ENGLISH DOMAIN


Hannah Banks
English Instructional Leader

English is important for helping you appreciate diversity, develop sensitivity and, perhaps most importantly, contribute to your future by crafting your writing and critical thinking.

In the English Domain, we foster an appreciation for a wide variety of texts and empower you to develop your own interpretations of the texts we study. You interpret, create, evaluate, discuss and perform a wide range of literary 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, film and digital texts, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, dramatic performances and many others.

Students complete English as a compulsory part of their VCE Studies. From 2025, VCE English Language and VCE English Literature are offered as extension options via an application and interview process. Successful students can choose to replace Core English with English Language/Literature or complete it in addition to Core English.

English 1-2

  • Study novels, film and the media
  • Analyse how the media influence their audience through words and images
  • Learn how to write in many different forms including creatively, persuasively and analytically

Subject Code: V1EEN
Year Level: 11

There are two areas of study for each unit:

Unit 1
  • You respond personally and analytically to one text.
  • We look at a variety of different text genres through a framework of ideas.
Unit 2
  • You respond analytically to one text.
  • We look at the way language and argument complement one another and interact to position the reader.
What does this mean for me?

Our class reads and analyses texts and completes written responses. You creatively write in a range of formats and styles, drawing on various texts. We examine particular media texts and the ways in which authors persuade readers to share a particular point of view. You read texts (short stories, novels, plays, films and poetry) closely and critically analyse the ideas and content. We also compare the way similar ideas are conveyed differently depending on the mode through which they are presented.

Assessment
  • Text essays
  • Creative writing
  • Oral presentations
  • Expository writing
  • Comparative response
  • Exam
What sort of student would like English?

Someone who:

  • Enjoys reading, responding in writing and discussing ideas
  • Is interested in examining current affairs and the role the media plays in our society
  • Likes to work with ideas, to think creatively and write extended responses.
Suggested Prerequisites

10 English, 10 Extension English.

 

English Language 1-2

  • How is language acquired from infancy?
  • Explore the theory that language is a system of signs
  • Learn how language choices are always influenced by the situational and cultural contexts

Subject Code: V1EEL
Year Level: 11

VCE English Language is offered as an extension subject via an application and interview. Successful students can choose to replace Core English with English Language or study both.

Course description

VCE English Language is the study of how language works, how it changes, and how it is used to communicate meaning in different social and cultural contexts. It is very different from mainstream English because students do not study novels, plays or films. Instead, they analyse real-world language, including conversations, advertisements, speeches, interviews, social media posts, news articles, public documents and examples of Australian English. 

 

In Units 1 and 2, students learn the foundations of linguistic analysis. They study how language is acquired from infancy, how language is structured through sounds, words and sentences, and how language changes over time. Students also explore how English has developed, how it has spread globally, and how varieties of English are used in Australia and around the world. 

This subject is best suited to students who enjoy precise analytical thinking, close reading, vocabulary building and explaining how language choices create meaning.

 

Unit 1: Language and Communication

In Unit 1, students explore the nature and functions of language. They learn how language is structured through the subsystems of language, including phonetics and phonology, morphology and lexicology, syntax, semantics and discourse/pragmatics. 

 

Students also study child language acquisition, investigating how children learn to communicate from infancy and how their language develops over time.

 

Unit 2: Language Change

In Unit 2, students investigate how language changes across time and place. They explore the history and development of English, the influence of technology, migration, globalisation and culture, and the way English continues to evolve. 

 

Students also study Australian English and other varieties of English, including how language can reflect identity, community and social attitudes.

 

What will I do?

Students will: 

  • Learn and apply linguistic metalanguage, including grammar terminology  
  • Analyse word classes, phrases, clauses and sentence structures  
  • Explain how grammar, vocabulary and discourse features shape meaning  
  • Analyse spoken, written and digital texts using precise linguistic evidence 
  • Write short answer responses, analytical commentaries and linguistic essays  
  • Investigate examples of real-world language use  
  • Build the skills required for Units 3 and 4 English Language  
Assessment may include
  • Short answer tests
  • Analytical commentaries
  • Essays
  • Oral presentations
  • Case studies
What sort of student would like English Language?

This subject would suit students who:

  • Enjoy analysing how language works  
  • Are precise, curious and interested in patterns  
  • Enjoy learning new terminology and applying it accurately  
  • Like real-world examples more than novel or film study  
  • Are interested in communication, identity, culture, psychology, speech, media or law  
  • Enjoy constructing concise, focused analytical writing  

IMPORTANT NOTE

English Language is a challenging and demanding VCE subject. Students who find English difficult, avoid reading or struggle to learn and apply new terminology may find the subject demanding. Students should be prepared to read widely, revise metalanguage regularly and practise analytical writing throughout the year. 

Suggested Prerequisites

It is recommended that students complete 10 English or 10 Extension English before selecting VCE English Language Units 1 and 2.

Where can this take me?

VCE Subjects: VCE English Language Units 3 and 4, VCE English.

Careers and pathways: speech pathology, linguistics, teaching, journalism, law, psychology, media, communications, marketing, writing, editing, public relations, interpreting, policy and the arts. 

 

Literature 1-2

  • Examine the historical and cultural contexts of set texts
  • Explore how literary texts connect with each other and with the world
  • Consider the social and cultural impact of a writer

Subject Code: V1ELI
Year Level: 11

VCE Literature is offered as an extension subject via an application and interview. Successful students can choose to replace Core English with Literature or study both.

Unit 1

In this unit you will consider how language, structure and stylistic choices are used in different literary forms and types of text. They consider both print and non-print texts, reflecting on the contribution of form and style to meaning. You will reflect on the degree to which points of view, experiences and contexts shape their own and others’ interpretations of text. You will also explore the concerns, ideas, style and conventions common to distinctive types of literature seen in different literary movements.

What does this mean for me?

You read deeply and thoughtfully about the way writers explore the human condition.

Unit 2

You will explore the interconnectedness of place, culture and identity through the experiences, texts and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. You will also explore texts to consider their point of view with respect to the texts social, historical and cultural context.

What does this mean for me?

You need to develop your own distinctive writing style based on your critical reading of texts.

Assessment
  • Creative responses 
  • Comparative essay
  • Oral presentations
  • Passage analysis
  • Discussions based on close textual readings
What sort of student would like Literature?

Someone who:

  • Enjoys reading and wishes to engage with texts on a deeper level
  • Enjoys writing about their reading and wishes to extend their critical thinking the way writers convey meaning.
Suggested Prerequisites

Nil, but students who are strong in English are encouraged.

Other Considerations
  • The teacher may also be delivering content to other North East Catholic Secondary Schools: Galen Catholic College Wangaratta, Marian College Myrtleford and Sacred Heart College Yarrawonga. This enhances learning networks and expertise for both students and staff.