Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Assessment Two
English Secondary Curriculum 1A 2H
SID: 17724281
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
Content
Review of literature………………………………………………….……………………………….………………………………….………………………… 3
Commentary on literature………………………………………………….……………………………………………………….………………………….. 6
Resources ……………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………. 22
References……………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………….………………………… 25
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
Review of Literature
Nancy Atwell’s In the Middle: New Understandings about Writing, Reading and Learning (2015) reveals practices that she demonstrates in
writing workshops that motivate the students to write, encourage imagination and creativity, and assist teacher monitoring of students
through various conferences. Atwell states that she wrote the book during a year absence from her own classroom and spent her time in other
teachers’ classroom demonstrating writing workshop approaches. Throughout the reading, Atwell provides practices that encourage a writing
classroom, she declares that student will write if ‘we’ allow them, and that everyone has a story to tell (Atwell, 2015, pg. 171). She advises
against assigning topics to students, referring to it as ‘writer’s welfare’ and students will ask for topics to be handed out to them (Atwell, 2015,
pg. 171). With the students coming up with their own ideas at the start, it allows them to engage and reflect on their own personal
Atwell reveals the routines to the writing workshop which can be broken up and adopted into the classroom. Through each routine
addresses the purpose of getting students to write, and how to approach situations where students are reluctant. According to Atwell, writing
is idiosyncratic, and getting students writing is an easy thing to do (Atwell, 2015, pg. 171). She demonstrates this through the practices of mini-
lessons to encourage creativity and sharing personal knowledge of writing, as well as brainstorming techniques, modelling, labelling, drafting,
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
In students producing personal knowledge about writing, it can address students’ reservations and reluctancy on writing – such as not
knowing how to punctuate dialogue or set up a business letter – giving the teacher a scope on the skills and abilities of the students and
addressing their lack of motivation to write. Additionally, establishing conferences with students, such as status-of-the-day conferences can
assist the teacher in knowing where each student is at with their work. In knowing if a student is not writing much, further interventions and
assistance can be provided, Atwell includes setting a deadline or a contract that the student has to make (Atwell, 2015, pg. 184).
Atwell provides a content conference guideline for teachers to assist students, although she admits that they are situational, they are
important in giving purposeful interactions with students, and encouraging their writing. In The Middle: New Understandings about Writing,
Reading and Learning (2015) further addresses ways to approach students writing, it encourages dependant behaviour, and recognition for
their work where they write to be shown to an audience. It provides valid points in regard to students writing, such as them knowing the
appropriate jargon of writers, the expectations, and the craft of writing through relevant techniques.
There are points in Atwell’s writing that are complimented through other texts, Erika Boas and Susan Gazis The Artful English Teacher
(2016), Susanne Gannon, Mark Howie and Wayne Sawyer’s Charged with Meaning (2010) and Jill Olthouse’s Motivating Reluctant Readers
(2010) demonstrate the importance of conferencing, providing supportive environments, and creating rich tasks. The Artful English Teacher
addresses learner engagement through establishing curiosity, commitment, meaningful connection, and participation, which can be done
through activating prior knowledge, through student voice and autonomy, and social learning and collaborative intelligence (Boas & Gazis,
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
2016, pg. 40-41). It demonstrates various practices in encouraging students to write, such as effective planning, using a Y-chart. Think-pair-
share, and co-operative reading. Charged with Meaning explores the use of encouraging imagination in writing to establish interest in
students, which include changing the narrative viewpoint and adapting a familiar story, which challenges Atwell’s advice on getting students to
However, Olthouse’s Motivating Reluctant Readers suggests practices that differ from Atwell, she argues that these students have mentally
“checked-out” of the English classroom that may be due to various reasons and offers activities to encourage writing including free-writing, fill-
in stories, and collaborative writing. She does offer the practice of writing contracts for students who do the bare minimum in class, to
The texts demonstrated offer various practices in order to motivate reluctant writers, it is in the teachers’ best interests to allow the
students to be dependant and autonomous when the situation calls for it, however, when students are reluctant to write due to various
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
Commentary on Literature
In approaching the issue of motivating reluctant writers, the literature suggests activities that can initiate autonomy, dependence and
engagement. With the assumption that behaviour management is not needed in the classroom and a routine is established, the practices
provided can lead to more students writing with more effort. The practices of interest are Atwell’s status-of-the-day conferencing, Olthouse’s
writing derby including Atwell’s belief that students’ write about their own topic, having a daily writing folder, and the adapting of familiar
Status-of-the-day conferencing would be beneficial as the teacher knows the status of each student, and which ones are falling behind.
Through the routine of gathering the students’ status shortly before the class ends, students understand the expectation of their progression,
and are aware that the teacher knows of their work. Rewards and consequences are allocated consistently and accordingly, Atwell has
provided the consequences for lack of writing to be setting a deadline and creating a writing contract. In addition, having students maintain a
daily writing folder with all of their writing can present their progression, allowing students to view their work and motivating students to
Olthouse discusses the benefits of a writing derby, which is similar to free writing where students write consistently for around 3
minutes, in addition to Atwell’s belief that students should write about their own topic, the writing derby can assist with students’ motivation
as the short time can initiate a process, getting the students to write about their life experiences or thoughts.
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
In Charged With Meaning, the imaginative re-creation of literature can assist struggling students, in addition to The Artful English
Teacher’s statement that students are more engaged through the activation of prior knowledge, allowing students to adapt familiar stories can
assist with their motivation in writing and engage in creative writing processes.
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
Rationale:
Students will explore a variety of texts that represent an author’s intention of characterization, perspective and understanding of the narrator.
They will examine various texts to develop an appreciation of language features that represent perspective, point of view and shape meaning.
Students will engage in meaningful analysis on the author’s intention of including language features for a purpose, and to encourage a
response from the reader. They will compose their own story throughout the program to be published in the community. They will compose
their own multimodal presentation adapting a familiar story with changes to the narrative point of view and perspective.
Outcomes
A student:
EN4-1A responds to and composes texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure
EN4-2A effectively uses a widening range of processes, skills, strategies and knowledge for responding to and composing texts in different
EN4-3B uses and describes language forms, features and structures of texts appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
EN4-4B makes effective language choices to creatively shape meaning with accuracy, clarity and coherence
EN4-5C thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information, ideas and arguments to respond to and compose texts
EN4-7D demonstrates understanding of how texts can express aspects of their broadening world and their relationships within it
EN4-9E uses, reflects on and assesses their individual and collaborative skills for learning
References/ Resources:
iMovie
Powtoon
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
Syllabus content
Students:
ENG4-1A
recognise, reflect on, interpret and explain the connections between their own experiences and the world in texts
consider and analyse the ways their own experience affects their responses to texts
explore and explain the ways authors combine different modes and media in creating texts, and the impact of these choices
on the viewer/listener
recognise and analyse the ways that characterisation, events and settings are combined in narratives, and discuss the
purposes and appeal of different approaches
ENG4-2A
edit for meaning by removing repetition, refining ideas, reordering sentences and adding or substituting words for impact
use a range of effective strategies for organising information, ideas and arguments, eg clustering, listing, compare and
contrast, semantic chains, graphic and diagram outlines, and mind maps
ENG4-3B
develop a sense of personal style and taste in composition and response
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
ENG4-4B
explore and analyse the ways purpose, audience and context affect a composer's choices of content, language forms and
features and structures of texts to creatively shape meaning
combine visual and digital elements to create layers of meaning for serious, playful and humorous purposes
plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular
language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)
plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content, including multimodal elements, to
reflect a diversity of viewpoints
ENG4-5C
describe and explain qualities of language in their own and others' texts that contribute to the enjoyment that can be
experienced in responding to and composing texts
critically consider the ways in which meaning is shaped by context, purpose, form, structure, style, content, language choices
and their own personal perspective
compose a range of visual and multimodal texts using a variety of visual conventions,
including composition, vectors, framing and reading pathway
ENG4-6C
recognise, explain and analyse the ways literary texts draw on readers' knowledge of other texts and enable new
understanding and appreciation of aesthetic qualities
compare the text structures and language features of multimodal texts, explaining how they combine to influence audiences
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
compose texts that make creative connections with, adapt or transform other texts, such as the preparation of promotional
material for a film or book or a narration for a documentary
ENG4-7D
explore and analyse the ways in which personal experiences and perspectives shape their responses to text
explore the ways 'story' shapes their experience of and responses to a range of texts, including film and multimedia
ENG4-8D
recognise and explain differing viewpoints about the world, cultures, individual people and concerns represented in texts
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
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Status-of-the-day conference
- Writing derby
- Edit
- Class discussion input
- Assessment task notification
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
Assessment Task
Description:
Students will create a multimodal presentation in small groups (3 people maximum). The presentation will be a creative adaptation of a
familiar story, written from a different point of view and perspective than the original. Students must create the presentation with iMovie or
Powtoon and submit the link along with the script. Students will work independently to write a 500-word reflection on their presentation and
Outcomes assessed:
EN4-1A responds to and composes texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure
EN4-2A effectively uses a widening range of processes, skills, strategies and knowledge for responding to and composing texts in different
EN4-3B uses and describes language forms, features and structures of texts appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts
EN4-4B makes effective language choices to creatively shape meaning with accuracy, clarity and coherence
EN4-5C thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information, ideas and arguments to respond to and compose texts
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
EN4-7D demonstrates understanding of how texts can express aspects of their broadening world and their relationships within it
EN4-9E uses, reflects on and assesses their individual and collaborative skills for learning
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English Secondary Curriculum 2H Assessment Two SID: 17724281
Resources
Appendix 1 Appendix 2
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Appendix 3 Appendix 4
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Appendix 5
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References
Atwell, N. (2015) In the middle, third edition: A lifetime of learning about writing, reading, and adolescents. (Third ed.) Boynton/Cook.
Board of Studies, NSW (2012) NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum: English K-10 Syllabus: Vol 2: English Years 7-10.
Boas, E. and Gazis, S. (eds)(2016), The Artful English Teacher: Over 100 Practical Strategies for the English Classroom, Adelaide: Australian
Gannon, S., Howie, M. and Sawyer, W. (eds) (2010) Charged with Meaning Putney: Phoenix Education.
Olthouse, J. (2010). Motivating Reluctant Writers. Ohio Journal of English Language Arts, 50(2), 27-28.
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