English Area of Study to be dropped (2 Viewers)

[tigerian]

As discovery is so much better than belonging they will be careful with their review in 2017

 

[Ununoctium]

Module C by far. Absolutely deplored that topic.

There is too much duplication between the three modules. The excessive focus on context, values and purpose is not right.

They should replace the Area of Study with a core topic on linguistics -- which should be a senior version of NAPLAN's language based questions.

Module A should be replaced with a topic on literature, with a special focus on cultural significance and strong historical study / links.

Module C should be scrapped.

And Module B is fine - it should stay the same.

That way Paper 2 will only have two modules. This will allow the history and culture focus of Module A to be padded out in much more depth, so that it becomes more obvious who is simply rote learning and who has taken a real appreciation come exam time.

That we have 2 hours to write about 3 modules is an absolute joke and a complete insult to the integrity of the literature we are supposed to be "studying".

40 minutes is the sweet spot for fakers - those who simply memorised their essays are forced to sustain their response cohesively after this threshold. It is a very effective discriminator and one that works very well for Extension English.

I refer others to this post for a reminder on what the purpose of English should be.

This is a wonderful comment!

I never quite understood why we did Module C. Aren't we *learning* about how composers position us/represent things through the other Modules? Do we really need to spend weeks upon weeks finding ways to express "a text is a construction" over and over? Isn't it... kind of obvious that texts are built (you figure that out when you started creative writing in year 7).

I love your comment about the need more time to delve into ideas - in ENX1, it's such a bad idea to rote an essay; you're given an hour to demonstrate your intellectual agility and passion for the elective. It's so much better. In EAD, 40 minutes encourages crowbarring - indeed, the most successful students generally memorise chunks and chunks of information and just simply adapt it to the question. HOW is this learning?! What are they demonstrating? But unfortunately, it is rewarded.

I also agree with your idea about linguistics/grammar being examined. I do not think it should be NAPLAN style (it makes it un-engaging and ludicrous), but rather the style they do it in the Latin examinations; have an extract of a text, and asking the student for short answer responses on segments of it (kind of like we do now). For example "Identify a use of the subjunctive tense and explain why it is an example of the subjunctive" or "Explain the difference between a colon and a semi-colon". My only concern with this is how engaging it would be for all levels of students. The AOS at least attempts to engage with students because they explore universal concepts.

And I think the concept of 'textual integrity' needs to go for Module B. Firstly, it's a made up idea, which infuriates many students (including myself) - for some reason, it undermines the legitimacy of the Module. Can't they just say "how all elements of the text work together to make an integrated whole" or something? Textual integrity is confusing for too many students and just un-necessary. Perhaps Module B should be changed to something like "Canonical texts". That way we can study the classics and understand why they have enduring value.

I think this would be an excellent course for Advanced English:

English Paper 1 (1 1/2 hours)
Section 1: Grammar
Section 2: Creative composition

English Advanced (3 hours)
Module A: Comparative Study of Text and Context (I like it how it is)
Module B: Canonical texts
Module C: Linguistics

 

[teridax]

I love your comment about the need more time to delve into ideas - in ENX1, it's such a bad idea to rote an essay; you're given an hour to demonstrate your intellectual agility and passion for the elective. It's so much better.

Tbh, you can still get away with memorising essays for extension english - and if not, memorising paragraphs isn't a bad idea either. I personally did this for extension english for half yearlies and trials which went well for me. But obviously I knew my texts back to front so that helped in adapting.

In EAD, 40 minutes encourages crowbarring - indeed, the most successful students generally memorise chunks and chunks of information and just simply adapt it to the question. HOW is this learning?! What are they demonstrating? But unfortunately, it is rewarded.

How is that any less worthy of commending?

Many great writers write essays and novels etc. over years. SO long as it's their own work it's a representation of their ability.

 

[BLIT2014]

My favourite module was personally module B.

 

[mcchicken]

How about they bring back OC/ IQ style Q's to test comprehension and advanced English words ?

They should replace AOS with 20 mark multiple choice grammar/

Why can't the BOS just continue the tradition of NAPLAN style multiple choice and grammar? That would solve a lot of headache.

+1

Sounds like a SAT test. Heard horror stories from my US cousin about how it has become nothing more than a test to see how many obscure words you can remember.

Whilst that may be the case, HSC is still arguably nothing more than a test to see how well you can rote learn.

in ENX1, it's such a bad idea to rote an essay; you're given an hour to demonstrate your intellectual agility and passion for the elective. It's so much better. In EAD, 40 minutes encourages crowbarring - indeed, the most successful students generally memorise chunks and chunks of information and just simply adapt it to the question. HOW is this learning?! What are they demonstrating? But unfortunately, it is rewarded.

I rote my ext1 essays and stories for prelim, trials and hsc lol - although I did take more care to adapt them to the stimulus/question.

 

[Simplice]

I find the current English syllabus maddening. It completely strips away any semblance of literary appreciation the student may have once had and replaces it with syllabus mumbo-jumbo and rubric vomit. The entire concept of "proving" profound, deeply philosophical insights with a line of poetry attached to a line of bullshit is absolutely illogical.

The Area of Study is even stranger. What even is discovery? Why are we scraping out forced bits of analysis from texts that weren't even crafted to show the ins-and-outs of discovery in the first place? I would love if BOSTES included a module where students write about their own chosen texts in response to a nuanced, thought-provoking question (if that's even possible). That way, they can engage with their own ideas about texts they actually care about. But then again, people will inevitably come up with a rote method of going about it. I guess it's inevitable.

 

[Fiction]

Tbh, you can still get away with memorising essays for extension english - and if not, memorising paragraphs isn't a bad idea either. I personally did this for extension english for half yearlies and trials which went well for me. But obviously I knew my texts back to front so that helped in adapting.

As someone who does EExt1, I agree with teriarse. In the elective I'm doing at least, it's easier to regurgitate a rote learned essay than in English Adv, simply because the questions are so broad. Eng ext, imo doesn't really require a more comprehensive grasp on the language, if anything I've found it easier than the advanced course.

 

[Evertone]

This is a wonderful comment!
Perhaps Module B should be changed to something like "Canonical texts". That way we can study the classics and understand why they have enduring value.

I really love this idea, and it is what I meant when describing a focus on literature for Module A earlier. There really needs to be a focus on the classics. Senior English is the only opportunity to study such literature for, sadly, far too many people.

They need to treat it very carefully though, and there has to be a real prioritisation of the techniques used in teaching this by the Board and ETA, because many students begin such studies having already made up their mind - that the texts are useless.