English

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Description

Year 10 English students are asked to create, study and respond critically to spoken, written and visual texts created for a wide range of audiences and purposes. Students explore the conscious decisions that writers and speakers make when constructing texts and consider the impacts of these decisions.

The course comprises both a close examination of the socio-cultural dimensions of language, as well as a study of the techniques and languages of critical analysis. Through writing, discussion and online tools students are asked to explore and interpret different perspectives on complex issues, analysing how literary and non-literary texts are likely to be interpreted by different groups developing a critical understanding of the contextual factors involved in the construction and interpretation of texts. Students are provided with the opportunity to engage with and produce a range of spoken and written texts in a variety of formal and informal situations as well as examining the variety of ways in which spoken and written language influences audiences.

This course incorporates elements of both the Victorian Curriculum F-10 and the Australian Curriculum and prepares students for a range of IB and VCE pathways beyond Year 10.

Essential Questions

How are the structures, features and conventions of texts used to construct meaning?
How might texts be interpreted in multiple ways by readers or viewers?
How is language used to shape thought, explore ideas and construct identities?
How is language altered to suit different styles, purposes and audiences?

Areas of Study

Each of the following areas of study focusses on developing the student's skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking and writing.

Language

Students study the conventions for structuring and organising texts and the ways that grammatical devices can be used to influence meaning.
Focus on how language can be used to empower or disempower people, and on the inclusive and exclusive effects of language used in social interaction.
Students consider the way English has changed over time, in both Australian and global settings.

Literature

Students develop their understanding of and appreciation for literature, as well as their ability to respond to, analyse and create literary works.
Students analyse how structures and features within a text can influence an audience’s response, as well as considering others’ interpretations of literature.
Students study how they explain how texts are shaped by the time, place and cultural setting in which they are created.
Using this analysis and understanding, students will create literary texts by selecting appropriate structures and literary devices.

Literacy

Students develop their capacity to interpret and create texts with appropriateness, accuracy, confidence, fluency and efficacy, adapting language to meet the demands of general or specialised purposes, audiences and contexts.
Students learn the range of strategies, structures and features available in speech and in writing and are able to choose from these to communicate effectively.
They are able to interpret, analyse and evaluate a range of texts, and can create written, spoken and digital texts in a range of forms.

Assessment

Task	Description
Responding to texts, including discussion on how meaning is constructed, in oral, multimodal and written forms	The completion of oral and written responses to texts, including text response essays, digital scene analyses, persuasive text analysis, written passage analysis and persuasive or creative responses
Exploring complex ideas and issues through writing in a range of styles for different purposes and audiences	The completion of a writing folio, personal and reflective writing and written responses to texts. Reading and annotation of set texts
Understanding of the spoken mode and development of effective speaking and listening strategies	A range of activities, including analysis of audio visual texts, collaborative workshops with peers and researching the spoken language used in interaction
Semester Exam	Students undertake an examination or timed assessment at the conclusion of the semester or units