VCE English – Units 3 & 4

1. VCE English – Units 3 & 4 Mentone Grammar School - 2011

2. Unit 3 Outcomes are set by VCAA There are three outcomes Each outcome covers an Area of Study AoS1 – Reading and Responding AoS2 – Creating and Presenting AoS3-Using Language to Persuade

3. AOS1 – Reading and Responding • This contributes 30 marks out of the 10 marks for School Assessed Coursework for Unit 3. It will be assessed by one task which will be worth 30 marks • Analyse, either orally or in writing how a selected text constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and is open to a range of interpretations. • You must demonstrate the following skills: • Understanding of ideas, characters and themes • Understanding of the ways that the author constructs meaning • Cont.

4. Demonstrating outcome 1 cont. • Understanding of the social, historical and/or cultural values embodied in the text • Show the ways that the text can be open to different interpretations • Plan and revise written work for expressiveness, fluency and coherence or plan and deliver an effective oral text

5. Outcome 1 at Mentone Grammar The text chosen to allow you to demonstrate outcome 1 in 2008 is Geraldine Brooks’ text Year of Wonders – A Journal of the Plague Year You will continue to read this over the holidays and complete all holiday homework related to it Prepare to read your text more than once and highlight key ideas, themes and character or plot events

6. AOS 2 – Creating and Presenting Draw on ideas and/or arguments suggested by a chosen Context to create written texts for a specific audience and purpose and discuss and analyse in writing your decisions about form and purpose, language, audience and context. This outcome will contribute 30 marks out of 100 marks allocated to School Assessed Coursework for Unit 3. It will be assessed by one or more tasks, which contribute a total of 30 marks Your task is to create a sustained written text for a specific audience and context

7. AOS2 cont. You must included a written explanation of decisions about form, purpose, language, audience and context You will read a text which will help you to understand the Context and give you some ideas about the requirements of the task The chosen Context at Mentone Grammar is ‘Whose Reality?’

8. Outcome 2 Chosen Text The chosen text through which to explore the Context in 2010 is Robert Drewe’s novel The Shark Net This memoir is about a young man who grew up in Perth in the 1960s and the very different values he had from his parents It explores many themes related to the idea that each person has their own version of reality and this can be affected by generational norms You are required to read this over the holiday period and complete the holiday homework related to it.

9. AOS3 – Using Language to Persuade Analyse the language in texts that present a point of view on an issue currently debated in the Australian media and construct, orally or in writing, a sustained and reasoned point of view on the selected issue This outcome will contribute 40 marks out of the 100 marks allocated to School Assessed Coursework for unit 3. It will be assessed by two tasks, each of which will contribute 20 marks One task in unit 3 must be assessed orally Either outcome 1 or outcome 3 (task 2) will be assessed orally

10. Meeting Outcome 3 Two tasks are required to meet this outcome 1. Writing which analyses the use of language in three or more persuasive texts that debate a current issue in the Australian media This will be a comparison 2. a sustained and reasoned point of view on the selected issue in oral or written form

11. Unit 4 There are two Areas of Study and two outcomes in unit 4 AOS 1 is a Reading and Responding outcome AOS 2 is a Creating and Presenting outcome

12. AOS 1 – Reading and Responding Develop and justify and interpretation of a selected text This outcome will contribute 50 marks out of the 100 marks allocated to the School Assessed Coursework for Unit 4. It will be assessed by one task which will be worth 50 marks

13. Outcome 1 in 2010 The Text chosen at Mentone Grammar in 2010 will be the film text On the Waterfront starring Marlon Brando This task requires an extended written interpretation of the selected text This outcome will contribute a total of 50 marks out of the 100 marks allocated to School Assessed Coursework for unit4. It will be assessed by one task which will contribute a total of 50 marks

14. How to meet the outcome • You need to demonstrate the following: • Presentation of a sustained and detailed interpretation of a selected text supported by textual evidence • An understanding of the ideas, themes and characters constructed and presented in the selected text • Analyse the ways in which the author constructs meaning and expresses or implies a point of view and values

15. How to meet the outcome Use appropriate metalanguage in presenting the interpretation Plan and revise written work for expressiveness, fluency and coherence As this is a film text, you will also be expected to understand the ways in which film techniques contribute to meaning in the text

16. AOS 2 – Creating and Presenting This is the same as for unit 3 The Text chosen in 2010 for this outcome in Unit 4 is Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire This outcome will contribute 50 marks allocated to school assessed coursework for unit 4. it will be assessed by one or more tasks which will contribute a total of 50 marks.

17. The Examination The examination at the end of the year is worth 50% of your overall mark The earlier you prepare for this the better You should regularly revise all of your notes on each text and on AOS 3 Your texts should have been read several times and should have highlighted the main points Keep all notes neatly organised- you may wish to separate your notes into areas of study.

18. How the school will help See a teacher if you need assistance Your first stop should always be your classroom teacher Seek help as soon as possible if you are having difficulty understanding something Your teacher should be your first port of call – they understand the requirements of the subject and are experienced in teaching it, their help is invaluable!

19. Help cont. Extra classes will be offered at various times on request At exam times extra assistance is offered to students to help with revision You will be given a clear timeline with the dates of class activities, SACs and exams It is your responsibility to keep this and refer to it If there are changes to SAC times you will be notified at least a week in advance

20. What you need to do Make sure you are thoroughly organised for learning Create a separate folder for all of your texts Create folders for persuasive language and for the Context Take class notes in every class and for every discussion Make sure you do all of the required class work and homework

21. What you need to do Make sure you have a quite place to study at home READ WIDELY – this is crucial to your success in English Get a newspaper subscription – you need to be aware of current issues and to read persuasive texts Research your topics in depth – find a variety of sources Record all sources where you find and use information – there are very strict rules about using work that is not your own - plagiarism

22. What else? You need to work hard to reach your goals Use all of the resources available to you What else do you think you can do?