Introduction

  • Focus on Year 11 ATAR English.

  • Instructor: Mrs. McCavana

  • Contact: alannah.mccavana@education.wa.edu.au

Expectations

  • Be Prepared and Punctual:

    • Arrive on time and immediately engage with warm-up activities if posted.

    • Signaling readiness helps prime your brain for learning.

  • Active Learner:

    • Engage with classroom resources actively.

    • Teachers will provide PowerPoints and resources on Connect.

  • Note-taking:

    • Writing notes in class is encouraged, as studies show it aids retention.

    • Digital notes must be approved by the instructor.

  • Senior School Assessment Policy:

    • Students must adhere to this policy throughout the course.

Communication Guidelines

  • Email Protocol:

    • Use emails for queries not addressed in class.

    • Do not expect immediate replies; consider tone and include pleasantries.

Getting to Know You

  • Worksheet Activity:

    • Fill out the personal worksheet honestly.

    • The purpose is to understand students better to accommodate their needs.

Warm-Up Activity

  • OneNote Task:

    • Access Content Library -> Course Documents.

    • Define ‘tone’ in your English book.

    • Write two email examples to Mrs. McCavana:

    • One with an appropriate tone (pleasant, semi-formal).

    • One with an inappropriate tone (aggressive, demanding).

Course Documents Available in OneNote

  • SCSA Syllabus for Teaching in 2026.

  • WSHS Assessment Outline.

  • Senior School Assessment Policy.

  • Calendar for due dates (to be added to personal and family calendars).

  • Task sheets for assessments.

Metalanguage Warm-Up

  • Definition Prompt:

    • Define ‘metalanguage’ in your exercise book.

    • Compare it with the glossary.

Metalanguage Definition

  • Metalanguage:

    • Language used to discuss language, e.g., terms related to film study or grammatical terminology (e.g., ‘sentence’, ‘clause’, ‘conjunction’).

    • Knowledge and use of metalanguage are rewarded; familiarize yourself with the course glossary.

Task 1 - Short Answer Responses

  • Questions to Answer:

    1. Task date for the class.

    2. Weighting of the task.

    3. Number of questions to answer.

    4. Types of texts present in the assessments.

    5. Duration of the assessment.

    6. Expected length of answers.

    7. Policy on taking notes.

    8. Protocol for advance absence notification.

    9. Protocol for unexpected absence on assessment day.

    10. Key concepts for this task and define glossary terms.

Connection to the Exam

  • Exam Structure:

    • Section 1: Comprehending - Requires comprehension of unseen print, visual, and multimodal texts.

    • Focus: Specific analysis and concise answers in two questions.

    • Weighting: 30% of WACE (Western Australian Certificate of Education) exam.

2023 WACE Exam Overview

  • Text 1:

    • Greyscale reproduction of a poster for the 2022 film Pinocchio.

    • Adaptation of the 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio - story of Geppetto who carves a puppet learning about humanity.

    • Question 1: Analyze how genre features promote the film.

  • Text 2:

    • Extract from Limberlost by Robbie Arnott set in WWII, following character Ned selling rabbit pelts.

    • Question 2: Explain three character construction methods for Ned.

Classifying Texts: Text Type - Form - Genre

  • Understanding Text Classification:

    • Importance of categorizing texts according to specific criteria.

    • Common text types in senior English: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Drama.

    • Key Questions:

    1. How texts are categorized.

    2. Definitions of fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry.

    3. Can texts belong to multiple categories?

    4. What defines the form of a text?

    5. What constitutes the genre?

Task 1 - Focused Text Study

  • Questions to Explore:

    1. Texts under study (refer to the task sheet).

    2. Definition of a fictional narrative from the glossary.

    3. Possible forms narratives may take.

    4. Examples of narrative genres based on subject matter (e.g., horror).

    5. Definition of a multimodal text.

    6. Two modes in the multimodal text for the exam.

Narrative Conventions

  • Definitions:

    • Narratives defined both by personal and glossary definitions.

    • Components:

    • Narrative conventions include: Setting, Characterisation, Plot, Narrative Point of View, Structure.

    • Themes are often considered a convention as they rely on these elements for effectiveness.

The Purpose of Narratives

  • Naratives are constructed to:

    • Entertain.

    • Convey themes or ideas.

    • Reflect on societal contexts.

    • Promote or challenge values and perspectives.

Discussing Narrative Conventions

  • Language, visuals, and audio combine to develop narrative conventions.

Language Features: Structure and Purpose

  • Language Features:

    • Support meaning (e.g., vocabulary, punctuation, figurative language).

    • Different text types vary by purpose, subject matter, audience, and medium.

  • Examples:

    • Metaphors, Similes, Imagery, Symbolism, Vocabulary choices.

Identifying Themes and Ideas

  • Concepts:

    • Themes are major topics explored in narratives.

    • Ideas reflect what the creator wishes to express about these themes.