<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 12px"
dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<DIV>Thanks Janny, </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>These are the current expected qualities... just the 9-10 range. what I’m
intrigued by is the complete lack of any reference to student interpretation of
a text as an examinable element. This is on top of the huge profile
interpretation has been given in the study design.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>9–10 • Demonstrates a close and perceptive reading of the text, exploring
complexities of its concepts </DIV>
<DIV>and construction.</DIV>
<DIV>• Demonstrates an understanding of the implications of the topic, using an
appropriate strategy for </DIV>
<DIV>dealing with it, and exploring its complexity from the basis of the
text.</DIV>
<DIV>• Develops a cogent, controlled and well-substantiated discussion using
precise and expressive </DIV>
<DIV>language.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I don’t think we can assume that the topic represents an interpretation.
Firstly, because it would not be the student’s interpretation, but the
examiner’s ( implied or not). The range of possible topics is limited to two, so
there is not a lot of latitude there.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I think part of the problem is that when the study design was being
constructed it lifted certain ideas and approaches from the Literature study
design, for example the idea of an interpretation and the concept of examining
views and values. An interpretation is easier for students in Literature to
develop because the task is to, ‘Use one or more of the following passages
as a basis for a discussion of <EM>set text.’</EM> This allows students to
explore interpretative potential in the passages without dealing with a
topic.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>BTW couldn’t agree more with the grumbles about TEEL: a great
deadener...Basically because it insists that the first sentence should indeed be
the topic sentence...not appropriate for senior English.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Cheers Russell</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt tahoma">
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=mccurryj@netspace.net.au
href="mailto:mccurryj@netspace.net.au">mccurryj@netspace.net.au</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, September 09, 2012 11:39 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=english@edulists.com.au
href="mailto:english@edulists.com.au">VCE English Teachers' Mailing List</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [English] Study Design and Expected
Qualities</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none">I
assume that the proposition in the topic represents an interpretation. The
range of possible topics suggests a range of possible interpretations, giving
more or less weight to different aspects of the text. I would not assume
that, in a given response, the student is necessarily required to 'provide a
range of interpretations' but to show the ability to discuss a specific claim
about a text. These ideas are picked up again in the specifications to
Section A of the exam in the material that prefaces the 2009 sample exam- the
famous four dot points. .
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Cheers, Janny<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE><BR>----- Original Message -----<BR>
<DIV style="WIDTH: 100%; BACKGROUND: rgb(228,228,228)">
<DIV style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</DIV>"VCE English Teachers' Mailing List"
<english@edulistscom.au></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</DIV>"VCE English Teachers' Mailing List"
<english@edulists.com.au><BR>
<DIV style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Cc:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</DIV>Sun, 9 Sep 2012 11:00:16 +1000<BR>
<DIV style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</DIV>[English] Study Design and
Expected Qualities<BR><BR><BR>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: calibri; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<DIV>People may remember my discussion on Expected Qualities a while back.
Well looking at the current study design I wonder why a key element in the
flagship statement: </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>‘On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse, either
orally or in writing, how a selected</DIV>
<DIV>text constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and<STRONG><EM> is
open to a range of interpretations</EM></STRONG>.’ (My italics.)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Is not being represented in the Expected qualities at all? Namely,
question of students providing a range of interpretations. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The idea of interpretation being a key element in the course is mentioned
again in the skills list: </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>• discuss and compare possible interpretations of texts using evidence
from the text;</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Any thoughts?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(extract from current study design below)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Reading and responding</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This area of study focuses on the reading of a range of literary texts to
develop critical and supported</DIV>
<DIV>responses.</DIV>
<DIV>Students examine the structures, features and conventions used by authors
of a range of selected texts</DIV>
<DIV>to construct meaning They identify, discuss and analyse these in order to
explain how meaning is</DIV>
<DIV>constructed through textual elements such as language and images. They
also examine the ways in</DIV>
<DIV>which the same text is open to different interpretations by different
readers; for example, the ways in</DIV>
<DIV>which a text can be read differently in a different time, place or
culture. They describe and analyse</DIV>
<DIV>the way in which social, historical and/or cultural values are embodied
in texts, and develop oral and</DIV>
<DIV>written responses to a selected text, using appropriate metalanguage. The
term ‘selected text’ refers to a</DIV>
<DIV>text chosen from the list of prescribed texts in Text List 1 published
annually in the VCAA Bulletin.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Outcome 1</DIV>
<DIV>On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse, either
orally or in writing, how a selected</DIV>
<DIV>text constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and is open to a range
of interpretations.</DIV>
<DIV>To achieve this outcome the student will draw on knowledge and related
skills outlined in area of</DIV>
<DIV>study 1.</DIV>
<DIV>Key knowledge</DIV>
<DIV>This knowledge includes</DIV>
<DIV>• an understanding of the ideas, characters and themes constructed by the
author and presented in</DIV>
<DIV>the selected text;</DIV>
<DIV>• the structures, features and conventions used by authors to construct
meaning in a range of literary</DIV>
<DIV>texts;</DIV>
<DIV>• methods of analysing complex texts and the social, historical and/or
cultural values embodied in</DIV>
<DIV>texts;</DIV>
<DIV>• the ways in which the same text is open to different interpretations by
different readers;</DIV>
<DIV>• strategies and techniques for constructing a supported analysis of a
text, including a knowledge of</DIV>
<DIV>the metalanguage appropriate to the analysis and to the text type;</DIV>
<DIV>• key elements of oral language conventions and usage in a range of text
types;</DIV>
<DIV>• features of spoken texts which successfully engage audiences;</DIV>
<DIV>• techniques for managing feedback and leading discussion;</DIV>
<DIV>• the conventions of spelling, punctuation and syntax of Standard
Australian English.</DIV>
<DIV>Key skills</DIV>
<DIV>These skills include the ability to</DIV>
<DIV>• critically analyse texts and the ways in which authors construct
meaning;</DIV>
<DIV>• analyse the social, historical and/or cultural values embodied in
texts;</DIV>
<DIV>• discuss and compare possible interpretations of texts using evidence
from the text;</DIV>
<DIV>• use appropriate metalanguage to construct a supported analysis of a
text;</DIV>
<DIV>• plan and revise written work for fluency and coherence;</DIV>
<DIV>• apply oral language conventions in a chosen oral text type;</DIV>
<DIV>• engage an audience through interested and varied language use;</DIV>
<DIV>• respond to audience interest and engagement;</DIV>
<DIV>• use the conventions of spelling, punctuation and syntax of Standard
Australian English.</DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<P>
<HR>
_______________________________________________<BR>http://www.edulists.com.au -
FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe<BR>VCE English Teachers' Mailing List
kindly supported by<BR>http://www.vate.org.au - Victorian Association for the
Teaching of English VATE
and<BR>http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/english/index.html - Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority</DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>