English - Stage 2

Mandatory: No

Duration: Full year

Description

Stage 2 English focuses on the analysis and creation of a range of text types. Students are assessed in relation to their ‘Knowledge and Understanding’ and ‘Analysis’ of texts, along with their ‘Application’, such as their use of evidence and a clear, fluent expression.

The outline of the course is:

• Assessment Type 1: Responding to Texts (30%)
  Three Responding to Texts assignments are completed. These allow students to demonstrate a critical understanding of the language features, stylistic features, and conventions of a particular text type and identify the ideas and perspectives conveyed by texts. This section of the course in the past has involved:

• Novel study: for example, ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’
• Film study: for example, ‘Tracks’, ‘Into the Wild’
• Song Lyric study: comparison of two songs chosen by the student
  
  Two of these assessments are presented as written responses, while one must be presented as an oral or multimodal presentation.
• Assessment Type 2: Creating Texts (40%)
  Students create a range of texts for a variety of purposes. Students experiment with innovative and imaginative language features, stylistic features and text conventions. Students develop their personal voice and perspectives and demonstrate their ability to synthesise ideas and opinions.
  
  Students complete four Created Texts, one of which is a writer’s statement. Examples of the four tasks are:
• Exposition
• Narrative
• Letter/Journal
• Writer’s Statement
  
  
• Assessment Type 3: Comparative Analysis (30%)
  Students complete a written comparative analysis of two texts and evaluate how the language features, stylistic features, and conventions in these texts are used to represent ideas, perspectives and to influence audiences. Students choose their two texts in consultation with their teacher and this often involves the study of either a film and a novel or two novels.