215085
15 November 2021 Senior secondary Number: 054/21
Release of refreshed prescribed text lists for English senior syllabuses for 2023, 2024 and 2025
Purpose
To inform schools that the updated prescribed text lists for the General senior syllabuses for English, English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Literature are available via the QCAA Portal at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/logins/qcaa-portal/landing-page and the QCAA website at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-subjects.
Background
The senior syllabuses for English, EAL and Literature are supported by lists of prescribed texts.
These lists are to be used with students in Units 3 and 4 of their studies, and are subject to a process of refreshment.
The lists were refreshed by experts from the three schooling sectors as well as the English Teachers Association of Queensland, universities, State Library of Queensland, Aboriginal communities and Torres Strait Islander communities, and the QCAA. Additionally, the lists were reviewed and endorsed by the Chiefs of Endorsement and Chiefs of Confirmation in English, EAL and Literature.
Consultation and research for refreshment included:
• a review of text selections currently being made by schools in the Prescribed Lists application in the QCAA Portal
• feedback from teachers through an online survey
• feedback through an online forum on Goodreads.com
• a review of text selections in other jurisdictions.
The refreshed text lists are for implementation with Year 12 students in 2023.
Information
The prescribed texts have been approved by the QCAA as suitable for study in Units 3 and 4 in English, EAL and Literature, and were selected in accordance with the following criteria and guidelines.
Memo
Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Memo
Release of refreshed prescribed text lists for English senior syllabuses for 2023, 2024 and 2025 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority 15 November 2021 Page 2 of 3
Criteria for the text list The text list as a whole will:
• meet the syllabus requirements
• reflect the cultural and social diversity of the Australian context and student cohorts
• provide a range and balance of texts and writers with respect to time, place and gender
• encourage critical and creative engagement
• include texts that provide affirming perspectives
• consider broad community standards and expectations in the context of a senior secondary study of texts.
Criteria for inclusion of texts Texts selected for the list will:
• have merit in genre and style
• provide opportunities for sustained intensive study and challenge
• provide opportunities for student engagement.
Texts include novels, non-fiction works, plays, poetry, and film and television programs.
No single text is prescribed — schools have the opportunity to choose texts from the lists that are suitable for their contexts and cohorts.
Schools can engage with writers from different times, places and cultures, and of varied outlook and gender.
The text lists include a balance and range of established and new texts.
Later in Term 4 2021, the QCAA will release a set of annotations that will provide key information about the texts to assist schools in making decisions for their contexts and cohorts.
To assist schools with the management of the renewal of texts, the QCAA approved in 2021 the following changes to the renewal framework:
• A text on the initial external assessment category of the list must be in place for a minimum of three years and can remain for up to six years. From 2022, any text added to the external assessment category can remain for between three and six years.
• From 2022, 25% of the texts on the external assessment category of the prescribed text list will be retired annually, for implementation with Units 3 and 4 summative assessment in 2023.
• From 2022, a minimum of 20% and a maximum of 50% of the non-external assessment category of the prescribed text list will be refreshed, for implementation with Units 3 and 4 summative assessment in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Schools will register their text choices in the Prescribed Lists application for Units 3 and 4 for 2023, 2024 and 2025 using the prescribed text lists for that respective year.
Access to syllabuses and text lists
Refreshed text lists can be accessed by clicking on the ‘Resources’ button associated with each syllabus in the QCAA Portal at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/logins/qcaa-portal/landing-page.
The lists are also publicly available with the syllabuses on the QCAA website at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-subjects.
Memo
Release of refreshed prescribed text lists for English senior syllabuses for 2023, 2024 and 2025 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority 15 November 2021 Page 3 of 3
What you need to do
Share this information with teachers of General English, EAL, and Literature to ensure they use the refreshed prescribed text lists for 2023, 2024 and 2025 planning.
Finding out more
Please email Lisa Bottomley (Learning Area Manager, English and Languages) at Lisa.Bottomley@qcaa.qld.edu.au, or phone (07) 3864 0129.
Jacqueline Wilton
Executive Director, Curriculum Services Division
© State of Queensland (QCAA) 2021
Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 | Copyright notice: www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/copyright — lists the full terms and conditions, which specify certain exceptions to the licence. |
Attribution: ‘© State of Queensland (QCAA) 2021’ — please include the link to our copyright notice.
