English
Effective communication is integral to our society. English proficiency and comprehension allows people to participate in society on a local, national and global level. New technologies, the influences of globalisation and restructured workplaces require students to be able to interpret, construct and make judgments about meanings in texts, and in preparation for lifelong learning.
Literacy is a major focus in every unit of English with an emphasis on grammar, punctuation, spelling and reading comprehension, but so too are the robust conversations had in our English classrooms about representations, how they are formed, and how they affect audiences.
In Years 7 - 10 students engage with the Australian Curriculum studying novels, plays, poetry and the media. Assessment occurs in both written (assignments and tests) and spoken (performances and presentations) modes. Over the four years students study a wide range of both modern and traditional texts from Australian and global contexts.
In Year 11 and 12 students are offered a choice of:
- General English
- Literature (General)
- English Essential (Applied)
Typically, students who intend to pursue a university pathway and an ATAR, study General English or Literature. The subject matter and assessment of these courses is academic, preparing students for the demands of tertiary study.
Those students who wish to follow a vocational pathway most often choose English Essential, which prepares students for practical applications of the English language, and particularly the workplace.
Subject Information
Junior Secondary English
In Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment. They listen to, read, view, interpret, evaluate and perform a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts in which the primary purpose is aesthetic, as well as texts designed to inform and persuade. These include various types of media texts including newspapers, magazines and digital texts, early adolescent novels, non-fiction, poetry and dramatic performances and multimodal texts, with themes and issues involving levels of abstraction, higher order reasoning and intertextual references. Students develop their understanding of how texts, including media texts, are influenced by context, purpose and audience.
Students create a range of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts.
Year 10 English Preparation
In year 10, students may begin a bridging course of study that prepares them for the English they would like to study in Senior. This is a time to test out subjects so that student can make informed decisions about whether they would like to study Literature, General, or Essential English. For more information about these courses, see below
English Essential
According to the QCAA, “The subject Essential English develops and refines students' understanding of language, literature and literacy to enable them to interact confidently and effectively with others in everyday, community and social contexts. The subject encourages students to recognise language and texts as relevant in their lives now and in the future and enables them to understand, accept or challenge the values and attitudes in these texts. Students have opportunities to engage with language and texts through a range of teaching and learning experiences to foster:
- skills to communicate confidently and effectively in Standard Australian English in a variety of contemporary contexts and social situations, including everyday, social, community, further education and work-related contexts
- skills to choose generic structures, language, language features and technologies to best convey meaning
- skills to read for meaning and purpose, and to use, critique and appreciate a range of contemporary literary and non-literary texts
- effective use of language to produce texts for a variety of purposes and audiences
- creative and imaginative thinking to explore their own world and the worlds of others
- active and critical interaction with a range of texts, and an awareness of how language positions both them and others
- empathy for others and appreciation of different perspectives through a study of a range of texts from diverse cultures, including Australian texts by Aboriginal writers and/or Torres Strait Islander writers
- enjoyment of contemporary literary and non-literary texts, including digital texts." (QCAA, 2026)
General English (ATAR)
According to the QCAA, “The subject English focuses on the study of both literary texts and non-literary texts, developing students as independent, innovative and creative learners and thinkers who appreciate the aesthetic use of language, analyse perspectives and evidence, and challenge ideas and interpretations through the analysis and creation of varied texts. Students have opportunities to engage with language and texts through a range of teaching and learning experiences to foster:
- skills to communicate effectively in Standard Australian English for the purposes of responding to and creating literary and non-literary texts
- skills to make choices about generic structures, language, textual features and technologies for participating actively in literary analysis and the creation of texts in a range of modes, mediums and forms, for a variety of purposes and audiences
- enjoyment and appreciation of literary and non-literary texts, the aesthetic use of language, and style
- creative thinking and imagination, by exploring how literary and non-literary texts shape perceptions of the world and enable us to enter the worlds of others
- critical exploration of ways in which literary and non-literary texts may reflect or challenge social and cultural ways of thinking and influence audiences
- empathy for others and appreciation of different perspectives through studying a range of literary and non-literary texts from diverse cultures and periods, including Australian texts by Aboriginal writers and/or Torres Strait Islander writers." (QCAA, 2026)
Literature
According to the QCAA, “The subject Literature focuses on the study of literary texts, developing students as independent, innovative and creative learners and thinkers who appreciate the aesthetic use of language, analyse perspectives and evidence, and challenge ideas and interpretations through the analysis and creation of varied literary texts. Students have opportunities to engage with language and texts through a range of teaching and learning experiences to foster:
- skills to communicate effectively in Standard Australian English for the purposes of responding to and creating literary texts
- skills to make choices about generic structures, language, textual features and technologies to participate actively in the dialogue and detail of literary analysis and the creation of imaginative and analytical texts in a range of modes, mediums and forms
- enjoyment and appreciation of literary texts and the aesthetic use of language, and style
- creative thinking and imagination by exploring how literary texts shape perceptions of the world and enable us to enter the worlds of others
- critical exploration of ways in which literary texts may reflect or challenge social and cultural ways of thinking and influence audiences
- empathy for others and appreciation of different perspectives through studying a range of literary texts from diverse cultures and periods, including Australian texts by Aboriginal writers and/or Torres Strait Islander writers." (QCAA, 2026)
If you would like more information regarding the English Curriculum, please don't hesitate to contact our English Head of Department, Ms Amy Brazil, on (07) 3480 4777 or axbra7@eq.edu.au