§-English syllabus
VIC · VCAA← English
English syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the VIC English syllabus, with a focused answer for each. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions and links to related points.
Unit 1: Reading and exploring texts and Crafting texts
Module overview →What is close reading in VCE English Unit 1, and how do you practise it on a Year 11 set text?
ways of reading texts including close, attentive and careful reading
How do context and reader shape the meaning of a Year 11 VCE English set text?
the context in which a text was produced and the context in which it is read, and how these affect interpretation
What does a Year 11 VCE English analytical essay actually look like, and how is it different from a Unit 3 text response?
the features of an analytical response to a text, including structure, conventions and language
What does VCAA mean by effective and cohesive writing in Year 11 VCE English, and how do you build the habits in your own pieces?
the features of effective and cohesive writing including sentence and paragraph structures, syntax and the relationship between ideas
What does VCAA mean by ideas, concerns and conflicts in a text, and how do you discuss them in Year 11 English?
the ideas, concerns and conflicts presented in texts
Which language features matter in VCE English Unit 1, and how do you write about their effects without listing techniques?
the effect of language choices including the use of figurative, dialogic and other language features
How do you read a mentor text in Year 11 VCE English so that it improves your own writing rather than just sits on your reading list?
the role and use of mentor texts as models of effective and cohesive writing
How do purpose, context and audience shape the texts you write in VCE English Unit 1 Crafting Texts?
the relationship between purpose, context (including mode) and audience and the construction of texts
How does the Crafting Texts Framework of Ideas work in VCE English Unit 1, and how do you respond to it through writing?
the use of frameworks of ideas to inspire and inform writing
How do you talk about vocabulary, text structures and language features in VCE English Unit 1 without sliding into technique-spotting?
the vocabulary, text structures and language features used by the author and their effects on the reader
How do voice and perspective work in VCE English Unit 1, both in reading set texts and in writing your own?
voice and perspective in texts, including the perspectives of authors, narrators and characters
What does the writing process look like in VCE English Unit 1 Crafting Texts, from first draft to written explanation?
the processes of drafting, revising, editing and publishing texts
Unit 2: Reading and exploring texts and Exploring argument
Module overview →What does a Year 11 VCE English Unit 2 Exploring Argument analytical commentary look like?
the structure, conventions and language of an analytical commentary on a persuasive text, building the habits required for the Unit 4 argument analysis
What does a Year 11 VCE English Unit 2 analytical response look like?
the structure, conventions and language of an analytical response to a Unit 2 set text, building the habits required for the Unit 3 text response
How are ideas, issues and conflicts identified and analysed in a Year 11 VCE English Unit 2 set text?
the ideas, issues and conflicts represented in texts, and the ways the writer constructs them through vocabulary, text structures and language features
How is the contention and supporting argument structure identified in a Year 11 persuasive text?
the contention, supporting arguments and structure of persuasive texts, including how the argument is constructed for a specified audience and purpose
What persuasive language techniques operate in Year 11 persuasive texts?
the persuasive language techniques used in unfamiliar persuasive texts, and the intended effect of each on the audience
How are tone, audience and intended effect analysed in a Year 11 persuasive text?
the tone of a persuasive text, the audience it addresses, and the intended effect of language and structural choices on that audience
How are views and values represented in a Year 11 VCE English Unit 2 set text?
the views and values endorsed or challenged in texts, and how the writer constructs these positions through craft choices
How do vocabulary, text structures and language features in a Year 11 VCE English Unit 2 set text construct meaning?
the use of vocabulary, text structures and language features by the writer of a set text, and the effects of these on the reader
Unit 3: Reading and Responding to Texts and Creating Texts
Module overview →What does VCAA mean by the conventions of discussion and debate, and how do you use them to develop your reading of a text?
the conventions of discussion and debate
How do you discuss and reflect on your own writing processes in the Creating Texts written explanation?
the conventions of discussion and reflection on writing processes, including metalanguage to discuss writing, the role of feedback, and the processes of drafting, reviewing, editing and refining
What does an analytical response to a text actually look like in VCE English Unit 3, and how is it structured?
the features of an analytical response to a text, including structure, conventions and language
What does VCAA mean by effective and cohesive writing for a particular purpose, audience and context, and how do you produce it in a Creating Texts SAC?
the features of effective and cohesive writing, including vocabulary, text structures, language features and conventions appropriate to purpose, audience and context (including mode)
What are the ideas, concerns and tensions presented in your selected text, and how does the author develop them?
the ideas, concerns and tensions presented in a text
How can vocabulary, text structures, language features and conventions be deliberately manipulated to achieve different effects in your own writing?
the ways vocabulary, text structures, language features and conventions can be manipulated to achieve specific effects in writing
What is a mentor text in VCE English Unit 3, and how do you actually learn from one rather than imitate it?
the role and use of mentor texts as models of effective and cohesive writing for analysis and reflection
What metalanguage does VCAA expect in a Unit 3 text response, and how do you use it without slipping into jargon?
the relevant metalanguage used to discuss and analyse the construction of meaning in a text
How do purpose, context (including mode) and audience shape writing in a VCE English Creating Texts SAC?
the ways purpose, context (including mode) and audience shape texts
How do vocabulary, text structures and language features work together to create meaning in your selected text?
the vocabulary, text structures and language features used in a text
Unit 4: Reading and Responding to Texts and Analysing Argument
Module overview →How is the contention, supporting arguments and structure of a persuasive text identified for VCE English Unit 4 Area of Study 2?
the contention, supporting arguments and structure of a persuasive text, including how the arguments build the case
Which persuasive language techniques operate in Section C texts, and how is each one analysed?
the persuasive language techniques used in unfamiliar persuasive media, and the intended effect of each on the audience
How does the close study of a single List 1 text develop a sustained, evidence-supported interpretation?
Read and analyse a single List 1 text (novel, play, collection, non-fiction or film), identifying explicit and implicit ideas and values, and the authorial choices that construct meaning
How do the form, structure and conventions of different persuasive media (op-eds, speeches, blogs, podcasts, multimodal pieces) shape the persuasive case they advance?
the form, structure and conventions of unfamiliar persuasive media, including how the form of the text shapes the persuasive case
What does the structure of a high-band VCE English Unit 4 Section C analytical commentary look like, and how is it different from a Section A or B essay?
the conventions of an analytical commentary on unfamiliar persuasive media, including structure, language and how the response tracks the writer's case
How are tone, audience and intended effect analysed in a Section C response, and how do they interact with the writer's contention?
the tone of a persuasive text, the audience it addresses, and the intended effect of language and structural choices on that audience
How is a Section A analytical text response structured under exam conditions?
Write an extended analytical text response to a List 1 text under exam conditions (Section A of the end-of-year exam), with a clear contention, sustained argument, integrated evidence, and analysis of authorial choices