Resources

This section provides a range of online resources for teachers. These resources have been divided into the following sections:

• Use of learning and teaching resources
• Curriculum planning
• Primary school curriculum resources
• Supporting sexual health resources
• Sexuality education for students with intellectual disabilities
• Sexuality education and drug education
• Infectious diseases in sport

Use of learning and teaching resources

Government resources, and externally developed resources that reflect government policy, can be used to provide a comprehensive sexuality education program.

For more information about external providers that provide teaching resources in their training programs, such as Family Planning Victoria and the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, see: Professional Learning

Curriculum planning

• Sexuality education curriculum audit tool http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/support/domainsupport/hpe/sexuality.html
  The Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority provides a Sexuality Education Curriculum Audit Tool designed to assist schools to evaluate their curriculum against the Victorian Essential Learning Standards.
  
• US Guidelines for comprehensive sexuality education (PDF - 723Kb) http://www.siecus.org/_data/global/images/guidelines.pdf
  An example of leading material in what constitutes age-appropriate sexuality education is available from the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS).

• Catching On for Years 9 and 10 – Teaching and Learning Activities (PDF - 1.8Mb) - This resource is designed to support classes exploring issues of love and relationships, risk behaviours, gender and power, and sexual identity. The resource (including the support material immediately below) was developed as part of this Department’s STI/AIDS Prevention Education Strategy (2005).
  
• Catching On for Years 9 and 10 – Support Material (PDF - 590Kb)  - The support material for Catching On places sexually transmissible infections in the broader context of sexual health. Student project material is also included. 
  
• Catching On for Years 9 and 10 – VELS Guide (PDF - 54Kb) - This guide, provided by ARCSHS, links the Catching On for Years 9 and 10 to level 6 of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards.

Catching On for Years 9 and 10 is a classroom resource and is meant to be used with other material to assist teachers in planning a comprehensive sexuality education program appropriate for the specific student population of any school. The resource has been designed for use at Level 6 but includes activities that can be adapted by experienced teachers to meet some requirements in Level 5.

To complement the resource’s sexually transmissible infections (STI) health information, an examination of the sexual health resources that support school-based sexuality educators is recommended (provided below in 'Supporting sexual health resources'). Up-to-date STI information, including chlamydia fact sheets and information related to the human papillomavirus (HPV) is available through these websites.

Sex-Ed. This website from La Trobe University's Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS), is moderated by an experienced teacher in sexuality education; it gathers a wide range of resources, including classroom activities and ‘all things sex ed’.

• Talking Sexual Health – A teaching & learning resource for secondary schools (PDF - 3.5Mb) - The Talking Sexual Health (2001) curriculum materials are primarily designed for students in years 9 and 10 but are also suitable for students in years 11 and 12. Many of the activities can also be modified for use with students in years 7 and 8. The materials are similar to those included in Catching On for Years 9 and 10 (2005).

The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University, Victoria, developed this national resource for the Australian National Council for AIDS, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases (ANCAHRD). It is provided here with permission from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

Medicare – Your Questions Answered (PDF - 201Kb) - Level six of the VELS Health and Physical Education domain includes a learning focus on students’ ability to identify the services provided through Medicare. This has been identified as an important aspect of sexuality education. The Medicare – Your Questions Answered pamphlet, provided with permission from Medicare Australia, outlines Medicare’s basic services.

Primary school curriculum resources

• Catching On Early - Sexuality for Victorian Primary Schools (PDF - 3.5Mb) - Catching On Early is an evidence-based resource founded on the latest research into sexuality education and child sexual development. Its development-based program is designed to help schools teach the sexuality education components of VELS Levels 1-4 in the Health and Physical Education and Interpersonal Development domains. This resource provides a comprehensive sexuality education program for students from prep through to year 6. The collaborative support of the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, has been critical in the development of this resource.

Suggested year levels for the Catching On Early curriculum

Prep (5-6 years)
VELS Level 1 Learning sequences 1-5

Year 1 (6-7 years)
VELS Level 2 Learning sequences 1-3

Year 2 (7-8 years)
VELS Level 2 Learning sequences 4-6

Year 3 (8-9 years)
VELS Level 3 Learning sequences 1-2

Year 4 (9-10 years)
VELS Level 3 Learning sequences 3-6

Year 5 (10-11 years)  
VELS Level 4 Learning sequences 1-3

Year 6 (11-12 years)
VELS Level 4 Learning sequences 4-6

Sexuality education provided at these age and school year levels is supported through Victorian Essential Learning Standards curriculum policy. Teachers should also assess the learning needs of their students as appropriate. Research evidence that underpins age-appropriate learning and teaching in sexuality education and human development is available from:

• International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) (2009)
• Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education, Kindergarten to 12th Grade: The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) (2004). These Guidelines are available from the Information Education. Select the publications link.
  http://www.siecus.org

Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships http://www.wahpsa.org.au - These evidenced-based resources include primary school sexuality education curriculum support materials and are available through West Australian Health Promoting Schools .

Family Planning Victoria http://www.fpv.org.au - Family Planning Victoria offers a wide range of primary school curriculum materials and works closely with schools to assist in the development of their ongoing sexuality education programs.

Family Life Victoria http://www.familylifevictoria.org.au - Family Life provides primary school curriculum materials with their education programs.

The Hormone Factory http://www.thehormonefactory.com - Developed by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University, this website offers specific sexual and reproductive development information for children (10 to 12 years), teachers and parents.

• Victorian Better Health Channel http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au - This website provides useful background information and tips on primary school sexuality education.
  
• The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teachers/development.aspx - This Canadian website link is provided as an example of leading material from overseas with a primary school sexuality education focus.

 

Supporting sexual health resources

• HIV, Hepatitis and STI Education and Resource Centre http://www.alfred.org.au - This Alfred Hospital centre offers a free service providing information and educational resources on sexually transmissible infections, hepatitis C and other blood borne viruses. See also External providers – HIV Hepatitis and STI Education and Resource Centre
  
• Chlamydia (fact sheet) http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au - An overview of the causes, symptoms and diagnosis of the disease from the Better Health Channel website. An overview of sexually transmissible infections is also available. A general perusal through Better Health Channel’s sexual health webpages is recommended.
  
• HealthInsite http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Sexually_Transmitted_Infections - This website, an Australian Government initiative funded by the Department of Health and Ageing, provides the latest information on a variety of sexually transmissible infections and related topics.
  
• IDEAS – Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Surveillance http://www.health.vic.gov.au/ideas - This website, hosted by the Communicable Disease Control Section of the Department of Human Services, provides the latest infectious diseases headlines (including sexually transmissible infections) for Victoria. The website includes a surveillance subpage that provides the latest data to pinpoint outbreaks and to prevent the spread of infection. The site will be particularly useful for student project work.
  
• Sexhealth http://www.health.qld.gov.au/sexhealth - Published by Queensland Health, Queensland Government, this website offers secondary school sexuality education teaching and student resources (including an English unit) and a wide range of fact sheets.
  
• The Reach Out! Teachers’ Network http://www.teachers.reachoutpro.com.au - Developed by the Inspire Foundation, a non-government organisation for young people’s health, this website provides fact sheets on a range of health subjects, including teenage pregnancy, sexual diversity, and teaching materials on relationships and peer pressure. See also:Reach Out! & sexuality education (PDF - 30Kb)
  
• SexualityandU.Ca http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teachers - This website, developed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), is provided as an example of leading teacher material from overseas with a focus on sexuality education.

Sexuality education for students – Intellectual disabilities

• Family Planning Victoria http://www.fpv.org.au/3_6_4.html - Family Planning Victoria provides a specific professional training program and curriculum materials focusing on sexuality education for students with intellectual disabilities. The materials are in line with Victorian Government policy.
  
• Victorian Better Health Channel – intellectual disabilities http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au - This website provides useful background information on teaching children with intellectual disabilities and the benefits of providing sexuality education. 

Sexuality education and drug education

Drug education - Many connections exist between sexuality education and drug education, ranging from learning and teaching that focuses on building resilience, developing good decision making and how to build healthy relationships.

Infectious diseases in sport

• Blood Rules, OK (booklet) – protect yourself in sport and play (PDF - 269Kb)
• Blood Rules, OK (pamphlet) – protect yourself in sport and play (PDF - 175Kb)

This booklet provides important infection control information and guidance for the teacher and others. A shorter, pamphlet version that only outlines the ‘blood rules’ is also provided. All sports, at both professional and amateur levels, should implement the guidelines.

The booklet and pamphlet are provided here with permission from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.