SENIOR HANDBOOK for 2012

eading positions. This involves investigating the invited readings of texts that students might want to challenge
and constructing alternative meanings by intervening in those texts. These investigations must involve a
consideration of particular textual features that could be manipulated to produce alternative meanings. These
meanings are to be constructed and defended in terms of text-centred and world-context theoretical
approaches.
Assessment
Students are to produce a theory-based complex transformation of a selected text (of any genre) and a defence
of the transformation which explains how they applied theories to reposition readers regarding the base text.
Students will also evaluate how the rewritten text offers readers an alternative perspective
Complex Transformation: Written: 100 – 800 words
Multimodal: 3 – 5 minutes
Defence:
Spoken/signed: 8 – 10 minutes
6 weeks notice of task
Open access to material and human resources
Written feedback on two drafts
Term 3: Well, it’s all right now! I’ve learned my lesson well…
From their learning in Unit 1 and Unit 2, students can now challenge a variety of texts and ideas in theoretically
defensible ways. For this reason, a key focus for Unit 3 is increasing student independence, both in terms of
selecting texts and theoretical approaches.
Unit 3 builds towards students evaluating their learning throughout the course, offering them opportunities for
in-depth exploration of texts they find particularly interesting and evaluation of how texts and theoretical
approaches can work together to produce close readings. Students explore how theoretical approaches can
complement one another and/or clash in producing close readings of literary texts.
Through a range of learning experiences students will develop achievable focus questions to define and scope
their exploration and evaluation. Students will develop an understanding of the nature, purpose and iterative
process of designing a suitable focus question which allows them to pursue their exploration and evaluation
within time and length guidelines.
Assessment
Students produce a theory-based extended analytical response that evaluates the ways selected theoretical
approaches may be applied in investigating text/s in depth.
Written: 2,000 – 2,500 words
6 weeks notice of task
Open access to material and human resources
Written feedback on one draft
Additional Information
In September of Year 11 selected Year 11 students (and parents who wish to attend) will be invited to an
information session about English Extension. This initial meeting will be held in October and will provide
substantial information about English Extension. Students wishing to undertake English Extension in Year 12 will
attend their first lesson in November of Year 11. During this lesson students will be issued with two Margaret
Atwood texts and a critical theory textbook that they must read over the Christmas holidays – this is nonnegotiable
and English Extension in Year 12 begins with the understanding that students have completed these
readings.
English Extension is held on a Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon until 4.30pm. Because of the workload and
intensive learning curve associated with English Extension, it is not advisable to undertake any other extension
courses in addition to English Extension. Likewise it is advisable that students do not participate in any extracurricular
activities that interfere with their attendance at these lessons.
St Margaret Mary’s College Senior Handbook for 2012 Page 44