"Children already come to us differentiated. It just makes sense that we would differentiate our instruction in response to them"
Carol Ann Tomlinson

The English courses at Years 9 and 10 are based on the English in the New Zealand Curriculum document followed by all schools. The Years 9 and 10 English course are structured around two interconnected strands, each encompassing the oral, written, and visual forms of the language. The strands differentiate between the modes in which students are primarily:

• making meaning of ideas or information they receive (Listening, Reading, and Viewing)
• creating meaning for themselves or others (Speaking, Writing, and Presenting).

The Years 9 and 10 English programme at Katikati College is differentiated. Differentiation is the adjustment of the teaching process according to the learning needs of the students. We differentiate instruction because ‘one size’ instruction does not fit all learners. We believe that a differentiated programme will help to not only improve student engagement but to develop students into independent, self-reflective and active learners.

A differentiated classroom offers a variety of learning options designed to tap into different readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. In a differentiated class, the teacher uses (1) a variety of ways for students to explore curriculum content, (2) a variety of sense-making activities or processes through which students can come to understand and "own" information and ideas, and (3) a variety of options through which students can demonstrate or exhibit what they have learned.
The fundamental idea behind differentiating the curriculum to facilitate student learning is to view the students and get to know them as individuals. To this end we have started to develop Learning Profiles for each student.

For the profiles to be effective we felt that it was important that we gained an understanding of Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles and how they can affect the way a student learns and therefore what we need to keep in mind in our teaching.

All students will sit a series of common assessments throughout the year that will test a variety of skills. There is also a two hour examination at the end of the year.

Listed below is the English Faculty Exercise Book Code and the Homework Policy.

Exercise Book Code




1. Write in your books with blue pen.

2. Underline in red pen and use a ruler.

3. Teachers will mark in green pen.

4. Diagrams should be in pencil unless directed otherwise.

5. The covers of exercise books, inside and out, are to be graffiti free. So are the pages in the books.

6. The exercise books are to be set out as directed by your teacher.

7. Pages may be bordered or decorated but this will be at the discretion of the subject teacher.

8. Books maybe covered with appropriate photographs etc but must not advertise cigarettes, alcohol, promote drugs or contain any other material that is offensive to either staff, parents or students.

9. All books are to be named with the student and teacher's name.

10. This exercise book code refers to folders as well.