The English course at Al Siraat College provides students with learning experiences that are designed to encourage them to become more confident and thoughtful readers, viewers, writers, speakers and listeners in both formal and informal situations.
Students study a diverse range of literary genres and are able to recognize literary terms and elements associated with each genre. Students are given the opportunity to read at a literal, interpretive and critical level and are able to respond to literature personally and analytically. They are also encouraged to recognise and value the diversity of social and cultural backgrounds and opinions in our community. The course also aims to extend, challenge students through a range of information and communications technology that include thematic studies, and wide reading projects.
Year 7
Throughout the year, students will be studying a film text, two novels related to a thematic unit and poetry. Students will also create original poems and produce a variety of text types including persuasive, narrative, informative and text response essays. There will be extensive study on spelling, grammar and punctuation to improve the quality of writing. Our weekly wider reading tasks and oral presentations are also beneficial for academic progress.
Year 8
Students will extensively study texts to broaden their knowledge of history and current global events. Some of these thematic units include the civil rights movement in the US, the stolen generation and classic literature where they will need to respond both personally and analytically. Students will also write a variety of text types including but not limited to: persuasive, short stories, biography/interview, responding to issues in the media, text response essays as well as report writing. Students are always given an opportunity to respond to prompts in their journals and participate in wider reading tasks. Spelling, grammar, punctuation and comprehension types are a major component of English to enhance literacy skills.
Year 9
Students study a wide range of texts including Shakespearean plays, short stories, autobiographical recounts and poetry. Students continue to develop their spelling, grammar, comprehension and punctuation through extensive study and testing. Wider reading tasks and producing various text types such as essays, argumentative writing, informative texts, short stories and poems also enhance their writing skills.
Year 10
Throughout the year, students will be involved in studying short stories, autobiographical recounts, classic literature, and contemporary film texts to broaden their knowledge and strengthen their written responses both personally and analytically. Students will also be given the opportunity to study persuasive language and media texts in preparation for VCE as well as creating different texts for different purposes and audiences. Text response essays are an integral part of Year 10 English where students apply their knowledge of metalanguage and construct their own ideas. A study of the conventions of the English language including spelling, grammar, punctuation and comprehension are also extensively taught to improve overall coherence in writing and speaking.