Great State. Great Opportunity.

Topics studied

Topic Assessment Focus Details

Focussed Literacy Every English lesson includes unit work and the explicit teaching of a focussed literacy skill, such as grammar,

punctuation, spelling, reading comprehension, applied writing.

Semester One

Speculative Fiction Short narrative writing Students explore a wide range of speculative fiction – short stories in the

science fiction, fantasy, alternate history and alternate future genres. Each

student writes a short speculative fiction narrative. Stories are submitted in

written form and are also read aloud.

NAPLAN

preparation

Reading comprehension

Spelling

Gramma

Punctuation

Writing

Students are prepared for NAPLAN standardised testing (12, 13, 14 May) with

intensive study of reading comprehension strategies, spelling, grammar,

punctuation, genres of writing and test procedures. [NAPLAN results are not

included in school report card ratings. Results are forwarded to students’

families by the Australian government’s NAPLAN testing authority].

Personal memoirs Reading comprehension

Students consider a wide range of personal memoirs, including those written by

Asian immigrants to Australia. Each student completes a written test of their

literal, inferential, evaluative and applied comprehension skills.

Semester Two

‘The Boy in the

Striped Pyjamas’

(novel and film

study)

Analytical essay writing

(response to literature)

Students study the novel ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ (a story about the

Holocaust) and view the film adaptation. Students study the plot and characters

and consider the moral and ethical issues explored in the text. Each student

completes an analytical essay assignment about a significant aspect of the text.

Word Power

Language analysis Students study video interviews and media excerpts and identify how visual and

spoken language can influence audiences. Each student views a video interview

and responds to test questions about the how the language choices of each of

the participants influence the audience.

‘Twelve Angry

Men’

(drama study)

Interview dramatisation

(response to literature)

Students study the radio play ‘Twelve Angry Men’ and consider issues of social

justice explored in the text. Each student prepares and presents a radio

interview with one of the jurors from the text demonstrating insight into the

influence of personality and life experiences on the juror’s opinions.

Year 9 English

Overview

English is a compulsory subject in year 9. Students have three

seventy minute lessons of English each week.

Year 9 English builds on the knowledge and skills developed in

previous years, and leads on to the compulsory study of

English in Year 10.

Dalby State High School’s English program is structured

according to the Australian Curriculum’s essential strands of

Language, Literacy and Literature.

Australian Curriculum

Language: Students learn about how language is

structured, how to use language in different contexts, how

language changes through time and how to use language to

develop and express ideas.

Literacy: Students develop their skills in the areas of

writing, editing, comprehension (reading, listening and

visual), public speaking and the use of visuals in spoken

presentations.

Literature: Students learn how to examine literature,

respond to literature and create literature.

Great State. Great Opportunity.