the truth about

year 10 english

Isabella Harding

Year 10

This year, the Year 10 English curriculum looks very different from that of years past.

This year, students had decisions to make.  Instead of everyone participating in the same year-long program, students got to pick two out of three choices of semester-long units of study. Each unit looks at a concept – Truth, Power or Artificial Intelligence - and explores it through film, literature, and personal experience .

The decisions don’t end there, either. Whilst all students within a unit study a common film, they get to choose the novel they would like to study from a short list, allowing them to factor in personal interests. Year 10 students have finished their first unit in Semester 1, and have just started their second.

Aisha Tabit and Daryah Hickling-Vahua Zeynel shared their experiences of Year 10 English this year.

You chose the unit ‘Truth’ for Semester 1.

Did it meet your expectations?

Aisha:

It did! It did because I didn’t have high expectations for the unit, and the ones I did have were misguided at best. I expected there not to be that much to be studied in a topic like Truth. I expected it to be something very straightforward that wouldn’t prove very insightful; I was wrong! My low expectations were disproven, and as a result I learned a lot. I expected something very bland, and got something very new, fascinating and insightful.

Daryah:

We studied a novel of our choice and Barry Levison's film Wag The Dog, comparing and contrasting them.  Overall, the unit gave me a new perspective on things that happen in our day to day lives.

How did you feel about having a range of texts to choose from?

Aisha:

Really good. Each text explored the concept of Truth from a totally different angle, and this allowed the topic to be explored in a much broader, more diverse range of depth amongst students. It was also really good to have a choice in what text to study. We could choose one that we thought we’d enjoy the most, or get the most insight out of - and that was very empowering.  It also helps to make us feel like our insights are our own original insights - if that makes sense!

Daryah:

I personally enjoyed having a variety of novels to choose from although it made it hard ot have a class discussion about a single novel.

What was your biggest 'take-away message' from the unit?

Aisha:

That the truth can be moulded and manipulated very easily. That everyone’s perception of Truth is different because we all view the world differently and are exposed to different amounts and ranges of information. This all impacts our perceptions of the truth.

Daryah:

From this unit, I took away the message that there are many truths behind one’s actions - verbally, psychologically and physically - and that our individual truths can be influenced from the way we are raised, having a different religion or race as well as having unique values. Moreover, I learned that the fictional/non-fictional truth presented can be unnoticeably manipulated and displayed through deception, which creates an individual perception.

If you could change something about the unit, what would it be?

Aisha:

Nothing, honestly. I think the unit covered Truth in a broad range of ways through a broader range of topics and issues. It made me see Truth as a much more complex concept to how I viewed it previously, which is exactly what you want out of a unit of study.

Daryah:

At times the topics covered seemed repetitive and it wasn't as interesting as my previous year of English. If I could change anything about the unit, I would make sure lessons change over time so that the topic relates to different scenarios of truth via the real world, novels, film and personal experiences instead of just focusing on a novel and a film for a whole semester.

Find out more...

Rohan McCarthy

Head of Learning - English

The Year 10 English curriculum has been designed to inspire and challenge students to extend their skills in English studies by empowering them to consider different perspectives on the world they live in.  Students have enjoyed the opportunity to take more responsibility for their learning and to make decisions about the best way for them to pursue their studies through a wider choice of study texts. Each semester students focus on a specific theme which asks them to question how they view the world and also to understand the views of others. The use of this model has translated not only into better student engagement and increased motivation and commitment, but prepared students more effectively for the challenges of VCE English studies.

To find out more about the Year 10 English curriculum,  you can access our Curriculum Handbook HERE.

This handbook is also available via the Brunswick Secondary College website - Learning tab.