English
Core - Semester 1
Year 10 English is a core subject that addresses the individual needs of students of all abilities to strengthen prior learning and prepare students for senior school studies and their wider lives in the community and workforce.
Content Strands
- Language
- Literacy
- Literature
Course Overview
The English curriculum at year 10 is built around the interrelated strands of Language, Literature and Literacy. During this unit, students will develop their skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. They will encounter and respond to both literary and media texts, developing their ability to critically engage with written and visual language. Building on the skills established in previous years, students at year 10 will be given the opportunity to improve their written and oral communication skills in both formal and informal contexts. The core English unit at Year 10 is designed to give students a sound foundation for their study of English at VCE/VCAL level regardless of their choice of English in Semester 2.
What Will Students Learn?
- Identify and evaluate the various language features used by authors of literary texts.
- Compare the ways authors of different literary texts explore similar ideas, issues and themes.
- Develop and justify interpretations of texts.
- Construct clear and coherent extended written pieces including comparative essays, analytical essays and persuasive speeches.
- Justify opinions and develop and expand on arguments in the creation of persuasive texts.
- Confidently and articulately express these arguments in oral form.
- Critically analyse the ways both written and visual language is used within the media to position
GENERAL ENGLISH
Core Elective - Semester 2
Content Strands
- Language
- Literacy
- Literature
Course Overview
The purpose of this unit is to consolidate the skills developed in Semester One English and further establish the foundations required for VCE English. In this unit, students will have the opportunity to respond both analytically and creatively to literary texts. They will further develop their understanding and ability to analyse the language in media texts and improve their critical awareness of methods of persuasion. Students will have the opportunity to refine their written communication skills with a focus on clarity, coherence and structure.
What Will Students Learn?
- Develop their ability to identify, discuss and evaluate the ways authors use textual features.
- Consolidate their ability to develop and justify interpretations of texts.
- Demonstrate their understanding of texts through creative responses.
- Refine their skills of drafting, editing and polishing written work.
- Consolidate their ability to analyse the ways writers of media texts use both written and visual language to position audiences.
- Refine their essay writing skills with a particular focus on structure and coherence.
LITERATURE
Core Elective - Semester 2
Content Strands
- Language
- Literacy
- Literature
Course Overview
Open to students who meet particular selection criteria, this unit gives students the opportunity to begin exploring Literary texts from a theoretical perspective with a particular focus on reading texts through a feminist lens. Students will explore the representations of women and gender roles throughout literary history and also in contemporary literature. They will examine the role of women in the creative writing industries and will be introduced to feminist critical theory. Students will read widely from a range of Literary texts, develop complex analytical skills and write detailed interpretive and discursive essays.
What Will Students Learn?
- Understand the conventions of feminist literary theory.
- Apply a feminist critical lens when reading both written and visual literary texts.
- Identify, analyse and evaluate the representations of women and gender roles in specific literary texts.
- Evaluate the impact of gender stereotyping on society and culture.
- Evaluate the impact of emerging feminist awareness and discourse on society and culture.
- Refine their essay writing skills with a particular focus on depth of understanding, interpretation and complexity.