English Domain

Complete Works Theatre Company performed Oedipus the King for Year 12 Students in our Sandringham College Theatre.

The English Domain has had a busy term so far. Here is a summary of what has been happening in Term 3. 

Year 7

Year 7 English

Year 7 English students have been reading Patrick Ness’ powerful novel, A Monster Calls, delving into the themes and issues explored by the author. Students have begun learning the text response essay writing process they will use to write a formal essay on their interpretation of the novel.

Year 7 English (SEAL)

The Year 7 English SEAL class has read Charles Dickens’s novella about the power of generosity, A Christmas Carol, exploring the complexities of this classic text. They have examined how the historical and cultural contexts of the Victorian period shaped the narrative and analysed Dickens’s use of language and symbolism. Students are learning how to write a formal essay on their interpretation of the novella.

Year 8 

Year 8 English

The Year 8 English classes are reading “The Giver,” a dystopian novel about a world with no colour. They are learning how to write a text response essay in a structured way. 

Year 8 English (SEAL)

Year 8 SEAL have been studying the Short Story “Haroun and the Sea of Stories” investigating the role of the hero. 

Year 9 

Year 9 English 

Year 9s are over halfway through our Analysing and Presenting Argument unit. Students are preparing for the ALT, which has two parts. Part 1 is an analysis of an unseen article on a current issue, and Part 2 involves students preparing a short oral presentation on an issue of interest to them. In Term 4 they will be studying the Australian film Red Dog.

Year 9 English ( SEAL)

What makes someone a great speaker? That's the question the Year 9 SEAL students were posed in Term 2 and by researching their own renowned orator, they were able to analyse the way in which strong speeches are constructed, as well as how they are delivered. Offering students autonomy in their learning is an integral part of the SEAL program. It was fascinating to see the range of speakers that students chose to research. From contemporary young people such as Emma Watson and Greta Thunberg, through to the iconic and historical figures of Martin Luther King Junior and Queen Elizabeth, our SEAL class listened, watched and analysed the powers of persuasion needed to engage an audience. They are taking this knowledge, along with their understanding of persuasive language devices, and are applying it to their own oral assessment task on a topic of their choice. 

It is, of course, rather telling that these high ability students saw fit to harness their own learning to construct a rather compelling argument as a real world application of these skills. Students carefully formed persuasive arguments for some adjustments to the assessment parameters and timeline and managed to persuade Ms Washington to make some small alterations. It's clear that the 9ENS class have been able to use their learning to advocate for themselves! We cannot wait for their presentations, as they are sure to be dynamic and highly engaging.  

Year 10

Year 10 English

The Year 10s have just finished their persuasive speeches - which can be simultaneously the most entertaining and anxiety-inducing time of the year for our English students. We are now moving on to our study of Aravinda Adiga's novel 'The White Tiger', which is set in India. In preparation for this, students have been researching aspects of Indian history, politics and culture - presenting to the class on a spread of topics ranging from Gandhi's salt march, economic impacts of British imperialism, Islamic poetry, and the impact of the dowry system on gender relations. 

Year 10 students presenting to their class

Year 10 Foundation English

The Year 10 Foundation English class are a Vocational Major stream for Year 10s. We have recently finished a unit investigating student’s own personal values and how they might influence their positions on a school- based issue, local issues and then Australian and Global issues that matter to students. Students delivered a presentation on an issue of their choice. 

We have recently begun studying the graphic novel “The Graveyard Book” by Neil Gaiman, about a boy called Nobody Owens who is brought up by ghosts and vampires in a graveyard. 

“Foundation English is better than normal English because there are less people, less noise, more help and the teachers are very kind chameleons.”

 Oscar Lockman and Kynan Pratt

“I like Foundation English because the teachers are really nice and always there when I need them.”  

Stephanie Halliday. 

Year 11 and Year 12

Year 11 and 12s have finished their exploring argument unit, in which they had to deliver an oral presentation on a current issue. There were certainly some articulate and passionate responses.

Year 12 have recently begun studying the Ancient Greek tragedy, Oedipus The King and were able to watch a performance of this play by Complete Works Theatre Company.

Spotlight on Student Work – Advance ( Literacy Intervention at Year 7 and 8)

In Advance, students have been diving into the world of the Olympics with a mix of fun and educational activities designed to boost their literacy skills. They have been reading stories about athletes, learning about different sports, and discussing the history and values of the Games. Activities include reading and responding to news articles, watching short videos, creating colourful PowerPoints about Paris and their favourite events, as well as participating in interactive games that help them grasp key concepts. This approach not only makes learning enjoyable but also helps them improve their reading and speaking skills while gaining a deeper understanding of the global event.

Siena Legge and Sammy Hachmeier present their research on Paris in Year 7 Advance