Archived material
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Office of the Board of Studies NSW Stage 6 English Forum
held at Trinity College, Auburn, NSW Australia - 7-8 March 1998
Communication Skills Development As A Component Of Stage 6 English
Introduction
In a major reform of English syllabi for all Years 11 and 12 students it is timely to consider the recommendations of three important recent national investigations.
All had as their focus the identification of ways in which the nation could improve the skills of its future workforce.
The reports of these investigations present a strong rationale for the central importance of communication skill development as a component of the education process.
The following outlines of these reports indicate that the development of these communication skills lies within the domain of English in the senior secondary school.
1. Finn and Mayer Committees
These committees examined the expectations that employers and the community hold of 15 to 19 year olds entering the workforce. The report, Putting General Education to Work: The Key Competencies Report (1992), presented seven generic competencies essential for effective participation in education and training, work and adult life more generally. Three of these seven relate specifically to communication. These are:
* Collecting, analysing and organising information
* Communicating ideas and information
* Working with others and in teams
2. Karpin Report
The Report of the Industry Task Force on Leadership and Management Skills, Enterprising Nation, (1995) was commissioned by Federal Cabinet and was the result of three years of consultation and analysis. Its Task Force presents
a vision of what will be necessary...if Australia is to improve its standard of living and employment prospects for its citizens. The Task Force decided that the primary focus of enterprises education should be on those in the education system, particularly the young, potential employees and managers. (p15, Executive Summary)
This report identifies the challenges facing the development of best practice management in Australia. The Task Force identified eight main areas where a significant gap in skill was identified among supervisors and managers and where improvement was needed. The first is what the Task Force calls 'soft or people skills'. The Task Force reports
all enterprises are experiencing change as we move toward the twenty-first century.
Most developments mark a move away from a structural model of organisations towards one that emphasises more behaviour and interpersonal aspect of strategy... There is a new paradigm of management, bringing a new set of organisational requirements. (These include) open communication and flexible organisation. (p2).
3. Actrac Communication Skills Project
The Australian Committee for Training Curriculum (ACTRAC) funded a national project to develop specific curriculum for the development of communication. The National Communication Skills Project team recognised that "communication skills are central to learning new competencies for the restructured workforce and are a basis for access and equity".
Definition
The National Communication Skills Project defined communication as "an interactive process which enables people to function effectively in the workforce by:
* establishing and maintaining effective relationships in the workplace
* obtaining information, direction and advice, and informing, directing and advising others
* organising and analysing information
* participating effectively in groups"
The National Communication Skills modules are outcomes based generic curriculum with a workplace focus, which address one or more communication skills. The modules are adaptable to the communication requirements of all industry areas and qualifications levels.
Conclusion
These national reports recommend the importance of developing knowledge, skills and understandings specifically in the area of communication. In the interests of equity for all students undertaking study to Higher School Certificate level it is important to provide a specific communication focus in the only compulsory subject, English.
These national recommendations should inform the development of English curricula at all course levels, ESL, Standard and Advanced for all people exiting with Year 12 qualifications.
Embedding Appropriate Communication Modules In English Syllabi
One possible method of incorporating communication skills development within the NSW Higher School Certificate English curriculum would be to embed selected National Communication Skills modules in the outcomes based English syllabi. The benefits include:
* providing a specific focus of study on texts and skills identified nationally as essential for further study, the workforce and life in general
* providing opportunity for articulation across sectors in the form of equivalent or credit transfer into TAFE and Vocational Education and Training courses
* incorporating an existing outcomes based curriculum component at a range of ability levels in a variety of skill areas across the reading, writing and speaking domains.
Examples Of National Communication Modules
The outlines of two National Communication Skills modules have been included for further information:
* Work Team Communication (oral and interpersonal communication)
* Writing Skills for Work (reading and writing skills)