English (ATAR)

Course Code: AEENG/ATENG
Domain: English
Timetable: Semester 1 and 2
Length of Course: 2 Years

Unit Information

The English ATAR course focuses on developing students’ analytical, creative, and critical thinking and communication skills in all language modes. It encourages students to critically engage with texts from their contemporary world, with texts from the past and with texts from Australian and other cultures.

Through close study and wide reading, viewing and listening, students develop the ability to analyse and evaluate the purpose, stylistic qualities and conventions of texts and enjoy creating their own imaginative, interpretive, persuasive and analytical responses. The English ATAR course is designed to develop students’ facility with all types of texts and language modes and to foster an appreciation of the value of English for lifelong learning.

Year 11

Unit One

Students explore how meaning is communicated through the relationships between language, text, purpose, context and audience. This includes how language and texts are shaped by their purpose, the audiences for whom they are intended and the contexts in which they are created and received. Through responding to and creating texts, students consider how language, structure and conventions operate in a variety of imaginative, interpretive and persuasive texts. Study in this unit focuses on the similarities and differences between texts and how visual elements combine with spoken and written elements to create meaning. 

Unit Two

Students analyse the representation of ideas, attitudes and voices in texts to consider how texts represent the world and human experience. Analysis of how language and structural choices shape perspectives in and for a range of contexts is central to this unit. By responding to and creating texts in different modes and media, students consider the interplay of imaginative, interpretive and persuasive elements in a range of texts and present their own analyses. Students critically examine the effect of stylistic choices and the way in which these choices position audiences for particular purposes; revealing and/or shaping attitudes, values and perspectives. Through the creation of their own texts students are encouraged to reflect on their language choices and consider why they have represented ideas in particular ways.

Year 12

Unit Three

Students explore representations of themes, issues, ideas and concepts through a comparison of texts. They
analyse and compare the relationships between language, genre and contexts, comparing texts within
and/or across different genres and modes. Students recognise and analyse the conventions of genre in texts
and consider how those conventions may assist interpretation. Students compare and evaluate the effect of
different media, forms and modes on the structure of texts and how audiences respond to them.
Understanding of these concepts is demonstrated through the creation of imaginative, interpretive,
persuasive and analytical responses.

Unit Four

Students examine different interpretations and perspectives to develop further their knowledge and analysis
of purpose and style. They challenge perspectives, values and attitudes in texts, developing and testing their
own interpretations through debate and argument. Through close study of texts, students explore
relationships between content and structure, voice and perspectives and the text and context. This provides
the opportunity for students to extend their experience of language and of texts and explore their ideas
through their own reading and viewing. Students demonstrate understanding of the texts studied through
creation of imaginative, interpretive, persuasive and analytical responses.

Pathway Information

Tertiary

Workforce

Students undertaking this course may wish to consider tertiary studies in:

  • English and Literary Studies
  • Bachelor of Arts
  • English and Cultural Studies
  • Bachelor of Education

This course suits direct workforce entry into the following:

  • Administration
  • Copywriting
  • Education Assistant
  • Librarian
  • Writer

Additional Information

Estimated Charges: $88 per year

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