English 7-8
In English students learn to create, analyse, understand and interpret text, to appreciate, enjoy and use language and develop a sense of its power to evoke feelings, convey ideas, inform and argue. English involves students in reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Students are encouraged to use iPads in the classroom to enhance their learning. In years 7 and 8 iPads are used for planning, filming, publishing, researching and communicating ideas. At each year level, students also complete two examinations.
In Years 7 and 8, students will develop their skills in language, literacy and literature through a range of fun and challenging units.
Year 7 students will:
- Write short stories
- Study a media issue
- Study a novel
- Study Poetry
- Undertake essay writing and oral presentations
- Learn how to read and write poetry
- Create a television script
Year 8 students will:
- Write creatively and persuasively
- Study a novel
- Study a film
- Undertake essay writing and oral presentations
- Create a writing folio
Year 7 and 8 students also participate in Writer’s Workshop and Independent Reading Programs.
Writer’s Workshop
All Year 7 and 8 students take part in a Writer’s Workshop program, aimed at improving creativity and written skills, through explicit teaching of language conventions. This program is based on the Six Traits of Writing.
For more information please refer to the Literacy link on the webpage.
Reading Skills
All Year 7 and 8 students are explicitly taught reading skills which are embedded into the curriculum. As part of developing reading skills students also read for the first 10 minutes of every English lesson.
For more information please refer to the Literacy link on the webpage.
English 9-10
Year 9 and 10 students begin to more fully explore contexts such as love and humour, and values such as loyalty in texts. Students refine their ability to use a variety of writing styles for a range of purposes preparing them for the writing styles required in VCE.
In Years 9 and 10, students will develop their skills in language, literacy and literature through a range of challenging units.
Year 9 students will:
- Create a persuasive speech
- Study two novels
- Undertake a Reading & Comparing Unit
- Complete a Language Analysis Essay
- Undertake essay writing
- Undertake speaking and listening activities
- Write creatively and persuasively
Year 10 students will:
- Create analytical and creative responses to text
- Study two texts
- Study a film as text
- Undertake a Reading & Comparing Unit
- Undertake speaking and listening activities
- Undertake essay writing
- Complete a Language Analysis Essay
VCE
This study aims to develop competence in the understanding and use of English for a variety of purposes sufficient to meet demand of post school employment and further education.
Students will continue learning in the key discipline concepts of texts and language and the dimensions of reading, writing and speaking and listening.
Yarra Hills Secondary College currently offers the following English subjects at VCE:
- English
- English Literature
- English as an Additional Language
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
EAL at Yarra Hills applies the Super Enhanced Immersion Model of EAL education (SEIEAL). SEIEAL is a strong model of EAL that welcomes EAL students and encourages, at the least, biliteracy and bilingualism in the form of the student’s first language and English. This provides intercultural opportunities and is backed up by a Whole School Approach ratified in our school’s EAL policy.
The study of English as an Additional Language (EAL) is offered from Years 7 through to 12 and is designed to assist students whose first language is not English. It focuses on improving oral and written language skills.
Whilst running parallel to the mainstream curriculum, EAL places an emphasis on learning Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP).
In the Junior School, years 7 through to 10, the course encompasses differentiated teaching that focuses on improving and extending social language, oral and written communication, pronunciation, visual and text-based comprehension skills, and vocabulary extension.
In the Senior School, English as an Additional Language VCE, is offered to students who qualify.
We welcome your questions and we can arrange interpreter services in most languages.
Learning Support
Learning Support is provided to nominated students at Years 7 and 8, as a replacement for L.O.T.E (Languages Other than English), it runs for two lessons per week.
This course strengthens and refines student literacy skills and compliments the English course to improve student confidence in speaking and listening, research, vocabulary, writing and reading in all key learning areas. The course covers Years 7 and 8, with Year 8 continuing to provide explicit assistance.
Student needs in the program are assessed and they are taught at their point of need and progressed in their work once skills are mastered.