Year 10
| - English
- English Extension
|
Year 11
| - English (General)
- Essential English (Applied)
- Literature (General)
- English as an Additional Language (General)
|
For more information about English, please refer to the Year 10 Subject Guide (PDF, 4MB) or Year 11 & 12 Subject Guide (PDF, 3.3MB) or contact the Head of Department.
FAQs
Why should I choose this subject?
Each strand of English is different. Students need to consider their interests, their abilities and what study, if any, they wish to enter once they complete Year 12.
Essential English is an Applied course that is suitable for those who did not achieve a pass in Year 10 English. Students can do Essential English and get an ATAR, but most courses require students having the prerequisite of General English, so students need to check the prerequisites for their courses before choosing this subject.
General English is suitable for those who wish to receive an ATAR score. It is a broad but academically rigorous course, which includes novels, plays, poetry and visual texts.
Literature is also suitable for those who wish to receive an ATAR score but students must consider the heavy reading load when selecting this subject. Each assessment responds to a core text or texts. This includes novels, plays and poetry.
Based on my Year 10 English grades, which strand of English should I choose?
General English: It is advisable that students have passed Year 10 English in order to succeed in General English. General English engages with social issues, current and historical events and contexts, and different perspectives in texts. It is advantageous to read and view a wide variety of texts—both fiction and non-fiction.
Literature: Students who have received at least a ‘B’ in Year 10 English may select Literature. Students who enjoy reading, creative writing, and analysing texts would enjoy this subject. There is a heavy reading load in this subject. It is also advantageous to read and view a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction texts.
It is assumed that students undertaking these courses have adequate knowledge of punctuation, sentence structure and paragraph organisation.
Essential English is an Applied course and is recommended for students who did not pass Year 10 English, or who do not need English as a prerequisite for further studies. This program centres on student-interest topics and relevant real world issues and identities, with a focus on identifying and explaining language and textual features.
What is the difference between Essential English and General English?
General English explores concepts, identities and perspectives that inform the conversations that arise from texts. The course material largely includes novels, poems, plays and documentaries. The assessment items vary from written pieces for magazines and spoken pieces for television or YouTube audiences. The language choices, organisation and ideas are very audience-specific and change with each assessment. The program builds on the work completed in English in Year 10.
On the other hand, Essential English allows for more student choice and flexibility with students able to choose their focus topic before moving into texts about the ‘real world’; units and texts reflect popular culture and current issues and events. The course texts largely include media articles, blogs, documentaries, advertisements and TED Talks. The course heavily focusses on identifying language and textual features and explaining how they shape meaning in a text. There are also a number of oral presentations to be completed throughout the course, however students are able to pre-record these orals at home and submit a video file.
What is the difference between General English and Literature? Can I do both?
Yes, students can study both subjects.
If students require an ATAR they can select either General English or Literature.
General English and Literature share the same assessable objectives. The difference is in the course organisation and assessment types. General English assesses students in persuasive, analytical and creative genres. Literature assesses students in analytical and creative genres only.
General English requires students to write and speak in real life contexts. These vary from written pieces for magazines and spoken pieces for television or YouTube audiences. The language choices, organisation and ideas are very audience specific and change with each assessment.
Students who particularly enjoy analysis and creative writing should consider Literature. The course requires the reading and critical interpretation of important canonical texts. Assessment undertaken in this course requires students to examine, understand and appreciate the continued relevance of these texts today. Students communicate this understanding in both academic and creative contexts.
Both courses require students to complete spoken assessments. In General English these are persuasive tasks—a familiar genre. The spoken tasks in Literature are Creative Imaginative Multimodal tasks where students reimagine elements of texts studied. Spoken tasks in both courses are pre-recorded. To complete these tasks successfully, students have access to software and tutorials.
What assessment is completed in Essential English?
Year 11
| Unit 1a: TED Talk – Multimodal Presentation
Unit 1b: Job Expo Presentation (Multimodal)
Unit 1c: Event Planning Proposal with an OH&S focus (Written)
Unit 2a: Short Response Exam (Mock CIA)
Unit 2b: Written Blog |
Year 12
| Unit 3a - IA1: TED Talk - Multimodal presentation
Unit 3b - CIA: Common Internal Assessment (CIA)
Unit 4a - IA3: Multi-modal Presentation
Unit 4b - IA4: Website Content |
What assessment is completed in General English?
Year 11
| Unit 1a: Literary Article (Novel + Poem or Documentary)
Unit 1b: Persuasive Monologue
Unit 2a: Narrative (Transformation from Poetry)
Unit 2b: Analytical Exam (Play)
|
Year 12
| Unit 3a - IA2: Persuasive Monologue
Unit 3b - IA1: Literary Article (Novel + Documentary)
Unit 4a - IA3: Narrative (Transformation from Poetry)
Unit 4b - External Exam: Analytical Essay
|
What assessment is completed in Literature?
Year 11
| Unit 1a: Analytical Exam (Novel 1)
Unit 1b: Narrative
Unit 2a: Intertextuality - Creative Imaginative Multi-modal (Novel 2)
Unit 2b: Analytical Exam (Novel 2)
|
Year 12
| Unit 3a - IA2: Intertextuality - Creative Imaginative Multi-modal, (Novel 3)
Unit 3b - IA1: Analytical Exam, (Novel 4)
Unit 4a - IA3: Narrative
Unit 4b - External Exam: Analytical Essay
|
What will help me to be successful in General English and Literature?
Both the General English and Literature courses are demanding. Students must be well-organised and prepared to complete the requisite two hours of homework per week on additional reading, writing, drafting and consolidating ideas.
Engaging in class discussions, and being open to discuss and research new ideas is helpful. More importantly, being prepared to commit time to the craft of writing is essential for success in both subjects.
It is recommended that students engage in wide reading and viewing of both fiction and non-fiction texts, beyond those covered in class. Because General English often draws from topical and historical contexts, knowledge of current affairs is helpful.
Are there any excursions or extra costs for this subject?
Often, a theatre group who perform or present a workshop based upon a text will be booked for an incursion (internal excursions). This generally occurs once a year. Students cover the small cost of these incursions.