SACE Stage 1 ENGLISH STUDIES
TASK SHEET
Name:
Teacher:
Assessment Type 3: Extended Study (Language)
Purpose:
to develop awareness of the place and power of language and texts in social and
cultural contexts, particularly through the concept of adaptation. Here, the old
interpretative idea of ‘original’ versus ‘copy’ gives way to the analysis of changes in
meaning created by multimodal literacies in alternate versions of a text.
Context:
The class studied the effect of different modal forms on the interpretation of the
R.E.M. song ‘Everybody Hurts’ by interpreting its various written, performed and
music-video versions. Using the different tools of grammatical, musical and filmic
analysis we looked at the effect of different linguistic features available to written,
aural and visual modes
Task description: Choose a song that has been interpreted as both written lyric, musical performance
and video clip. First in tabulated form and then as a written response, analyse the
specific language features of the three written, aural and visual modes through which
the song has been adapted. For each ‘version’, argue for a unique interpretation of
its meaning based on linguistic evidence, as well as tracing the semiotic and
semantic changes that occur across all three modes. The final essay should be a
maximum of 1000 words.
Learning Requirements
1. demonstrate clear and accurate
communication skills through reading
and viewing, writing and composing,
and listening and speaking
2. clarify, extend, and develop their
ideas and opinions through critical
engagement with texts and language
3. critically analyse a variety of texts to
determine their social, cultural, or
workplace purpose and effectiveness
4. identify and analyse ideas, values,
and beliefs, and recognise how these
are shaped
5. examine cultural, social, and
technical dimensions of language
and texts
6. compose texts that use language for
critical, personal, or imaginative
purposes
Assessment Design Criteria
Capabilities
Knowledge and Understanding
KU1.ideas, values and beliefs explored in texts
KU2.ways in which the creators and readers of texts use language
techniques and conventions to make meaning
Learning
KU3.ways in which texts are composed for a range of purposes
and audiences.
Analysis
An1. connections between personal experiences, ideas, values,
and beliefs, and those explored in the text
Personal
Development
An2. ways in which language techniques are used to influence
opinions and decisions in a range of personal, social, or
vocational contexts.
Application
Work
Ap1. use of a range of language skills to analyse and solve
problems and to demonstrate creativity
Ap2. appropriate use of evidence from texts to support
conclusions
Citizenship
Ap3. ability to locate, record, analyse, use, and synthesise
knowledge
Communication
C1. accuracy, clarity, and fluency of expression
Communication
C2. the use of an appropriate style and structure for the audience
and purpose when composing texts.
Students can refer to the rubric provided over the page to identify the performance standards that they need to
demonstrate to reach their highest possible level of achievement in this task.
A
15
14
13
Knowledge and Understanding
Analysis
Application
Communication
Detailed knowledge and understanding of
the ideas, values, and beliefs in familiar
and unfamiliar texts
Analysis of complex
connections between
personal experiences, ideas,
values, and beliefs, and
those explored in familiar
and unfamiliar texts
Use of a range of sophisticated
language skills to analyse and
solve simple and complex
problems, and to demonstrate
creativity
Fluent and precise writing
and speaking
Knowledge and understanding of the
ways in which the readers and creators of
familiar and unfamiliar texts use a range
of language techniques to make meaning
Comprehensive knowledge and
understanding of the ways in which
familiar and unfamiliar texts are
composed for a range of purposes and
audiences
B
12
11
10
Knowledge and understanding of some
complex ideas, values, and beliefs in
familiar, and some unfamiliar, texts
Knowledge and understanding of the
ways in which the readers and creators of
mainly familiar texts use some language
techniques to make meaning
Knowledge and understanding of the
ways in which mainly familiar texts are
composed for some purposes and
audiences
C
9
8
7
Knowledge and understanding of some
simple ideas, values, or beliefs in familiar
texts (e.g. identifies relevant information
from a range of written texts (R3))
Knowledge and understanding of a
restricted number of ways in which the
readers and creators of a narrow range of
familiar texts use some language
techniques to make meaning (e.g. reads
a range of texts, noting key differences of
presentation and layout (R3))
Knowledge and understanding of the
ways in which familiar texts are
composed for familiar purposes and
audiences (e.g. identifies purpose and
audience of texts (R3))
D
6
5
4
Identification of some simple ideas in
familiar texts
Knowledge and understanding of some of
the ways in which the readers and
creators of a narrow range of familiar
texts use language techniques to make
simple or factual meaning
Knowledge of the ways in which familiar
texts are composed for personally
relevant purposes and familiar audiences
E
3
2
1
Identification of a simple idea in a highly
familiar text.
Knowledge and understanding of the way
in which a reader or creator of a highly
familiar text uses a language technique to
make factual meaning.
Knowledge of the ways in which highly
familiar texts are composed for personally
relevant purposes and highly familiar
audiences
Perceptive analysis of a
range of ways in which
authors use language
techniques to influence
opinions and decisions in
familiar and unfamiliar texts
Analysis of some complex
connections between
personal experiences, ideas,
values, and beliefs, and
those explored in familiar,
and some unfamiliar, texts
Analysis of a range of ways
in which authors use
language techniques to
influence opinions and
decisions in familiar, and
some unfamiliar, texts
Analysis of simple
connections between
personal experiences, ideas,
values, and beliefs, and
those explored in familiar
texts (e.g. explicitly connects
new ideas/information with
own knowledge, using
techniques such as
anecdotes and analogies
(L3))
Descriptive analysis of a
number of ways in which
authors use language
techniques to influence
opinions and decisions in
familiar texts (e.g.
recognises that the author
selects the structure of a text
to serve a particular purpose
(R3))
Reference to simple
connections between
uncomplicated personal
experiences, ideas, values,
and beliefs, and those
explored in familiar texts
Reference to some ways in
which authors of familiar
texts use a narrow range of
language techniques to
influence opinions and
decisions
Recognition of a simple
connection between a
straightforward personal
experience, idea, value, or
belief, and that explored in a
highly familiar text.
Reference to the way in
which an author of a highly
familiar text uses language
techniques to influence
opinions and decisions
Detailed and appropriate use of
evidence from texts to support
arguments, with textual references
incorporated fluently in responses
Use of appropriate style and
structure for a range of
mainly unfamiliar audiences
and for varied purposes
Location, recording, analysis, use,
and synthesis of knowledge
relevant to familiar and unfamiliar
contexts
Use of a range of language skills
to solve simple and complex
problems, and to demonstrate
creativity
Use of evidence from texts to
support arguments, with textual
references incorporated in
responses
Mostly fluent and precise
writing and speaking
Use of appropriate style and
structure for a range of
mostly familiar audiences
and purposes
Location, recording, analysis, use,
and occasional synthesis of
knowledge relevant to mostly
familiar contexts
Use of language skills to solve
routine problems in familiar
contexts or to demonstrate
creativity (e.g. writes a short
formal letter, outlining instructions
for a particular purpose such as
closing a bank account (W3))
Competent use of evidence from
texts to support arguments (e.g.
reads short simple narrative of
choice and discusses how text
reflects author’s opinion (R3))
Occasionally fluent and
precise writing and speaking
Use of an appropriate style
and structure for familiar
audiences and purposes
(e.g. produces a range of
familiar text types, with
appropriate structures (W3);
uses vocabulary with
increasing precision to show
how words carry particular
shades of meaning (W3))
Location, recording, and
occasional analysis and use of
knowledge relevant to a familiar
context (e.g. reads and interprets
diagrammatic/graphic texts that
are unambiguously presented
(R3))
Use of a restricted range of
language skills to solve simple
problems in familiar contexts or to
demonstrate some creativity
Some use of evidence from
familiar texts to support arguments
Location, recording, and use of
factual knowledge relevant to a
familiar context
Use of a restricted range of
language skills to solve simple
problems in highly familiar
contexts or to demonstrate
creativity
Some use of evidence from highly
familiar texts to support a simple
argument
Location, recording, or use of
factual knowledge relevant to a
highly familiar context
A level of fluency in writing
and speaking in personally
relevant situations
Use of appropriate style and
structure for a narrow range
of familiar audiences and
purposes
Beginning of development of
accurate and fluent writing
and speaking in personally
relevant situations
Use of appropriate style and
structure for a narrow range
of highly familiar audiences
and purposes
“Caught in the Crowd” by Kate Miller-Heidke tells the true story of the singer’s relationship with a boy at her high
school. Through a combination of the lyrics, music and video the audience is painted a picture of a lingering
experience for the singer, as well as encouraged to participate with images of their own experiences and opinions.
From studying the lyrics of the song, it can be seen that the verses and choruses are written in completely different
styles. The verses, framed by prominent circumstances of time at the beginning of most lines have a story telling feel
which is not found in the choruses, which are written as a direct communication to “James,” the bullied boy in the
story. Through the use of colloquial language such as “a guy,” “kinda shy” and “were junk” we are drawn into not only
the physical setting of the story, a high school, but also the emotional maturity of the characters which are being
presented. The rhyming couplets, assonance and alliteration give the verses a rhythm which keeps the story moving at
a comfortable pace. As well as highlighting the circumstances of time to continue the story, the lyrics also highlight the
participants of “James” and the unnamed narrator by mentioning them in almost every line. The narrator becomes a
much more important character at the chorus, when an interpersonal change takes place in the lyrics, bringing the
reader out of the past-tense story and focussing on the present day thoughts of the narrator. Throughout the chorus
the rhythm of the lyrics is changed, and the rhyming scheme is changed from rhyming couplets to rhyming triplets,
and the pentameter is lengthened. The narrator addresses James directly, apologizing for her actions and also
introduces the titular “crowd” as a third participant in the story, which foreshadows and then reflects on the conflict
the song. The ambiguous use of “you” to address James, also allows for the reader to feel directly spoken to, involving
them in the story.
The music and vocals of the song build upon the themes set out by the lyrics. Throughout the verses, as she both
assumes and describes the character of the young narrator, Miller-Heidke sings with a childish inflection, with a
hurried speed and simple rhythm with correlates with this character. In the chorus however, where she is
representing the adult narrator, her voice becomes much more adult and strong, adding to the interpersonal change
within the lyrics. The use of backup singers and harmonies within the chorus also gives the song a collective feel, as
though the song relates to the experience of more than just the narrator, while the verses remain solely the personal
experience of the narrator. While the verses have a childish and rhythmic feel as a general theme, at times MillerHeidke changes her voice to suit the characters’ speech. When James says “[my] stepdad and [I] always [fight]” her
voice becomes quieter to emphasize the privacy of this statement, and when the young narrator says “[I’ve] never
heard the songs the Sex Pistols [sing]” the singer takes on an even younger sounding tone to highlight the naivety and
youth of the character. At the bridge of the song, where the major conflict of the story takes place, the tempo of the
music slows, as well as breaking down to only drums and vocals. Miller-Heidke emphasises hard letters in “pushed”
and “cement” as well as lengthening the digraph in “threw” to highlight the narrator’s sense of disgust at her actions.
Also within the bridge, words like “down,” “my name” and “walked away” are emphasised by the singer, to help build
a more vivid picture of the scene. The final chorus, after it is revealed what it is she is sorry about, is much slower and
the final line, “please, please believe that I am sorry” takes on a more pleading tone, and is repeated twice as the song
ends.
The video for “Caught in the Crowd” is filmed within a derelict science classroom, which the audience presumes is
from the high school mentioned in the story. It also diverges from the written and sung versions of the song by making
it explicitly clear that the narrator is Kate Miller-Heidke through the use of cartoon style flashbacks and written
dialogue. The video is divided into two main sections, much like the song itself, with the video focussing on the story
while during the choruses it focusses on adult Kate addressing the audience directly. During the verses the cartoon
flashbacks draw the majority of the focus, as they present the story of James and Kate’s friendship. The motif of
butterflies is also introduced within the first verse, and then subsequently appears in every other section, both within
the cartoon and in the classroom. At each chorus the video changes from this cartoon medium to an adult Kate MillerHeidke who directly addresses the camera, seemingly talking to “James” who could be watching the video. The
camera switches from a shot of Miller-Heidke standing in front of a wall covered with mounted butterflies within
frames to a shot of her watching the cartoons take place. While addressing the audience in both shots, her addressing
James is more obvious within the latter shot as she watches the projections take place. During the bridge, the video
helps emphasise the bullies’ imposing nature through distorted and dark caricatures. The cartoon also emphasise the
young Kate’s vulnerability by making her appear small and tiny compared with the giant bullies, which helps the
audience sympathise with her decision to not help James. This decision is accompanied by the image of the mounted
butterflies behind the adult Kate flying away from their place, signifying the loss of innocence that this traumatic and
lasting experience had on her.
The three separate modes that make up “Caught in the Crowd” build the story of Kate’s relationship with James. As a
story, it brings the readers into the mind of the young narrator; as a song it presents the listeners with the emotions
which accompanied her actions, and as a video it shows viewers the lasting effects of the experience through the eyes
of an adult Kate. As such the three separate mediums build upon each other to create an emotionally charged story
which could not be achieved without these mediums.