Open Night was a great success. We showcased the different English pathways available from Year 7 through to Year 12, including our Year 9 English electives, which offer students choice in their subject selection. It was wonderful to meet some potential future parents and students and to share with them the range of English options we have on offer.
Our Year 7 students have made a smooth transition and are currently engaged in a creative writing unit focused on the theme of Resilience, aligning with our school values. They have been participating in a range of activities designed to build resilience in their learning and have explored how this concept is represented in various texts. Students then sat their first CAT where they wrote their own stories that focused on the theme of resilience.
Our Year 8 and 9 students have made a strong start to the year. In Year 8, students explored the world of Microfiction — short pieces of fictional writing made up of 300 words or fewer. The unit focused on crafting complete stories that made an immediate impact, with students carefully selecting their words to ensure every one carried meaning and purpose. Meanwhile, in Year 9, students investigated the topic of fake news. They examined why fake news is created and learned about the different ways sources can intentionally or unintentionally manipulate audiences. To finish the unit, students created their own fake news pieces on a topic of their choice.
Our Year 10, 11 and 12 classes kicked off the year with writing units designed to spark students’ creativity and develop their ability to write for different purposes: to Explain, to Argue, to Express, and to Reflect. Students experimented with different types of writing, which allowed them to discover the styles and ideas they are most passionate about. For this unit, each year level explored their writing skills through a different theme. In Year 10, students studied Compassion, connecting their work to one of our school values. In Year 11, they looked at Power, examining the way that power dynamics shape the world we live in. In Year 12, students focused on the theme of Protest, challenging them to engage thoughtfully with current issues, reflect on the causes they feel strongly enough to stand up for, and find their voice.
Our Year 11 English Literature class have been hard at work doing genre studies, and our VCE English Language classes had a great start to the year, delving in to Units 1 & 3 with enthusiasm. We are so proud of the effort that our senior students have put in during Term 1, and we can’t wait to see how it pays off at the end of the year!
Mikayla Cassidy and Natalie Mulligan
ENGLISH KEY LEARNING HEADS
