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We offer one of the largest ranges of subjects of any school in Victoria, from Foundation to Year 12.
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Year 8 English

Overview

In Year 8 English, you will embark on the hero’s journey. You will be challenged and supported in your learning with rich interactive content and diverse ways to succeed. Explore parallel worlds from science fiction and fantasy and look at familiar worlds in new ways. Meet characters from fiction and history, alien planets, and closer to home.

What do you do?

In English, you will:

  • discuss and write about your favourite texts including books, tv shows, movies, video games, and more
  • share ideas and work collaboratively in online classes
  • improve your skills through our weekly module work and online forums and blog posts
  • read and discuss our novels in our weekly reading class
  • explore contemporary issues and develop your own point of view on these topics
  • study a film and three novels spanning genres including coming-of-age, science fiction, and fantasy
  • make your own interactive fiction text-based game.

What skills do you develop?

For Reading/Viewing, you will:

  • engage with interactive quizzes and videos
  • explain and summarise key topics
  • analyse stories and themes to notice the choices authors make
  • develop your understanding of contemporary issues in media.

In Writing you will:

  • mix images and words for effect (make character cards, social media posts, and haikus)
  • express yourself through fictional, argumentative, and informative texts
  • make a short video about you or something you like
  • create your own interactive fiction text-based game.

For Speaking and Listening, you can:

  • research and debate contemporary issues in media
  • make an informative presentation and record a short audio drama
  • persuade others using rhetorical questions, logic, and emotional appeals
  • ask questions and talk about ideas in class.

You will also look at ethical capabilities in English. For this you will:

  • discuss complex issues, where right and wrong is not always clear
  • consider and try to resolve different values and interests.

Requirements

Required resources:

Internet access required for this course and attending online lessons.

 

Things you can do now

You can watch Hunt for the Wilderpeople in the online course in Semester 2. You can get a copy and watch it earlier if you like.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople, (film, 2016), director Taika Waititi

Go to the VCAA English Level 8 section for more information about this subject.

 

Things to have a look at

What makes a hero?