PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE VCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDY DESIGN
Metalanguage for Units 1 and 2
The following changes have been made to the metalanguage for Units 1 and 2:

the following statement has been added to the introduction to clarify the scope and status of the
metalanguage lists provided:
Students are required to understand and use metalanguage provided in the unit and area of
study introductions, and the key knowledge and skills. The following is not an exhaustive list.

the introduction has been split into two sections and a subheading added to draw attention to the
way the metalanguage is organised:
Current
Proposed
Each of the English Language units requires
students to understand linguistic concepts and
use metalanguage appropriately to describe and
analyse language in an objective and a
systematic way. Metalanguage underpins the key
knowledge and key skills and provides students
with the means to discuss elements of linguistic
study.
The subsystems of language are the essential
organising tools with which students become
familiar: phonetics and phonology (the study of
the sounds of language); morphology and
lexicology (the study of the structure or forms of
words); syntax (the study of how words are
combined into sentences); semantics (the study
of meaning in language); and discourse (the
study of how written and spoken texts of two or
more sentences are organised). Students use
metalanguage associated with the following five
subsystems in Units 1 and 2.
Each of the English Language units requires
students to understand linguistic concepts and
use metalanguage appropriately to describe and
analyse language in an objective and a
systematic way. Metalanguage underpins the key
knowledge and key skills and provides students
with the means to discuss elements of linguistic
study. Students are required to understand and
use metalanguage provided in the unit and area
of study introductions, and the key knowledge
and skills. The following is not an exhaustive list.
THE SUBSYSTEMS OF LANGUAGE
The subsystems of language are the essential
organising tools with which students become
familiar: phonetics and phonology (the study of
the sounds of language); morphology and
lexicology (the study of the structure or forms of
words); syntax (the study of how words are
combined into sentences); semantics (the study
of meaning in language); and discourse (the
study of how written and spoken texts of two or
more sentences are organised). Students use
metalanguage associated with the following five
subsystems in Units 1 and 2.

the following definition has been provided for code-switching due to some confusion in the
teacher focus group:
the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in
conversation

an additional category of metalanguage has been added with an introductory sentence, for key
terms that are not confined to one particular subsystem of language.
OTHER METALANGUAGE
The following metalanguage terms are not confined to one particular subsystem of language.
 function, field, mode, setting, context, relationships between participants
 critical period of language development
 theories of Child Language Acquisition including behaviourism, innatism, interactionism
 first- and additional- language acquisition; bilingualism
 Indo-European language family
 standardisation and codification
 prescriptivism and descriptivism
 Lingua franca
 linguistic relativism and determinism
 pidgins and creoles
 language maintenance, shift and reclamation.
Unit 1: Language and communication
The following changes have been made to Unit 1:

‘gesture’ has been replaced with ‘sign’, and the following sentence has also been added, to
ensure consistency across the study design and ensure there is clarity between ‘sign’ and
paralinguistic features such as gestures and facial expressions.
Students also consider the role of paralinguistic features in conveying meaning.
Unit 2: Language change
The following changes have been made to Unit 2:

some minor additions to the Area of Study 2 introduction to ensure clarity and a focus on
contemporary language use.
Current
Proposed
Students explore factors that contributed to the
spread of English in the past, such as trade and
colonisation, and factors that contribute to the
spread of English. Students consider the
consequences of the growth of English as an
additional or foreign language, including the
development of English-based pidgins, creoles
and other varieties, and its effect on indigenous
languages around the world. Students become
familiar with the distinctive features of a number
of national, ethnic and regional varieties of
English, and explore the ways that these
varieties show the effects of intensive contact
with other languages. They examine the ways
that multilingual speakers use code-switching to
mark identity and as a powerful means of
inclusion or exclusion. Students develop an
understanding of how change to a language has
significant repercussions for its users’ cultural
identity and worldview, as evidenced by the
indigenous and migrant language reclamation
and maintenance movements in contemporary
Australian society.
Students explore factors that contributed to the
spread of English in the past, such as trade and
colonisation, and factors that continue to
contribute to the spread of English today.
Students consider the consequences of the
growth of English as an additional or foreign
language, including the development of Englishbased pidgins, creoles and other varieties, and
its effect on indigenous languages around the
world. Students become familiar with the
distinctive features of a number of national,
ethnic and regional varieties of English, and
explore the ways that these varieties show the
effects of intensive contact with other languages.
They examine the ways that multilingual
speakers use code-switching to mark identity and
as a powerful means of inclusion or exclusion.
Students develop an understanding of how
change to a language has significant
repercussions for its users’ cultural identity and
worldview, as evidenced by the indigenous and
migrant language reclamation and maintenance
movements in contemporary Australian society.
2

‘linguistic determinism and relativism’ have been added to the Area of Study 2 introduction to
allow for students additional time to develop their understanding of these complex concepts which
are introduced in Unit 1.
Students continue to explore the concepts of linguistic relativism and determinism.

the addition of ‘the processes of’ to the following key knowledge to ensure clarity:
the processes of language maintenance, shift, and reclamation
Units 1 and 2: Assessment
The assessment options for both Units 1 and 2 have been revised for clarity and consistency across
the study design.
Current
Proposed
Assessment tasks for this unit are selected from
the following:
Assessment tasks for this unit are selected from
the following:
 a folio of annotated texts
 an essay
 an investigative report
 an analysis of spoken and/or written text
 a case study
 short-answer questions
 an analysis of data.









a folio
an investigative report
a test
an essay
a case study
short-answer questions
a written or an oral analysis of data
an analysis of spoken and/or written text
an oral and/or multimodal presentation.
Assessment tasks may be written, oral or multimodal.
Metalanguage for Units 3 and 4
The following changes have been made to the metalanguage for Units 3 and 4:

as per Metalanguage for Units 1 and 2, the following statement has been added to the
introduction to clarify the scope and status of the metalanguage provided:
Students are required to understand and use metalanguage provided in the unit and area of
study introductions, and the key knowledge and skills. The following is not an exhaustive list.

as per Metalanguage for Units 1 and 2, the introduction has been split into two sections and a
subheading added to draw attention to the way the metalanguage is organised:
Current
Proposed
Each of the English Language units requires
students to understand linguistic concepts and
use metalanguage appropriately to describe and
analyse language in an objective and a
systematic way. Metalanguage underpins the key
knowledge and key skills and provides students
with the means to discuss elements of linguistic
study.
The subsystems of language are the essential
organising tools with which students become
familiar. Students use metalanguage associated
with the following five subsystems in Units 3
and 4.
Each of the English Language units requires
students to understand linguistic concepts and
use metalanguage appropriately to describe and
analyse language in an objective and a
systematic way. Metalanguage underpins the key
knowledge and key skills and provides students
with the means to discuss elements of linguistic
study. Students are required to understand and
use metalanguage provided in the unit and area
of study introductions, and the key knowledge
and skills. The following is not an exhaustive list.
THE SUBSYSTEMS OF LANGUAGE
The subsystems of language are the essential
organising tools with which students become
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familiar. Students use metalanguage associated
with the following five subsystems in Units 3
and 4.

examples have been added to ‘morphological patterning’

‘lexical choice’ has been added to ‘factors that contribute to a text’s cohesion’, and ‘synonymy,
antonymy, hyponymy and collocation’ provided as examples of lexical choice.

‘non-fluency features’ has been added to ‘features of spoken discourse’ and ‘pauses, filled
pauses/voiced hesitations, false starts, repetition, repairs’ provided as examples of non-fluency
features.

‘passing the floor’ has been added to ‘strategies for spoken discourse’

‘back-channelling’ has been added as an alternative to ‘minimal responses’

‘semantic domains’ has been added as an alternative to ‘semantic fields’

as per Metalanguage for Units 1 and 2, an additional category of metalanguage has been added
with an introductory sentence, for key terms that are not associated with any single subsystem of
language.
OTHER METALANGUAGE
The following metalanguage terms are not confined to one particular subsystem of language.
 register
 overt and covert norms
 standard and non-standard English
 political correctness
 jargon
 slang
 colloquial language/colloquialisms
 double-speak
 taboo language
 public language
 rhetoric
 positive and negative face needs
 situational context
 cultural context
 social purpose.
Unit 3: Language variation and social purpose
The following changes have been made to Unit 3:


the area of study introductions and key knowledge and skills have been amended to include both
positive and negative face needs with both informal and formal texts. This supports a more
complex understanding of the degree of formality of texts as a continuum, rather than binary and
discrete. The teacher focus group raised this as an issue. It reflects current practice.
minor amendment to the following key skill:
Current
Proposed
 define key linguistic concepts as they relate to
informal language in texts
 use key linguistic concepts as they relate to
informal language in texts
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Unit 4: Language variation and social purpose
The following changes have been made to Unit 4:


‘a range of historical and contemporary texts’ has been replaced with ‘a range texts’ as this
supports the emphasis on contemporary language use.
a minor addition to the unit introduction to ensure clarity:
Current
Proposed
Students explore how language can distinguish
between ‘us’ and ‘them’, thus reinforcing social
distance.
Students explore how language can distinguish
between ‘us’ and ‘them’, both creating solidarity
and also reinforcing social distance.

a minor amendment to the Area of Study 1 introduction to ensure clarity:
Current
Proposed
They consider variation between regions, a
range of migrant ethnolects, and Aboriginal
Englishes, in addition to exploring how the
language features associated with stereotypes
may be adopted subconsciously, or deliberately
employed to invoke or challenge identities.
They consider variation between regions, a
range of migrant ethnolects, and Aboriginal
Englishes, in addition to exploring how the
language features associated with stereotypes
may be adopted subconsciously, or deliberately
employed to establish or challenge identities.

minor amendments to the key knowledge for Area of Study 1 to ensure consistency and clarity:
Current
Proposed
 ways in which a variety of Australian identities
can be reflected in a range of historical and
contemporary texts
 ways in which a variety of Australian identities
are constructed and reflected in a range of
texts
 characteristics of Australian English in
contrast to Englishes from other continents, in
phonological,
lexical,
prosodic,
and/or
grammatical patterns
 characteristics of Australian English in
contrast to Englishes from other continents, in
phonological, morphological, lexical, and
grammatical patterns
 attitudes within society to different varieties of
English,
including
prescriptivism
and
descriptivism
 attitudes within society to different varieties of
Australian English, including prescriptivism
and descriptivism
Note that ‘prosodics’ is covered by ‘phonological’, and ‘morphological’ was an omission.

minor amendments to the key knowledge for Area of Study 2 to ensure consistency and clarity:
Current
Proposed
 representations of individual and group
identities in a range historical and
contemporary texts
 representations of individual
identities in a range of texts
and
group
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Unit 3: Assessment
The assessment options for Unit 3 have been revised for clarity and consistency across the study
design. Changes are as follows:
Current
Proposed
Analysis of one or more samples of informal
language in any one or a combination of the
following:
Analysis of one or more samples of informal
language in any one or a combination of the
following:











an essay
a written report of an investigation
a folio
a short-answer test
an oral presentation
a multimodal presentation.
a folio of annotated texts
an essay
an investigative report
an analytical commentary
short-answer questions.
Assessment tasks may be written, oral or multimodal. The total length of the student responses
should be approximately 600-800 words.
Analysis of one or more samples of formal
language in any one or a combination of the
following:
Analysis of one or more samples of formal
language in any one or a combination of the
following:











an essay
a written report of an investigation
a folio
a short-answer test
an oral presentation
a multimodal presentation.
a folio of annotated texts
an essay
an investigative report
an analytical commentary
short-answer questions.
Assessment tasks may be written, oral or multimodal. The total length of the student responses
should be approximately 600-800 words.
Unit 4: Assessment
The assessment options for Unit 4 have been revised for clarity and consistency across the study
design. Changes are as follows:
Current
Proposed
For each outcome, any one or a combination of
the following:
For each outcome, any one or a combination of
the following:











an essay
a written report of an investigation
an analysis of one or more texts
a folio
a short-answer text
an oral presentation
a multimodal presentation.
a folio of annotated texts
an essay
an investigative report
an analytical commentary.
Assessment tasks may be written, oral or multimodal. The total length of the student responses
should be approximately 600-800 words.
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