[English] Study Design and Expected Qualities
Cheryl&David
inhouse at mira.net
Thu Sep 13 22:30:49 EST 2012
How do I unsubscribe from this list?
_____
From: english-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:english-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of rdf4 at bigpond.com
Sent: Thursday, 13 September 2012 5:09 PM
To: 'VCE English Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities
Thanks Prue,
Considering your veteran status then would you agree that the most recent
remodelling of the English course adopts quite a few features of the
Literature course? For instance the idea of views and values, the concept of
interpretation and even the idea of a written explanation all seemed to
arrive in that package. And perhaps you might know if this was a deliberate
design element in the course.
Interested
RF
From: Prue Gill <mailto:pruegill at bigpond.com>
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 8:17 PM
To: 'VCE English Teachers' Mailing List' <mailto:english at edulists.com.au>
Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities
(Oh dear, yes I go back that far Russell, and was heavily involved with the
trialling of the VCE and the early moderating process).
In response to your points, I'd say this: I think of a close reading as one
that uses the text beautifully to elucidate a point that is being made, a
point that supports a reading/interpretation that the student is making -
this is quite different from references to 'detailed swathes of text'. I
think you are right, a perceptive reading could refer to a number of things,
there's no one simple way of identifying how a student might convey their
perceptive reading. I think that the student who notices an irony that
others have not picked up on is being perceptive, but I would hope that
student might go further than simply pointing it out, and would use that
observation about irony to make an interpretive point about the text.
Prue
From: english-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:english-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of rdf4 at bigpond.com
Sent: Monday, 10 September 2012 5:16 PM
To: 'VCE English Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities
Hey Prue Gill,
And thanks for the response. I guess loose terminology is my main concern.
What is, for instance , a 'close' reading? Is it where a student is able to
refer to detailed swathes of the text? I don't see how this part of the
descriptor could be referring to an interpretation. The second bit, "
perceptive reading" could refer to a number of things. For instance, a
perceptive student will perhaps see a moment or irony in the text that no
else notices. Is this an interpretation? I would argue not. It identifies a
trope, but that is not interpretation. Besides this is the fact that the
word perceptive does not enter the criteria list underneath 9-10 range. One
would expect that given the emphasis on interpretation at the head of
Outcome 1, such preferences would be more prevalent down the order. Even a 7
score only requires 'a clear knowledge' of the text. No hint at
interpretation here.
Perhaps people will remember when English was more thematically orientated?
The new study design has altered this to a more interpretative one. I would
suggest that the Expected qualities have not yet caught up with the
transition.
Like to hear from some older teachers on this point say back to 1990?
Thanks RF
From: Prue Gill <mailto:pruegill at bigpond.com>
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 2:00 PM
To: 'VCE English <mailto:english at edulists.com.au> Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities
Hello Russell
I think that a 'close and perceptive reading' is an interpretation. There
are different ways of reading, hence different interpretations.
Prue
From: english-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:english-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of rdf4 at bigpond.com
Sent: Sunday, 9 September 2012 9:30 PM
To: VCE English Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities
Thanks Janny,
These are the current expected qualities... just the 9-10 range. what I'm
intrigued by is the complete lack of any reference to student interpretation
of a text as an examinable element. This is on top of the huge profile
interpretation has been given in the study design.
9-10 . Demonstrates a close and perceptive reading of the text, exploring
complexities of its concepts
and construction.
. Demonstrates an understanding of the implications of the topic, using an
appropriate strategy for
dealing with it, and exploring its complexity from the basis of the text.
. Develops a cogent, controlled and well-substantiated discussion using
precise and expressive
language.
I don't think we can assume that the topic represents an interpretation.
Firstly, because it would not be the student's interpretation, but the
examiner's ( implied or not). The range of possible topics is limited to
two, so there is not a lot of latitude there.
I think part of the problem is that when the study design was being
constructed it lifted certain ideas and approaches from the Literature study
design, for example the idea of an interpretation and the concept of
examining views and values. An interpretation is easier for students in
Literature to develop because the task is to, 'Use one or more of the
following passages as a basis for a discussion of set text.' This allows
students to explore interpretative potential in the passages without dealing
with a topic.
BTW couldn't agree more with the grumbles about TEEL: a great
deadener...Basically because it insists that the first sentence should
indeed be the topic sentence...not appropriate for senior English.
Cheers Russell
From: mccurryj at netspace.net.au
Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2012 11:39 AM
To: VCE English <mailto:english at edulists.com.au> Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [English] Study Design and Expected Qualities
I assume that the proposition in the topic represents an interpretation.
The range of possible topics suggests a range of possible interpretations,
giving more or less weight to different aspects of the text. I would not
assume that, in a given response, the student is necessarily required to
'provide a range of interpretations' but to show the ability to discuss a
specific claim about a text. These ideas are picked up again in the
specifications to Section A of the exam in the material that prefaces the
2009 sample exam- the famous four dot points. .
Cheers, Janny
----- Original Message -----
From:
"VCE English Teachers' Mailing List" <english at edulistscom.au>
To:
"VCE English Teachers' Mailing List" <english at edulists.com.au>
Cc:
Sent:
Sun, 9 Sep 2012 11:00:16 +1000
Subject:
[English] Study Design and Expected Qualities
People may remember my discussion on Expected Qualities a while back. Well
looking at the current study design I wonder why a key element in the
flagship statement:
'On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse, either
orally or in writing, how a selected
text constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and is open to a range of
interpretations.' (My italics.)
Is not being represented in the Expected qualities at all? Namely, question
of students providing a range of interpretations.
The idea of interpretation being a key element in the course is mentioned
again in the skills list:
. discuss and compare possible interpretations of texts using evidence from
the text;
Any thoughts?
(extract from current study design below)
Reading and responding
This area of study focuses on the reading of a range of literary texts to
develop critical and supported
responses.
Students examine the structures, features and conventions used by authors of
a range of selected texts
to construct meaning They identify, discuss and analyse these in order to
explain how meaning is
constructed through textual elements such as language and images. They also
examine the ways in
which the same text is open to different interpretations by different
readers; for example, the ways in
which a text can be read differently in a different time, place or culture.
They describe and analyse
the way in which social, historical and/or cultural values are embodied in
texts, and develop oral and
written responses to a selected text, using appropriate metalanguage. The
term 'selected text' refers to a
text chosen from the list of prescribed texts in Text List 1 published
annually in the VCAA Bulletin.
Outcome 1
On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse, either
orally or in writing, how a selected
text constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and is open to a range of
interpretations.
To achieve this outcome the student will draw on knowledge and related
skills outlined in area of
study 1.
Key knowledge
This knowledge includes
. an understanding of the ideas, characters and themes constructed by the
author and presented in
the selected text;
. the structures, features and conventions used by authors to construct
meaning in a range of literary
texts;
. methods of analysing complex texts and the social, historical and/or
cultural values embodied in
texts;
. the ways in which the same text is open to different interpretations by
different readers;
. strategies and techniques for constructing a supported analysis of a text,
including a knowledge of
the metalanguage appropriate to the analysis and to the text type;
. key elements of oral language conventions and usage in a range of text
types;
. features of spoken texts which successfully engage audiences;
. techniques for managing feedback and leading discussion;
. the conventions of spelling, punctuation and syntax of Standard Australian
English.
Key skills
These skills include the ability to
. critically analyse texts and the ways in which authors construct meaning;
. analyse the social, historical and/or cultural values embodied in texts;
. discuss and compare possible interpretations of texts using evidence from
the text;
. use appropriate metalanguage to construct a supported analysis of a text;
. plan and revise written work for fluency and coherence;
. apply oral language conventions in a chosen oral text type;
. engage an audience through interested and varied language use;
. respond to audience interest and engagement;
. use the conventions of spelling, punctuation and syntax of Standard
Australian English.
_____
_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
VCE English Teachers' Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vate.org.au - Victorian Association for the Teaching of English
VATE and
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/english/index.html - Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority
_____
_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
VCE English Teachers' Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vate.org.au - Victorian Association for the Teaching of English
VATE and
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/english/index.html - Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority
_____
_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
VCE English Teachers' Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vate.org.au - Victorian Association for the Teaching of English
VATE and
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/english/index.html - Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.edulists.com.au/pipermail/english/attachments/20120913/dd77f9c5/attachment-0001.html
More information about the english
mailing list