Curriculum Studies Guide 2018

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Curriculum Studies Guide 2018
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English
YEAR 9
Status Compulsory
Prerequisites None
Periods per week Four
Description
Students who enter Year 9 have already sat
the English Levels Test and been placed in
an appropriate class. Early in the first term,
comprehensive diagnostic testing takes place,
as a result of which students may begin on a
programme of work with the Learning Centre. For
some, this will be only a short course; for others it
will be the beginning of a support system that may
last into Year 11 or beyond.
The Year 9 English course is based largely on
reading, writing and speaking. There will be a
considerable variety of material and approaches.
Increased literacy is a major aim, but it is intended
that the course should be stimulating, enjoyable
and demanding. The aim is that, by the end of
the year, every student will have advanced his
language skills and be more competent and
confident as a reader, writer and speaker. In Year 9
we focus particularly on New Zealand and Pacific
literature.
Assessment
Continual formative assessments to check
progress. Scheduled mid and end–of–year
examinations.
YEAR 10
Status Compulsory
Prerequisites None
Periods per week Four
Description
This year’s work, while it continues and
consolidates that done in Year 9, also expands in a
number of ways. All classes begin to look ahead to
the kind of demands made for Level 1 NCEA in Year
11, and a more thoughtful and detailed approach
to literature that will be a foundation for English
studies in the senior school. All classes begin to
work on units such as visual texts, formal writing
and a wider variety of extended texts such as a
Shakespeare play.
At both Year 9 and Year 10 there are extra–
curricular activities in which students could
consider taking part: junior drama productions,
House plays, theatre sports, debating, creative
writing competitions and the Tancred Literature
examination.
Assessment
As for Year 9.
YEAR 11
Status Compulsory
Prerequisites None
Periods per week Five
Description
All students in Year 11 will work towards NCEA
Level 1 achievement standards.
Assessment – Internal
AS90052
Produce creative writing. (3 credits - internal)
AS90852
Explain significant connection(s) across texts,
using supporting evidence. (4 credits – internal)
AS90857
Construct and deliver an oral text.
(3 credits - internal)
For the creative writing standard, students will
be given two opportunities to submit work for
final assessment. Class teachers will be closely
involved in a student’s preparation for all internal
assessment work and will need to be able to
guarantee that the work finally submitted is the
student’s own. There will be opportunities for
formative assessments during the production
process in all internal assessments.
Assessment – External (examination)
AS90849
Show understanding of specified aspect(s) of
studied written text(s), using supporting evidence.
(4 credits – external)
AS90850
Show understanding of specified aspect(s) of
studied visual or oral text(s), using supporting
evidence. (4 credits – external)