LENGTH OF COURSE: Full Year
ASSUMED BACKGROUND: Stage 1 English (1 or 2 semesters) and/or Stage 1 Pre-Literary Studies (1 or 2 semesters) – students are required to achieve a B Grade or higher to enrol in this course.
SUBJECT CHARGES: Nil (Possible Excursion charge of approximately $20)

CONTENT

Stage 2 English Literary Studies focuses on ways in which literary texts represent culture and identity, and on the dynamic relationship between authors, texts, audiences, and contexts. Students develop an understanding of the power of language to represent ideas, events, and people in particular ways and of how texts challenge or support cultural perceptions. Students produce responses that show the depth and clarity of their understanding. By focusing on the creativity and craft of the authors, students develop strategies to enhance their own skills in creating texts and put into practice the techniques they have observed.

Students complete a range of tasks from the following categories:

Responding to texts: Through their study of literary texts, students understand how readers are influenced to respond to their own and others’ cultural experiences, and how the expectations of audiences shape perceptions of texts and their significance.

Creating texts: Students create texts that enable them to apply the knowledge, skills, and understanding developed through their study of literary texts in a range of forms. Students experiment with and adapt content, medium, form, style, point of view, and language to create their own texts.

Comparative text study: This study involves the comparative study of two texts: one from the shared studies and the other independently chosen by the student.

Examination: A critical reading of one or more short texts. The short texts may be in a variety of forms (e.g. prose, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, texts with graphic or visual elements, or excerpts from film or soundtracks). The critical reading is a 100-minute examination developed by the SACE Board.