English

English

This course develops the students’ enjoyment and understanding of the way all texts are constructed subject to purpose, context and bias of texts. Critical thinking skills are fostered to explicitly analyse language devices evident in a range of texts. Students experiment with writing across genres, including responses to film and they develop expertise in constructing texts to target specific responses in their audiences. 

Content

• Language: oral and written expression, multi-modal texts, language context and purpose 
• Literature: novels, poetry, plays, media texts and films 
• Literacy: academic vocabulary, language conventions
• Reading and viewing texts with an analytical lense
• Writing: a range of creative and persuasive tasks

Students will complete a range of written tasks throughout each term. These include the study of novels, short stories and film texts, writing portfolios, issues responses, oral communication tasks, grammar-based thinking exercises, class work and exams. Some writing related to texts will be creative to reflect the new study design in VCE.

Enhancement English

This elective exists for students who have strong English skills and who seek to extend their thinking and writing abilities. Students will be challenged to develop explicit understandings of the way language is constructed in contemporary texts for effect and to explore the way language is used to construct and reflect power. They will learn strategies to improve the quality of their own writing in all forms and subject areas 

Content

The course extends the students’ skills through targeting higher order functions of language both in practice and in theory, with a particular focus on current issues and layers of complexity embedded in texts. Students will look at the changing nature of literacy in the information age, the current globalization of information, culture and education access, and explore future implications for identity, commerce and equality. They will also explore a conventional text and develop and hone their interpretative skills in this area. 

Assessment will be based on participation in class, completion of exercises and the completion of two investigations into current language change and power through language. Student work will be targeted to real audiences, publications and to influencing authentic issues.

Emerging Stories Elective 

An exciting opportunity to experiment with 21st century skills and storytelling, the course will consist of learning activities where students explore a range of creative writing approaches. Students will investigate and analyse a range of practices including poetry, podcasting and digital narratives. They will design their own story for a particular audience using different mediums to communicate purpose and thematic ideas. 

Content

• Podcasting skills and conventions 
• Digital narratives such as videogames, webpages, blog posts, digital animations and comics, digital choose your own adventure narratives 
• Narrative and Poetic structures including modern forms used in social media and other platforms