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English: Year 12 English Language 3/ 4

This guide includes English resources for all year levels

Contents of Units

  State Library of Victoria Libguide 

You will need to become a member of the State Library to access this but instructions are available on the link provided. It is not difficult! Go to https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/

Unit 3 – Area of Study 1 – Outcome 1 coursework begins

LANGUAGE VARIATION AND SOCIAL PURPOSE -

Informal Language

The role of Standard and non-Standard English in creating formal and informal texts

Differences in the nature and functions of formal and informal texts

The relationship between context and the features of language in informal texts

Stylistic Features in informal speech and writing: phonological patterning, syntactic patterning, morphological patterning, lexical choice and semantic patterning.

Social purpose of informal language in: encouraging intimacy, solidarity and equality; maintaining positive face needs; promoting linguistic innovation; supporting in-group membership

Major discourse strategies used by speakers and the ways in which cooperation is achieved

Unit 3 Outcome 1 – SAC Task 1 – Short Answer Test – Spoken Text (20 marks OC1)

Unit 3 Outcome 1 – SAC Task 2 – Short Answer Test – Written Text (25 marks OC1)

Unit 3 – Area of Study 2  – Outcome 2 coursework begins

LANGUAGE VARIATION AND SOCIAL PURPOSE -

Formal Language

The nature and functions of formal and informal texts

The relationship between the context and the features of language in formal texts

Holiday homework & ESSAY practice

The features and functions of formal writing and formal speech as represented in a range of texts from literature to the public domain

Stylistic features in formal speech and writing: phonological patterning, syntactic patterning, morphological patterning, lexical choice and semantic patterning

The role of discourse features and lexical choice in creating textual cohesion and coherence

The social purpose of language in: reinforcing social distance and authority; establishing expertise; promoting social harmony and negotiating social taboos; clarifying, manipulating or obscuring

Unit 3 Outcome 2 – SAC Task 1 – Short Answer Test – Spoken Text (15 marks OC2)

Unit 3 Outcome 2 – SAC Task 2 – Analytical Commentary – Written Text (20 marks OC2)

Unit 3 Outcome 2 – SAC Task 3 – Essay (10 marks OC2)

Revision of the three styles of response – SAQs, Analytical Commentary and Essays.  Focus on ESSAYS.

Unit 4 – Area of Study 1 – Outcome 1 coursework begins

LANGUAGE VARIATION AND IDENTITY – Language variation in Australian society

Characteristics of Australian English in contrast to Englishes from other continents: in phonological, lexical, prosodic and/or grammatical patterns

Features of Broad, General and cultivated accents

Geographical variations: national and regional variation

The role of Standard and non-Standard English in Australian society

Ways in which a variety of Australian identities can be reflected in a range of historical and contemporary texts

Revisit Essay-writing with a lens of “Unit 3” topics – Kirsten Fox guide

TRIAL EXAM – SMIDA SET AND ASSESSED (Unit 3)

Holiday homework & focus on ANALYTICAL COMMENTARIES, ESSAYS

The role of Standard and non-Standard English in Australian society

Ways in which a variety of Australian identities can be reflected in a range of historical and contemporary texts

The role of language in constructing national identity

How and why Australian English varies according to culture: Aboriginal English and ethnolects

Attitudes within society to different varieties of English: prescriptivism and descriptivism

Unit 4 Outcome 1 – SAC Task 1 – Short Answer Test – Written (20 marks OC1)

Unit 4 Outcome 1 – SAC Task 2 – Essay (25 marks OC1)

Unit 4 – Area of Study 2 – Outcome 2 coursework begins

LANGUAGE VARIATION AND IDENTITY – Individual and group identities

Social and personal variation in language according to factors such as: age, gender, occupation, interests, aspirations and education

Features of language that contribute to a sense of individual identity and group membership

Representations of individual and group identities in a range of historical and contemporary texts

Focus on SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS tasks

The ways in which the language of individuals and the language of groups is shaped by social expectations and community attitudes

The relationship between social attitudes and language choices

The ways in which people draw on their linguistic repertoire to gain power and prestige, including exploiting overt and covert norms

Unit 4 Outcome 2 – SAC Task 1 – Analytical Commentary – spoken (25 marks OC2)

Unit 4 Outcome 2 – SAC Task 2 – Essay (20 marks OC2)

REVISION – Focus on SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS

VCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRIAL EXAM!

Holiday Homework – creating your own exam

Humorous English Language in Ten Minutes

Some books in Kilbreda's collection

The Library has a number of general English Language texts, have a look around the 410.1 & 428's in the VCE,Teacher Reference and Class Sets collections.

Living the Lingo  VCE English Language units 3 & 4 by Kate Burridge and Debbie de Laps VCE 428.2071 BUR

Insight English  Language for Senior Students: A guide to meta- language by Kirsten Fox VCE 410.1 FOX

VCE English language : exam guide by Kirsten Fox 808.042 FOX

Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling, Vocabulary by Melanie Napthine (an Insight publication) VCE 420 INS

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language by David Crystal VCE 420 CRY

A Little Book of Language by David Crystal VCE 400 CRY

How Language Works by David Crystal VCE 410 CRY

Making Sense: The Glamorous Story of English Grammar by David Crystal VCE 420 CRY

Mastering Advanced English Language by Sara Thorne VCE AND Teacher Reference collections 428 THO

Lingofile by de Laps etal. VCE AND Teacher Reference collections 428.2071 DE

Clickview

Watch videos on these subjects from home or school via Clickview Online

A Short History of the English Language

Series: Evolution of the English Language | Category: English language E 2014
English, an incredibly rich and complex language, also has the largest vocabulary. This program provides an overview of four key periods in the chronological history of the English language and how events in each period shaped the words, spelling, pronunciation and grammar of English.  We explore the cultural and social influences on Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English and Modern English.  Excerpts from Beowulf, the Canterbury Tales and Shakespeare illustrate the changing structure of English over time. This is an ideal resource for introducing a vast topic in an accessible and simplified way. 

A direct link to this is available below.

Fry's Planet Word - A five part series

Language is what defines humans from other species, and with our planet home to around 7,000 different languages, words have played a crucial role in our evolution. Renowned wordsmith and host of this series, Stephen Fry, is the perfect guide for this fascinating exploration of language in all its forms: from cutting edge linguistic research to the glories of world literature. The series travels the globe as Fry takes viewers on a journey through the thousands of years since man first mastered speech to the cyber world of today with its HTML, codes and texting. Revealing how language is used, abused and continues to evolve, Fry's Planet Word looks at whether we are any closer to understanding the most complex activity of the human brain.

Go to Clickview and search on "Fry's planet word" to see the series.