Narrative and human experiences

This professional development series from the English Teachers' Association of NSW (ETA NSW) explores narrative techniques and the concept of human experiences as they relate to the NSW English curriculum. Delivered across two Monday afternoon sessions in May 2026, the workshops focus on deepening educators' understanding of how narratives function and how students can engage more meaningfully with texts through the lens of shared human experiences — a central theme in the NSW Common Module 'Texts and Human Experiences.' Participants will explore teaching and learning strategies designed to build both teacher and student confidence in analysing and creating narratives. The sessions examine how understanding narrative structures, techniques, and purposes can help students produce more engaging and meaningful responses in both analytical and creative modes. This is particularly valuable for teachers working with the Common Module, which requires students to examine how texts represent individual and collective human experiences across different contexts and forms. The sessions are delivered live online, with pre-recorded versions available to registrants for 30 days after the event — providing flexibility for educators who may need to revisit the content or who cannot attend the live sessions. ETA NSW is one of Australia's longest-running professional associations for English teachers, and its professional development programs are designed to directly support the teaching of the NSW English syllabus at all stages.