What does the course entail?

The English General course focuses on consolidating and refining the skills and knowledge needed by students to become competent, confident and engaged users of English in everyday, community, social, further education, training and workplace contexts.
The course develops students’ language, literacy and literary skills to enable them to communicate successfully both orally and in writing and to enjoy and value using language for both imaginative and practical purposes.
"English class is really enjoyable and it teaches us important skills while keeping us engaged and interested."

What units will be covered in this course?

Year 11
Units 1 & 2

Unit 1
This unit focuses on students comprehending and responding to the ideas and information presented in texts.
They will also be given opportunities to read, view and listen to texts to connect, interpret and visualise ideas as well as learning how to respond personally and logically to texts by questioning, using inferential reasoning and determining the importance of content and structure.
Engagement in this course will allow students to:
  • comprehend information, ideas and language in texts selected from everyday contexts.
  • understand language choices and the likely or intended effect of these choices in a range of texts.
  • create oral, written and multimodal texts appropriate for audience and purpose in everyday, community, social, further education, training and workplace contexts.

Unit 2
This unit focuses on interpreting ideas and arguments in a range of texts and contexts. Students will analyse text structures and language features and identify the ideas, arguments and values expressed. They will also be given opportunities to examine the connections between purpose and structure and how a text’s meaning is influenced by the context in which it is created and received.
Engagement in this course will allow students to:
  • examine how the structure and language of texts varies in different modes and media.
  • understand reasons for language choices and their effects on audiences in a variety of texts and contexts.
  • create oral, written and multimodal texts for different purposes using appropriate communication strategies for interaction with others.

Assessment Structure
There are two types of assessment in the English General course. The weightings of these assessments are set by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority.
They are:
  • Responding 40-60%
Types of assessment will involve tasks in which students comprehend, engage with, interpret, analyse, compare, contrast, reflect on, appreciate and evaluate a range of texts and text forms for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Students can respond in a range of text forms, including fiction and non-fiction, media texts, multimodal and digital texts.
  • Creating 40-60%
Students create sustained imaginative, interpretive and persuasive texts in a range of modes for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Students can create a range of text forms, including fiction and non-fiction, media texts, multimodal and digital texts.

Year 12
Units 3 & 4

Unit 3
Unit 3 focuses on exploring different perspectives presented in a range of texts and contexts. Students will explore attitudes, text structures and language features to understand a text’s meaning and purpose. In addition, they will consider how perspectives and values are presented in texts to influence specific audiences.
Engagement in this course will allow students to:
  • examine the ways that perspectives are presented in literary, everyday and workplace texts.
  • understand how language choices influence specific audiences.
  • create oral, written and multimodal texts that convey a perspective.

Unit 4
Unit 4 focuses on community, local or global issues and ideas presented in texts and on developing students’ reasoned responses to them. Students will analyse the ways in which authors influence or position audiences. Additionally, they will have opportunities to investigate differing perspectives and develop reasoned responses in a range of text forms for a variety of audiences.
Engagement in this course will allow students to:
  • investigate the way language is used to present issues and attitudes.
  • understand ways in which language is used to influence and engage different audiences.
  • create oral, written and multimodal texts that communicate ideas and perspectives on issues and events.

Assessment Structure
There are three types of assessment in the English General course. The weightings of these assessments are set by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority.
They are:
  • Responding 40%
Students respond to a variety of written, spoken, digital and multimodal texts.
Students can respond in a range of text forms, including fiction and non-fiction, media texts, multimodal and digital texts.
  • Creating 45%
Students create imaginative, interpretive and persuasive texts in a range of modes for a variety of purposes and audiences.
  • Externally set task 15%
A written task or item or set of items of one hour duration developed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority and administered by the school.
Head of Learning Area: Mr Robert Armitage
Contact Number: 9591 4237
​Contact Email: [email protected]