Communication

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Communication, they begin to identify basic communication conventions in the classroom and playground such as being attentive listeners, facing the speaker, and taking turns. They learn to focus their attention and to listen without interrupting. Students practise retelling what a speaker has said to them and learn to ask questions when appropriate, exploring the interactive nature of communication.

Students respond, in both formal and informal settings, to a variety of stimuli; for example, aural, written and visual texts. They share the meaning they make of these texts with their peers.

Students make regular short oral presentations to groups or the whole class, communicating their ideas on a single topic or a personal experience, the focus being on making themselves understood. They begin to use visual aids such as photographs, objects and drawings to assist them to communicate more effectively.

Standards

In Communication, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 4. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 to 3 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 4.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Communication, they practise the skills of being attentive listeners and viewers in pairs, small groups and as a whole class. They are encouraged to use questions to clarify meaning and to extend interaction. They experience, respond to and begin to interpret a variety of aural, written and visual texts, discussing alternative meanings and perspectives when they arise.

When communicating with others, students begin to distinguish between differing contexts, purposes and audiences and they learn to modify their communication accordingly; for example, when playing with friends in the playground and talking to classroom visitors.

Students regularly make short oral presentations to small groups or the whole class on specified topics across the curriculum and on personal experiences beyond school. With guidance, students develop an understanding of basic communication conventions and practise strategies for improving their presentations with a particular focus on making themselves understood; for example, by varying volume and pace and making eye contact with the audience.

Standards

In Communication, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 4. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 to 3 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 4.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Communication, they listen attentively when required and learn to respond and interject appropriately. They learn about appropriate body language when reacting to a speaker and use feedback from peers and the teacher on their own body language to improve their reactions. They practise paraphrasing what a speaker has said to check meaning and ask clarifying questions where meaning is unclear.

Students explore a range of aural, written and visual communication forms such as the Internet, film, texts and music which illustrate a variety of perspectives on a range of topics and ideas. They learn how to identify the main message, develop their own interpretation, and provide evidence to support it. They explore reasons for other interpretations not being the same as theirs and learn to respect the right of others to express opinions.

During both formal and informal presentations, students explore the use of a range of verbal and non-verbal strategies, to enhance meaning and to engage their audience; for example, physical positioning in the room and use of props, costume, humour and audience participation. They begin to order logically the ideas that they wish to communicate. When developing formal presentations, students experiment with various forms; for example, a dramatic performance and use of presentation software. With guidance, they reflect on their own and others’ presentations and note the features that make them effective.

Standards

In Communication, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 4. The learning focus statements for Levels 1 to 3 provide advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 4.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Communication, they use their understanding of communication conventions to communicate effectively with peers and to respond appropriately when they are part of an audience; for example, by waiting for the communication of others to be completed before responding. They practise listening attentively to identify and communicate main points to others. They reflect on the implicit messages received through body language and begin to understand that verbal and non-verbal messages do not always correspond. They practise sending consistent messages during their interactions.

Students experience a variety of aural, written and visual communication forms in both formal and informal settings; for example electronic communication, performance and oral presentations. With support, they interpret these forms and begin to understand that their interpretation may be influenced by their own knowledge, values and beliefs, by persuasive devices such as emotive language, and by the opinions of others. When making meaning, students continue to develop skills in asking clarifying questions and seeking validation of their interpretations from their peers. They compare and contrast differing interpretations and explore why they differ.

Students begin to recognise the purpose of specialised language across the curriculum and to use this appropriately in their own communication; for example, ‘the system known as the Earth and Moon operate within the solar system’ or, when describing characteristics of a music composition, ‘I used dotted rhythms and lots of staccato to give a feeling of energy’.

Students develop their skills in organising ideas and information logically and clearly to suit their purpose and the needs of their audience. For formal presentations they begin to select appropriate forms for sharing knowledge and influencing others; for example, adding sound to presentation software.

In response to audience feedback, students experiment with ways to improve their communication; for example, projecting their voice to be heard clearly and making sure that the audience can see any visual aids. With support, students use provided criteria to evaluate and reflect on the effectiveness of their communication and to provide feedback on the communication of others.

National Statements of Learning

This Learning focus statement incorporates aspects of the National Statements of Learning for Civics and Citizenship, Year 5.

Standards

Listening, viewing and responding

At Level 4, students ask clarifying questions about ideas and information they listen to and view. They develop interpretations of the content and provide reasons for them. They explain why peers may develop alternative interpretations. They describe the purpose of a range of communication strategies, including non-verbal strategies, and evaluate their effectiveness for different audiences.

Presenting

At Level 4, students summarise and organise ideas and information, logically and clearly in a range of presentations. They identify the features of an effective presentation and adapt elements of their own presentations to reflect them. Using provided criteria, they evaluate the effectiveness of their own and others’ presentations.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 5 standards in Communication, they develop a range of strategies for listening attentively and extracting meaning from communications, including taking notes and small group discussion to record and summarise main messages. They reflect on how the explicit body language of a speaker influences their enjoyment and understanding of a presentation, and practise modifying their own body language to show interest and respect when listening to a speaker.

Students respond to a wide variety of aural, written and visual media; for example film, radio, the Internet, billboards, multimedia, and text messages. They explore both implicit and explicit meaning, how the author has structured and presented ideas, and whether they have used specialised language or symbols to communicate their message. Students share the meaning they have constructed with others and discuss any differences. They continue to challenge assumptions, use questions to clarify understanding, and justify their own interpretations while acknowledging that others may have different interpretations. They reflect on and evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of media in communicating a similar message, considering accuracy, inclusiveness and the techniques used to shape audience response.

Students expand their knowledge of specialised language used across the curriculum to communicate specific meanings and gain practice in using specific forms of communication; for example, practical reports in Science or fieldwork reports in Geography.

Students regularly present information, ideas and opinions for a variety of purposes, to a range of audiences, in both formal and informal settings. They focus on identifying the key messages they wish to communicate and structuring their ideas logically and coherently. They experiment with a range of presentation forms and seek feedback from their audience as to the effectiveness of their communication. Students work together to develop criteria which can be used to evaluate presentations.

National Statements of Learning

This Learning focus statement incorporates aspects of the National Statements of Learning for Civics and Citizenship, Year 7.

Standards

Listening, viewing and responding

At Level 5, students modify their verbal and non-verbal responses to suit particular audiences. They interpret complex information and evaluate the effectiveness of its presentation. When responding, they use specialised language and symbols as appropriate to the contexts in which they are working. They consider their own and others’ points of view, apply prior knowledge to new situations, challenge assumptions and justify their own interpretations.

Presenting

At Level 5, students use the communication conventions, forms and language appropriate to the subject to convey a clear message across a range of presentation forms to meet the needs of the context, purpose and audience. They provide and use constructive feedback and reflection to develop effective communication skills.

Learning focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 6 standards in Communication, they listen to speakers in a range of contexts, including the school, the wider community and workplaces. They develop their skills in interpreting meaning; for example, by identifying inferences and assumptions. They know what it means to effectively respond both verbally and non-verbally in different contexts and are able to demonstrate this. Students elaborate on and clarify content of presentations, using pertinent questions to explore explicit and implicit meaning. In discussion with their peers, they evaluate the effectiveness of these presentations and note how they can apply the findings to their own presentations.

In structured activities, students explore the relationship between language and power; for example, by interpreting and analysing significant speeches. As their understanding of this concept develops, they apply their understanding when making meaning of a variety of media messages and when developing their own presentations.

Students respond to a range of aural, written and visual texts, reflecting on how cultural and societal norms and ideology influence the production of the material; for example, research papers and news items. They explore how effectively meaning has been communicated, analyse alternative interpretations and develop a rationale for their preferred opinion.

Students develop a high level of expertise and fluency in the language, forms and communication strategies of particular subjects across the curriculum as well as those associated with a range of occupations and career pathways. They reflect on why it is important to have this knowledge, how it enables more precise communication, but also how it can exclude audiences who are not familiar with the language of particular subjects.

Students experiment with communicating complex ideas in a variety of ways. They increasingly use metaphor and symbol to communicate. They organise their information, ideas and opinions into a coherent structure, select and adjust their mode of presentation to suit purpose and audience, and make appropriate adjustments in response to an audience. They use agreed criteria to reflect on the effectiveness of their own communications and articulate means by which they could be improved.

National Statements of Learning

This Learning focus statement incorporates aspects of the National Statements of Learning for Civics and Citizenship, Year 9.

Standards

Listening, viewing and responding

At Level 6, students identify the ways in which complex messages are effectively conveyed and apply this knowledge to their communication. When listening, viewing and responding, they consider alternative views, recognise multiple possible interpretations and respond with insight. They use complex verbal and non-verbal cues, subject-specific language, and a wide range of communication forms. Students use pertinent questions to explore, clarify and elaborate complex meaning.

Presenting

At Level 6, students demonstrate their understanding of the relationship between form, content and mode, and select suitable resources and technologies to effectively communicate. They use subject-specific language and conventions in accordance with the purpose of their presentation to communicate complex information. They provide constructive feedback to others and use feedback and reflection in order to inform their future presentations.