English Learning Area Snapshot

Year 7 English: Exploring the Fantasy Genre

This term, our Year 7 students have been enjoying their exploration of the Fantasy Genre. Through reading and analysing texts filled with magical settings, mythical creatures, and epic quests, they’ve developed a strong understanding of what makes fantasy so captivating. Inspired by their reading, students have begun crafting their own narrative openings, showcasing both their imagination and growing confidence as writers! 

Year 8 English : Inspiring Stories

This term, our Year 8 students have been developing biographical oral presentations, focusing on influential figures in their own lives. Whether a family member, mentor, or public figure, students have thoughtfully explored how these individuals have shaped their values, ambitions, or worldview. Through this process, they’ve been building their skills in research, writing, and public speaking, while also sharing meaningful and often moving stories with their peers! 

Year 8 Extension English: The Importance of Forgiveness

Our Year 8 Academic Extension students have been exploring the concept of “Forgiveness”, through the text The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal. Students have been interrogating if we have the right to forgive on behalf of others, the pre-conditions for granting forgiveness and the importance of granting the gift of forgiveness to ourselves to our wellbeing.

Students are presenting their understandings to the rest of the class in the form of an oral presentation. They took the opportunity to enjoy the autumn sunshine while rehearsing for their assessment.

Year 10 English: Working Together On-Line or Creating On-Line Community of Learning

Our Year 10s are currently exploring the classic Australian text The Drover’s Wife, written by Henry Lawson. Students begun their analysis of the text by analysing the representations in the text. Student’s used an online resource called “Padlet” to post and share their arguments and evidence for these representations. Here we see the student’s interpretations for the representation of the Australian Bush.

All students have access to the class padlets we created for the representations in the short story. This helped students to create a community of learning and benefit from the understanding of other students in the class.

Justina Pereira, English -HoLA