English Studies Stage 6 Syllabus (2017)

This course is designed to meet the specific needs of students who wish to refine their skills and knowledge in English and consolidate their literacy skills. The English Studies course provides students with opportunities to become competent, confident and engaged communicators and to study and enjoy a breadth and variety of texts. Students explore the ideas, values, language forms, features and structures of texts in a range of personal, social, cultural, academic, community and workplace contexts. Through responding to and composing texts students strengthen their ability to access and comprehend information, assess its reliability, and synthesise the knowledge gained from a range of sources for a variety of purposes.

Year 11 course

Students study the mandatory module, Achieving through English: English in education, work and community to develop an understanding of, and practical competence in, the use of language that allows access to opportunities in schooling, training and employment.

Students study two to four additional syllabus modules (selected based on their needs and interests).

Students may also study an optional teacher-developed module.

Year 12 course

The HSC Common Content consists of one module, Texts and Human Experiences, which is also common to the HSC Standard and the HSC Advanced courses where students analyse and explore texts and apply skills in synthesis.

Students study two to four additional syllabus modules (selected based on their needs and interests).

Students may also study an optional teacher-developed module.

Board Developed Course

Course number(s):

• 30105 English Studies (2 units – Year 11)
• 15125 English Studies (2 units – Year 12)

Optional examination: English Studies students who intend to undertake the optional HSC examination must also be enrolled in:

• 15126 English Studies (2 units – Year 12)

Prerequisites: Nil

Corequisites: Nil

Eligibility: Nil

Study via self-tuition: No

Exclusions:

• 11140 English Advanced (2 units – Year 11)
• 15140 English Advanced (2 units – Year 12)
• 11165 English EAL/D (2 units – Year 11)
• 15155 English EAL/D (2 units – Year 12)
• 11150 English Extension (1 unit – Year 11)
• 15160 English Extension 1 (1 unit – Year 12)
• 15170 English Extension 2 (1 unit – Year 12)
• 11130 English Standard (2 units – Year 11)
• 15130 English Standard (2 units – Year 12)
• 16601 English Life Skills (2 units – Year 11)
• 16601 English Life Skills (2 units – Year 12)

Across Stage 6 the selection of texts must give students experiences of the following as appropriate:

• reading, viewing, listening to and composing a wide range of texts, including literary texts written about intercultural experiences and peoples and cultures of Asia
• Australian texts including texts by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander authors and those that give insights into diverse experiences of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• texts with a wide range of cultural, social and gender perspectives, popular and youth cultures
• a range of types of text drawn from prose fiction, drama, poetry, nonfiction, film, media and digital texts.

Year 11 course

Text requirements

In Year 11 students are required to:

• read, view, listen to and compose a wide range of texts including print and multimodal texts
• study at least one substantial print text (for example a novel, biography or drama)
• study at least one substantial multimodal text (for example film or a television series).

Additional requirements

In Year 11 students are required to:

• be involved in planning, research and presentation activities as part of one individual and/or collaborative project
• develop a portfolio of texts they have planned, drafted, edited and presented in written, graphic and/or electronic forms across all the modules undertaken during the year
• engage with the community through avenues for example visits, surveys, interviews, work experience, listening to guest speakers and/or excursions.

For the English Studies Year 11 course:

• students complete 120 indicative hours
• students study the mandatory module, Achieving through English – English in education, work and community
• students complete the mandatory module, Achieving through English, as the first unit of work
• students complete an additional 2–4 modules from the elective modules provided (1 may be school-designed), considering factors such as students’ needs, interests, abilities, choices of other Year 11 and Year 12 courses, career aspirations and personal circumstances
• school-designed modules should be based on the framework of the modules outlined in this syllabus.

Year 12 course

Text requirements

In both Year 11 and Year 12 students are required to:

• read, view, listen to and compose a wide range of texts including print and multimodal texts
• study at least one substantial print text (for example a novel, biography or drama)
• study at least one substantial multimodal text (for example film or a television series).

In Year 12 students will also be required to:

• study ONE text from the prescribed text list and one related text for the Common Module – Texts and Human Experiences.

Additional requirements

In Year 12 students are required to:

• be involved in planning, research and presentation activities as part of one individual and/or collaborative project
• develop a portfolio of texts they have planned, drafted, edited and presented in written, graphic and/or electronic forms across all the modules undertaken during the year
• engage with the community through avenues for example visits, surveys, interviews, work experience, listening to guest speakers and/or excursions.

For the English Studies Year 12 course:

• students complete the Year 11 course as a prerequisite
• students complete 120 indicative hours
• complete the mandatory common module – Texts and Human Experiences as the first unit of work.
• students complete an additional 2–4 modules from the elective modules provided (1 may be school-designed) considering factors such as students’ needs, interests, abilities, choices of other Year 11 and Year 12 courses, career aspirations and personal circumstances
• school-designed modules should be based on the framework of the modules outlined in this syllabus.

The knowledge and skills developed in this course can be applied across a range of career pathways.

Industries related to this course include, but are not limited to, the following outlined on the Your Career website:

• Arts and Recreation Services
• Education and Training
• Financial and Insurance Services
• Information Media and Telecommunications
• Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services

English Stage 6 – Prescriptions: Modules, Electives and Texts 2019–2026 (PDF 560.06KB)

English Stage 6 – Annotations of Selected Texts 2019–2026 (PDF 634.12KB)

English Studies support document: Modules, sample learning experiences and resources (PDF 763.26KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (2017): Year 11 – Sample scope and sequence: Sample A (DOCX 20.62KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (2017): Year 11 – Sample scope and sequence: Sample B (DOCX 20.84KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (2017): Year 12 – Sample scope and sequence: Sample A (DOCX 22.11KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (2017): Year 12 – Sample scope and sequence: Sample B (DOCX 23.46KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (2017): Sample work (Year 12) – Billy Elliot – Extended response

English Studies Stage 6 (2017): Sample work (Year 12) – Billy Elliot – Related text emails

English Studies Stage 6 (2017): Sample work (Year 12) – 'Vertigo' presentation Year 12 English Studies 

Assessment Task: We are Australians – English in citizenship, community and cultural identity: Narrative writing

Year 12 English Studies Assessment Task: We are Australians – English in citizenship, community and cultural identity: Speech

Year 12 English Studies: Digital worlds – English and the web: Feature article 

Year 12 English Studies Assessment Task: Digital worlds – English for the web: Film review

Year 12 English Studies Assessment Task: Telling us all about it – English and the media: Imaginative Writing – various forms

English Studies Stage 6 (Year 11) – Sample assessment schedule: Sample A (DOCX 17.31KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (Year 11) – Sample assessment schedule: Sample B (DOCX 17.39KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (Year 11) – Sample assessment schedule: Sample C (DOCX 16.73KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (Year 12) – Sample assessment schedule: Sample A (DOCX 17.71KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (Year 12) – Sample assessment schedule: Sample B (DOCX 17.56KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (Year 12) – Sample assessment schedule: Sample C (DOCX 17.56KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (Year 11) – Sample formal assessment task: Collection of Classwork (DOCX 25.82KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (Year 12) – Sample formal assessment task: Common Module (Texts and Human Experiences) (DOCX 24.53KB)

English Studies Stage 6 (Year 12) – Sample formal assessment task: Portfolio of Classwork (DOCX 21.6KB)