[English] Study Design and Expected Qualities

Mon Sep 10 20:17:34 EST 2012

(Oh dear, yes I go back that far Russell, and was  heavily involved with the trialling of the VCE and the early moderating process). 

In response to your points, I’d say this: I think of a close reading as one that uses the text beautifully to elucidate a point that is being made, a point that supports a reading/interpretation that the student is making  – this is quite different from references to ‘detailed swathes of text’. I think you are right, a perceptive reading could refer to a number of things, there’s no one simple way of identifying how a student might convey their perceptive reading. I think that the student who notices an irony that others have not picked up on is being perceptive, but I would hope that student might go further than simply pointing it out, and would use that observation about irony to make an interpretive point about the text.

Prue

From: english-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:english-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of rdf4 at bigpond.com
Sent: Monday, 10 September 2012 5:16 PM
To: 'VCE English Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities

Hey Prue Gill,  

And thanks for the response.  I guess loose terminology is my main concern.  What is,  for instance , a ‘close’ reading? Is it where a student is able to refer to detailed swathes of the text?  I don’t see how this part of the descriptor could be referring to an interpretation. The second bit, “ perceptive reading” could refer to a number of things. For instance, a perceptive student will perhaps see a moment or irony in the text that no else notices. Is this an interpretation? I would argue not. It identifies a trope, but that is not interpretation.  Besides this is the fact that the word perceptive does not enter the criteria list underneath 9-10 range. One would expect that given the emphasis on interpretation at the head of Outcome 1, such preferences would be more prevalent down the order. Even a 7 score only requires ‘a clear knowledge’ of the text. No hint at interpretation here.

Perhaps people will remember when English was more thematically orientated? The new study design has altered this to a more interpretative one. I would suggest that the Expected qualities have not yet caught up with the transition.

Like to hear from some older teachers on this point say back to 1990?

Thanks RF

From: Prue <mailto:pruegill at bigpond.com>  Gill 

Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 2:00 PM

To: 'VCE <mailto:english at edulists.com.au>  English Teachers' Mailing List' 

Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities

Hello Russell

I think that a ‘close and perceptive reading’ is an interpretation. There are different ways of reading, hence different interpretations.

Prue

From: english-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:english-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of rdf4 at bigpond.com
Sent: Sunday, 9 September 2012 9:30 PM
To: VCE English Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities

Thanks Janny,  

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.

9–10 • Demonstrates a close and perceptive reading of the text, exploring complexities of its concepts 

and construction.

• Demonstrates an understanding of the implications of the topic, using an appropriate strategy for 

dealing with it, and exploring its complexity from the basis of the text.

• Develops a cogent, controlled and well-substantiated discussion using precise and expressive 

language.

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.

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 set text.’ This allows students to explore interpretative potential in the passages without dealing with a topic. 

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.

Cheers  Russell

From: mccurryj at netspace.net.au 

Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2012 11:39 AM

To: VCE <mailto:english at edulists.com.au>  English Teachers' Mailing List 

Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities

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. . 

Cheers, Janny

----- Original Message -----

From:

"VCE English Teachers' Mailing List" <english at edulistscom.au>

To:

"VCE English Teachers' Mailing List" <english at edulists.com.au>

Cc:

Sent:

Sun, 9 Sep 2012 11:00:16 +1000

Subject:

[English] Study Design and Expected Qualities

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: 

‘On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse, either orally or in writing, how a selected

text constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and is open to a range of interpretations.’ (My italics.)

Is not being represented in the Expected qualities at all? Namely, question of students providing a range of interpretations. 

The idea of interpretation being a key element in the course is mentioned again in the skills list: 

• discuss and compare possible interpretations of texts using evidence from the text;

Any thoughts?

(extract from current study design below)

Reading and responding

This area of study focuses on the reading of a range of literary texts to develop critical and supported

responses.

Students examine the structures, features and conventions used by authors of a range of selected texts

to construct meaning They identify, discuss and analyse these in order to explain how meaning is

constructed through textual elements such as language and images. They also examine the ways in

which the same text is open to different interpretations by different readers; for example, the ways in

which a text can be read differently in a different time, place or culture. They describe and analyse

the way in which social, historical and/or cultural values are embodied in texts, and develop oral and

written responses to a selected text, using appropriate metalanguage. The term ‘selected text’ refers to a

text chosen from the list of prescribed texts in Text List 1 published annually in the VCAA Bulletin.

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse, either orally or in writing, how a selected

text constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and is open to a range of interpretations.

To achieve this outcome the student will draw on knowledge and related skills outlined in area of

study 1.

Key knowledge

This knowledge includes

• an understanding of the ideas, characters and themes constructed by the author and presented in

the selected text;

• the structures, features and conventions used by authors to construct meaning in a range of literary

texts;

• methods of analysing complex texts and the social, historical and/or cultural values embodied in

texts;

• the ways in which the same text is open to different interpretations by different readers;

• strategies and techniques for constructing a supported analysis of a text, including a knowledge of

the metalanguage appropriate to the analysis and to the text type;

• key elements of oral language conventions and usage in a range of text types;

• features of spoken texts which successfully engage audiences;

• techniques for managing feedback and leading discussion;

• the conventions of spelling, punctuation and syntax of Standard Australian English.

Key skills

These skills include the ability to

• critically analyse texts and the ways in which authors construct meaning;

• analyse the social, historical and/or cultural values embodied in texts;

• discuss and compare possible interpretations of texts using evidence from the text;

• use appropriate metalanguage to construct a supported analysis of a text;

• plan and revise written work for fluency and coherence;

• apply oral language conventions in a chosen oral text type;

• engage an audience through interested and varied language use;

• respond to audience interest and engagement;

• use the conventions of spelling, punctuation and syntax of Standard Australian English.

  _____  

_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
VCE English Teachers' Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vate.org.au - Victorian Association for the Teaching of English VATE and
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/english/index.html - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

  _____  

_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
VCE English Teachers' Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vate.org.au - Victorian Association for the Teaching of English VATE and
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/english/index.html - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.edulists.com.au/pipermail/english/attachments/20120910/60fde9ca/attachment-0001.html 