English Faculty

Which English course is the right one for you?
*Are you an average English student who is more interested in other subjects? Read about the English (Standard) Preliminary course
*Are you an above average English student who enjoys reading and writing? Read about the English (Advanced) Preliminary course.
*Are you a below average English student who has problems with reading and writing? Read about the Fundamentals of English course.
*Are you a student from a non-English-speaking background who has had five years or less in an English-speaking school? Read about the English as a Second Language (ESL) Preliminary course.
*Are you a talented English student who loves literature, enjoys exploring new ideas and writes fluently? Read about the English (Extension) Preliminary course.

Remember:  Ask the English teacher you have now to recommend a course for you before you come to enrol at St Marys Senior High School. Your current teacher knows your interests and abilities.

Courses offered by the English Faculty - Preliminary Courses (Year 11) in 2008
· English (Standard) Preliminary Course 2 Unit - 2 Year
· English (Advanced) Preliminary Course 2 Unit - 2 Year
· English as a Second Language Course 2 Unit - 2 Year
· Fundamentals of English Course 2 Unit - 1 Year
· English (Extension) Course 1 Unit - 1 Year
Students who take this course in the Preliminary Year may continue with one or two HSC Extension Courses.

Extension Courses for the HSC Year
· English (Extension) Course 1 - 1 Unit - 1 Year 
  Students must achieve the outcomes of the Preliminary Extension Course.
· English (Extension) Course 2 - 1 Unit - 1 Year
  Students must undertake Extension Course 1 concurrently with this course.


BOARD-DEVELOPED ENGLISH COURSES - 2008
All students must study a minimum of 2 units of English – Advanced OR Standard OR ESL

This section identifies five types of students. Which one are you? 

§Above Average Students§

§Well Above Average Students§

and

§Average Students§

§Below Average Students§

and

 §English as a Second Language Students§ 

and

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS

· When you enrol, you will be placed provisionally in an English class in the course and line of your choice.
· To confirm your enrolment, you MUST bring your School Certificate Result notice with you on Orientation Day.
· In some courses and in some lines there will be a heavy demand for places. We will ensure that all students who bring their result notices are placed in the course which best suits their interests and abilities.
· Students who bring their result notice in at a later date cannot be guaranteed a place in the course and line of their choice. This may involve changing classes in other subjects to include English in their course program.
· When you receive your result notice, you should compare your results with the course you have chosen. If you are not sure, ask your new English teacher at the commencement of the school year.

Course: English (Standard) Preliminary Course
The Preliminary English Standard Course provides students with an opportunity to explore a range of types of texts drawn from prose fiction, drama, poetry, non-fiction, film, media and/or multimedia resources. Students are required to undertake wide reading programs that allow them to explore texts and understand aspects of meaning from social, cultural, workplace and personal perspectives.

The majority of students in NSW will study this course. Students will learn to compose and respond to a wide variety of texts in a range of situations in order to be effective, creative and confident communicators. This course is designed for students to become proficient in English to enhance their personal, social and vocational lives.

The compulsory part of this course is an Area of Study which has content common to both the Standard and Advanced courses. This Area of Study is worth 40% of the assessment. In addition, students will study three electives which comprise 60% of the assessment. Students will study a range of texts and assessments will include listening, speaking, viewing and representing as well as reading and writing.

Students who have had difficulty with English should also study the Fundamentals of English course which will help them to improve the skills they need to succeed at Standard English. The Fundamentals course allows students to spend extra time on the compulsory part of the Standard course.

Students who study the Standard course will be equipped for employment, TAFE and tertiary study. This course is NOT suitable for students who wish to study English or related subjects at university.

Course: English (Advanced) Preliminary Course
This course provides students who have a particular interest and ability in the subject with challenging learning experiences and opportunities to enjoy a variety of texts. The study of this course will allow students to develop their critical and analytical skills through exploring the contexts in which texts are written and read.

Students who are above average in English and have a particular interest in literary and multimedia texts should undertake this course. Students should enjoy discussing and exploring issues that are raised in these texts. Students need to possess competent reading and writing skills and be confident to articulate considered opinions in class discussions.

The course consists of two sections.

Section I : Area of Study (Common to the Standard and Advanced Courses). The common content comprises 40% of the course content and it involves exploring a variety of text types including fiction, drama, poetry, film and non-fiction. Students will study the interrelationships between these texts.

Section II : Electives. The electives comprise 60% of the course and require students to consider the way texts reflect attitudes and values. Students study three electives, one of which must include Shakespearean drama.

Students who have a strong interest and ability in English should also undertake the Extension course.

Students who study the Advanced course will be well equipped for further study of English and related disciplines at tertiary level.

Course: English As a Second Language (ESL)
This is a 2 Unit course in both the Preliminary and HSC years. The course meets Board of Studies requirements for the study of English. This course is for students who have studied overseas, or in an Australian school, where the language of instruction is not English. Students who have had five years or less of instruction in English are eligible for this course. 

In the Preliminary year, students undertake a Language Study to develop their English language skills, knowledge and understanding through studying ideas and processes in texts. They will develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and representing their ideas in the English language. 

Preliminary students will also study electives which can be chosen with the teacher to suit student needs and interests. 

Students who undertake this course should also study the Fundamentals of English course to further strengthen their skills in English.

Students who study the ESL course will be equipped for employment, TAFE and tertiary study. This course is NOT suitable for students who wish to study English or related subjects at university.

Course: Fundamentals of English
This is a 2 Unit course for students doing English (Standard) or English (ESL) courses. This course is intended to provide support for students’ progress in these other English courses. As well as this, Fundamentals of English aims to assist students with the English language demands of all other subjects.

Fundamentals of English may be taken as 2 Units in the Preliminary Year, or 2 Units in the HSC Year, or 1 Unit in each year. These two Units will be reported on a student’s Record of Achievement as a Preliminary Course.

Students will receive intensive extra tuition related to the activities of their Standard or ESL English courses. This would include learning skills, reading, writing and comprehension skills, as well as workplace communications.

The Course involves a compulsory focus on the Area of Study from the Standard or ESL English Courses. In addition there will be optional studies in Oral Communication Skills, Forms of Writing, Investigative Skills and Workplace Communication.

Students would choose this Course if they felt that extra time and tuition would improve their performance in a Standard or ESL English Course, or for their English language requirements in other subjects.

Course: English (Extension) Preliminary Course
This is a 1 Unit course which is taken in conjunction with the Advanced course. It may be studied in the Preliminary year only, or may lead to a further 1 or 2 units in the HSC year.

Study of this course will include :
· Learning to value the study of a range of literary texts
· Investigating a wide range of texts and cultural contexts to develop individual insights into these forms of literature
· Developing skills to be able to respond in a variety of modes to a range of texts

Students who choose this course should be interested in exploring and analysing literature of different genres and historical periods. The texts to be studied will be negotiated with your teacher.

This course is ideal for talented English students who love literature and who wish to specialise in English at the Preliminary and HSC levels.

REMEMBER
Ask your current English teacher to recommend an English Course for you BEFORE you come to enrol at St Marys. Your current teacher knows your interests and abilities.