English

All students study English from Year 7 to Year 10. The English program builds and expands on students’ earlier experiences of language. Activities are based on the dimensions of Speaking and Listening, Reading and Viewing, and Writing. These are presented in an AusVELS context.

Class texts are selected from a varied range of global, classic and contemporary material. Working closely with the Librarian, material is reviewed annually, and selected to suit individual classes. The college has a rich range of resources including novels, short stories, films, plays, poetry, interactive CDs and websites. The library also supports English staff by providing audios for studied novels and selecting texts that complement these novels.

From Year 7, English students can access a range of programs including Literacy Support and National English Competitions. Silent reading is an established culture whereby students spend the first 10 minutes of each English lesson reading their personally selected material. The school is known for its reading culture for both boys and girls. Students in Years 7 to 10 can participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge. Year 10 English operates in 2 semesters, and offers access to VCE Literature, VCE Foundation English and VCAL.

Each year the school invites a popular, young adult fiction writer to run writing workshops with students. In 2012, Lili Wilkinson visited us as did J. C. Burke, author of “The Story of Tom Brennon” in 2013. Our enthusiastic student writers and readers attend the annual Youth Literature Day at the Federation Square as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival in August. We also attend the ‘Write Around the Murray’ event in Albury in September.

English teachers are trained to integrate learning technology opportunities, including podcasting, into the English classroom. The college supports English teachers to participate in a number of professional development opportunities such as the annual VATE Conference. This ensures the best programs are initiated for our students. A number of the English teachers have postgraduate qualifications, contribute to various VCE English and VCE Literature state bodies, and have published and presented English curriculum for their peers across Australia.