English

Find additional advice on learning from home in English. Students should ensure they are communicating regularly with their school and classroom teacher.

General advice for all courses

Students should access the NESA English Stage 6 website for syllabus information, sample HSC examination papers and ‘Standards materials’ (annotated student sample examination papers) and the HSC exam packs. In particular, the 2020 and 2019 HSC exam packs provide marker feedback for each section of the examination for all courses, as per the current syllabuses.

Students should review past papers and the comments from the marking centre. Students could use the past papers and sample papers to construct practise responses and self-assess based on the marker advice provided within the HSC exam packs.

Students should establish a wide reading program reflective of their current module of study and connect this to targeted imaginative, persuasive, discursive or analytical writing activities.

In relation to set texts, students should read and re-read the text and take notes in relation to the module statement. Students may focus on:

  • Form, features, structure and/or context.
  • The connections between one text and another in the case of Module A for Advanced or the elective for Extension 1.

Researching widely could assist this process as students develop an understanding of the conventions of particular forms, genre or composer context.

Other advice

Continue to check the NESA information pages for the relevant English course. Check the NESA COVID-19 advice site for updates and advice regarding study and assessment advice in Year 11 and 12.

Key advice for students learning at home

  • Students should be familiar with the module description in the syllabus for the common module ‘Texts and Human Experiences’.
  • There is one prescribed text set for study so students could read/view this text and develop their deep understanding of its form, style and language features, as well as the context and purpose of the composer.
  • Remember in reviewing the text to further explore what human experiences spring from the text and add to their class notes any fresh observations and/or deeper understandings of what has already been explored in class.
  • Students can review their assessments, taking teacher feedback into account, rework the task and build on their understanding.
  • Students should be reading a range of texts then responding personally – perhaps in a reading log – to the way in which human qualities, emotions, experiences and behaviour have been represented.
  • Students should be familiar with the structure and layout of the HSC examination for the common module ‘Texts and Human Experiences’. They should review the sample examination papers (located on the course page for the relevant course) and the 2020 and 2019 HSC exam packs for their selected course. Students should pay close attention to the marker feedback for each section of the examination.

Key advice for students learning at home

Students should consult the English Advanced Stage 6 syllabus - Year 11 or Year 12 and ensure they have a deep undersanding of the course and module requirements.

Year 11 students

Students will be working on either Module A or Module B.

For Module A students should:

  • Consult the Module A description in the English Advanced Stage 6 - Year 11 syllabus and focus on developing an informed understanding of their prescribed texts.
  • Focus on deepening their understanding of how narratives shape meaning in a range of texts from the past and the contemporary era.
  • Focus on how these narratives influence the way individuals and communities understand and represent themselves.
  • Develop a deeper understanding of context and its impact and relevance to the texts and their composers.
  • Students work individually and collaboratively to evaluate and refine their own use of narrative devices to creatively express complex ideas about their world and critically evaluate the use of narrative devices by other composers.

For Module B students should:

  • Consult the Module B description in the English Advanced Stage 6 - Year 11 syllabus and focus on developing an informed understanding of their prescribed text.
  • Develop their analytical and critical knowledge, understanding and appreciation of a literary text, through a critical study of their prescribed text.
  • Critically and creatively respond to the texts by evaluating, analysing, assessing and reflecting upon the way meaning is shaped and conveyed.
  • Investigate and explore the ideas in the text, further strengthening their personal perspective on the text.
  • Independently, develop a reading journal and record personal responses to the text, its form and context as they read and research the text.
  • Ensure they are able to express their informed personal view of the texts meaning and value.

Year 12 students

Students may be working on Module A – ‘Textual Conversations’, Module B – ‘Critical lStudy of Literature’ or Module C – ‘The Craft of Writing’. Students should consult the English Advanced Stage 6 - Year 12 syllabus and ensure they have a deep undersanding of the module requirements. On this page students can also access sample examination materials. They can also access the 2020 and 2019 HSC exam packs. These provide marker feedback. Students could use the sample papers and past papers to construct practise responses and self-assess based on the marking guidelines and marker advice provided.

A range of quality resources, aligned to the HSC English Advanced course, are provided for students on the HSC Hub - English Advanced. These resources are designed to further support students in their preparation for the HSC examination.

For Module A students should:

  • Ensure they have a deep knowledge of the two prescribed text.
  • Consult the module description in the syllabus and focus on developing an informed understanding of their two prescribed texts.
  • Continue working independently to research the personal, political and historical contexts of the composers, as well as responding creatively to each text to develop an awareness of the values of each text.

For Module B students should:

  • Ensure they have a deep knowledge of the prescribed text.
  • Continue to develop a critical appreciation of their text by developing a reading or viewing journal by recording personal responses as they read or reread their text.
  • Research and read widely for critical reception of the text, then weave the two together in analytical writing that shows the development of a personal response based on others' perspectives.

For Module C students should:

  • Ensure they have a deep knowledge of the prescribed texts (at least two).
  • Research the style, form and use of language forms, features and structures used by the composer of the prescribed texts and then experiment with utilising these in their own writing.
  • Use the stimulus and writing activities in the sample paper and past papers to improve their creative writing skills.

Key advice for students learning at home

Students should consult the English Extension Stage 6 - Year 11 or Year 12 syllabus and ensure they have a deep undersanding of the course and module requirements.

Year 11 students

Students should:

  • Be completing the Texts, Culture and Value topic or the Independent Research Project.
  • Continue working on their Texts, culture and values module.
  • Continue studying the texts identified as their set text in class and reading a wide variety of texts to support their knowledge of their elective.
  • Concurrently work on their independent research project, if this assessment has not yet been submitted. This is an independent task and could be completed (with refined and continued feedback by the teacher) whilst learning from home.
  • Use this time to source academic articles from State Library, with regard to their project or topic areas of interest, or their set texts.

Year 12 students

On the English Extension Stage 6 page students can also access the ‘sample examination materials’. Students should access the 2020 and 2019 HSC exam packs. These provide marker feedback. Students could use the sample papers and past papers to construct practise responses and self-assess based on the marking guidelines and marker advice provided.

A range of quality resources, aligned to the HSC English Extension 1 course, are provided for students on the HSC Hub - English Extension 1. These resources are designed to further support students in their preparation for the HSC examination.

Students should:

  • Be working in collaboration with their teacher and independently through their elective study.
  • Ensure they understand whether the common module is being taught concurrently (with the elective) or in a standalone model.
  • Support their elective (that is, ONE of the following: Literary Homelands, Worlds of Upheaval, Reimagined Worlds, Literary Mindscapes or Intersecting Worlds) study through analysis of the texts they are studying and reading a wide variety of texts to support their knowledge of the elective.
  • Be experimenting with critical and creative compositions that explore the common module and elective.
  • Be working on their imaginative writing skills through short succinct styled writing that accentuates the values and concepts in their common module and elective.
  • Access the 2020 and 2019 HSC exam packs as this provides marker feedback.

Key advice for students learning at home

Students should consult the English Extension Stage 6 syllabus - Extension 2 and ensure they have a deep undersanding of the course requirements.

They can also access the 2020 and 2019 HSC exam packs. These provide marker feedback. Students could use these to inform the progress of their major work.

A range of quality resources, aligned to the HSC English Extension 2 course, are available for students on the HSC Hub - English Extension 2. These resources are designed to further support students.

Students should: 

  • Focus on their major work and possible current focus area ‘Literature Review’ and or ‘Critique of the Creative Process’.
  • Continue to edit, reflect and review both the major work and reflection statement.
  • Note: if they are creating a multimedia text, specifically a short film they may need to consider adapting their setting and characters to work with the current Covid-19 requirements. 

Key advice for students learning at home

Students should consult the English Standard Stage 6 syllabus - Year 11 or Year 12 and ensure they have a deep undersanding of the course and module requirements.

Year 11 students

Students may be studying either Module A – ‘Contemporary Possibilities’ or Module B – ‘Close Study of Literature’.

For Module A students should:

  • Consult the module description in the syllabus and focus on developing an informed understanding of their prescribed texts.
  • Focus on developing a deeper understanding of the power of communication technologies in their prescribed texts.
  • Respond to and compose in a range of forms and features. They could independently or collaboratively design their own multimodal or digital texts to represent their ideas.

For Module B students should:

  • Develop their knowledge and appreciation of a substantial literary print text, through a close study of their prescribed text.
  • Independently develop a reading journal and record personal responses as they read or re-read their set text.
  • Critically and creatively respond to the text by analysing and assessing the way meaning is shaped and conveyed.

Year 12 students

Students may be working on Module A – ‘Language, Identity and Culture’, Module B – ‘Close Study of Literature’ or Module C – ‘The Craft of Writing’. Students should consult the English Standard Stage 6 - Year 12 syllabus and ensure they have a deep understanding of the module requirements. On this page students can also access the ‘sample examination materials’. They can also access the 2020 and 2019 HSC exam packs. These provide marker feedback. Students could use the sample papers and past papers to construct practise responses and self-assess based on the marker advice provided.

A range of quality resources, aligned to the HSC English Standard course, are provided for students on the HSC Hub - English Standard. These resources are designed to further support students in their preparation for the HSC examination.

Students may be working on Module A, Module B or Module C.

For Module A students should:

  • Consult the module description in the syllabus and focus on developing an informed understanding of their prescribed text.
  • Continue their independent work which could involve research into the way in which language has been used to represent identity in that key text.
  • Respond personally by writing imaginative texts that explore their own personal and cultural identity.

For Module B students should:

  • Continue to develop deep knowledge of the prescribed text. 
  • Continue to develop their critical appreciation by developing a reading or viewing journal and record personal responses as they read or re-read.
  • Research and take notes on the specific features of the text's form, style and language that make it unique and engaging.

For Module C students should:

  • Ensure they have a deep knowledge of the prescribed texts (at least two). 
  • Research the style, form and use of language forms, features and structures used by the composer of the prescribed texts and then experiment with utilising these in their own writing. 
  • Use the stimulus and writing activities in the sample paper and past papers to improve their creative writing skills.

Key advice for students learning at home

Students should consult the English Studies Stage 6 syllabus - Year 11 or Year 12 and ensure they have a deep undersanding of the course and module requirements.

Year 11 students

Students should:

  • Continue working on elective modules and the collection of classwork.
  • Be familiar with the module description from the syllabus.
  • Focus on reading and viewing a range of texts related to the module and construct personal responses. This may be in the form of a reflection journal.
  • Develop a portfolio of texts they have planned, drafted and edited. Independent work could focus on first drafts of imaginative, persuasive or informative writing in response to various fiction and nonfiction texts related to the elective module topic.

Year 12 students

Students should consult the English Studies Stage 6 syllabus - Year 12 and ensure they have a deep undersanding of the course and module requirements. For students choosing to sit the optional HSC examination for English Studies, on the English Studies Stage 6 syllabus page, students can also access the ‘sample examination materials’. They can also access the 2020 and 2019 HSC exam packs. These provide marker feedback. Students could use the sample papers and past papers to construct practise responses and self-assess based on the marker advice provided.

A range of quality resources, aligned to the HSC English Studies course, are provided for students on the HSC Hub - English Studies. These resources are designed to further support students in their preparation for the HSC examination. 

Students should:

  • Continue working on elective modules and the collection of classwork.
  • Be familiar with the module description from the syllabus.
  • Focus on reading and viewing a range of texts related to the module and construct personal responses. This may be in the form of a reflection journal.
  • Develop a portfolio of texts they have planned, drafted and edited. Independent work could focus on first drafts of imaginative, persuasive or informative writing in response to various fiction and nonfiction texts related to the elective module topic.

 

Key advice for students learning at home

Students should consult the English EAL/D Stage 6 syllabus - Year 11 or Year 12 and ensure they have a deep undersanding of the course and module requirements.

Year 11 students

Students will be studying either Module B – ‘Close Study of Text’, Module C – ‘Texts and Society’ or an optional teacher developed module.

For Module B students should:

  • Develop their knowledge and appreciation of a substantial literary text through their close study of their prescribed text.
  • Develop a reading journal and record personal responses as they read or view the text.
  • Personally, critically and creatively respond to the texts by analysing and assessing the ways meaning is shaped and conveyed.

For Module C student should:

  • Consult the module description in the syllabus and focus on identifying and explaining the purposes of the types of texts that are used in community interactions, workplace communication and formal learning situations across different disciplines.
  • Respond to and compose texts in a range of forms and features relevant to their needs and interests.
  • Choose their own texts to support their learning of this module. They could utilise a wide reading journal to record their responses to their texts.  

Year 12 students

Students should consult the English EAL/D Stage 6 syllabus and ensure they have a deep undersanding of the course and module requirements.

On this page students can also access the ‘sample examination materials’. They can also access the 2020 and 2019 HSC exam packs. These provide marker feedback. Students could use the sample papers and past papers to construct practise responses and self-assess based on the marker advice provided.

A range of quality resources, aligned to the HSC EAL/D course, are provided for students on the HSC Hub - EAL/D. These resources are designed to further support students in their preparation for the HSC examination. 

Students may be revising Module A – ‘Texts and Human Experiences’ or continuing to work on Module B – ‘Language, Identity and Culture’ or Module C – ‘Close Study of Text’ with the concurrent module 'Focus on Writing’.

For Module A students should:

  • Ensure they are familiar with the module description in the syllabus and ensure they have a deep knowledge of the prescribed text. 
  • Ensure they have a deep understanding of the examination structure and requirements.
  • Students should be familiar with the module description in the syllabus for the common module ‘Texts and Human Experiences’.
  • There is one prescribed text set for study so students could read/view this text and develop their deep understanding of its form, style and language features, as well as the context and purpose of the composer.
  • Remember in reviewing the text to further explore what human experiences spring from the text and add to their class notes any fresh observations and/or deeper understandings of what has already been explored in class.
  • Students can review their assessments, taking teacher feedback into account, rework the task and build on their understanding.
  • Students should be reading a range of texts then responding personally – perhaps in a reading log – to the way in which human qualities, emotions, experiences and behaviour have been represented.

For Module B students should:

  • Consult the module description in the syllabus and focus on developing an informed understanding of their prescribed text.
  • Continue to develop an appreciation of their text by developing a reading or viewing journal and record personal responses as they read or re-read their text.
  • Ensure they have a deep knowledge of the prescribed text and the representation of the individual lifestyles amd social or cultural groupings. 

For Module C students should: 

  • Consult the module description in the syllabus and focus on developing an informed understanding of their prescribed text. 
  • Ensure they have a deep knowledge of the prescribed text. 
  • Research the content, form and use of language forms, features and structures used by the composer of the prescribed text.
  • Continue working independently and research the text ensuring they have a deep understanding of how the composer has represented and portrayed people ideas and events. 
  • For Focus on Writing students should: 
  • Ensure they are familiar with the module description in the syllabus. 
  • Utilise the texts studied within Modules A, B and C as stimulus and inspiration for writing critical, discursive, imaginative, informative and persuasive responses.
  • Experiment with the style, form and use of language forms, features and structures used by the composers of the texts studied within Modules A, B and C. 
  • Use the stimulus and writing activities in the sample paper and past papers to improve their creative writing skills. 

 

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