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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Lyle,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I remember when we first introduced VCE English and
we all opted for the narrowest of interpretations of the Study Design, but I can
also see that over the years our interpreation has become broader (and better
educationally). I am guessing this will happen again.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Our students did present a point of view as an oral
and most of them were cogent and well expressed, but only achieved this because
they had <U>written</U> them first. One of our reflections after the process was
that we had perhaps made a mistake, not because the process was worthless, but
because it was so valuable that we might have done better to have them use this
development for their texts in preparation for their exams.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>With the C & P tasks there are ample
opportunities for students to present a developed and argued point of view --
assuming of course schools are not limiting their students in a way that
precludes this</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Gail</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=lylestebbing@yahoo.com.au
href="mailto:lylestebbing@yahoo.com.au">Lyle Stebbing</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=english@edulists.com.au
href="mailto:english@edulists.com.au">VCE English Teachers' Mailing List</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:57
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [English] VCE
English/ESL</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0>
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<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Thanks Marion and <FONT face=Calibri size=3>everyone
else who replied to my last letter. Since returning and doing some
tutoring, I’ve found out some interesting things about the way the new
study design has been implemented in some schools.</FONT>
<P class=MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>(a)</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Some schools had their
students do an oral presentation expressing a point of view last year.
That means that students can go right through year 12 without having to
develop an argumentative/point of view essay. (Unless you claim that all
essays develop an argument.)</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>(b)</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>Several schools have
students analyse three unseen articles for Persuasion on an issue that
they have never discussed or examined before – so as to mirror the
exam.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This means that
students no longer engage in any depth with an issue in the news;<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>the analysis has been
transformed into a formalistic language analysis rather than being part
of an exploration of current issues, social trends and the media. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Students no longer have the
opportunity to debate the issue itself or to follow a socially important
issue through.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT face=Calibri size=3>(c)</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Calibri size=3>In several schools, the
Creating and Presenting work has been confined to one long essay on the
context and text and many students are opting for the persuasive or
expository option as that seems more likely to be the sensible choice on
the exam. That means students can go through year 12 without doing any
personal or imaginative writing.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><FONT
face=Calibri size=3>Thus, in some schools, students can go through year
12 without writing any argumentative essay, or any personal or
imaginative writing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What
seems to be disappearing here is both creative writing and the
exploration of an issue -<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>any arguing around an issue of social significance or concern so
that there is no focus on students being socially aware and concerned.
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Was this
intended?</FONT></P>Lyle<BR><BR>--- On <B>Mon, 14/7/08, White, Marion G
<I><white.marion.g@edumail.vic.gov.au></I></B> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">From:
White, Marion G <white.marion.g@edumail.vic.gov.au><BR>Subject:
[English] VCE English/ESL<BR>To: english@edulists.com.au<BR>Received:
Monday, 14 July, 2008, 6:09 PM<BR><BR>
<DIV id=yiv2054294980>
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<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Thanks Lyle, </SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Gail</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">, Mary, Prue for yet another stimulating
discussion about the VCE English/</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">ESL</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> study.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Implementation supports provided by VCAA
include:</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"><FONT face=Symbol
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol">·<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT><SPAN dir=ltr><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">State-wide briefings on Units 3 and 4 in
February/March 2008 and (in partnership with VATE) in July 2007; over
2,000 teachers attended the briefings. Briefings on Units 1 and 2 had
been conducted in 2006.</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"><FONT face=Symbol
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol">·<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT><SPAN dir=ltr><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Support Materials for Area of Study 2 were
published in both English and </SPAN></FONT></SPAN><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">ESL</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> versions.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"><FONT face=Symbol
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol">·<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT><SPAN dir=ltr><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">English and </SPAN></FONT></SPAN><FONT
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">ESL</SPAN></FONT><FONT
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> sample exams and Examination
Criteria were published in April 2007 (teaching of Units 3 and 4 began
in 2008). </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"><FONT face=Symbol
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol">·<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT><SPAN dir=ltr><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">English and </SPAN></FONT></SPAN><FONT
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">ESL</SPAN></FONT><FONT
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> ‘Expected qualities for the mark
range’ were published in March 2008; a draft of the Section B expected
qualities was available at the February Briefings and also at the VATE
Englishes day in February. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"><FONT face=Symbol
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol">·<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT><SPAN dir=ltr><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The VCAA will soon publish some sample pieces
of writing; these were written by teachers of Unit 3 towards the end
of Term 2 – they illustrate some of the many possible approaches to
the writing in Area of Study 2.</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"><FONT face=Symbol
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol">·<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT><SPAN dir=ltr><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Ongoing telephone support is available at 9651
4580. </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#400080
size=2><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #400080; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Marion
G White</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><I><FONT face=Arial size=1><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 7.5pt; FONT-STYLE: italic">Curriculum Manager,
English</SPAN></FONT></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P></DIV>
<P></P>
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