Table of Contents (Print) Area of Study 1: Reading & responding Area of Study 1 resources on CD-ROM 2 Chapter 1: Overview 3 The essentials 3 Assessment for each unit 3 Key knowledge/key skills 4 Year 11 and Year 12 compared 4 Taking notes 5 Headings for a summary sheet 6 Chapter 2: Novels & short stories 7 The beginnings of texts 8 What s in the plot? 12 Structure 12 Setting and context 14 Narrators 16 First-person narrative 16 Third-person narrative 17 Characters 18 Protagonists and main characters 20 Minor characters 20 Characters and ideas 21 Themes and values 22 Short story collections 24 Chapter 3: Drama 26 Special features of drama 29 Stage directions and stage sets 29 Acts and scenes 30 Soliloquies and asides 31 Structure 32 Dialogue 32 Themes and values 34 Chapter 4: Films 35 Special features of film 36 Elements of narrative in film 39 Chapter 5: Biography & autobiography 40 Introduction to biography & autobiography 40 Chapter 6: Poetry 45 Poetry essentials 45 Studying poems 47 Poems for study 49 Chapter 7: Text responses 52 Written text responses 52 Sample student essays 61 Oral presentations 65 Assessment sheet: Written response 67 Assessment sheet: Oral response 68 Area of Study 2: Creating & presenting Area of Study 2 resources on CD-ROM 70 Chapter 8: Overview 71 The essentials 71 Assessment for each unit 71 Key knowledge/key skills 72 How does Area of Study 2 link to Year 12? 72 How to use texts 73 Key vocabulary 74 Chapter 9: Australian identity 76 Work sequence 77 Building the Context 79 How do we define ourselves? 81 iii
A short story 84 A children s book 86 A satiric profile 88 An opinion piece 88 Chapter 10: Family & society 90 Work sequence 91 Building the Context 93 A memoir 97 A scene or a dialogue 98 A parody 98 A feature article 100 Chapter 11: Future worlds 102 Work sequence 103 Building the Context 105 A brochure 105 Creating a scene for a film 107 Writing a short story 110 A persuasive essay 112 Chapter 12: Exploring technology & communication 113 Overview of the Context 113 Studying websites 115 Society and the internet 116 Hyperfiction and hypertext 119 Chapter 13: Exploring workplace communication 121 Effective communication 122 Writing outcomes 125 Chapter 14: Resources for writing & creating 127 Basic guidelines 128 Thinking about your topic 128 Developing ideas 129 Audience, purpose and form 133 Creating a structure 136 Writing a draft 137 Redrafting and editing 138 Imaginative writing 139 Creating a scene or vignette 139 Writing short stories 140 Personal writing 147 Feature articles 149 Persuasive writing 150 Argumentative essays 152 Informative writing 153 Spelling and grammar 155 Assessment sheet 158 Area of Study 3: Using language to persuade Area of Study 3 resources on CD-ROM 160 Chapter 15: Overview 161 Assessment for each unit 161 Key knowledge/key skills 162 Year 11 and Year 12 links 162 Key vocabulary 163 Chapter 16: Understanding persuasive language 165 Elements of persuasive language 165 What is a media issue? 166 Audience and purpose 167 Chapter 17: Media texts 168 Newspapers 169 Tabloids and broadsheets 169 Newspaper text types 169 Positions of articles 170 Headlines 170 Front-page stories 172 Feature articles 175 Editorials 176 Opinion pieces 178 iv
Letters to the editor 179 Cartoons 180 Photographs 181 Chapter 18: Persuasive techniques 183 Persuasive language 183 Main contention 184 Alliteration 185 Attacks 185 Clichés 186 Colour 187 Connotations 188 Emotional appeals 189 Emotive language 193 Evidence 194 Generalisation 195 Inclusive language 196 Metaphor 197 Overstatement/exaggeration/ hyperbole 197 Puns 198 Reason and logic 199 Repetition 200 Rhetorical questions 200 Tone 201 Voice: active and passive 202 Chapter 19: Language analysis 203 Steps in language analysis 203 Sample language analysis 206 Using effective words and phrases 208 Tips for oral presentation 210 Analyse a segment from a non-print media text 211 Chapter 20: A point of view on an issue 212 Understanding an issue 213 Steps for researching an issue 213 Different points of view 214 What is a reasoned point of view? 214 Example of a reasoned point of view 216 Issue: Recycled water 217 News article 219 Charts, graphs, maps and tables 220 Editoral 221 Letters 221 Sample point of view 222 Assessment sheet: Language analysis 225 Assessment sheet: A reasoned point of view 226 Other resources Chapter 21: Examination 227 Format of the exam 227 Area of Study 1 228 Area of Study 2 229 Area of Study 3 229 Timing in the exam 230 Revising for your exam 230 Authors & contributors 231 Acknowledgements 233 What s on the CD-ROM? 234 v
CD-ROM What s on the CD-ROM? * Area of Study 1: Reading & Responding I Articles on over 30 texts: novels, short stories, plays, films, autobiography I Sample student essays for class discussion. Area of Study 2: Creating & Presenting Chapter 9: Australian identity I Unit 1: supporting texts I Unit 2: Australia s changing identity: flow chart for developing the theme plus supporting texts ready to print. Chapter 10: Family and society I Unit 1: supporting texts I Unit 2: suggested texts. Chapter 11: Future worlds I Unit 1: supporting texts and articles I Unit 2: fully developed unit with supporting text articles. Area of Study 3: Using Language to Persuade Chapter 17: Media texts I A full front page from each of The Age and a local paper. Chapter 20: A point of view on an issue I Audience, purpose and text type I University fees with sample newspaper texts and activities I Recycling water: extra article Water recycling backed and letter to the editor. Notes for teachers I Guidelines and ideas for developing the Context Exploring and presenting themes or ideas with flow charts and notes for the development of three themes: different realities; growing up; surviving conflict. * All items ready to print. Chapter 12: Exploring technology & communication I Supporting texts. Chapter 14: Resources for writing & creating I Student writing: Lollies I Annotated opinion piece. vi
Area of Study 1 Reading & Responding Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Overview Novels & short stories Drama Films Biography & autobiography Poetry Text responses
The CD-ROM included at the back of this book provides detailed articles on more than 30 texts suitable for Area of Study 1. The articles cover novels, short story collections, plays, non-print texts (film and television) and nonfiction. For more information, see the CD-ROM. Area of Study 1: Reading and Responding Contents of CD-ROM I A Streetcar Named Desire I About A Boy I Blade Runner I Bowling for Columbine I Boys of Blood and Bone I Cat s Eye I First They Killed My Father I Fly Away Peter I Gattaca I Kath and Kim I Macbeth I Maestro I Maus (The Complete Maus) I Minimum of Two I Montana 1948 I Napoleon Dynamite I Night I Njunjul the Sun I Only the Heart I Othello I Phone Booth I Pride and Prejudice I Rabbit-Proof Fence I Sparring with Shadows I Stolen I The Divine Wind I The Dons I The Longest Memory I The Matrix I The Patron Saint of Eels I The Running Man I The Shark Net I The Simpsons I The Things They Carried I The Truman Show I Triage I V for Vendetta I Wag the Dog I We Can Be Heroes
1Chapter h Area of Study 1: Overview Reading & Responding The essentials f You read and study one set text in each unit. f You respond to the set text either in an analytical essay or in an oral presentation. f You need to understand the techniques used to construct the text. f You need to understand the characters, ideas, themes and values presented in the text. f You need to use appropriate metalanguage to discuss texts. Metalanguage simply means the language that we use to talk about language. We use metalanguage when we respond to texts and use terms such as style and plot. de finition Assessment for each unit What is assessed? How is it assessed? N A written response or an oral presentation on a text set by your school. N Your teacher will decide whether your response is written or oral. N Your grades are based on how well you demonstrate the key knowledge and skills. (See next page.) N The total mark for text responses will be approximately one third of your English mark. See pp.67 8 for sample assessment sheets. Area of Study 1: Reading & Responding
Chapter 1 Overview Key knowledge/key skills What you need to know The ideas, characters and themes presented in the set text. The structures, features and conventions used by the author. How to identify the author s point of view and values. Features of texts that affect how you interpret a text s meaning (e.g. use of language, structure, setting). Strategies and techniques for responding to texts. Conventions for group and class discussions. The accepted rules of spelling, punctuation and grammar of Standard Australian English. What you need to be able to do Discuss how ideas, characters and themes are presented in the text. Identify and analyse how structures, features and conventions are used to convey meaning. Identify and discuss values and ideas presented in a text. Gather evidence from the text to support an interpretation of its meaning. Use the appropriate strategies and techniques to construct, edit and present a response. Actively listen to the views of others and respond appropriately to them during discussion. Use the accepted rules of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Year 11 and Year 12 compared Units 1 & 2 (Year 11) Units 3 & 4 (Year 12) Set texts N Two set texts: one for Unit 1 and one for Unit 2. N Your school selects the texts. Set texts N Two set texts: one for Unit 3 and one for Unit 4. N Your school selects two texts from Text List 1 published annually by the VCAA. Outcome 1 N For Unit 1: a response that identifies and discusses key aspects of a set text. N For Unit 2: a response that discusses and analyses how texts convey ways of thinking about characters, ideas and themes. Written or oral N Text responses for Outcome 1 in each unit can be written or oral. N Your school decides whether any text response can be presented orally. No VCAA exam for Year 11 N Your school will probably set end-of-unit exams which include a text response question. Outcome 1 N For Unit 3: a response that analyses how a text constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and is open to a range of interpretations. N For Unit 4: a written response that develops and justifies a detailed interpretation of a text. Written or oral N The text response for Outcome 1 in Unit 3 can be written or oral. N The text response for Outcome 1 in Unit 4 must be written. One end-of-year exam set by VCAA N Three-hour exam covering all Areas of Study. N One third of the marks are allocated to a written text response on one of the set texts.
Chapter 1 Overview Taking notes It is important that you take your own detailed notes as you are studying a text. As well as being an invaluable part of preparation for writing essays, note-taking is extremely helpful in developing your understanding of the text. You may feel that you understand the role of a character or what the author is saying about a particular value. However, to make sure that your ideas are clear you need to put your understanding into words. Strategies for taking notes Here are three strategies for taking notes as you are studying a text. I Write notes in the margins of your text to remind you of important: ; stages in the plot ; aspects of character development ; passages that develop particular themes and ideas. I Make a list of key quotations for each main character and for each main idea or theme. I Write a paragraph or a list of key points about each main character including: ; their main attributes ; any important changes in their attitudes, beliefs or personality traits ; features of their most important relationships. Activities to help with note-taking The following five chapters cover different genres, and each includes activities designed to suit any text in the genre. The activity questions help you to create notes on your text which: I develop your understanding of the text I improve your skill at writing about features of a text I allow you to build a resource on key elements of the text that you can refer to when writing essays or preparing for an exam. Using summary sheets An effective way of summarising a lot of information about a text is to create a summary sheet. Examples of the main headings and information you should include for each of the main types of texts are shown on the following page. You can write up the summary sheets in your workbook or type them up on your computer. Area of Study 1: Reading & Responding
Chapter 1 Overview Headings for a summary sheet For a non-print text, you will need several headings instead of author. Use: v Director v Screenplay writer/s v Music composer/s v Cast (lead roles only) For a poem, your summary sheet s main headings could be: v Title v Poet v Form v Images (give examples and indicate how images are created; e.g. metaphor) v Ideas, themes and values The headings below are appropriate for a summary sheet for a novel or short story, play or nonfiction text. They can easily be adapted to suit poetry and non-print texts (film or television). Title: I For a short story, give the title of the story and the title of the collection in which it appears. Author: I For a play, use playwright instead of author. Genre: I Indicate whether the text is a novel or short story, play (tragedy or comedy?), biography or autobiography, etc. I For a film, the genre might be drama, comedy, thriller, science-fiction, etc. Setting: I State where most of the action is set: e.g. town or city. I List any other significant places referred to. I Indicate time period. I For a short story, indicate whether other stories in the collection use similar or distinctly different settings. Narrative viewpoint: I Use only for novels and short stories. I Identify the narrative viewpoint (e.g. first person or third person). Plot summary: I For a nonfiction text, use Main Events as the heading. I List up to ten main events. Use brief dot points. Characters: I Name main characters. Give five key words and two quotations for each. I Name minor characters. Give two to four key words and a key quotation for each. I For a short story, you will list fewer characters and key words/ quotations. Also note whether similar types of characters are used in a number of stories in the collection. Ideas, themes and values explored: I Indicate any central ideas that run through the text and whether the text conveys a viewpoint about certain values. I For a short story, indicate whether other stories in the collection explore similar ideas, themes and values.