Stage 6
English
English Studies
English Studies is a fun 2 unit subject that takes a practical and everyday approach to English. This subject enables students to access close teacher assistance in improving their writing skills in small groups in preparation for post-school life. It looks at texts that feature in our normal lives, such as travel diaries and itineraries, curriculum vitaes, letters to employers, biographies and sporting reviews and recounts. It can be taken as a non-ATAR or an ATAR subject and requires no reading of novels or study of poetry. You won’t find Shakespeare lurking in English Studies, unless he’s playing footy.
English Standard
Standard English is a 2 unit subject that focuses on contemporary literature, texts designed for teenagers. It treats modern issues and topics that appeal specifically to your age group, but is an academically rigorous course that requires large amounts of preparation and study. It requires you to read a novel, view visual texts and explore poetry, non-fiction or a script. It is a minimum English requirement for most university courses. It also requires study of the craft of writing, involving a close analysis of a range of shorter texts and experimentation with writing in a variety of styles.
English Advanced
Advanced English is a 2 unit subject that has a classical focus and looks at texts for mature readers. You must enjoy reading and critically analysing texts to take this subject as it is highly competitive and academic. It delves into complex concepts and requires a large amount of independent research and topic preparation. You’ll be required to critically study a classic novel, a Shakespearean script and view visual texts, explore poetry, non-fiction or a script. It also requires the study of the craft of writing, involving a deep analysis of a range of shorter sophisticated texts and experimentation with writing in a variety of styles.
Extension 1 English
Extension 1 English is an exciting 1 unit subject for those who love English and have taken Advanced English. It takes a theory centred approach to literary topics and focuses on sophisticated texts and their social milieu. It works as a great accompaniment to Advanced English because it helps to prepare students for the complexity of Advanced and give them an edge in their conceptual understanding and their writing/composition skills. It requires a love of deep independent research, a knack for writing with sophistication and a joy in extracting academic and theoretical ideas from texts.
Extension 2 English
Extension 2 English is the opportunity you lovers of English have been waiting for. It requires you to write your own major work over the year, about whatever you like and in whatever style you like. It could be a short story, a critical essay, a suite of poems, a short film, a multimedia piece, a podcast or a script. You will have to plumb the depths of an area of independent research and become an expert in your field. You will teach your teacher things. It’s pretty fabulous for English lovers. It is a 1 unit subject and must be done alongside Extension 1 and Advanced English. It will be the 4th unit in your study of HSC English, and it’s only available from the start of Year 12 and will spring from your Extension 1 class.