English (Version 8.4)

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Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4

Understand how English works

Rationale

English focuses on developing students’ analytical, creative and critical thinking and communication skills in all language modes. It encourages students to engage with texts from their contemporary world, with texts from the past and with texts from Australian and other cultures.

Structure of English

In Unit 1 students explore how meaning is communicated through the relationships between language, text, purpose, context and audience. This includes how language and texts are shaped by their purpose, the audiences for whom they are intended and the contexts in which they are created and received.

Texts

Teachers will use an array of material in class. Texts include literary texts, fiction and non-fiction, media texts, everyday texts, and workplace texts, from increasingly complex and unfamiliar settings, ranging from the everyday language of personal experience to more abstract, specialised and technical language drawn from a range of contexts.

Representation of General capabilities

General capabilities covered in English include: Literacy, Numeracy, Information and communication technology (ICT) capability, Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capability, Ethical understanding and Intercultural understanding.

Achievement standards

Unit 1

Unit 1 Description

In Unit 1, students explore how meaning is communicated through the relationships between language, text, purpose, context and audience. This includes how language and texts are shaped by their purpose, the audiences for whom they are intended and the contexts in which they are created and received. Through responding to and creating texts, students consider how language, structure and conventions operate in a variety of imaginative, interpretive and persuasive texts. Study in this unit focuses on the similarities and differences between texts and how visual elements combine with spoken and written elements to create meaning. Students develop an understanding of stylistic features and apply skills of analysis and creativity. They are able to respond to texts in a variety of ways, creating their own texts and reflecting on their own learning.

Unit 1 Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, students:

understand the relationships between purpose, context and audience and how these relationships influence texts and their meaning
investigate how text structures and language features are used to convey ideas and represent people and events in a range of texts
create oral, written and multimodal texts appropriate for different audiences, purposes and contexts.

Unit 1 Content Descriptions

Investigate the relationships between language, context and meaning by:

explaining how texts are created in and for different contexts (ACEEN001)

analysing how language choices are made for different purposes and in different contexts using appropriate metalanguage; for example, personification, voice-over, flashback, salience (ACEEN002)

evaluating the choice of mode and medium in shaping the response of audiences, including digital texts (ACEEN003)

Examine similarities and differences between imaginative, persuasive and interpretive texts including:

explaining the ways language features, text structures and conventions communicate ideas and points of view (ACEEN004)

explaining the ways text structures, language features and stylistic choices are used in different types of texts (ACEEN005)

analysing how vocabulary, idiom and rhetoric are used for different purposes and contexts (ACEEN006)

evaluating the impact of description and imagery, including figurative language, and still and moving images in digital and multimodal texts. (ACEEN007)

Analyse and evaluate how responses to texts, including students’ own responses, are influenced by:

purpose, taking into account that a text’s purpose is often open to debate (ACEEN008)

personal, social and cultural context (ACEEN009)

the use of imaginative, persuasive and interpretive techniques. (ACEEN010)

Create a range of texts:

using appropriate form, content, style and tone for different purposes and audiences in real and imagined contexts (ACEEN011)

drawing on a range of technologies in, for example, research, communication and representation of ideas (ACEEN012)

combining visual, spoken and written elements where appropriate (ACEEN013)

using evidence-based argument (ACEEN014)

using appropriate quotation and referencing protocols (ACEEN015)

using strategies for planning, drafting, editing and proofreading (ACEEN016)

using accurate spelling, punctuation, syntax and metalanguage. (ACEEN017)

Reflect on their own and others’ texts by:

analysing textual evidence to assess the purpose and context of texts (ACEEN018)

questioning responses to texts (ACEEN019)

investigating the impact and uses of imaginative, interpretive and persuasive texts. (ACEEN020)

Unit 2

Unit 2 Description

In Unit 2, students analyse the representation of ideas, attitudes and voices in texts to consider how texts represent the world and human experience. Analysis of how language and structural choices shape perspectives in and for a range of contexts is central to this unit. By responding to and creating texts in different modes and mediums, students consider the interplay of imaginative, interpretive and persuasive elements in a range of texts and present their own analyses. Students examine the effect of stylistic choices and the ways in which these choices position audiences for particular purposes, revealing attitudes, values and perspectives. Through the creation of their own texts, students are encouraged to reflect on their language choices and consider why they have represented ideas in particular ways.

Unit 2 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, students:

understand the ways in which ideas and attitudes are represented in texts
examine the ways texts are constructed to influence responses
create oral, written and multimodal texts that experiment with text structures and language features for particular audiences, purposes and contexts.

Unit 2 Content Descriptions

Compare texts in a variety of contexts, mediums and modes by:

explaining the relationship between purpose and context (ACEEN021)

analysing the style and structure of texts including digital texts (ACEEN022)

evaluating similarities and differences between hybrid texts, for example, infotainment, product placement in movies, hypertext fiction. (ACEEN023)

Investigate the representation of ideas, attitudes and voices in texts including:

analysing the ways language features, text structures and stylistic choices shape points of view and influence audiences (ACEEN024)

evaluating the effects of rhetorical devices, for example, emphasis, emotive language and imagery in the construction of argument (ACEEN025)

analysing the effects of using multimodal and digital conventions such as navigation, sound and image (ACEEN026)

analysing how attitude and mood are created, for example, through the use of humour in satire and parody. (ACEEN027)

Analyse and evaluate how and why responses to texts vary through:

the impact of language and structural choices on shaping own and others’ perspectives (ACEEN028)

the ways ideas, attitudes and voices are represented, for example, how events are reported differently in the media (ACEEN029)

the interplay between imaginative, persuasive and interpretive techniques, for example, how anecdotes are used in speeches to amuse, inform or influence, or the use of characteristation in advertising (ACEEN030)

analysing changing responses to texts over time and in different cultural contexts. (ACEEN031)

Create a range of texts:

using imaginative, interpretive and persuasive elements for different purposes, contexts and audiences (ACEEN032)

experimenting with text structures, language features and multimodal devices (ACEEN033)

developing and sustaining voice, tone and style (ACEEN034)

selecting and applying appropriate textual evidence to support arguments (ACEEN035)

using strategies for planning, drafting, editing and proofreading (ACEEN036)

using accurate spelling, punctuation, syntax and metalanguage. (ACEEN037)

Reflect on their own and others’ texts by:

analysing the values and attitudes expressed in texts (ACEEN038)

evaluating the effectiveness of texts in representing ideas, attitudes and voices (ACEEN039)

explaining how and why texts position readers and viewers. (ACEEN040)