A Guide to the Revised Arabic Beginners Stage 6 Syllabus
The revised Arabic Beginners Stage 6 Syllabus will replace the current syllabus, which is described in two documents, the 2 Unit Z Arabic Syllabus (1980) and the Arabic Beginners Stage 6 Syllabus Amendments (1999). The revised syllabus will be implemented in the 2008 Preliminary and will be first examined in the HSC in 2009.
The revised syllabus reflects current research into best practice in the teaching and learning of languages, and is an appropriate learning model for older adolescents as beginners.
What is similar?
While the revised Arabic Beginners Stage 6 Syllabus is different in many ways from the current syllabus, there are also many similarities. The revised syllabus includes objectives, outcomes and assessment requirements that reflect the philosophy of the New HSC and a standards-referenced framework, and ensures a level of rigour and challenge consistent with other Stage 6 courses.
The revised syllabus continues to provide an opportunity for students with little or no background in a language to take up the study of that language as beginners in Stage 6. The eligibility rules remain unchanged, and are outlined in the Board's Assessment, Certification and Examination (ACE) Manual.
The revised syllabus defines clearly the knowledge and understanding that students are expected to achieve, as well as the skills and processes they are to learn and develop. The syllabus objectives represent the communicative use of the language, and integrate the macro skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing.
Current programs may be modified to meet the requirements of the revised syllabus and many existing units of work will form the basis of effective teaching, learning and assessment programs. Many existing resources will continue to be relevant.
The experience teachers have gained in implementing the Stage 6 Continuers course (1999) and the K-10 syllabus (2003) will assist in the implementation of the revised Beginners syllabus.
What is different?
The revised Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Modern Greek and Spanish Beginners Syllabuses Stage 6 are derived from a generic framework, to ensure parity across the eight language subjects and consistency in internal and external HSC assessment.
The revised Arabic Beginners Stage 6 Syllabus builds on the current syllabus in directions identified through research into the teaching of Arabic in other systems nationally and internationally, and through consultation at forums, meetings and during wide circulation of the draft syllabus.
The learning outcomes are the same for the Preliminary and Higher School Certificate. In the Preliminary course, students will develop their communication skills in Arabic and their knowledge and understanding of language and culture. The HSC course provides opportunities for students to extend and refine their skills, and to gain deeper knowledge and understanding. Other differences include:
- objectives that integrate the communicative use of Arabic with linguistic and intercultural knowledge and understanding
- outcomes that provide more explicit statements of the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes that each student will be expected to achieve as a result of effective teaching and learning
- Learn about and Learn to statements that are derived from the outcomes and comprise the course content, which will be studied within the context of prescribed topics
- a list of texts that students may be expected to produce in the external examination
- the use of dictionaries, not only to enhance learning throughout the course, but also in the HSC examination.
As the nine Beginners syllabuses are derived from the Framework for Stage 6 Languages Beginners Syllabuses (2005), there is parity across the courses in internal assessment requirements and external examination specifications. Teachers will continue to be able to use their discretion in determining the manner in which they allocate tasks within course content.
The components and weightings for HSC internal assessment are as follows:
| Component | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Listening | 30 |
| Reading | 30 |
| Speaking | 20 |
| Writing | 20 |
The HSC external examination specifications reflect the Board's Principles for Examination and Assessment in HSC Syllabuses, and are consistent across Beginners courses. The oral examination will be a general conversation, of approximately five minutes, between the candidate and an examiner about the candidate's personal world as it relates to the prescribed topics.
The timing for the written examination will be 2½ hours plus ten minutes reading time. The format of the examination will be as follows:
Section I: Listening
The candidate will hear 9-12 texts in Arabic, which will relate to the prescribed topics. Questions will be phrased in English for a response in English.
Section II: Reading
The candidate will read four to five texts in Arabic, which will be related to the prescribed topics. Questions will be written in English for a response in English.
Section III: Writing in Arabic
Texts for responses will be drawn from those prescribed in the syllabus. Tasks will relate to the prescribed topics.
Part A will consist of two writing tasks. Questions will be written in English and may involve stimulus material in Arabic. The first task will be shorter in length.
In Part B, the candidate will write an extended response in Arabic. There will be a choice of two questions, which will be phrased in English and Arabic. The same type of task will be required for both questions, with two different topics.
The components and weightings for HSC external assessment are as follows:
| Component | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Oral examination | 20 |
| Written examination | |
| Section I: Listening | 30 |
| Section II: Reading | 30 |
| Section III: Writing in Arabic | 20 |
A specimen paper package, consisting of the 2009 HSC Arabic Beginners specimen paper, sample marking guidelines, mapping grid and performance band descriptions will be developed and placed on the Board's website in 2008.
What support will be available for implementing the revised syllabus?
A Beginners Languages Stage 6 Support Document will be developed by the Board of Studies and placed on the website to assist teachers in the implementation of the revised syllabus.
Current resources will be appropriate for use with the revised syllabus although there may need to be some adjustments in the way teachers use them. A list of suggested teaching and learning Resources, including dictionaries, will be placed on the Board's website.