g. Circle the tree,
draw a fountain in the centre of the square, etc.
• Students are given two different pictures. In pairs, one student tells the other
to locate 5 items on the picture and then swap roles.
• Each student creates their own ‘Bingo’ game using the vocabulary from the
topic. Students, with the teacher’s help, can use graphics from the computer
to produce the game. The teacher splits the class into groups and students
play the game. The games are rotated so every child’s game is used.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students are given a blank LOTE lifestyle activity. They need to read the
instructions and look at miniature pictures provided by teacher and place
them accordingly. e.g. Put the park bench in the top corner under the tree.
• Students view a film clip of a LOTE lifestyle activity and complete a
comprehension activity.
• In pairs or small groups students script a short roleplay attempting to re-enact
the atmosphere and the lifestyle in the LOTE country.
45
• Verb – I like
• Question words
• Preference chart
• Worksheet
• Questionnaire
• Report
Vocabulary
• Adjectives
• Oral presentation – report
Grammar
• Verb – I like
• Imperatives
• Question words
• Prepositions
Vocabulary
• Items
• Adjectives
• Location vocabulary
• ‘Bingo’ game
Grammar
• Script for roleplay
• Roleplay
• Verb – I like
• Imperatives
• Prepositions
Vocabulary
• Items
• Adjectives
• Location vocabulary
LEVEL 1
3
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Activity Cluster 2
Activity Cluster 3
Activity Cluster 4
Activity Cluster 5
Activity Cluster 6
46
VELS LEVEL 4
years 5 & 6
VELS LEVEL 4
Dimension 1:
Communicating in a
LEVEL 4
Communicating in a language other than English
• participating in oral interactions to convey and receive information and demonstrating sounddiscrimination effectively. In tone languages, students discern tone patterns in slowed speech.
• showing awareness of the language and cultural requirements related to a given topic; adapting
language and gesture appropriately for the role, audience and purpose of the discourse.
• acquiring and using new information and language, and recycling previously learnt language skills and
knowledge in new contexts. • initiating and leading communication and responding to communication initiated by others.
• applying their knowledge of word meanings, word associations and cognates to their own work.
• organising and applying grammatical information and knowledge of words, conduct dictionary research,
and work independently on defined projects using the language.
Α Roman alphabetical languages
• Students read a wide range of short and/or modified texts for meaning and for use as models in their
own writing. They read aloud effectively and apply knowledge of pronunciation, punctuation, tone and
letter–sound variations in particular contexts. Writing in paragraphs, they express themselves in a range
of contexts and are sensitive to the audience and purpose of the writing. Using print and electronic
resources, they draft, self-correct, access dictionaries, script check and present written products.
Ω Non-roman alphabetical languages
• Students read short passages for meaning. They read aloud effectively, and apply knowledge of a range
of accents, tone markers and punctuation in a variety of contexts. They express themselves through
writing by generating original sentences in the language, using modelled examples which may be linked
to form paragraphs. Using print and electronic resources, they draft, self correct, access dictionaries,
script check and present written products
Non-roman alphabetical languages
• Students read short, modified texts for meaning. They read aloud effectively, and apply knowledge of
familiar characters and punctuation in a range of contexts. They write characters, paying attention to
shape, stroke order and proportion. They categorise the characters they have learnt into groups based
on similarities in meaning, appearance, pronunciation or function, and introduce newly learnt characters
into these schemata. They write sentences using appropriate characters and form paragraphs by
following modelled examples. They use Pinyin/Römaji for basic word processing. They explain distinctive
rules relating to writing in the language, and apply strategies, using print and electronic resources, for
checking and self-correcting their character use. They identify traditional techniques for writing.
Dimension 2:
language awareness
• At Pathway 1 Level 4, students apply relevant conversational rules and expectations; for example, those
Health and Physical Education – Level 3
Interpersonal development – Level 3
Personal learning – Level 2
Civics and citizenship – Level 2
The Arts – Level 3
Communication – Design, Creativity and Technology – Level 2
ICT – Level 3
Thinking Processes – Level 3
related to politeness. They demonstrate understanding of cultural differences in writing conventions for
specific discourse forms by producing equivalent items in another language.
• Students demonstrate effective reflection on their language learning by sharing a learning strategy they
use successfully, or by evaluating and improving a strategy they have tried. They interact with members of
the language community in Australia as a means of extending their understanding of perspectives on the
themes and topics studied in the classroom.
• Students identify ways in which the language and culture has impacted on Australia and present
information in written or oral forms in the language.
48
THEME Setting Goals – Portfolio
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher inroduces the VSL Student Passport (Student Portfolio).
• The teacher explains the different sections of the Passport/Portfolio e.g. photo
page, goals page, self assessment page and work examples.
• Teacher emphasises ‘goals’. Relevant vocabulary and sentence structures are
introduced e.g. goal(s), benefit, improve, work harder, practise.
• ‘My goals this semester/year will be to ____________’
• Teacher writes students’ examples onto the board.
• Students decide on 4 goals of their own and write these in their Passport/
Portfolio.
• Students decorate their VSL Passport Cover page.
Grammar
Goals writing task
VSL Student Passport
49
• sentence structure
• future tense
Vocabulary
• goals, benefits,
improvements
• superlatives
THEME Belonging
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher leads class in brainstorm in different groups to which students belong,
e.g. family, school friends, class, local community, LOTE country community,
religious groups, sporting groups.
• Teacher records new vocabulary on the board.
• Individually, students design their own mind map including all the groups to
which they feel they belong.
• Students present their mind map to the class, explaining the different groups
to which they belong. Prior to the presentation students prepare a teacher
guided oral presentation in PowerPoint on the mind map. They use cue cards
to assist them in the presentation
Grammar
• Present tense - singular
e.g. I belong to/I am a part
of a Dance troupe, soccer
club, tennis club, football
club, church, social club
• Verbs related to belonging
Vocabulary
• Different belonging groups
• Oral Presentation
(part of PowerPoint)
• Mindmap
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
• Present tense – singular
• Question words
Vocabulary
• Questioning technique/
structures
• Interview
Grammar
• Present tense- singular
Vocabulary
• Questioning technique
• Celebrations
• PowerPoint presentation
• Teacher inroduces sentence/question structures relevant to interviews
e.g.‘How many groups’, ‘What types of groups are they?’, ‘What does it feel like
to belong to these groups?’, ‘Is it important for you to belong to a group? Why?’
• Teacher models possible responses e.g.‘I belong to a sporting club’, ‘I enjoy
being part of this group because I feel happy when I’m with others who enjoy
this sport.’
• In pairs, students’ interview each other about their mind map and ask
questions about the groups to which he/she belongs.
• Each student presents some interesting facts they found out about their class
peer to the rest of the class.
• As all students belong to the class, they brainstorm their favourite class
activities and celebrations, e.g. birthdays, multicultural days etc.
• In groups, students create a school calendar (on computer) that incorporates
the various celebrations and important school events.
• Students present their calendar to the class.
Activity Cluster 3
• All students belong to the local community and a LOTE community. Teacher
introduces the key celebrations in the LOTE and local celebrations. Students
compare the two and also identify similarities. Students complete a Venn
Diagram.
• Students select a similar/identical celebration and explore ways in which it is
celebrated in Australia compared to the LOTE country.
• Students individually select and research a celebration that is only celebrated
in the LOTE country. They prepare a PowerPoint presentation to the school
community explaining the meaning of the celebration.
50
• Presentation
• Calendar
• Research task
– LOTE country celebration
THEME Belonging CONTINUED
LEVEL 4
Activity Cluster 4
• The class prepares a LOTE students survey about school functions that would
interest the children.
• Students analyse the data and select the most popular idea to be added to
the annual school calendar. Students write a letter to the principal requesting
permission to hold function.
• Choose a date for the school function then students are divided into groups.
Each group is responsible for a different aspect of the planning of the function.
e.g.– when, where, who, food, music, clothes, activities etc.
• Each group can be responsible for the following:
- designing a poster advertising the function, including date, time, location and
a brief description of what to expect.
- an invitation for staff members, parents and community members. Students
must also state the purpose of the function and include all necessary
information.
- an email to inform students and remind them about the impending function.
- planning events and activities on the day of the function. Prepare flyers
advertising the events prior to the function.
• Class brainstorms the LOTE language students can use while socialising at the
function. The key language can be displayed around the school/classroom on
flashcards to assist the students.
• Prior to the function students practise/roleplay the language required while
socialising at the function. On the day of the function, students greet their
guests in the LOTE putting into practise their LOTE conversational skills.
51
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• School function group
• Present tense- singular
activities
Vocabulary
• Questioning technique
• Celebrations and functions
THEME Where I live
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher leads a discussion about where students live, looking at the
immediate surroundings, infrastructure and proximity to school and family.
• Teacher introduces relevant vocabulary e.g. library, train station, shopping
centre, council offices, flat, house, apartment, inner city, suburb, rural.
• Students complete a mind map of their personal surroundings.
• Teacher reads a story to the students about a family and their surroundings.
Students complete comprehension activities based on the story.
• Students complete a cloze exercise about their community and surroundings.
Grammar
• Verb – to live
Vocabulary
• School
• Family
• Local community
Activity Cluster 2
• Students listen to a CD of LOTE speaking children stating where they live in the
LOTE country.
• Students label the cities on a map of the LOTE country.
• Students complete a work sheet. They match the written descriptions of
children describing where they live to the correct pictures.
• Students are given a map of their local area. They need to answer basic
questions in the LOTE based on information on the map.
• Class completes a survey on the type of housing students live in e.g. flat,
house, suburbs, inner city, brick, timber etc.
• Students graph the information on Excel.
• Class discussion comparing housing in the LOTE country to housing in
Australia. Students look at similarities and differences then complete a Venn
Diagram.
• In groups, students read out their paragraphs. They select 6 paragraphs to
present to the class in a PowerPoint presentation.
Grammar
• Verb – to live
• Gender of nouns, singular
and plural
• Preposition – in
Vocabulary
• School
• Family
• Local community
• Different types of housing
• Survey
• Graph
• Labelling Map
Activity Cluster 3
Grammar
• Verbs – daily routines
Vocabulary
• School
• Family
• Local community
• Rooms in the house
• Daily routines
• Labelling floor plan
• The student/teacher brainstorm different rooms in a house and what each
room is used for.
• Students design a floor plan of their house and label the rooms.
• Teacher introduces new sentence/language structures e.g. ‘In the bathroom I
brush my teeth and wash my hair.’
• Students prepare an oral presentation to the class, describing their home and
what they do in some of the rooms e.g. ‘In the kitchen I help my parents cook
dinner.’
• In pairs, students ask each other questions about their homes e.g. size,
colours etc.
• Using Word, students complete an illustrated story book of their house,
surroundings and their community. They draw on all the information and
previous activities to develop their book. They read this to the younger school
children.
52
• Cloze exercise
• Venn Diagram
• Writing Task
• Presentation
• Storybook
THEME What I Do At School
LEVEL 4
Activity Cluster 1
• The teacher introduces classroom objects by placing them on his/her desk
and asking What is this? In the LOTE, Students attempt to identify the items
based on prior knowledge. Teacher guides students also.
• Each student designs a double sided flashcard for a classroom object. On one
side the name of the object and the picture is shown. On the other side the
object is put into a sentence.
• Students read aloud their sentence. They place the flashcard on the object in
the class.
• Students play a ‘Memory game’. The teacher displays a number of classroom
objects; students close their eyes while the teacher removes one or more
items. Students guess what is missing.
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Flashcards with
and plural
• Gender of nouns
Vocabulary
Grammar
Activity Cluster 2
• Students complete a mind map by grouping classroom items.
• Working in groups students create a display for the classroom e.g. a multi
coloured paper chain or a flag of the LOTE they are studying. They present their
creation to the class and state which classroom items/objects they used to
complete their work.
• Class brainstorms language required to complete a roleplay, e.g. Do you have
…? Can I please borrow …?
• In pairs, students complete a teacher guided roleplay and present to the class.
• Students play the ‘Fishing Game’. Each student will take turns at holding the
fishing rod and catching a fish card. They act out what is written on the card
and the class attempts to guess. The student eventually reads aloud the
sentence written on the card.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students brainstorm the subjects studied at school.
• They complete a table. The headings on the table are: School subjects, I
study…, I don’t study…, I like…, I don’t like…
• Teacher collates the information on the table and as a class, graph then
analyse the information.
• In pairs, students interview each other about school subjects. e.g. Which is
your favourite subject? Which is your easiest subject? etc.
• Teacher plays a CD discussing subjects they are studying at school. Students
listen to the CD and complete a cloze activity.
• Students complete a wordfind of the vocabulary studied in this unit.
Activity Cluster 4
• Class brainstorms adjectives that best describe the subjects studied.
the student indicates if they like or dislike the subject and adjectives that
would best describe that subject for them.
• Students revise the days of the week and time, then complete their weekly
timetable.
• Teacher plays a CD of a student discussing his/her weekly time table.
Students are given a copy of the time table with several subjects, days or times
omitted. They carefully listen to the CD then insert the missing information.
53
sentences.
• Roleplay
and plural
• Gender of nouns
• Questioning techniques
Vocabulary
Grammar
and plural
• Gender of nouns
related to school and
subjects
Vocabulary
• Subjects
• Table
Grammar
• Timetable
• Students are given a work sheet listing all the subjects. Next to each subject
Linguistic Elements
• Graph
• Interview and plural
• Gender of nouns
related to school and
subjects
Vocabulary
• Subjects
• Adjectives
• Time
• Days of week
THEME The Community
LEVEL 4
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher reads either a short story or poem about the LOTE country set in the
1970s or 1980s. Students complete a guided note taking sheet about the
story or poem.
• The class breaks up into their 4 focus areas. Each focus group is given a
short paragraph (about 5 sentences) about shopping, landmarks, modes of
transport or lifestyle. As a group they read the paragraph and hand it back
to the teacher. Each group is given an envelope containing all the words in
the paragraph. Students need to reconstruct the paragraph by placing all the
words in the correct order to form the sentences. The sentences need to be in
the same order as the original paragraph.
• Once the reconstructed paragraph has been checked against the original, it
can be glued together on poster paper. Each student in the group completes
a drawing of what the paragraph means to them. A student from each group
reads their paragraph to the class. Other members of the group explain the
group’s thought process involved in reconstructing the paragraph.
• Individually, students write a few sentences describing their life today.
Activity Cluster 2
• Teacher leads the class in brainstorming the changes that have taken place
in the past 30-40 years, focusing mainly on shopping, landmarks, modes of
transport and lifestyle.
• Teacher invites an adult LOTE speaker to talk to the class about their
childhood and compares it to today’s lifestyle. Students prepare questions for
the speaker.
• The class is divided into 4 groups representing the 4 main focus areas and
students complete a research project comparing then and now. Students
remain part of the same focus group for the duration of this topic.
• In their groups, the students write up their information into paragraphs which
will later be combined to form a book that can be shared with younger LOTE
classes.
• Each group will present their findings to the class in a PowerPoint,
incorporating graphs, photos, interviews etc.
• The teacher distributes photos to the students of the LOTE country, past and
present. In pairs, students discuss, then list what they see in the photographs.
Students complete a Venn diagram to highlight the differences and similarities
between Australia and the LOTE country.
Activity Cluster 3
• Class is divided into focus groups and brainstorms what society and life
will be in the future (about 100 years from now). The teacher introduces
relevant vocabulary e.g. they explore and research the impact of technology,
environment and climate might have on the 4 focus areas in the future. Each
focus group reports back to the class.
• The teacher introduces relevant verbs and future tense e.g.‘In the future shops
will be_______’. ‘In 100 years from now, cars will have_______’
• Each student designs a poster or painting in the LOTE highlighting what
changes need to occur now for a brighter future for the next generations.
• Teacher gives students a Thinkers T to complete. Students list what they
already knew before they commenced this unit and what they have learnt.
54
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Description
• Simple past tense
• Articles
• Nouns
• Reading exercise
• Paragraph construction
Vocabulary
• Shops
• Landmarks
• Lifestyle
Grammar
• Introduce simple past
tense
• Comparatives
Vocabulary
• Shops
• Landmarks
• Lifestyle
• Research project
Grammar
• Report
• Future tense
• Like /dislikes
• Comparatives
• Superlatives
• Oral presentation in
PowerPoint
• Venn diagram
• Writing task
• Poster
• Thinkers T
Vocabulary
• Shops
• Landmarks
• Lifestyle
• Climate
• Technology
LEVEL 4
| VICTORIAN SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES
THEME Travelling Around the World
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher introduces the 5 continents on an English map. He/She labels each
continent in the LOTE.
• Teacher introduces the names of 15 countries from different continents in the
world. (It might be a good idea to include some of the countries from where
students and/or their families originate). The teacher labels these in the LOTE.
• Teacher introduces the various oceans e.g. Pacific ocean, Mediterranean sea,
Indian ocean.
• The teacher labels these in the LOTE.
• Students are given a map of the world and vocabulary lists. They match the
English word with that of the LOTE.
• Students label the countries and the seas on the map in the LOTE.
• Students are led by the teacher in a game of ‘Geography Bingo’.
• Teacher repeats the same activity with the capital cities.
Grammar
• Gender and personal
pronouns
• Adjectives
• Verbs past, present and
future tenses
• Prepositions
Vocabulary
• 15 countries
• The continents
• The seas and oceans
(choose 5 significant ones)
• capital cities
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
• Prepositions: across, over,
through, to
• Verbs: fly, travel (past
tense)
Vocabulary
• Directions: North, South,
East, West, hemisphere.
• Cloze activity
Grammar
• Verb–to be
Vocabulary
• Landmarks
• 2 postcards
• The teacher introduces directions North, South, East and West by using a
world map.
• The teacher introduces sentence structures: ‘Europe is in the Northern
Hemisphere’. ‘Africa is ________of__________’.
• The teacher gives students a cloze activity focussing on directions and
countries (and other vocab taught).
• Students complete the cloze activity with a map to help them.
• The teacher gives the students individual maps of segments of the world
map. The map has a key place highlighted. Students construct 5 sentences
describing where each country is located.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher introduces landmarks via a PowerPoint presentation relevant to
each of the countries. e.g. the Eiffel Tower in Paris–France, the Colosseum in
Rome–Italy, the Parthenon in Athens–Greece, the Pyramids in Cairo–Egypt,
the Great Wall in China.
• Teacher labels the landmarks on the world map.
• Students complete a 3 column matching activity where a picture landmark is
matched with the city and the country.
55
• Map labelling
• ‘Geography Bingo’
• Writing activity
• Matching worksheet
LEVEL 4
THEME Healthy Mind Healthy Body
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Students brainstorm what the essential ideas are to this theme. Teacher lists
them on the board.
• Based on the brainstorm findings, students list as many fruits that they know
in the LOTE. Use a dictionary if required. Teacher can set a time limit or a
number limit.
• In small groups, students select some fruits on their list and make a fruit
salad. They write a‘recipe’ on how to make the fruit salad.
• Students draw a still life of a fruit or fruit salad. The fruit is labelled and
described.
• Students complete a fruit mind map.
Grammar
• Present tense, singular
verbs – cut, slice, peel etc
Vocabulary
• Food
• Colours
• Smells
• Sports
• Fruits
• Fruit family – citrus, etc
• Recipe
Activity Cluster 2
• Students are provided with a list of vegetables. They ask each other if they like
or dislike the vegetable.
• The responses are tabled and then graphed.
• Students then orally summarise their findings once the teacher has modelled
the language.
• Findings are presented to LOTE speaking community members.
Grammar
• Present tense, singular
verbs – cut, slice, peel etc
Vocabulary
• Food
• Colours
• Smells
• Sports
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Graph
Activity Cluster 3
Grammar
• Conjunction – because
Vocabulary
• Body parts and organs
• Research task
Grammar
• Conditional tense
• Conjunction – if
• Adjectives
Vocabulary
• Food
• Fruits
• Foods from the food
pyramid
• Daily meals
• Discussion on healthy
• Teacher introduces vocabulary regarding living things expecially focussing on
the importance of water e.g. water important for: growth, organs, kidneys, liver,
blood, heart, veins, arteries, muscles, bones.
• Students research how water sustains all living things. They provide a short
report on the general importance of water. Teacher can model some of the key
phrases. ‘Water is important because it_________’.
• Students look at the importance of drinking plenty of water and the effects on
human body organs. Students complete a Mindmap.
• In small groups, students trace the outline of a student’s body. They draw and
label the internal organs. Students label and explain where the water travels
to when people drink, the role of the kidneys and why water is vital to sustain
human life.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students look at the different food groups in the healthy food pyramid. They
discuss the benefits of eating healthily.
• Students complete a Y chart. What would happen if people do not eat
healthily? Look like, feel like, and move like.
• Students prepare a healthy diet plan for a week. This includes 3 meals a day
and snacks.
56
LEVEL 4
• Still life drawing
• Presentation
• Report
• Labelling activity
eating
• Y Chart
• A healthy diet plan for a
week
THEME Healthy Mind Healthy Body CONTINUED
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 5
• Students complete a Thinkers T. What I know about sports? and What are the
impacts that sports have on our health?
• Students brainstorm physical activities they enjoy. In groups, they write a
sentence for each on strips of paper.
• Students take part in physical activities. Teacher gives students oral and
written directions that they then need to complete. This activity is based on
the previous task. e.g. Run around the oval once. Hit a ball with a racquet etc.
• Students monitor their pulse and heart rate prior to and after the physical
activity. They note down what they have observed. In groups they all write
down other physical differences. e.g. perspiration, out of breath etc. Students
could graph the heart rate over a period of time.
Grammar
• Imperatives – run, hit
Vocabulary
• Sports and physical
activities
• Time
• Numbers
• Thinkers T
Activity Cluster 6
• In groups, students research the positive impact a balanced diet and sports
have on mental and physical wellbeing.
• Students design an invitation for community members to attend a
presentation on their research findings.
• Students invite community members to their presentation. The presentation
can be in the form of a PowerPoint, video, poster etc.
Grammar
Vocabulary
• Food
• Sports
• Presentation–Power Point,
57
LEVEL 4
• Graph of heart rate
video or poster
THEME Keeping Fit
LEVEL 4
Activity Cluster 1
• As a class, students brainstorm and list their favourite physical activities.
• In smaller groups they draw a table and provide information on the type of
physical activity and how often they exercise, parts of body used/required and
how they feel after exercise.
• Class discussions comparing each group’s physical activity table.
Activity Cluster 2
• As a class, students select 4 physical activities. Working in pairs, each student
performs the physical activities within a time frame. Students measure the
time it took to complete the 4 physical activities. They time each individual
activity and also a total for the 4 activities. Students also record their heart
rate before and after physical activity, and record the results on a table.
• Students prepare a class oral presentation presenting their results.
• Individually students write down how often they do each of the four activities
(above) per month and for how long. Students complete a whole class graph
of the results.
• In small groups, students present different ways of improving fitness and
physical activity based on the class graph results.
• Students complete a ranking ladder from activities requiring the most energy
to the least energy.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students complete a magic mirror activity. The teacher provides a worksheet
with a blank mirror and statements that the student needs to complete about
themselves and their body image. Students complete the task by drawing a
reflection of themselves in the mirror.
• Students select a word related to the topic and complete an acrostic poem.
Teacher collates all the poems to make a class poem book.
• Students create a wordfind of vocabulary studied in this topic. They swap with
a partner and complete the wordfind created by their class mate.
Activity Cluster 4
• The class surveys other students over several days, on their preferred after-
school activities.
• Students graph the results and present to members of the school community.
• Students analyse the results and prepare a plan on improving health and
fitness. Following the teacher’s direction they can look at issues such as: What
do people in the LOTE country eat compared to Australia? Do children walk to
school or come by car? What do students do in their free-time?
• In small groups, students write a short play on health and fitness to perform in
front of their peers.
58
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Table
• Like/dislikes
• Verb – I like, I do not like
• Negation
Vocabulary
• Parts of body
• Frequency indicators
• Adjectives
Grammar
• Like/dislikes
• Negation
Vocabulary
• Parts of body
• Time
• Presentation
Grammar
• Like/dislikes
• Negation
Vocabulary
• Parts of body
• Time
• Body adjectives
• Acrostic poem
Grammar
• Like/dislikes
• Negation
Vocabulary
• Parts of body
• Time
• Body adjectives
• Survey
LEVEL 4
• Graph
• Graph
• Play
THEME The Media
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher leads class in a brainstorming activity on different types of media/
communications e.g. television, radio, newspapers, magazines.
• Teacher divides class into groups and gives out newspapers (English) to
groups.
• Students brainstorm sections of the newspaper.
• Teacher introduces vocabulary e.g. editorial letters to the editor, sport,
business etc.
• Teacher gives each group a newspaper in the LOTE/bilingual newspaper and a
pile of vocabulary cards.
• Students label the appropriate section of the newspaper with the relevant
vocabulary word.
Grammar
• Nouns
Vocabulary
• Different forms of media
• Sections of the
newspaper: Editorial,
Letters to the editor,
Business, TV guide, Sport,
Local, Government, World
• Newspaper vocabulary
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
• Verbs – I think, I believe, it
is important
• Conjunctions – and,
because
Vocabulary
• relevant to article
• in my opinion
• Writing task
• Reading task
• Teacher gives students a simple two paragraph article about a current issue.
• Teacher identifies new vocabulary.
• Teacher asks students to give an opinion on the issue after demonstrating
how to voice an opinion e.g. ‘I think that people in Melbourne should be more
careful with the amount of water they use because________.’
• Teacher writes sentence structures on board. Teacher reads out and students
repeat.
• Students construct a brief paragraph explaining their opinion/view on the
subject/issue.
• Students read their responses to the class.
task
Activity Cluster 3
• Students watch 5 minutes of a news report which includes a weather report.
• Teacher introduces new, relevant vocabulary and asks students to fill in a
guided aural comprehension/cloze.
• The teacher shows the segment twice.
Grammar
• Verbs – to like/dislike, to
prefer
Vocabulary
• Adjectives – exciting,
boring, interesting, fake,
fun
• Weather
Activity Cluster 4
Grammar
prefer
Vocabulary
• Adjectives – exciting,
boring, interesting, fake,
fun
• Writing task – summary
Grammar
• Writing task
• Students watch a popular children’s half hour program in the LOTE.
• Students write a 5 sentence summary of the show including a sentence about
their opinion of the show.
Activity Cluster 5
• In groups’, students are given a writing task to review (a) Children’s TV
program, (b) a weather report, (c) current issue, (d) a sporting event. In their
groups, students construct two paragraphs on their given task. They need to
research information and pictures.
• Each of the groups’ end product will be combined to create a small newspaper
using Publisher. With the teacher’s assistance, the students will create
headlines.
• The newspaper will be published and presented to an older year level.
59
prefer
Vocabulary
• Relevant to article
LEVEL 4
• Newspaper articles
• Newspaper
THEME Dinosaurs
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher shows students a chart displaying various dinosaurs. The teacher
asks the students if they recognise any of the dinosaurs and asks them to give
the names in English. The teacher writes the names on the board.
• After 5 or 6 dinosaurs have been named, the teacher writes the LOTE
translation of the word on the board. The teacher removes the chart from the
board. Teacher asks students to write both the English and the LOTE words
on a worksheet with pictures of the dinosaurs and asks them to match to the
correct word. The class identifies the matching words and pictures and the
students correct each other’s worksheets.
Grammar
• Verbs – Past tense,
live/lived, used to eat/ate,
move/moved, fly/flew,
kill/killed
Vocabulary
• Various dinosaurs
• Continents
• Forest and environment
• Word/picture match task
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
• Verbs: Past tense etc
• comparatives–bigger than
• superlatives–the biggest
• Cloze activity
• Teacher introduces a picture of the world divided into its continents. He/She
sticks pictures of the dinosaurs onto the relevant parts of the map.
• Teacher discusses the history of dinosaurs while students follow an
information summary sheet.
Vocabulary
• Teacher introduces past tense.
• Teacher shows students a DVD on dinosaurs or an extract from the film
‘Jurassic Park’.
• Teacher leads brainstorm into a summary of what they saw and introduces
relevant vocabulary descriptions of dinosaurs.
• Students complete a CLOZE activity based on the vocabulary learned and the
film viewed.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher gives students pictures of different parts of different dinosaurs.
He/She asks students to create their own dinosaur with the pieces.
• Students create their own dinosaur and decide what features it will have and
think about why.
• Students form groups of four and they present their (oral task) dinosaur,
‘My Dinosaur’ to the group explaining why it looks as it does, where it will
live and why, what it eats, which dinosaurs it can dominate, which dinosaurs
threaten it.
• In their groups each student individually writes a 5 line description about
his/her dinosaur based on their oral presentation.
• Students collate their descriptions to create a story about their four dinosaurs
in a meeting. They decide where (continent) and how the dinosaurs interact.
They add these simple sentences to their descriptions to create a story. They
also add the pictures of their dinosaurs.
• Teacher helps to edit their stories. Students make relevant corrections.
• Each group reads and presents its story to the class and each group member
is allocated a specific part to read out.
• Students complete a group based PMI chart about their experience studying
dinosaurs and this is shared with the class.
• The dinosaur books are displayed in the school library.
60
• Dinosaurs – big, scary,
aggressive, scaly skin,
long necks, spikes, tails
• to threaten/be threatened
• dominate
Grammar
• Verbs: Past tense
• Revision of previous
verbs and superlatives,
comparatives
Vocabulary
• Revision of previous
vocabulary
LEVEL 4
Oral presentation:
• ‘My dinosaur’
Writing task
• Dinosaur story
Reading task
• Students read out their
group story to the class
• PMI Chart
THEME A Special Treat To Eat
LEVEL 4
Activity Cluster 1
• Discuss pastry and other dessert shops in the LOTE country. Compare these
to the ones in Australia. Complete a Venn Diagram.
• Teacher shows the students a video on LOTE desserts and sweets. Students
complete a comprehension sheet. They list the names of sweets and desserts
they know. As a class, students label pictures of different sweets and desserts
and then complete a collage.
• Students listen to a song about a LOTE dessert or sweet. They learn the words
and then in small groups choreograph a routine to the song. They perform this
at school assembly.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students listen to a story about LOTE desserts. They discuss what the story is
about. Students select their favourite part of the story; they draw a picture and
write a few brief sentences describing the picture.
• Students prepare a roleplay between pastry chef and a customer. They script
the roleplay with the aid of the teacher and perform in class. Students can
bring in props to help with the roleplay performance.
• Students, in groups, prepare a PowerPoint presentation of various pictures of
sweets and desserts. They must include a suitable caption for each picture
then present to the class.
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Collage
• Adjectives
• Verb – I like
• Performance of song
Vocabulary
• Desserts
• Sweets
• Ingredients
Grammar
• Adjectives
• Verb – ‘I like’
• Verb – ‘you like, you make,
you do’
articles
Vocabulary
• Desserts
• Sweets
• Ingredients
• Story with captions
• Roleplay
• PowerPoint
61
LEVEL 4
THEME A Special Treat To Eat CONTINUED
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 3
• Students design a Memory game and play this with younger students. They
must allow the younger students to familiarise themselves with the vocabulary
before playing.
• Students complete a word search using frequently used vocabulary from this
topic.
• Students, in pairs, conduct a class/school survey of students’ preferred
desserts and sweets. The results are graphed and then the pair presents their
findings to the class.
• Students prepare questions and conduct an interview with the pastry chef.
Grammar
• Adjectives
• Verb – I like
• Verb – you like, you make,
you do
articles
• Question words
Vocabulary
• Desserts
• Sweets
• Ingredients
• Memory game
Activity Cluster 4
Grammar
• Adjectives
• Verb – I like
• Verb – you like, you make,
you do
articles
Vocabulary
• Desserts
• Sweets
• Ingredients
• Numbers
• Shopping scenarios
• Teacher conducts a class discussion on the LOTE currency and the exchange
rates. Teacher explains what an exchange rate is and provides numerous
examples.
• Students are given a number of shopping scenarios. They need to calculate
the number of sweets and desserts purchased/ordered, the cost and what the
total expense would be in the LOTE currency.
• Teacher invites a local LOTE pastry chef to come in to the school and explain to
students how he /she makes certain LOTE sweets and desserts and how they
differ to Australian sweets and desserts.
• Students follow a simple recipe in LOTE on how to make a dessert. They make
the dessert and offer to teaching staff of other backgrounds.
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• Survey and graphed
results
• Interview
• Cooking activity
THEME The Animal Kingdom–Australian Animals
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher leads brainstorm and lists different wild animals and their habitats.
• On a world map students identify where they are found – countries and
continent.
• Class brainstorms adjectives of different Australian animals. Class plays a
matching activity using a chart.
• Teacher introduces vocabulary that describes animals, their characteristics
and their habitat.
• To reinforce new vocabulary teacher assigns wild animals to small groups of
students. Each group will focus on a different habitat.
• In small groups students create flash cards with animal adjectives and body
parts. They swap with another group and match the adjectives and body parts
to the animals.
Grammar
• Definite articles – singular
and plural
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Animal habitats
• Animal adjectives
• Animal body parts
• Herbivores, Carnivores,
Omnivores
• Flashcards
Activity Cluster 2
Grammar
and plural
related to habitat and
animal body parts
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Animal habitats
• Worksheet
Grammar
• Wordfind
• Students complete a worksheet. A number of animals are listed and students
need to answer where they live, type of habitat and 2 adjectives describing the
animal. Teacher can include the correct answers in a box at the bottom of the
worksheet to assist the students.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students complete a wordfind of the animals, habitat and adjectives.
• They then write a description of the animal and write about the threat of
extinction etc.
• In groups, students cut out pictures of animals to create a collage. Each
student selects a different animal and writes 5 sentences that describe the
animal and its habitat.
• In their groups, students create a large wall chart containing pictures of their
selected Australian animals and the written descriptions.
and plural
animal body parts
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Animal habitats
• Collage
• Writing task
• Wall chart
63
LEVEL 4
THEME The Animal Kingdom–Australian Animals CONTINUED
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 4
• Students complete a ‘Crossword’ puzzle.
• Students classify the animals in the ‘Crossword’ puzzle as herbivores,
carnivores or omnivores.
• Each student lists the foods that the animals on the ‘Crossword’ puzzle eat.
• Teacher designs a ‘Bingo’ game. The main board should contain vocabulary
covered in the topic – animals, habitat, adjectives, body parts and
classifications. Each student should have two smaller cards each. Class can
play as a whole or in smaller groups. Students can take turns calling out the
names.
• Students compare Australian animals with wild animals in other countries.
They look at similarities and differences.
Grammar
and plural
animal body parts
• Superlatives/comparatives
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Animal habitats
• Animal classification
• Herbivores, Omnivores,
Carnivores.
• List
Activity Cluster 5
Grammar
and plural
animal body parts
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Animal habitats
• Research Project
Grammar
• Bar graph
• Students play ‘Celebrity Animal’ (all animals, including those not from
Australia). Three students are called to the front of the class. A head band
with an animal’s name is placed on their head. The student cannot see the
animal. In turns, they ask questions to the rest of the class to try and guess
their animal. The class can only reply with a yes or no. If the reply is no, then
the next students get to ask questions. If the answer is yes, then that student
continues asking questions until they guess the animal or a question has a no
reply from the class.
• Each student selects an animal from another part of the world to research
and present via PowerPoint to the class. Students look at habitat, where in the
world it is found, numbers in the wild, reproduction and environmental threats
to its livelihood.
Activity Cluster 6
• Teacher introduces new vocabulary regarding extinction and endangerment
of animals. He/She lists six key Australian animals and discusses the level of
threat on the species.
• In groups, students research the 6 animals and record any statistics on Excel
and create a bar graph. They compare data and write one or more paragraphs
that explain the findings.
• In the same groups, students make suggestions as to what could be done to
safeguard the animals from becoming endangered or extinct.
• Teacher leads student group to present their findings to the class. They include
their bar graph and their proposal on PowerPoint or on project paper.
64
• Comparatives/superlatives
• Future tense
• Verbs – to suggest, to
propose, to be (important),
to prevent, to protect
Vocabulary
• Habitats
• Species
• Endangerment
LEVEL 4
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Data analysis
• Writing task
• Power Point
• Chart
LEVEL 4
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Activity Cluster 2
Activity Cluster 3
Activity Cluster 4
Activity Cluster 5
Activity Cluster 6
65
VELS LEVEL 5
years 7 & 8
VELS LEVEL 5
Dimension 1:
Communicating in a
LEVEL 5
• Students recall most of the main ideas, objects and details presented with a topic in the language. They
use a range of strategies to assist in listening comprehension.
• Students adapt language and gesture appropriately for the role, audience and purpose of the interaction,
demonstrating awareness of the cultural and language requirements of a range of situations associated
with the topics being studied.
• Students participate effectively in interactions such as roleplays and conversations on simple topics.
They create simple original text for specific audiences and purposes in print and electronic form. They
write paragraphs and linked sequences, using appropriate script and language related to the topic.
• Students critically review their own writing. They draft their writing and use a variety of writing techniques
and tools to present information in a range of text types. They locate and download information in the
language from a variety of print and electronic resources including dictionaries and reference materials.
• Students read silently and aloud to extract and/or communicate information. They write and edit their
own work in the language and identify areas where they need further assistance. They use accents, tone
markers and punctuation where appropriate for the topic and context of the writing. They write in linked
paragraphs for specific purposes.
• Students read short passages silently and aloud to extract and/or communicate information. They
apply their knowledge of a range of accent markers and punctuation in reading and writing familiar and
unfamiliar texts. They write in linked sentences and paragraphs on a topic
• Students read short, modified texts related to the topics being studied, silently and aloud. They apply
knowledge of characters and punctuation in new contexts and extend their range of familiar characters.
They write paragraphs by following modelled examples. They use strategies for checking and selfcorrecting their character use, including information and communications technology applications.
Dimension 2:
language awareness
• Students demonstrate skills and knowledge in this dimension by the choices they make in formulating
their responses to, or use of, the language.
• Students actively participate in the creation and maintenance of the language and cultural ambience
in the classroom. They select, interpret and present knowledge about the language, its speakers, and
countries where it is spoken.
• Students demonstrate understanding of aspects of interpretation and translation by using appropriate
language and levels of respect in different circumstances, thus reflecting the relationship between
the speakers of the language. They interact with a variety of speakers of the language from different
countries and communities, including Australia, to gain understanding of diverse views and beliefs within
and between these communities.
• Students present their own views and values in relation to simple scenarios or propositions.
• Civics and citizenship
• Communication
• ICT
68
THEME Shopping
LEVEL 5
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Present tense
articles
• Adjectives
• Agreement of nouns and
adjectives
• Modal verbs – present
tense
• Future tense
• Present gerund
Vocabulary
• Shops
• Food
• List
Grammar
• Personal introductions
• Use of polite forms
• Present tense
articles
• Adjectives
adjectives
• Future tense
• Present perfect tense
• Imperfect tense
• Letter format
Vocabulary
• Shops
• Food
• Consumer Affairs
• Letter
Grammar
• Present tense
adjectives
• Present perfect and
imperfect tense
• Future tense
Vocabulary
• Shops
• Food
• Consumable products
• Colours and textures
• TV advertisement
Grammar
• Present tense
adjectives
imperfect tense
• Future tense
Vocabulary
• Shops
• Food
• Survey
• Students list similarities and differences between generic and label brands.
It may be quality, price, presentation etc. Complete a Thinker’s T of the
similarities and differences.
• Students list what people and corporations can do to stop excessive packaging
of products and protect the environment. Write an action plan for each. Rank
these action plans in order of most important to least important.
• Using a world map, students highlight 10 cities that they think would be huge
consumers of pre-packaged foods. Include a legend: food, cost, cooking
options. Students present this information to the class to further raise
awareness.
• Students list how to increase shoppers’ awareness of packaging and the
impact on the environment and cost of the products they are purchasing.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students write a letter to the local supermarket manager to find out about
a new product OR to complain about the service OR to express a particular
concern.
• Students are employed by Consumer Affairs and need to design a newsletter.
They must provide information about Consumer Affairs, its role and
information about the issue of the month. The newsletter needs to be visually
appealing. Use a mind map to plan the newsletter.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students design a TV advertisement for a new consumer product. They video
tape the ad and show to the class.
• Students reflect on their advertisement by completing a PMI activity. Students
rule 3 columns – Plus, Minus and Interesting. They list under each column
what worked well in the ad, what they can improve on and what their audience
thought was interesting.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students survey shoppers at their local shopping centre. They find out about
their shopping habits. This information can then be put into a bar graph using
Excel.
• Students, in small groups, organize an excursion to the Victoria Market for
primary school students. They use a Gantt Chart to plan the excursion. The
Gantt Chart breaks down and prioritizes tasks. They also design a series of
worksheets that the primary students need to complete whilst at the market.
• Students create a board game highlighting the different types of shops and
the products they sell. Game rules and cards need to be in the LOTE.
69
• Action plan
• Presentation
• Newsletter
• Debate
• Graph
• Excursion
• Game
THEME Shopping CONTINUED
LEVEL 5
1
Activity Cluster 5
• Students compile an audio CD of shopping sounds and noises. There needs to
be an introduction in the LOTE to the recording that describes the location and
the background noises. Students also design a written activity their peers can
complete after listening to the CD.
• In pairs or small groups, students write a song about a shopping experience.
It can be humorous and entertaining. This song can be recorded. Students
provide the lyrics to their peers to sing along to. Students also complete a
cloze activity by filling in the blanks of the song.
Activity Cluster 6
• In pairs, students write and perform a roleplay, between a disgruntled shopper
and a sales assistant.
• Students write a short story of a favourite or memorable childhood shopping
experience.
• Students compare the present day shopping centres to the way people
used to shop in the past. They complete a Venn diagram. Students then
draw comparisons to shopping in the LOTE country. This information will be
presented to the class in the form of a PowerPoint.
70
Grammar
• Present tense
• CD
• Song
adjectives
imperfect tense
• Future tense
Vocabulary
• Shops
• Food
Grammar
• Present tense
adjectives
imperfect tense
• Future tense
Vocabulary
• Shops
• Food
• Roleplay
• Story
• Presentation
THEME Food Pyramid And Healthy Lifestyle
LEVEL 5
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Verb – to like
• Present tense
• Indefinite articles
• Prepositions
Vocabulary
• Foods
• Drinks
• Adjectives
• Game
Grammar
• Verb – to like, to eat
• Present tense
• Prepositions
• Food pyramid
• Students identify food and drink items from pictures and LOTE shopping
catalogues. Students state which foods they prefer and categorize the foods
and drinks.
• Students develop a memory game with pictures and vocabulary for younger
students to play. They must also include the rules in the LOTE.
• Students read an extract about LOTE food and answer questions orally.
• Students list names of popular LOTE dishes. Students select their preferred
dish, find out what the ingredients are and categorize the ingredients.
Students write a brief article about their findings and read to the class.
Activity Cluster 2
• Class discussion on healthy foods versus junk foods. Students complete a
Venn diagram – healthy foods, junk foods and borderline foods.
• Students research the different food groups and healthy daily quantities to
be consumed. They complete a Food Pyramid, labelling the foods. Students
include an explanation of how often foods ought to be consumed on a daily
basis.
• Students contribute to a class collage about food. They cut pictures from
magazines and label and include catchy slogans.
• In pairs, students prepare a roleplay between a shop assistant in a health food
store and customer. They perform to a wider audience.
• Students conduct a survey about what people eat for breakfast, lunch and
dinner. Students graph this information, analyse the results and write a report.
• Students design a weekly healthy eating plan for their family. They include
breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students discuss how to keep fit and healthy. They look at aspects such as
personal hygiene, exercise, eating habits. Students complete a mindmap.
• Students listen to a discussion on smoking, drinking and drugs and complete
a guided note taking sheet.
• Students read an article related to fitness and health. They present their point
of view to the class.
• Students plan an exercise program for a friend who wants to improve
his/her fitness.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students research diseases and effects of smoking, drinking and drugs on the
body. They design a poster highlighting the side effects on health and where to
get help.
• Students write a detailed report, referring to their sources from the research.
The report can be presented to younger students in the form of a PowerPoint.
71
• List
• Article
• Collage
• Roleplay
• Survey
• Report
• Healthy eating plan
Vocabulary
• Foods
• Drinks
• Adjectives
Grammar
• Present tense
• Prepositions
• Mind map
• Presentation
• Exercise program
Vocabulary
• Foods
• Drinks
• Adjectives
• Exercise
• Health issues and
ailments
Grammar
• Present tense
• Prepositions
Vocabulary
• Foods
• Drinks
• Adjectives
• Exercise
ailments
• Poster
• Report
• PowerPoint
THEME Food Pyramid And Healthy Lifestyle CONTINUED
Activity Cluster 5
• Students look at the sporting and leisure facilities in their local area. On a map
students label the local leisure centres, parks, libraries, youth centres etc.
• Students survey the local community about the availability, access and
amount of facilities in the area. They collate the data and write a report for the
council, presenting people’s views.
• Students research the correlation between healthy eating and healthy life
style. They present their findings to the school community.
• Students, in small groups, design a television advertisement highlighting the
benefits of healthy eating and healthy life style. They use a Gantt Chart to
identify each student’s role and responsibility in the group.
72
LEVEL
LEVEL5
1
Linguistic Elements
Linguistic Elements
Grammar
• Map
• Present tense
• Prepositions
Vocabulary
• Foods
• Drinks
• Adjectives
• Exercise
ailments
• Leisure facilities
• Survey
• Report
• Presentation
• Television commercial
THEME Geography
LEVEL 5
Activity Cluster 1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Presentation
• Class discussion on different types of maps, their purpose and how the
• Students are given two different types of maps of the LOTE country and asked
• Gender agreement
information can be interpreted.
to list the differences and similarities in the two maps. Complete a Venn
diagram.
• Class discussion on map scaling. Students work in groups and present to
the class what they think the scaling represents. Each group will be given a
different map of a different part of the LOTE country.
• In pairs, students look at a world map, look at the legend and provide an oral
explanation (presentation) to the class as to what the legend means.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students study a map of a main city in the LOTE country. They observe the
layout, streets, landmarks etc. Students list as many identifying features as
possible.
• Students study the different abbreviations on the map for streets, roads,
bridges etc. They replace the abbreviated word with the full word.
• Students study a map of a LOTE country city. They focus on the key landmarks
in that city. Students write the directions on how to get to the landmarks from
a particular point on the map.
• Students observe a map of a LOTE country city. They read a paragraph
detailing information, directions and various locations on the map. From the
information provided, students guess where the location is.
Activity Cluster 3
articles
Vocabulary
• Maps
• Geographic terms
• Names of countries
Grammar
articles
• Present tense
• Imperative tense
Vocabulary
• Landmarks
• Directions
Grammar
• Students focus on the physical map of the LOTE country. They brainstorm and
• Students, in pairs, list adjectives to describe the characteristics e.g. sea –
• Present tense
list characteristics present on the physical map e.g. rivers, mountains etc.
salt water, fresh water, wet etc. Students then compare the adjective list
to complete a whole class list for all the characteristics on the map. They
complete a mindmap.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students research a part of the LOTE country that most interests them. They
focus on how the geography has influenced the culture e.g. the local food,
dress etc.
• Students, in pairs or small groups, write a conversation between people from
different parts of the LOTE country. They compare immediate geography,
weather, local food and clothing. Students perform this in class.
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• Directions writing
• Directions reading activity
• Mind map
articles
Vocabulary
• Maps
• Geographic terms and
characteristics
• Names of countries
• Landmarks • Adjectives
Grammar
articles
• Present tense
• Comparisons
Vocabulary
• Geographic terms and
characteristics
• Landmarks
• Weather
• Clothing
• Adjectives
• Food
• Conversation / roleplay
THEME The Migration Experience
LEVEL 5
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Past tense
• Nouns
• Articles
Vocabulary
• Countries and continents
• Adjectives (feelings and
emotions)
• Graph
Grammar
• Past tense
• Nouns
• Articles
• Letter format
Vocabulary
emotions)
• Reasons for migration
• Debate
Grammar
• Past tense
• Nouns
• Articles
• Future tense
• Adverbs
• Pronouns
• Comparisons
Vocabulary
emotions)
• Venn diagram
Grammar
• Mind map
• Students, in groups, brainstorm the concept of migration.
• Students research where Australian migrants originally came from. They
present this information in the form of a graph – the countries and the
percentage from those countries. The teacher decides on the time span e.g.
the last ten years etc.
• Students look at different ways in which the migrants reached Australian
shores. Students write an imaginative recount of what the migrants may have
been experiencing and thinking as they were travelling to Australia.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students research then debate Legal migration versus Illegal migration.
• Students look at the experiences of child migrants. They write a letter to the
relevant government authorities expressing their views.
• Students, in teams, plan a fund raising day at school. With the money they
collect they can buy books, clothing or toys for children in need. The planning
would involve negotiating a day or time with the principal, writing letters or
making phone calls to relevant groups, advertising at school via newsletters,
inviting the local media to report on the event etc.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students watch films, read articles and look at photographs and listen to
interviews of people’s migration experience. They complete comprehension
activities set by the teacher.
• Class discussion on Culture Shock. What is it? Why do migrants struggle to let
go of their old values?
• Students complete a Venn diagram of what the differences and similarities are
between the LOTE country and Australia.
• Students interview a migrant about their experiences in Australia, in particular
focussing on the language barrier, how they overcame this problem and
contributions made to Australian society.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students, as a class, complete a mindmap. What motivates people to migrate?
• Students, in groups, each select one different reason why people migrate and
investigate this issue in more detail. They complete a PowerPoint presentation
for the class.
• Students complete a drawing or painting reflecting the migration experience.
The painting /drawing would need to reflect emotions, pain etc
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• Past tense
• Nouns
• Articles
• Future tense
• Adverbs
• Pronouns
• Imaginative recount
• Letter
• Fund raising day
• Interview
• Power point
• Painting /drawing
Vocabulary
emotions)
THEME The Migration Experience CONTINUED
LEVEL 5
1
Linguistic Elements
Linguistic Elements
Activity Cluster 5
Grammar
• Past tense
• Nouns
• Articles
• Future tense
• Adverbs
• Pronouns
Vocabulary
emotions)
• List
Grammar
• Past tense
• Nouns
• Articles
• Future tense
• Adverbs
• Pronouns
Vocabulary
emotions)
• Migration experience
• Students listen to folk/traditional LOTE country songs that migrants listen to
often. They list the memories, feelings and thoughts the song might conjure up
for the migrant.
• Cloze activity. Students fill in the blanks while listening to the song.
• Students write their own song on a migration experience. It can be either a
personal experience, a family member’s or from the research so far. Using
the music from a folk /traditional song, they change the lyrics to include their
personal experiences, thoughts and feelings.
• In groups, students read a script provided by the teacher on a migration
experience. They interpret, adapt and modify the script to suit their needs.
Students transform this script into their own. They learn their lines, wear
appropriate costumes, include appropriate LOTE music and use the props and
lighting when performing to the school and wider community.
Activity Cluster 6
• Students go to the Immigration Museum to look at the impact migration has
had on Australian society.
• Students find out more about the migration experience of people from the
LOTE country.
• Students put on a migration experience display at their school. The whole
class brings in photos, family footage, documents etc of their family’s
migration story. School and community members are invited to attend.
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• Song
• Play
display
THEME Occupations
LEVEL 5
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Gender
• Proper nouns
• Adjectives
Vocabulary
• Occupation/jobs
• Equipment
• Job classification
• Worksheet
Grammar
• Venn Diagram
• Teacher leads the class in a brainstorm of different jobs and occupations.
• Teacher introduces vocabulary related to occupations by displaying pictures of
individuals in their work place. The teacher provides the appropriate words and
matches them to the pictures.
• For each occupation students provide additional information about tools,
special equipment required to carry out the job. They may do this by using a
dictionary and internet research.
• Students complete an overview worksheet that is divided into columns and
sorts out the information learned: Occupation/Person in the job/Equipment
and tools
• The students complete a picture and word matching worksheet. In groups,
students create either a wordfind or a Crossword puzzle using the vocabulary
learned.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students brainstorm and research jobs that are considered predominantly
male and female.
• They complete a Venn diagram comparing any similarities and differences.
• The class brainstorms professions that require a LOTE e.g. welfare, social
work, teaching, medical, business, trade. Teacher introduces the relevant
vocabulary for the professions and the professionals.
• For each profession students provide additional information about resources,
environment and special equipment required to carry out the job. They may do
this by using a dictionary and internet research.
• Students complete an overview worksheet that is divided into columns and
sorts out the information learned: Profession/Professional/Job summary
• The students complete a picture and word matching worksheet.
• In groups, students conduct a survey of a local shopping/business precinct
and choose 10 businesses that use a LOTE to conduct their business.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher models questioning techniques, using interrogatives, as well as formal
modes of address to assist students with their interview task.
• Students write questions to assist them when interviewing someone about
their occupation.
• Students arrange, conduct and video the interview or record the interview
using Audacity and take digital photos in order to create a PhotoStory.
Students can use the recorded interview as a voice over for the photos in
PhotoStory. Additionally, students may also provide text to the PhotoStory.
If students do not have access to a computer, to use Audacity or to a digital
camera, students may audio record and present the interview as a transcript
or roleplay it to the class to accompany the transcript. In this instance,
students may take photos and accompany the audio interview and transcript
with a poster that includes the photos.
• All interviews are then viewed in class and shared with other classes
highlighting the importance of being bi-lingual.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students research their ideal job. Students develop a PowerPoint where they
address the following:
- Where am I now?
- What do I want to do when I finish school?
- What do I need to do to get there and achieve my goals?
• Students show the PowerPoint presentation to the class.
• In small groups, students complete a peer evaluation in which each student
provides written and oral feedback on each group member’s presentation.
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• Gender
• Interrogatives
• Present tense
• Word matching worksheet
• Wordfind/Crossword
puzzle
• Overview worksheet
• Word matching worksheet
Vocabulary
• Vocabulary
• Occupation/jobs
• Equipment
• Survey
• Survey Results
Grammar
• Gender
• Interrogatives
• Present tense
Vocabulary
• Occupation/jobs
• Equipment
• Interview questions
Grammar
• Gender
• Interrogatives
• Present tense
• Video or PhotoStory or
Poster with audio-interview
and transcript.
• Peer assessment
Vocabulary
• Occupation/jobs
• Profession/professionals
• Equipment
THEME Sports And Leisure Activities
LEVEL 5
Activity Cluster 1
• As a class, brainstorm popular sports in the LOTE country and in Australia.
Students complete a Venn Diagram about popular sports in each country and
those common to both.
• Students look at pictures of different sports. They complete a table listing
the sport, equipment required, number of players, indoor/outdoor sport etc.
• Students complete a mindmap of as many sports as possible that require
special equipment and uniforms.
Activity Cluster 2
• In small groups, students select a popular LOTE country sport and discuss
how it is played. They write the rules for this sport. They explain the sport to the
rest of the class using model figures or computer games then play the sport
outside.
• Students collate the sports rules the different groups have written and create
a class sports rules book.
• Students design a public notice for their local newspaper, wanting to start up a
new sports team and inviting local players to join.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students research their favourite LOTE country sports person. They complete a
personal profile for this player.
• In small groups, students write a script about a sports related issue. They
present the play to the school community.
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Table
• Nouns
• Articles
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• Negation
• Agreements
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
• Locations where sports
are played
Grammar
• Nouns
• Articles
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• Negation
• Agreements
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
are played
• Sports rules
Grammar
• Sports person’s profile
• Nouns
• Articles
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• Negation
• Agreements
• Public notice
• Script
• Roleplay
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
are played
• Personal descriptions
Activity Cluster 4
• Students look through LOTE country magazines and identify typical LOTE
country leisure activities. Students list the leisure activities and state whether
they think they would enjoy it or not. They explain each of their responses.
• Students read a story about a LOTE country leisure activity and use
information from the text to answer comprehension questions.
• Students watch a film in the LOTE that focuses on LOTE leisure lifestyle.
Students write a guided critique of the film.
77
Grammar
• Nouns
• Articles
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• Negation
• Past tense
• Agreements
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
are played
• List
• Reading comprehension
activity
• Film critique
THEME Sports And Leisure Activities CONTINUED
Activity Cluster 5
• Students compare the difference between outdoor and indoor LOTE leisure
activities. They research why these are popular in the LOTE country. Does
climate, food, local geography dictate the leisure activity? Students prepare a
report for the class.
• Students write a questionnaire of leisure activities and benefits to physical and
mental health. They survey older members of the LOTE country community
and graph the results.
• In groups, students prepare the weather forecast for the week. They swap this
with another group. Students pretend to work at a leisure centre and design a
week long timetable leisure activities based on the weather including indoor
and outdoor activities.
Activity Cluster 6
• Students interview class members about preferences and frequency of leisure
activities. Record the information and report orally to the class.
• Students are provided with images of various sports and leisure activities
and an audio description of each. They match the audio descriptions with the
images.
• In small groups, students research the leisure facilities in their local area.
They draw a map highlighting the recreation centres. Students, individually
select one of these recreation centres and design a brochure highlighting the
features of this centre.
Activity Cluster 7
• Students write a brief newspaper article (approximately 3 paragraphs) on the
benefits of sport and leisure activities. They research the benefits and provide
authentic evidence in the article.
• Students select an area of major interest in this topic e.g. students have the
option of producing a PowerPoint show or PhotoStory or webpage (for those
who have the skills) on the benefits of sport and healthy lifestyle etc.
• Students present their finished product to the class.
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LEVEL 5
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Report
• Nouns
• Articles
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• Negation
• Past tense
• Agreements
• Questionnaire and survey
• Leisure activity timetable
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
are played
• Weather
• Health
Grammar
• Nouns
• Articles
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• Negation
• Past tense
• Agreements
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
are played
• Report
Grammar
• Nouns
• Articles
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• Negation
• Past tense
• Future tense
• Agreements
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Equipment
are played
• Health and fitness
• Newspaper article
• Brochure
• PowerPoint, PhotoStory or
webpage
THEME The Olympic Games
LEVEL 5
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Verbs – past tense
• Like/dislike
• Proper nouns
• Pronouns
• Negation
• Agreements
Vocabulary
• Relevant historical
language
• Sports
• Countries
• Worksheet
Grammar
• Verbs – past tense
• Like/dislike
• Proper nouns
• Pronouns
• Negation
• Agreements
Vocabulary
• Sports
• Countries
• PowerPoint or booklet
Grammar
• Interrogatives
• Respectful modes of
address
Vocabulary
• Biographical details
• Training
• Relevant historical
language
• Sports
• Countries
• Sports person’s profile
• Teacher introduces the Olympic Games – information can vary from the
Games’ origin in ancient Greece (history) to a review of the most recent
games, Opening Ceremony, number of countries participating, what the
Olympic circles represent.
• Students complete a worksheet listing the Olympic sporting events.
• Students research on the Internet (as a possible homework activity) which
sports the LOTE country participated in during the last Games.
• Students present this on a Poster.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students complete a project on their favourite Olympic Sporting Hero e.g. Ian
Thorpe, Kathy Freeman.
• Students will need to find information about the Sporting Hero’s biography,
achievements, training regime and express why this person is their favourite
sporting hero.
• Students will present their research in the form of a PowerPoint or a booklet.
Activity Cluster 3
• In pairs students choose a sporting hero and conduct a roleplay. One student
takes the role of the sporting hero, the other as the interviewer.
• They write a script, rehearse and perform. The students may dress up for their
role. (Understanding how language choice varies according to the relationships
to the other speaker. Students could explore how the gender, age, geography,
class, status can influence language choice.)
79
• Poster
• Script
• Roleplay
THEME An Introduction to Literature
LEVEL 1
5
Teachers should note that this unit is designed as an introduction to literature and should be viewed as a guide. Teachers should modify this unit to
suit class and students’ needs. This is a brief introduction to literature and is a way to scaffold students’ learning towards various text types that might
be encountered at VCE. It also takes into account the intercultural and language awareness components of the VELS.
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• As relevant to task
Vocabulary
• Literary styles
• Vocabulary as relevant
to task and to examples
taught.
Grammar
Vocabulary
• Literature Glossary
• Vocabualry relevant to the
task
• Identification activity
Grammar
• Literature analysis
• Teacher introduces students to the concept of ‘Literature’ and literary works by
using English examples such as Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Orwell.
• Teacher introduces, in the LOTE, literary genres e.g. poetry, short story, novel,
play etc. and gives a simple definition of each as well as an example of each.
• In groups, students match the English literature examples with the LOTE
examples.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students are introduced to a poem (popular in the LOTE). The teacher reads
out the poem as a recital, emphasizing intonation, meter and rhyme.
• The teacher gives students a Literature Glossary, in the LOTE, that includes
5 literary techniques and provides the English equivalent e.g. meter, rhyme,
metaphor, simile, hyperbole and refers to specific examples in the LOTE poem.
• Students are given a short, unseen poem and are asked to identify the three
literary techniques
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher leads class in a discussion about the poem. Students discuss the
• As relevant to the task
• Poetry recital – peer
literary techniques and how these techniques create images, feelings etc. and
how this affects the reader. e.g. What is the poem about? What images are
being created? What emotions are being created? Do you like this poem? Why/why not?
• In groups, students write 2 simple paragraphs based on class discussion and
on the above questions highlighting 3 techniques the poet uses.
• Students choose one (short) poem from an anthology and learn it to be recited
to their peers.
• Each student is assessed by a peer.
Vocabulary
• Vocabulary relevant to the
task
Activity Cluster 4
Grammar
Vocabulary
task
• Vocabulary task
Grammar
Vocabulary
task
• Guided writing piece
• Teacher introduces an extract from a short story and talks about it in context
including author, setting, etc.
• Teacher discusses what is happening, the characters and their interactions
and any obvious use of literary techniques.
• Students look up new vocabulary in their dictionaries. Students answer
comprehension worksheet.
• Students complete a chart where they identify literary techniques and explain their use. They discuss their charts as a class.
Activity Cluster 5
• Teacher gives students a guided writing worksheet. Students are asked to
write two paragraphs to end the short story (from the extract that they have
been studying).
• In pairs, students read each other’s piece and then complete a peer
assessment.
80
assessed
• Chart – Literary
Techniques
• Peer assessment of
writing piece.
LEVEL 5
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Activity Cluster 2
Activity Cluster 3
Activity Cluster 4
Activity Cluster 5
Activity Cluster 6
Activity Cluster 7
81
VELS LEVEL 6
years 9 & 10
VELS LEVEL 6
Dimension 1:
Communicating in a
LEVEL 6
• Students identify relevant information and ideas from spoken texts.They spontaneously participate
in interactions related to a specific topic, and employ insights from previous language learning in oral
interactions.
• Students effectively discriminate and use pronunciation, tone, intonation and metre.They initiate and
maintain interactions to give and receive information and impressions.
• Students reproduce the main features of grammar in the language, and identify differences between
English and other languages. They identify ways in which intentions and ideas are expressed differently
in different languages. They communicate information in translation and interpretation activities,
demonstrating careful consideration of the needs of the listener or reader, and sensitivity to cultural
similarity and differences in meaning and intent.
• Students deduce relationships, mood, attitudes and social context from visual stimuli.They identify
characteristics in the individual style of writers of the language in relation to the audiences and purposes
for a particular text. Students read texts and effectively extract main ideas and detailed information for
use in new contexts.
• Students read selected texts with fluency. They read for meaning and to communicate information. They
express themselves through extended writing in the language in print and electronic form. They recognise
and use the conventions of a range of text types.
• Students read selected passages with fluency. They read for meaning and to communicate information.
They apply their knowledge of accents and punctuation in both reading and writing. They express
themselves in extended passages and linked paragraphs in print and electronic form.
• Students read modified texts with fluency. They read for meaning and understand ways of using
ideographic cues to extend understanding. They apply knowledge of characters and punctuation in new
contexts and extend their range of familiar characters. They use a range of techniques for remembering
and acquiring new character knowledge. They write linked paragraphs and some extended passages
in print and electronic form. They use strategies for checking and self-correcting their character use,
including using information and communications technology applications.
Dimension 2:
language awareness
Students demonstrate skills and knowledge in this dimension by the choices they make in formulating
their response to, or use of, the language.
• Students demonstrate an awareness of the extent and limitations of the language through creation of
realistic applications of knowledge and skills in a range of situations.They demonstrate knowledge of the
effect of word order and context on meaning.
• Through accurate and context-sensitive language use, students demonstrate understanding of cultural
influences on the ways people behave and use language.They use illustrative examples in the language
to explain the differences and similarities between languages.
• They demonstrate understanding of language as a complex system through strategies such as reflection,
drafting, questioning linguistic relationships, observing and hypothesising. They test the validity of their
understanding by referring to other speakers of the language, research and/or observation.
• Students contribute to discussions about the general concept of culture, and the relationships between
cultures, including the effects of migration and travel, by presenting illustrative examples. They identify
general cultural patterns that flow across specific settings and times. They recognise nuances in
meaning and demonstrate an awareness of the dynamic nature of language through the language and
mannerisms they use in interactions in a range of cultural settings. They demonstrate an understanding
of variations in cultural perspectives between speakers of the language in different settings, by
effectively interacting with members of the language community in Australia.
• In the language, students describe some of their present personal values and opinions, and compare
them with previously held views.
• Personal Learning • Interpersonal Development • The Arts
• ICT
• Communication
84
THEME The Many Facets Of My Life
LEVEL 6
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Nouns and articles
• Modal verbs
• Future tense
• Gerund
Vocabulary
• Family
• School subjects
• Recreation
• Adjectives
• Part-time work
• List
Grammar
• Future tense
• Modal verbs
• Imperfect tense
• Gerund
• Possessive Pronouns
• Present perfect tenses
Vocabulary
• Recreation
• Adjectives
• School subjects
• Leisure and sporting
activities
• Occupations
• Travel
• Personal details
• Horoscope
• Students list all the subjects studied, who their teacher is and three things
they do in each subject.
• Students, using their school timetable, prepare a seven day study timetable.
They need to include time to study, time for recreational activities and for
family time.
• Students brainstorm, then list things they do at school and at home. They
complete a Venn Diagram comparing differences, similarities and common
activities.
• Students prepare a term planner, including the months, days and dates. They
provide appropriate information for each day, including school, leisure and
sporting, social and family commitments.
• Using a Flow Chart and a Star Burst students plan their end of year exam study
timetable.They need to find a balance between their study commitments and
their personal life (part-time job, sports, family commitments etc). Students
must reflect on how they can balance all their commitments and still find time
to study and pass their exams. Students must prioritize their time by listing
what is important and then draw up a timetable incorporating all aspects of
their life.
• Students complete VSL portfolio setting language learning goals.
Activity Cluster 2
• As a class, students brainstorm future aspirations then categorize them. e.g.,
professional, travel, educational etc.
• Students write their ideal horoscope for themselves.
• In pairs, students write a dialogue between themselves and a careers
counsellor at the school. They include their future career aspirations, other
options they may have, types of courses, institutions etc. Students perform this
roleplay in class.
• Students need to apply for a part-time job. They write their resumé, including
their personal details, subjects studied at school, special interests, hobbies
and skills and future goals and ambitions once they complete their studies.
Students must include a covering letter.
85
• Time table
• Term planner
• Portfolio
• Roleplay
• Resumé
THEME The Many Facets Of My Life CONTINUED
LEVEL 6
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 3
Grammar
• Modal verbs
• Imperfect tense
• Gerund
Vocabulary
• Family
• Recreation
• Adjectives
• Leisure and sport
• Illustrated story book
Grammar
• Modal verbs
• Imperfect tense
• Gerund
Vocabulary
• Family
• School life
• Recreation, leisure and
sport
• Adjectives
• Musical comedy
• Students write an illustrated short story of a favorite childhood memory. It can
be a comical episode, a moving family event etc. The story can be either hand
written and illustrated or on computer.
• Students publish their story then read to younger students at their school.
• Students produce a video of a family member, preferably someone older. They
interview this relative about their childhood hopes, dreams and aspirations
and if these dreams came to fruition. Students show to their classmates.
• Students write a diary entry reflecting on their relationship with their parents
and siblings. Include positive aspects of their personalities, problems
encountered in the past, arguments and differences of opinions, what they all
enjoy doing together, what they do apart etc.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students, in pairs or small groups, think of a humorous event at home or at
school. They turn this event into a brief 2-3 minute musical comedy for the
class. They must also select music in the LOTE that is relevant to the event.
Students can perform this at a year level or school assembly.
• Using a Spider Diagram, students plan a family camping trip. They include
activities that family members will enjoy such as evening singalongs, stories
from the past, games etc. Students also plan sporting activities to keep
members busy during the day e.g. canoeing, bushwalking, fishing, etc.
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• Family video
• Diary entry
• Family camping trip
THEME Identity
LEVEL 6
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Modal verbs
• Imperfect tense
• Gerund
Vocabulary
• Family
• Recreation
• Adjectives
• Work
• Presentation
Grammar
• Photo album
• Discuss and brainstorm as a class the changes in the roles of men (fathers)
and women (mothers) over a period of time. Compare these roles to the LOTE
country.
• In small groups, reflect how your parents’ roles have changed compared to
your grandparents. List the differences between then and now and present
your personal observations to the class. This comparison can be made in the
form of a Venn Diagram.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students bring to class a collection of photos of their family and friends. They
design their own photo album. They personalize the album by decorating
the pages adding an individual touch and providing captions for each photo,
describing what is happening. The captions can be humorous.
• Students read a short story about a family’s experience in Australia (or listen to
oral resources, such as parents or grandparents) and record migration stories
and present as a story book for use by younger students.
• Translate a short story into English.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students use a Lotus Diagram to plan and write a story of a favorite childhood
memory and then present it to the class.
• In groups, students produce a video of a family member, preferably someone
older. They interview this relative about their childhood, hopes and aspirations
as they were growing up, memorable events in their life etc. They then show to
classmates.
• Students write a diary entry reflecting their relationship with parents and
siblings. Include:
1. Positive aspects of their personalities
2. Problems encountered in the past
3. Arguments and differences of opinions
4. What you all enjoy doing together?
5. What you do apart?
6. Ask yourself – Who am I?, What things would I like to change about who
I am?, Where and what do I want to be?
Activity Cluster 4
• Students in small groups design a time capsule. In the time capsule is
information about each student’s likes and dislikes, what is done at school,
future aspirations, friends, what is done in spare time, issues about identity,
etc. Photos and other personal items can be included in the time capsule.
• Modal verbs
• Imperfect tense
• Gerund
• Venn diagram
• Short story translation
Vocabulary
• Migration terms
• Family
• Recreation
Grammar
• Imperfect tense
Vocabulary
• Migration terms
• Family
• Food
• Recreation
• Personal characteristics
• Presentation of childhood
Grammar
• Time capsule
• Modal verbs
• Imperfect tense
• Gerund
memory
• Video
• Diary entry
Vocab
• Family
• Recreation
• Activities
• School
• Future aspirations
87
THEME Identity CONTINUED
LEVEL 6
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 5
Grammar
• Modal verbs
• Imperfect tense
• Gerund
Vocabulary
• Migration terms
• Family
• Food
• Recreation
• Feelings and emotions
• PowerPoint on family
• Students complete an assignment on their family history. They interview
a family member who migrated to Australia and research the economic
and political situation in the LOTE country. Students prepare a PowerPoint
presentation of their family’s migration history to the class.
• Teacher invites a prominent member of the LOTE community to discuss
migration issues with students. Students are to prepare questions prior to the talk.
• Class discussion on ‘identity’. Students answer the question, Who am I? The
class looks at parental and personal expectations. How do students see
themselves? What and where do they want to be? What does it mean to be a
student of their ethnicity and to be living in Australia?
• In pairs, students design a survey on identity. They interview members of the
school community and then table the results. Based on their findings, students
write a brief newspaper article on the meaning of identity in an Australian
setting.
• Students complete a personal journal reflecting on their identity. They explore
cultural clashes they have experienced, the benefits of being exposed to two
cultures (and the drawbacks) and what they consider themselves to be.
• Students listen to a song about the migration experience and complete a
cloze activity.
• Students have a class discussion on the feelings the song evokes for them.
Are these the same type of feelings that their parents or grandparents have
when they listen to this song?
88
migration history
• Personal journal
• Survey
• Song – cloze activity
THEME Travel
LEVEL 6
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Future Tense
Vocabulary
• Clothing
• Travel documents
• Travel
• Email to friend
Grammar
• Modal Verbs
• Future tense
• Conditional use
• Verb – to Like
• Introduce idiomatic
expressions
Vocabulary
• Days, time, months of the
year
• Clothing
• Weather
• Cities/geography
• Obligations, desires and
abilities
• Travel itinerary
Grammar
•Reflexive pronouns and verbs
• Future tense
• Flow Chart
• Students complete a ‘Thinker’s T’ – Students rule two columns. What I know
about LOTE country. What I would like to know. Students reflect on current
knowledge and what they would like to achieve by the end of the unit.
• Student is planning to travel to LOTE country with a friend. She/He needs
some help with the planning and sends an email to a friend. Friend replies,
listing the documents required for travel and the types of clothing required at
the time of travel. This is followed with a telephone conversation, as the friend
is unsure of some details. Students work in pairs. They complete the email and
then perform the conversation in class.
• Students listen to a conversation between a travel consultant and a tourist’s
travel plans on CD. They are given the text in jumbled form to sequence the
sentences in the correct order on their activity sheet.
• Students listen to a conversation between a travel agent and a client on a CD.
They fill in the missing words on the sheet then with a partner act the scene in
class.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students complete a list of clothing for a summer and winter LOTE country
holiday. They complete a Venn Diagram of summer clothing; winter clothing
and clothing required all year round. Students could also describe fabrics,
design etc.
• Alternatively, a CD on weather could be played in class and students need
to guess the different weather conditions. Students, in groups, list the most
appropriate clothing for the various climatic conditions. Individually, they
complete a mind map of weather conditions and clothing.
• Students complete an activity sheet by reorganizing jumbled words into
coherent sentences. The sentences then need to be reorganized into a
conversation about buying an airline ticket at the travel agent. Students
perform the conversation with a partner.
• Students prepare an itinerary of the cities they wish to visit in the LOTE
country, what they would like to do there, the amount of time they wish to
spend in each city and what they hope to gain from their visit. Read current
brochures, magazines etc to assist with the research.
• Students design their own passport. They include a front cover with the
country’s name and emblem, pages for official departure and arrival stamps
and a personal information section.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students are at the airport ready to leave but are confused. They are not sure
what to do in order to board the plane. They reorganize the statements on
the handout to reflect the correct order of events. The order of events can be
reorganised in the form of a flowchart.
• Students, in pairs, write a dialogue between a traveller and a check-in
operator. They learn the lines and perform in class, making it as realistic as
possible. Include props, costumes etc. • Students prepare a customs declaration form. They include all the necessary
information required when arriving in the LOTE country.
• Students design a postcard. They state what their travel plans will be once they
arrive in the LOTE country. They can include what the weather is like and their
first impressions of the LOTE country. Students send their card to a friend.
Students read aloud in class the card they receive.
89
Vocabulary
year
• Weather
• Travel
• Emotions and feelings
• Roleplay
• Jumbled conversation
• Passport
• Roleplay
• Roleplay
• Customs Declaration Form
• Postcard
THEME Travel CONTINUED
LEVEL 6
1
Activity Cluster 4
• Students complete an aural activity by listening to a CD of guests checking into
a hotel.The guests are requesting specific information before they check in to
the hotel. Students fill in the table on a handout provided by the teacher.
• Students, working in pairs, prepare a brochure of the hotel they will be
staying at.They include information on cost during the high and low seasons,
what’s included in the cost, what the hotel rooms include, different types
of accommodation, availability and facilities at the hotel. The brochure also
needs to include the location of the hotel and what the surrounding areas
have to offer to the tourist. Each student can be responsible for a task.
• Using the map of a LOTE city, students write the directions on how to get to
three famous landmarks from the outskirts of the city. Students then research
one of these famous LOTE country landmarks; and then present to the class.
• Students research a famous LOTE person. How did this person contribute to
their profession and his/her country and society? Students produce a Power
Point presentation to the rest of the class on their findings.
Activity Cluster 5
• Students study a map of a rural part of the LOTE country. They hire a bike to
ride around the LOTE countryside. Students prepare a list of all the things they
might see that are distinctively different to Australia and those that are similar.
• Students, working in small groups, plan a weekend getaway in the LOTE
countryside for themselves and a group of friends. Part of their preparation
includes organizing train timetables, buying the tickets and planning various
activities, booking venues etc.This information needs to be presented to peers
in the form of a ‘holiday package’.
• Working in small groups, students design a website of LOTE country nature
reserves for tourists, focussing on different aspects. The subtopics may be
fauna, flora, leisure and camping activities, seasonal availability, cost etc.
Students launch their websites, inviting parents, school administration etc.
Activity Cluster 6
• Students write an email back home to family/friends about their holiday. They
include details of what they have seen, impressions of the people and their
lifestyle, food and any culture shocks.
• Students write a reflective journal of their time in the LOTE country, what they
enjoyed, things they would do differently and what they gained and learned
from their trip. Students read the journal to a friend.
• Students listen to a traditional sentimental LOTE song. They fill in blanks and
orally explain what the song means to them.
90
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Aural activity
• Gerund
• Past Tense
• Reflexive pronouns and
• Brochure
verbs
• Present tense
Vocabulary
• Directions
• Accommodation
year
• Clothing
• Landmarks
• Numbers and currency
• List
Grammar
• Future tense
• Prepositions
• Gerund
• Website
• Holiday package
Vocabulary
• Accommodation
year
• Weather
• Fauna and flora
Grammar
• Imperfect and present
perfect tenses.
• Verb – to Like
• Articulated prepositions.
Vocabulary
• Directions
• Accommodation
year
• Clothing
• Food
• Celebrations
• Emotions and feelings
• Recipe
• Email
• Journal
• Song
THEME Endangered Species
LEVEL 6
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Present tense
• Future tense
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Body covering
• Body parts
• Habitat
• Food
• Continents
• Countries
• World map
Grammar
• Future tense
• Definite /indefinite articles
• Nouns
• Gerund
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Body covering
• Body parts
• Habitat
• Food
• Continents
• Countries
• Adjectives describing
animals, their habitat and
food.
• Action plan
Grammar
• Table
• Students, using a world map, highlight where 10 different endangered species
live. Include a legend: animal, continent, habitat. Present this information to
the class to further raise awareness.
• Students, list similarities and differences in the species that are becoming
endangered. It may be habitat, food shortage, environmental etc. They
complete a Thinker’s T. Students rule two columns, What are the similarities in
species becoming extinct? and What are the differences in animals becoming
extinct? Activity Cluster 2
• Students, in small groups, prepare an inventory of how people can help
increase animal survival.
• Students, still in small groups, write an account of what people can do to stop
endangered species becoming extinct. Write an action plan for each. Rank
these action plans in order of most important to least important.
• Students choreograph a dance showing the plight of an endangered species
in the LOTE country. They must select appropriate music and present it to the
class, explaining what each movement represents in the LOTE.
Activity Cluster 3
• As a class, students brainstorm what life would be like without animals.They
list ways in which their life might be different if there were no animals.They
transfer this information onto a Sunshine Wheel.
• Students write a short story of a favourite memory of a childhood pet.They
illustrate the story and read to a younger audience.
• As a class, students find out where their closest nature reserve is. Students
interview the park ranger and observe the local fauna.They list and describe
the physical appearance of the animals, their habitat, eating and sleeping
habits and the class/species. This information can then be put into a table.
• In groups, students design 5 questions to ask the ranger. An excursion is
organised to the nature reserve. Using the information collected, students
write an informative fact sheet about the nature reserve.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students imagine that they are employed by the World Wildlife Fund to design
a newsletter. Students provide information about the WWF, its role and
information about the‘endangered animal’ of the month. The newsletter needs
to be visually appealing and is part of the WWF website. Use a mind map to
bring some of the information across to the readers.
91
• Modal verbs
• Prepositions
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Body covering
• Body parts
• Habitat
• Food
• Continents
• Countries
Grammar
• Present prefect tense
• Gerund
• Adjectives
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Body covering
• Body parts
• Habitat
• Food
• Continents
• Countries
• List
• Dance and explanation
• Interview
• Short story
• Fact sheet
• Newsletter
THEME Endangered Species CONTINUED
LEVEL 6
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 5
Grammar
• Imperfect tense
• Adjectives
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Body covering
• Body parts
• Habitat
• Food
• Continents
• Countries
Grammar
• Excursion
• Students, in small groups research an endangered species and then present
the group’s point of view to the rest of the class. Each group will research
a different animal. Look at eating and breeding habits, habitat, physical
structure, predators and prey, life expectancy etc. The group will plan what
each student in the group will be responsible for by completing a Spider
diagram. State the project in the main box, and then list the group members
coming from the central box. Each person is allocated a job/responsibility,
time line, resources, amount of detail. Alternatively, students can use a Gantt
Chart. The Gantt Chart breaks down and prioritizes tasks
• Students write a letter to the World Wildlife Fund to find out more about
Australian endangered species and what can be done to protect them.
• Based on the findings of their research project, students list how individuals
can help preserve endangered species. What can I do to help preserve one
species? They reflect then complete a bone diagram – present situation,
future prospects. This information can then be included on the WWF website.
This activity can be linked to Activity Cluster 4 or replace Activity Cluster 4
Activity Cluster 6
• Students organize an excursion to the zoo for primary school students.They
use a Gantt Chart to plan the excursion. Students also design a worksheet that
other students need to complete whilst at the zoo.
• Students create a board game highlighting the issues of conservation and
endangered species. Game rules and cards will be in the LOTE.
• Students, in small groups, design a television advertisement advocating
the preservation of a particular species. Video tape the advertisement and
show to the class. Students reflect on the success of their advertisement
by completing a PMI activity. Students rule three columns, Plus, Minus and
Interesting. They list under each column what worked well in the ad, what they
can improve on for next time and what their audience thought was interesting.
92
• Imperfect tense
• Modal verbs
• Imperfect tense
• Question forms
• Imperative form
• Presentation
• Letter
• Website
• Board game
• Advertisement
• PMI Chart
Vocabulary
• Animals
• Body covering
• Body parts
• Habitat
• Food
• Continents
• Countries
• Game rules
• Adjectives
THEME Communication
LEVEL 6
Activity Cluster 1
• Students, using a mindmap, identify different methods of communication.
Students extend and develop their ideas on the mindmap. Each idea can be in
a different colour.
• Students, list similarities and differences in the various forms of
communication. It may be technological, oral, written etc. They complete
a Thinker’s T. Students rule two columns – What are the similarities in
modern day communication? What are the differences in modern day
communication?
• As a class, students brainstorm what life would be like without some of the
technological forms of communication. They list ways in which their life has been
enhanced or worsened. They transfer this information onto a Sunshine Wheel.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students research the ways in which communication has changed over the
years. They write a report and present it orally to the class.
• Students interview someone in the LOTE media. They investigate the benefits
of the various forms of media and the service it provides to the community.
• Students select a media medium. In pairs or small groups, they write a script/
roleplay for the medium they have selected. They perform using the correct
text type for the medium to a younger audience.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students create a compilation music CD of their favourite LOTE songs on
a particular topic e.g., youth issues, migration, love etc. They prepare a
presentation to the class explaining what the songs are communicating to the
listeners and what feelings the songs evoke.
• Students imagine that they are employed by a major advertising firm and
design an advertising campaign. They provide information about the company/
product. The students can select the medium for the advertising campaign e.g.
TV advertisement, radio, newspaper, billboard etc. The advertisement must be
visually appealing and in the LOTE.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students, in pairs, write a roleplay between an executive of a telecommunications
company and a parent complaining about the negative effects of modern
technology on teenagers and that they should communicate in ‘the old fashioned’
way. Perform this in class.
• Students, in small groups research a different form of communication then
present the group’s point of view to the rest of the class. Each group will
research a different form of communication so each group presentation will be focussing on a different medium.
• The groups will look at positive and negative aspects, cost, reliability, impact
on business, social effects on the community etc.
• The group will plan what each student in the group will be responsible for
by completing a Spider Diagram. They state the project in the main box, and
then list the group members coming from the central box. Each person has
a job/responsibility, time line, resources, and amount of detail. Alternatively,
students can use a Gantt Chart. The Gantt Chart breaks down and prioritises
tasks.
Activity Cluster 5
• Students research the role of SBS in Australia. They list how SBS and
community groups can help preserve languages, cultures and traditional
ethnic ways of life in modern day Australia. They reflect and then complete a
bone diagram – present situation, future prospects. This information will then
be included on the SBS website.
• Optional Activity: Students organize a work experience placement for
themselves. They select a medium of communication that interests them. They use a Gantt Chart to plan what steps they need to follow in order to
achieve a successful placement. Students prepare a letter for their employer,
stating what they hope to achieve from their work experience. Students design
and complete an evaluation form once their placement is finished.
93
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• List
• Present tense
Vocabulary
• Forms of communication
• Lifestyle
Grammar
• Present tense
Vocabulary
• Media
• Report
Grammar
• Presentation
• Present tense
• Imperative form
• Interview
• Roleplay
• Advertising campaign
Vocabulary
• Adjectives – feelings and
emotions
• As relevant in topic/
advertisement
Grammar
• Present tense
• Future tense
• Pronouns
Vocabulary
• Adjectives - feelings
Grammar
• Present tense
• Future tense
• Pronouns
Vocabulary
• Adjectives – feelings
and emotions
• Television
• Work experience
• Roleplay
• Presentation
• Spider diagram
• Gantt chart
Endangered
Species
• List
• Letter
• Evaluation
• Website
THEME Radio Program
LEVEL 6
Activity Cluster 1 – Student Action Teams
• Break students up in groups to work on a real issue of interest to them.
• Give students directions and parameters to carry out research in connecting
with the community, identifying and solving problems in order to present
solutions e.g. making a radio program for teenagers in the LOTE to connect
with their community.
• Teacher translates quality tools and procedures of the PDSA (Plan, Do, Study,
Act) and introduces meeting procedures such as minute taking, chairing a
meeting etc. Refer to Appendix for PDSA 9 Step improvement process.
• Teacher leads the class in discussion about the importance of radio in our
community but also emphasises the importance of radio programs in migrant
communities that use a LOTE.
• Teacher writes the brainstorming ideas on the board, underlining new
vocabulary.
• A matching activity is completed by all students.
• As a class, the students construct a letter to the Manager of an ethnic radio
station requesting permission to broadcast a half hour teenage program.
Activity Cluster 2
• The teacher writes the different areas involved in developing a radio program
on the board.
• Discussion of the different roles that a radio program needs.
• Teacher introduces roles vocabulary and ordinal numbers to do ranking task.
• As a class, students identify the roles they will undertake in the group such
as: researchers, script writers, presenters, music selectors, audio/technical
persons, marketing person, liaisons with radio station and group leader.
• Students choose a role and work in smaller groups to develop a plan of action
• Then students rank the parts of the radio program in chronological order and
time allocation e.g. five minutes for interview, three minutes song.
• As a group, students produce the segments of the radio script.
• They write up their texts in the LOTE using word processing, taking into account
cultural sensitivities of the materials.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students discuss and share their ideas with other students as a class activity.
• Students consult the editor/manager of the program to organise the
broadcast.
• Students edit and rehearse material, accessing information on the Internet to
create their original text to be broadcasted.
• Students consult with the editor/manager of the program to show their draft of
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Grammar
• Vocabulary matching
would like
• Formal letter writing
conventions
• Summarising techniques
Vocabulary
• Meetings
• PDSA
• Quality Tools
• Radio program format
• Roles
• Student Action Teams
(process)
• Letter
Grammar
• Adjectives
Vocabulary
• Roles
• Time
• Ordinal Numbers (first,
second, third)
• Ranking task
Grammar
• Present tense
Vocabulary
• As relevent to program
content
• Editing process
Grammar
• Past tense
• Interrogatives
Vocabulary
• As relevent to program
content
• Radio Program
• Conditional forms – we
activity
• Radio script – Individual
segments
• Group work
the proposed broadcast.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students broadcast their program.
• Students and parents and broader community listen to the program.
• Student do a reflection activity on what they learned and how it has helped
their LOTE learning and intercultural awareness.
94
THEME People in Our Community
LEVEL 6
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Past tense
• Question words
Vocabulary
• History and migration
emotions
• Family
• Questions
Grammar
• Roleplay
• Teacher introduces information about the history of the LOTE community in
Australia or Melbourne highlighting places where the community meets or
frequents e.g. Lygon Street, China Town.
• Teacher introduces discussion of the contribution of migrants to
Australian society. What do students know about their grandparents’ arrival in
Australia?
• Teacher introduces past tense activity and models questions and interviewing
technique.
• In pairs, students write up 5 questions ascertaining the year of arrival in
Australia, obstacles, first impressions, language difficulties and family story.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students roleplay an interview with a partner as practice and preparation.
• Students decide who to interview. If students have no elderly family network,
a visit to a nursing home could be conducted as a class activity. This would
involve making initial contact, organising an appropriate time for visits etc.
Activity Cluster 3
• Students interview elderly people who migrated from the LOTE country and as
a class collate and produce an anthology of their life stories.
• Students complete a PowerPoint sequencing the life story.
• Students arrange, conduct and video the interview or record the interview
using Audacity and take digital photos in order to create a PhotoStory.
• Students can use the recorded interview as a voice over for the photos in
PhotoStory.
• Additionally, students may also provide text to the PhotoStory. If students do
not have access to a computer, to Audacity or to a digital camera, students
may audio record and present the interview as a transcript or play it to the
class to accompany the transcript. In this instance, students may take photos
and accompany the audio interview and transcript with a poster that includes
the photos.
• Students present their interview on PowerPoint to the class in a 5 minute oral
presentation.
• The class invites parents to a formal presentation of the anthology.
• Students visit the elderly they interviewed and present them with a copy of the
anthology – there may be an opportunity to visit a Nursing Home or individual
persons to conduct this activity.
95
• Past tense
• Question words
• Roleplay
• PowerPoint
• PhotoStory
Vocabulary
emotions
• Family
Grammar
• Present tense
Vocabulary
• Family
emotions
• Editing process
• Anthology
• PowerPoint or PhotoStory
THEME Recycling And The Environment
LEVEL 6
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Present tense
• Past tense
• Pronouns
Vocabulary
• Methods of recycling
• Different types of
environment
• List
Grammar
• Present tense
• Past tense
• Pronouns
Vocabulary
environment
• Poster
Grammar
• Discuss and brainstorm as a class the changes in the environment and
attitudes to recycling. Compare these to the attitudes in the LOTE country.
• In small groups, students reflect what role their parents have taken in relation
to recycling and environment protection compared to their own role. The
students list the differences between their role and their parents and present
a personal observation to the class. This can be in the form of a Venn Diagram
or a PMI.
Activity Cluster 2
• Teachers and students bring to class a collection of photos of the local
community. Students design a poster/flyer highlighting some environmental
problems in the local community. Students personalize the poster by adding
their individual touch and providing captions for each photo, describing what
is happening. The captions can be humorous or serious but must make the
reader aware of the issues.
• Students read a story about an environmental issue in the LOTE country and
how the government there is trying to alleviate the problem. Prepare a Power
Point presentation to be delivered to younger LOTE students.
• Students spend the afternoon with their grandmother (or an elderly family
member), comparing the physical environment of their youth to their physical
environment. Interview the elderly family member, look at photos etc. As a
class, set up an environment ‘Historical Society’, preserving the oral and
pictorial history of Australia’s and LOTE country environmental changes.
• Use a Spider Diagram to plan a family/friends environmentally friendly
activity relevant to the LOTE culture. Include activities that will increase family
members’ environmental awareness and will be also enjoyable. Include
activities such as singalongs, stories from the past, games, anecdotes etc.
Students put this information into a program that all family members can
follow.
Activity Cluster 3
• Using a Lotus Diagram students plan an environmental/recycling strategy
for their local community. They write a newspaper article, to be published,
supporting their strategy plan and ways of implementing it.
• Students produce a video of a family member, preferably someone older.
Interview this relative about their hopes and aspirations for a safer physical
environment for the younger generation. Show to all members of the class.
• Students write a diary entry reflecting on their personal role in waste reduction.
Include:
- Positive aspects
- Problems encountered in the past
- Which aspects they enjoy doing
- Which aspects they do not enjoy
- Students ask themselves – What is my role?, What things would I like to
change about my environment?, Where can I go for help?, What do I want to
accomplish?
Activity Cluster 4
• Students think of a recycling/environmental event at home. Turn this event
into a brief 2-3 minute musical comedy/tragedy for the class. Remember to
select music in the LOTE that is relevant to the event.
• Students design a time capsule. In the time capsule they include information
about their local area – what their likes and dislikes are, what their concerns
are, what they would like to see improved or changed in the future, issues
about the environment, etc. Photos and other personal items can be included
in the time capsule.
96
• Present tense
• Past tense
• Pronouns
• Question forms
• Brainstorm
• Presentation
• Venn Diagram or PMI
• Historical society
• Family activity
• Video
• Diary entry
• Lotus Diagram
Vocabulary
environment
• Aspirations
Grammar
• Present tense
• Past tense
• Pronouns
• Musical
• Time capsule
Vocabulary
environment
• Aspirations
THEME Recycling And The Environment CONTINUED
LEVEL 6
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 5
Grammar
• Present tense
• Past tense
• Pronouns
• Aspirations
• Question forms
Vocabulary
environment
• Questionnaire
• Invite a prominent member of the LOTE community to discuss environmental
issues in the LOTE country with students. Students are to prepare questions.
• Class discussion on recycling. Why recycle? Who benefits? Look at
community and government expectations and legislation. How do students
see themselves fitting into the community and their role/responsibilities in
improving their environment? What would they like to see improved?
• In pairs, students design a survey on recycling. Conduct the survey and then
table the results.
• Students listen to a song about the environment. Have a discussion on: What
feelings does it evoke in the students? Students then complete a cloze activity.
97
• Discussion
• Survey
• Song
THEME Planning A Wedding
LEVEL 6
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Grammar
• Modal verbs
• Future tense
• Gender of nouns
articles
Vocabulary
• Wedding items
• Roleplay
Grammar
• Floor plan
• Students prepare a list of things that need to be organized before a wedding.
They complete a ranking ladder to see which requires immediate attention and
things that can be dealt with later.
• Students listen to a conversation between a bride and a groom concerning
their wedding plans on a CD. Write a number beside the corresponding
sentence, on the worksheet, in the correct order in which the sentences are
read out.
• Students, in pairs, write a dialogue between a couple. They discuss their
wedding plans, hopes, dreams and ambitions. Students present roleplay.
Activity Cluster 2
• Students prepare a guest list and seating plan, including the names of the
guests on both the bride’s and groom’s side of the family. State what the
relationship is to the bride or groom. Design a floor plan of the reception
centre, listing where the guests will be seated.
• Students, on computer, design a wedding invitation and RSVP card. They are
to include details about the ceremony and reception and are to address the
invitation to a guest.
• Modal verbs
• Present tense
• Future tense
• Gender of nouns
• Ranking ladder
• Seating plan
• Invitation
articles
Vocabulary
• Wedding items
• Family members
Activity Cluster 3
• In groups, students listen to music and love songs and then select the ones
they feel are appropriate to be played at the wedding reception. Students state
why they have selected particular love songs. They complete a Venn Diagram
highlighting appropriate, inappropriate and possible music to be played at the wedding.
• Students listen to a love song. They change the words so the bride and groom
can adopt it as their personal love song and can dance the bridal waltz to it.
• Students imagine that the bride and groom are poor dancers. They listen to a
song of their choice for the Bridal Waltz and in pairs, choreograph steps for the
couple. Students write the steps so they can practice at home.
• In groups, students select a traditional song played at weddings. They learn
the words and steps to this traditional cultural song and perform it in a class
concert. Each group is to select a different song for the class concert.
Activity Cluster 4
• Students design a menu for the reception centre. They must include 3 meals
for each of the following courses: appetizer, entrée, main meal and dessert.
Students remember to provide the guests with a description of each meal and
a drinks list.
• Students prepare a wedding speech. They thank the guests for their
attendance and gifts and thank parents, bridal party and new spouse for their
assistance and support.
• Students select a honeymoon destination and prepare a travel brochure. On
computer, they design the front cover; provide descriptive details and pictures
about the location, information on accommodation and day trips available.
• Students read a love story fairytale. They make comparisons between real life
and fantasy. Students write a modern day version of the fairytale and read it to
a younger audience.
98
Grammar
• Modal verbs
• Present tense
• Future tense
• Gender of nouns
articles
• Articulated prepositions
Vocabulary
• Dance
• Love and romance
• Song
Grammar
• Modal verbs
• Present tense
• Future tense
• Agreement of adjectives.
• Gender of nouns
articles
Vocabulary
• Wedding items
• Family members
• Food
• Speech making
• Travel and leisure
• Menu
• Dance steps
• Class concert
• Wedding speech
• Travel brochure
• Story
THEME Planning A Wedding CONTINUED
LEVEL 6
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 5
Grammar
• Imperfect tense
• Present tense
• Future tense
• Gender of nouns
articles
Vocabulary
• Wedding items
• Time, dates
• Plants
• Climate
• Environment
• Report
Grammar
• Modal verbs
• Present tense
• Future tense
• Past tense
• Agreement of adjectives.
• Gender of nouns
articles
Vocabulary
• Wedding items
• Family members
emotions
• Personal journal
• It is one week before the wedding. In pairs do a PMI of the wedding plans.
Include what has gone smoothly, what still needs to be worked on and any new
ideas or changes.
• The newly married couple has decided to move from Melbourne to Darwin.
Compare what their garden in Darwin would be like with their garden in
Melbourne. Include information on types of plants, watering and maintenance.
Complete a Venn diagram.
• Students pretend that they are a landscape architect and design the plans for
the couple’s garden. Label the plants, paths and provide a written report of
your landscape design.
Activity Cluster 6
• Students write a short story of a memorable family wedding.
• Students complete a personal journal of the bride’s or groom’s dreams in the
future tense.
Possible Research/Project
• Cross cultural/intercultural presentation of a traditional wedding to another
language group.
99
• Story
THEME Literature Highlights *
LEVEL 6
Teachers should note that this unit is designed as an introduction to literature and should be viewed as a guide. This follows from the
Literature unit in Level 5. Teachers should modify this unit to suit class and students’ needs. This is a brief introduction to literature
and is a way to scaffold students’ learning towards various text types that might be encountered at VCE. It also takes into account the
intercultural and language awareness components of the VELS.
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
• Teacher shows a popular short film or an extract from a feature film.
• Teacher introduces regular vocabulary on film techniques including camera
shots such as close-up, panning, bird’s eye view, fade out etc. Teacher also
addresses symbolism, motif and lighting effects.
• Teachers leads discussion on the effects of the various techniques and how
the audience is affected by the visual.
• Teacher discusses characters, their interactions and begins a brainstorm
analysis of the main characters. Students create a Mind Map representing the
character analysis.
• Students complete a guided writing task based on a film review – three
paragraphs.
Grammar
• Comparatives
• Superlatives
Vocabulary
• Film techniques
• Character features/
analysis
• Mind Map
Grammar
•Reading activity
Activity Cluster 2
• Teacher introduces an extract from a play. The students are allocated
roles (roles can be rotated so that students all have a turn at reading). The
participants all read out their parts.
• Teacher leads class discussion about the play including aural comprehension
questions, character development and literary techniques.
• Students complete a multiple choice comprehension worksheet.
• Students translate an English summary of the play into the LOTE (or vice
versa).
• Teacher asks students to identify literary techniques and complete a Literary
Techniques chart e.g. ‘Your eyes are as blue as the sky’; Literary technique e.g.
simile; Effect e.g. accentuates the character’s beauty to the audience.
Activity Cluster 3
• Teacher models an example of a character analysis (2-3 paragraphs).
• Students write a character analysis, 2-3 paragraphs, on one character of their
choice from the play highlighting the significance of the character in the play
as well as the way the character interacts with other characters.
100
• Comparatives
• Superlatives
Vocabulary
• Literary techniques
analysis
Grammar
• Comparatives
• Superlatives
Vocabulary
• Film techniques
analysis
• Guided writing task – Film
Review
• Aural comprehension
• Multiple choice
comprehension worksheet
• Translation
• Literary Technique Chart
• Character analysis
• Writing piece
THEME Literature Highlights Continued
LEVEL 6
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 4
• In groups, student select an extract from a play (teacher provides a selection)
to prepare, rehearse and perform to the class.
• Each group presents their play (extract).
• Each group is assessed by another group using assessment criteria that
comments on pronunciation, intonation, group collaboration, audience
interaction etc.
OR
• In groups, students select an extract from a film (teacher provides a selection)
to prepare, rehearse and perform to the class.
• Students write a 5 minute script.
• Each group performs their film (extract) and it is video recorded.
• The recorded film extract is shown to the class.
• Each group is assessed by another group who have chosen a film extract,
using assessment criteria that comments on pronunciation, intonation, group
collaboration, film technique etc.
Grammar
Vocabulary
• Film techniques
analysis
• Theatrical techniques
• Play performance
OR
• Film performance
• Peer group assessment
101
LEVEL 6
1
Linguistic Elements
Assessment Tasks
Activity Cluster 1
Activity Cluster 2
Activity Cluster 3
Activity Cluster 4
Activity Cluster 5
Activity Cluster 6
Activity Cluster 7
102
APPENDIX ACROSTIC POEM
An acrostic poem is a number of lines of writing in which a combination of letters from each line spells a word or phrase. Example:
Learning
Opportunities
Teachers
Entertaining
APPENDIX MIND MAP
PURPOSE:
RELATIONSHIP: THINKING SKILLS:
To help students clarify relationships among concepts
The way in which objects or concepts are connected
Seeing relationships
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MIND MAPS: www.buzanworld.com/mind-maps.htm
103
APPENDIX | VICTORIAN SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES
APPENDIX SEQUENCE / FLOW CHART
PURPOSE:
THINKING SKILL: To help students sequence a series of actions or tasks chronologically.
Problem solving, sequencing
SITUATION
FIRST IN
SEQUENCE
SECOND IN
SEQUENCE
THIRD IN
SEQUENCE
LAST IN SEQUENCE
APPENDIX brainstorming
WHAT IS IT?
Brainstorming is a procedure that allows a variable number of people to express problem areas, ideas, solutions or needs. It allows
each participant to state their opinion in a non threatening environment.
WHEN IS IT USED? The Brainstorming is used to unite a group with diverse ideas and needs. It can be used with any age group.
WHY IS IT USED? Is non threatening and creates an atmosphere of acceptance.
Is a means of drawing out thoughts and ideas from an individual who may not otherwise participate.
Allows teacher and student ideas to be valued equally.
Serves as a catlyst for more ideas.
Allows a great number of ideas to be brought to attention quickly.
Unites a group as it shows them what they can accomplish as a whole.
PROCESS:
Clearly stated and written for all to see.
Each person in the team is given the opportunity to identify at least one idea at a time.
Each person, if they do not have an idea, has the option to “pass” when it is their turn to contribute.
All ideas are good ideas and each idea is written as it is presented.
A recorder can ask for clarification of an idea in order to correctly record the suggestion.
The recorder writes down each idea, visible to all present, so every one can see the accumulation of ideas.
104
APPENDIX WORD FIND
105
APPENDIX VENN DIAGRAM
The Venn Diagram highlights similarities and differences between two different objects or situations. Students list the differences in the outer circles and
the similarities where the two circles overlap.
106
APPENDIX FISHING GAME
Teachers write short sentences on fish shaped cards related to the topic being studied in class. A paper clip needs to be attached to the cards. Students
use a fishing rod that has a magnet attached to the end and “fish” out a card. The student reads aloud the sentence on the cards and may also act out
the actions in class.
107
APPENDIX MIRROR ACTIVITY
Teacher provides a worksheet with a blank mirror and activities / statements that students need to complete about themselves. Students then complete
the task by drawing a reflection of themselves in the mirror.
108
APPENDIX SIMON SAYS
This game can be played by the whole class or a large group of students. The teacher starts each statement with ‘Simon Says’ followed by an action that
the students then complete. The teacher intermittently omits to say ‘Simon Says’. Students who complete the action and are caught by their peers are
out of the game. The last student standing is considered the winner.
APPENDIX CHINESE WHISPERS
This game can be played by the whole class or a large group of students or in teams.The original message can be as simple or as detailed as the teacher
wishes, depending on the competency of the students.
The teacher whispers a message to one student in the LOTE, related to the topic being studied. The student then repeats (whispers) this message to
the next student. This continues until all the students involved have heard the message whispered to them. The last student then repeats the message
aloud to the whole class. Usually the original message has changed by the time the last student hears it.
APPENDIX A MAGIC PAINT BRUSH (A CHINESE FOLK TALE)
This is a sample folk story which could be used to teach cultural understanding as well as language content and grammar. Students could sequence the
story and produce a picture story book or drama.
Once upon a time, there was a young man called Ma Liang. He was poor and kind and helped a rich man to tend cattle. He liked drawing and drew
pictures everywhere. One night, he dreamed that an old man gave him a magic paintbrush and asked him to use it to help poor people. When he woke
up, he found the magic paintbrush in his desk.
From that day, he used the paintbrush whenever people needed help. When he saw that people had no water to use in the fields, he drew a river and the
river came to life. People could bring water from the river to the field and save a lot of time and energy. When he saw it was difficult for people to till lands,
he drew a cow and the cow came to life. People could use the cow to till lands very easily. So when he saw the peoples’ troubles, he would use his magic
paintbrush to help.
Then many people knew about the magic paintbrush. But a few days later, the rich man whom Ma Liang helped heard that the magic paintbrush could
turn everything to life. He was a bad man so he had an idea to steal the paint brush from the young man. He knew that he could make a lot of money by
turning things to life and keeping them. So he sent some people to the Ma Liang’s home and took him to the prison. He got the magic paintbrush and felt
very happy. Then he invited a lot of his friends to come to his home and showed them the magic paintbrush. He drew a lot of pictures, but they could not
become real.
He was very angry and asked some people to get Ma Liang. When the young man came, he said to him, “If you draw some pictures for me and turn them
to life, I will set you free.” The young man knew that he was a bad man in the village. Of course he did not want to help him. He had an idea. He said to
the bad man, “I can help you, but you should obey your words.”
The bad man felt very happy and said, “I want a golden mountain. I will go there to gather gold.” The young man drew a sea first. The bad man was angry
and said,” Why did you draw a sea? I do not want this. I want a golden mountain. Draw it quickly.” Then the young man drew a golden mountain which
was far away from the sea. The bad man saw that and felt very happy. He said, “Draw a big ship quickly. I want to go there to gather gold.”
The young man smiled quietly and drew a big ship. The bad man jumped into the ship first and a lot of his family and friends jumped too. When the ship
sailed to the middle of the sea, the young man drew a large wave and it destroyed the ship. So the bad man and his friends died.
Finally, the young man lived with his family happily and kept on helping the poor people. So the magic paintbrush was known by everyone.
109
APPENDIX THINKERS T
A strategy to explore what students already knew about the topic and what they have subsequently learnt. An evaluation tool.
WHAT I ALREADY KNEW
WHAT I HAVE LEARNT
110
APPENDIX star burst
Use the 5 different points on the star to develop 5 different perspectives on a topic.
111
APPENDIX RANKING LADDER
PURPOSE: To help students make rank orders.
RANK ORDER: To rate, evaluate, weigh or judge in order of importance, value or size.
THINKING SKILL: Evaluating
In the introductory lesson on ranking ladders the teacher should provide students with a ladder and ask them to give examples of why ladders are used.
112
APPENDIX CUBE
Teachers can use the cube as a tool for
students to express 6 different points of
view, feelings, adjectives etc.
113
APPENDIX Y CHART
A strategy to explore non conventional responses.
FE
L ELS
I
K
E
S
D
N
U
E
O
S LIK
LOOKS
LIKE
114
APPENDIX Student Action Teams (PDSA 9 Step Improvement Process)
PLAN
DO
1 Select the team
• Who should be involved in the improvement?
• Who are the key stake holders and volunteers?
6 Implement the improvement action plan
• Implement the action plan and collect data as we go
Useful quality tools
Checklists
Survey
System view
Team agreement
2 Clearly define the opportunity and describe the desired outcome
• Precisely, what is the opportunity?
• What is the desired outcome?
STUDY
7 Study the results
• How well did the theory for improvement work as a long term
solution?
Silent brainstorming
Imagineering
Desired state diagram
Five whys
Plus/Delta
Run chart
Histogram
Control chart
3 Study the current situation
• What is happening now in relation to this area (relationships, processes)?
• Who are the clients and what do they want?
• What are the measures and what are the current data telling us about our
performance?
Deployment flowchart
Client requirement analysis
Histogram
Run chart
Pareto chart
ACT
8 Standardise the improvement
• Who do we need to train and coach?
• Capture the improved policy, process and supporting
documents in school memory
Gantt chart
4 Analyse the causes
• What are the root causes of poor performance?
9 Establish future plan
• Celebrate conclusion of PDSA.
The next opportunity for improvement would then be identified
and addressed in a new improvement cycle.
Affinity diagram
Cause and effect diagram
Nominal group technique
Multi-voting
Five whys
Interrelationship digraph
5 Develop a theory for improvement (plan)
• Consider others’ best practice
• Consider possible actions we could take
• What is our theory for improvement?
• Develop an action plan, including data collection
Imagineering
Desired state diagram
Brainstorming
© State of Victoria, Northern Metropolitan Region, Department of Education
and Training, 2005
115
© Copyright 2010
Victorian School of Languages
315 Clarendon Street
THORNBURY 3071

VELS GENERIC COURSE OUTLINE for Language Teachers

Transcription

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