English At GSSC 

Junior English

All of our junior classes have started the year strong! Over the past week, students have been introduced to their new English units where we have focused on establishing strong foundations, clear expectations, and positive learning relationships. Below is an overview of the units that will kick start our year.

Year 7 – Identity

Year 7 English begins with a focus on identity; a unit that helps to support students as they transition into secondary school. Students explore who they are as readers, writers, learners, and individuals. They reflect on their experiences, interests, and perspectives which helps to build confidence, establish positive learning habits, and develop strong relationships with their teachers and peers. 

Year 8 – Extraordinary stories: Myths

Year 8 English begins with an exploration of the rich world of myths, examining extraordinary characters, creatures, and stories from cultures around the world. Through reading, writing, and discussion, we analyse why myths were created, what they reveal about the societies they come from, and why they continue to influence storytelling today. This unit builds on our understanding of culture, symbolism, and narrative, while strengthening analytical and creative writing skills and oral communication.

Year 9 – Breaking the norm: short stories that challenge society

Our Year 9 students are focusing on the relationship between individuals and the societies they live in, particularly how questioning social norms can lead to conflict, understanding, or change. We will be studying short stories from the speculative fiction, science fiction and dystopian genres and will focus on analysing how authors create tension and meaning through text structure, sentence choices, and punctuation. We will be working towards applying these techniques to our own stories that will imagine and critique possible futures.

Below are images of students collaborating to make Frayer Charts on their unit vocabulary words. Frayer Charts help students understand and remember new vocabulary and key concepts.