Michael Murray
Group Leader, English/Literacy
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre
Department of Education and Training
Lesson 1
Know and understand what the module and
the elective are all about
 Early in the course, read and analyse the rubrics
for both the module and the elective
 Keep coming back to the rubrics to ensure you are
on track
 Notice how previous HSC questions derive from
these rubrics
 Write practice questions based on these rubrics
Lesson 2
There is a lot more to this course than just the
study of prescribed texts
 Texts of own choosing
 Literary theory, historical background and context
 Imaginative writing
 Synthesising
 Practice in preparation for the HSC exam
Lesson 3
Choose ‘other’ texts wisely and give them
equal attention to prescribed texts
 Must suit the demands of the elective, especially
the historical periods in Mod B electives
 Should add something new to the discussion
 Aim for texts that are appropriate, sophisticated,
substantial
 Look for variety – different in form and medium to
prescribed texts
Lesson 4
Focus on how meaning is shaped, not
just the content of texts
 Sometimes problematic in Modules B and C
 Consider visual, aural, literary and cinematic
techniques as appropriate for the medium of the
text
 Evaluate and relate to the question, don’t just list
examples
 Textual references and quotes should be well
integrated
Lesson 5
Develop an understanding of the theory behind
the elective being studied
 Explore literary theory, historical background and
context as appropriate
 Provides a framework in which texts can be discussed
 Provides the glue between the texts in students’
responses
 Should not be a focus in students’ responses but can
enhance a response if used appropriately
 Particularly important for informing the imaginative
response
Lesson 6
Answer the question
 Consider structuring the response to suit the question
rather than around the texts
 Discuss aspects of the texts that are most relevant to
the question
 Students cannot perform well if they simply use
prepared responses with little regard to the question
 Note the trend towards greater specificity in HSC
questions
 Students must be able to apply their learning in the
exam situation
Lesson 7
Give appropriate attention to imaginative
writing
 Critical and imaginative are equally important in
the exam
 Imaginative writing is a pedagogical tool to build
understanding
 Needs to reflect the profound knowledge and
understanding of the elective
 Most students write conventional stories –
consider non-narrative forms or varying the
conventions of narratives in imaginative ways
Lesson 8
Be original
 Plagiarism is penalised
 Originality is rewarded, both in critical and
imaginative responses
 Students should not be afraid to use a more
personal tone in critical responses if that is what
the question requires – however, more often it is
appropriate to adopt a formal, objective and
academic tone
 A sense of the student’s “ownership” of their work
should always be evident
Lesson 9
Use the resources on the BOS website
 Marking guidelines can be used by teachers as models
for developing their own marking guidelines
 Marking guidelines can be analysed by students to
better understand how their work will be assessed.
 Students can use marking guidelines to assess own and
peer responses
 Teachers and students can benefit by reading and
taking on board advice in Notes from the Marking
Centre
 Standards packages, while old, can still inform
teachers and students of standards
Lesson 10
Plan learning experiences to ensure students
are prepared for the challenge of Extension 1
 Design a Preliminary Extension course that
develops skills and conceptual understandings
 Provide a focus for the Preliminary course which is
different to that of the HSC course – students need
to be refreshed and stimulated for their HSC year
 Challenge potential Extension 1 candidates well
before they reach Year 11