Campbell High School
An ACT Public School
An ACT Public School
Head of Faculty: Amy Lambert
Students study the Australian Curriculum for English in all year levels. English classes at Campbell High School are not generally streamed and our teachers are experienced at differentiating learning; opportunities and assessment programs to meet individual students' needs. However, places are available in extension classes in Years 9 and 10 for students with particular gifts, talents and interests in language arts.
Students have opportunities to:
Wide varieties of texts are utilised including novels, poetry, short stories, newspapers, online literacy, advertising materials, film, video and live performances. Novels cover a range of topics, issues and settings of particular interest to adolescents, including cyber-bullying, environmental concerns and personal journeys. We study multi-cultural texts and maintain a diverse collection from Shakespeare and modern classics to recent indigenous and other Australian fiction.
English plays an important part in developing the understanding, attitudes and capabilities of those who will take responsibility for Australia's future and the English curriculum at Campbell High School relies heavily of the Australian Curriculum and its achievement standards.
Although Australia is a linguistically and culturally diverse country, participation in many aspects of Australian life depends on effective communication in Standard Australian English. In addition, proficiency in English is invaluable globally. The Australian Curriculum: English contributes both to nation-building and to internationalisation.
The Australian Curriculum: English also helps students to engage imaginatively and critically with literature to expand the scope of their experience. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have contributed to Australian society and to its contemporary literature and its literary heritage through their distinctive ways of representing and communicating knowledge, traditions and experience. The Australian Curriculum: English values, respects and explores this contribution. It also emphasises Australia's links to Asia.
For more information on the Australian Curriculum: English and the Achievement Standards you can visit the ACARA website.
Students who come from non-English speaking backgrounds may be eligible for targeted English language lessons. Enrolment into an EAL/D class is dependent upon a series of individual tests in four key areas of language acquisition: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Each of these areas is aligned with the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority documents related to language acquisition. In addition, length of time in an Australian school determines eligibility. Students, who undertake an EAL/D course to support their understanding and acquisition of Australian English, focus on developing their cross curriculum academic skills suitable for their age group.
Students are placed in classes of combined Years 7 & 8 and Years 9 & 10 groups. The classes are run on an elective line to support student learning in their core curriculum areas.
Formative assessment tasks and testing as prescribed by the ACT Education Directorate provides an accurate indication of student learning progression. Students are able to graduate from EAL/D classes to choose electives after a parent/carer, teacher and student consultation process.
Students are encouraged and supported to participate in the numerous activities offered at Campbell High School. Opportunities are offered to the students to enable them to gain further understanding of Australian culture and society through excursions to places and events such as The Botanic Gardens, museums and other events as they arise. Students proudly and actively maintain their mother language and culture and put these on display during events such as Harmony Day and NAIDOC week.
