English Course
Years 7 and 8

The Australian curriculum achievement standards for Year 7 targeted in this course include:

By the end of Year 7, students listen to and create literary texts. With different purposes and for audiences, they discuss, express and expand ideas with evidence. They adopt text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They adopt language features including literary devices, and features of voice.

They read, view and comprehend texts created to influence and/or engage audiences. They identify how ideas are portrayed and how texts are influenced by contexts. They identify the aesthetic qualities of texts. They identify how text structures, language features including literary devices and visual features shape meaning.

They create written texts literary texts for different purposes and audiences, expressing and expanding on ideas with evidence. They adopt text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They adopt language features including literary devices.

The Australian curriculum achievement standards for Year 8 targeted in this course include:

By the end of Year 8, students listen to and create literary texts. With different purposes and for audiences, they discuss, express and elaborate on ideas with supporting evidence. They select and vary text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They select and vary language features including literary devices and features of voice.

They read, view and comprehend a range of texts created to inform, influence and/or engage audiences. They explain how ideas are represented and how texts reflect or challenge contexts. They explain the aesthetic qualities of texts. They explain how text structures shape meaning. They explain the effects of language features including intertextual references and literary devices.

They create written literary texts for different purposes and audiences, expressing and advancing ideas with supporting evidence. They select and vary text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They select and vary language features including literary devices.

Words are the building blocks of literacy. Without the right words, students cannot think or articulate their ideas. Therefore the lesson sequence in Unit 1 is:

1. What is a literary device? Understand that literary devices in writing are like the special effects in movies. They are devices - things - that do something.
2. Access the TeacherTalk curriculum-aligned Glossary Of Literary Devices with definitions, examples, and simple English codes we call Eng-Codes®.
3. Learn to Eng-Code® a text with literary devices to make learning visible.
4. Extract language from a classroom text, create a topic-specific language journal, and develop vocabulary.
5. Transform published language to make it your own.

Students gather vocabulary from their classroom texts and learn how to use this language to excel in academic writing. These skills transfer to life beyond the classroom, preparing students to communicate with confidence in any situation.

In Unit 2, we apply the skills learned in Unit 1 to comprehend texts, to hear an author's message, and craft a narrative response that excels with the curriculum achievement standards.

The curriculum is clear: a narrative is a story about a character who experiences a problem and resolves it in a way that makes a point and stimulates a response from the reader. In a narrative, the author's message is heard at the end. Therefore, the teaching sequence in Unit 2 is:

1. What is a narrative? Let's unpack the curriculum definition.
2. Gather plot ideas from literature and life.
3. Plan a powerful narrative using our curriculum-aligned scaffold that focuses students on the resolution - because that's where writers make their point.
4. Cast colourful characters and portray them using literary devices.
5. Scout for symbolic settings and portray them using literary devices.
6. Draft, mark & edit for success using the TeacherTalk student-friendly marking guide.
7. Prepare for NAPLAN.

Each of these sub-modules includes a short sequence of lessons, tips to overcome common challenges, examples of successful student work, and plenty of practice, extension and analysis activities.