[English] Text list

Fri Mar 29 16:45:45 EST 2013

I makes me irritable when decisions are made on the basis that because something is popular it automatically ceases to be worthwhile. Having taught both Gattaca and Look Both Ways, I would argue that, in both these films, there were great depths to be explored and an opportunity to develop the critical sensibilities of young adults in a medium which is a central facet of their lives.   We have to have texts which engage those who are not "highly able", and this engagement by itself should never be a reason to exclude a text; a good text is accessible on a variety of levels and caters for a range of abilities. Every assessor knows that each text garners different quality responses, high and low (and the Examiners' reports all say that 10's are achieved in all texts...) To make text selections on the basis of literary snobbery is to cater to a limited section of year 12 (which in itself may have an implicit value) but it negates the value of engagement in learning for the rest if that is all we have to offer. Apparently English should never be enjoyable.

 Don't you think that part of the problem is the reduction in the number of available texts for this Study Design? In schools, putting together a list which suits a cohort is a mine-field of compromises, especially for those of us also dealing with ESL (sorry, EAL) students and the constraints of both language abilities and cultural understandings.

Getting down off my high horse now.

Gail

________________________________
From: english-bounces at edulists.com.au [english-bounces at edulists.com.au] on behalf of Caruso, Greta [Caruso.G at kingswoodcollege.vic.edu.au]
Sent: Thursday, 28 March 2013 11:33 AM
To: 'VCE English Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: [English] Text list

Hi folks,

Past text list issues

The Reluctant Fundamentalist  was on, The Reluctant Fundamentalist  went off, The Reluctant Fundamentalist came back on. Now we have 21 texts on the list. Curious!

The story behind that episode has not been made public, leaving the situation open to speculation about the inclusion, removal, and replacement of a text which shows American capitalism and 9/11 at least partially from an alternate point of view. Curiouser!

Current film text issues

Now, The Old Man Who Read Love Stories has gone off after three years. The reason Sean Box current VCAA English Manager, has given is that few people selected the text.

Some of the original decisions for the selection of The Old Man Who Read Love Stories might come into play here.

My understanding is that

•              there were concerns about the popularity of film texts such as Look Both Ways and Gattaca.  Apparently, it was deemed problem (by some at least)  that so many students did these film texts , that they could be seen as easy access, and that a large number of the students who did them were not highly able students. This apparently informed the decision to attempt to put on a film text that would not be a highly popular  blockbuster.

•              some people  had issues with film text in the English curriculum in general, and thought that film texts belong in Media rather than in English. The decision was made to put on a film text is was possibly worthy but not necessarily popular. If this is true, then an attempt to diminish the role of film in the English curriculum through text selection raises serious questions.

Many people were surprised by the selection of The Old Man Who Read Love Stories and dismayed that the film text seemed aimed at a very narrow cohort.

I am really happy with All About Eve, and think it is a pretty good choice and my guess is that it will be popular.  My problem is the process and the backstory.

Anyone who is on this list and was on Text Selection Panel chaired by the previous Manager of English, Marion White, who has any specific knowledge might like to write in and tell us more about it.

The broader issue

The broader issue that I want to raise again is that if texts are put on the list they should be there for four years. Even if only one teacher is doing it with one class, it needs to be there for the time.   This discussion needs also take into consideration that when teachers might have a text going off the list, they do not necessarily replace it with a brand new one, for instance, they may replace it with one that is in its second year, his gives even less running time.

I know sometimes texts are put up that turn out to have very few takers ie Voices and Visions, but I want to support those colleagues who make brave choices and expand the way we think about the text list. So even if texts turn out to be poor choices, we need to leave them on for the four years. The only exception I can see for this is if not a single student has written on it at the end of year exam, even then I would suggest that we think twice.  If teachers cannot be guaranteed the time, then why would anyone select a new form, or different style of text.

The Theme

All of these threads combined could be read as a reflection of VCAA making very conservative decisions

Greta Caruso

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