VCE
ESL
An Introduction
to the Yr12 Course
2011
ESL vs English
 There are only very subtle differences between the courses
 Final ATAR scores are on par with English scores
 Melb Uni and Monash Uni require an ATAR of 30+ in ESL as
a pre-requisite for many of their courses
 Scores in ESL / English are very important for allocating uni
positions, especially borderline cases and second round
offers
General Course Overview for Yr12
There are 3 areas of study in English
1. Reading and Responding (Text Study)
2. Creating and Presenting (Context)
3. Analysis of Language (Issues)
All work completed relates to one of these 3 areas
The influence of the exam
All tasks have some learning
or purpose about
them that prepares you
for the final exam
Reading and Responding
 2 texts will be studied
Unit 3 – Maestro
Unit 4 – Interpreter of Maladies
You will have 1 SAC for each of these texts
You only choose 1 to write on in the exam
How to succeed with text studies
• You are NOT reading this text for enjoyment but for careful
study: this changes the way you approach the text
• Know the text incredibly well
• Know some quotes by heart
• Ask questions about the text – not literal questions but
deeper questions
• It is not enough to simply know the plot, the characters and
a quote or two – you must go deeper
• Repeating a learnt response will not
help you
• Have ideas about the text,
be open to new ideas
Assessors like….
 To think that you have taken the time to really engage with
the text, to know it well and to have an original response to
the question that is asked.
 For you to have a well organised response that shows you
have planned carefully.
The big picture…
English readers love reading and
discussing texts, be it books,
movies or plays.
You need to show that you are capable of doing this in
a thoughtful way. This is the highest level of
comprehension and is important not only for
university but for successful social interaction in a
western culture.
Creating and Presenting
 This is the Context section
 Our focus is on, ‘Encountering Conflict’
 The text that stimulates our work for
the entire year is, ‘The Crucible’
How is this different from a text study?
 It is NOT a text study but you do need to know the text
well. You know it differently.
 You consider the conflicts that the characters have faced
 You refer to a general prompt to guide your response
 Your written response is not limited to an analytical essay
Assessment for Context
You will have 2 SACs
Prompt
you
You have one prompt in the
exam to respond to
– it must make reference to
the Crucible in some way but
this is not the sole focus of
the piece.
How to succeed with Context
 Be open minded
 Consider this topic daily in all that you
do and see
 Find something else to compliment
this area from your own interests
Assessors like…
 To read original thinking and writing
 To see that you have considered the prompt and worked
with it thoughtfully
 To see an organised and relevant piece of writing that
expresses ideas confidently
The big picture…
The Context has two main foci –
1. To see that you can write creatively and expressively in a
range of genres
And
2. To see that you can think deeply and draw on material from
life today and that of texts, to respond to a stimuli
It is the highest form of composition writing. It is teaching
you to be confident to express ideas and accepts that your
ideas come from many different experiences that you
encounter.
Analysis of language
 Unit 3 - assessment
Presentation of a point of view on an Issue in the
Australian media - using persuasive techniques (Oral)
 Exam
Completing a Note Form Summary of an article
Short prose explaining how the author aimed to
persuade the audience
How to succeed with Language Analysis
 Know a range of persuasive language techniques very well
 Read the ‘Letters to the Editor’ in the paper and try and
decide what the authors bias is
 Complete practice papers
 Try using note form summary abbreviations and styles
when taking notes in other subjects
Assessors like…

To think that you have read and fully understood the
passage you read
 To see a neat and organised note form summary
 To read prose that is thoughtful, sharp and shows you know
how the audience was manipulating readers
The big picture…
As members of a western society,
we need to be aware of when we are
being manipulated by others. We need
to be able to read something objectively
and not take it as true.
We are expected to question what we
read and are exposed to.
This is the highest level of comprehension, summary writing and
critical thinking.
General advice
 Get organised
 Communicate with your teachers – speak up early
 Pace yourself
 Revise material weekly – even if there is nothing due
 Stay healthy and try and stay balanced
You Can achieve the impossible !