English
The study of English is central to the learning and development of students in NSW and is
a mandatory subject. The importance of English in the curriculum is a recognition of its role as the national language and increasingly as the language of international communication. Proficiency in English enables students to take their place as confident, articulate communicators, critical and imaginative thinkers and active participants in society.
English involves the study and use of language in its various textual forms, encompassing
written, spoken and visual texts of varying complexity, including the language systems of
English through which meaning is conveyed, interpreted and reflected.
The study of English enables students to recognise and use a diversity of approaches and
texts to meet the growing array of literacy demands, including higher-order social, aesthetic
and cultural literacy. This study is designed to promote a sound knowledge of the structure
and function of the English language and to develop effective English communication
skills. The English courses develop in students an understanding of literary expression and nurture an appreciation of aesthetic values. Through reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing and representing experience, ideas and values, students are encouraged to adopt a critical approach to all texts and to distinguish the qualities of texts. Students also develop English language skills to support their study at Stage 6 and beyond.
In Stage 6, students come to understand the complexity of meaning, to compose and
respond to texts according to their form, content, purpose and audience, and to appreciate
the personal, social, historical, cultural and workplace contexts that produce and value
them. Students reflect on their reading and learning and understand that these processes
are shaped by the contexts in which they respond to and compose texts.
The study of English enables students to make sense of, and to enrich, their lives in
personal, social and professional situations and to deal effectively with change. Students
develop a strong sense of themselves as autonomous, reflective and creative learners. The
English syllabus is designed to develop in students the faculty to perceive and understand their world from a variety of perspectives, and it enables them to appreciate the
richness of Australia’s cultural diversity.
The syllabus is designed to develop enjoyment of English and an appreciation of its value
and role in learning.
Support for Literacy Skills
Reading
Reading every day is an easy way of supporting the English skills needed for independent learning in the classroom. Encouraging use of the school and town library for books as well as magazines is a cost effective way of bringing more reading material into your home.
And reading isn’t just about novels: in our digital world, visual literacy is just as important as following a character in a print novel. Graphic novels and manga are a different way of interacting with fiction and can be one way to getting a reluctant reader hooked on reading. Another way of supporting students in their reading is modelling reading yourself; children learn from observation and seeing others read may encourage more of an interest to pick up a book themselves. Conversations about what is being read in the home generates its own publicity.
Research shows that even ten minutes of reading a day can make a difference in improving comprehension, building vocabulary and expressing themselves in a more fluent manner in their critical and imaginative writing. And that’s not to mention the enjoyment students have when reading!
Writing
Encouraging writing in a journal fosters the skills needed for reflective writing, a skill which becomes increasingly important as students move through to the senior school.
Reading through the day’s class work
Spending a few minutes reading through the class work completed that day gives students another chance to understand the content and skills discussed, making them more confident to exercise these skills in future lessons. It also gives them a chance to catch up on work not completed during class time. Asking, ‘teach me what you learnt in English today?’ (or any subject for that matter) also gives students a chance to go over their work.
Subject news
- 2021 Minister's and Secretary's Awards for Excellence program
- Shakespeare Festival 2021
- Year 11 English Standard: Mod B: Close study of text - Cosi to be completed in class Thursday 12 August 2021
- Year 12 English Advanced Mod A: Textual Conversations due 12 August 2021
- Year 8 English Assessment Task: Relationships - Hugo due 29 July 2021
- Year 7 English Assessment Task: Image & Text: Dream of the Thylacine due 22 July 2021
- Feast of Words 2021 -- POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Year 11 Extension English 1: Assessment Task: Satire due Tuesday 3 August 2021
- 10 English 2 and 10 English 3: Shakespeare's Macbeth: due Thursday 10 June 2021
- Year 10 English 1: Shakespeare's Macbeth: Part A due Thursday 3 June; Part B due Friday 4 June 2021
- Year 9 English 1 Assessment Task: Romeo & Juliet due Friday 4 June 2021
- Year 9 English Assessment Task: Romeo & Juliet due Thursday 10 June 2021
- Year 11 Debating
- Writing Success!
- Year 11 Advanced English Critical Study of Literature: Twelfth Night due: Part 1 hand in essay prior to 9am Thursday 3 June; Part 2 Shakespeare Festival performance Thursday 3 June 2021
- Year 8 English Culture & Diversity: Parvana by Deborah Ellis due Friday 28 May in class test
- Year 7 Mirri and Red Gillay English: Holes by Louis Sacher due 1 June 2021 (to be handed in to teacher at the beginning of the lesson)
- Year 7 Warumbul English: Holes by Louis Sacher due 1 June 2021 (to be handed to teacher before lesson)
- Junior Examinations
- Da Vinci Competition
- Year 11 Standard English Assessment Task: Powerful Voices due before 9am Thursday 25 March 2021
- Year 11 Advanced English Assessment Task: Powerful Voices due before 9am Thursday 25 March 2021
- Year 12 Standard English Assessment Task: Texts and human experiences due Friday 4 December 2020
- Year 12 English Studies Assessment Task: Texts and human experiences due Friday 4 December 2020
- Year 12 Advanced English Assessment Task: Texts and human experiences due Friday 4 December 2020
- 9/10 Debating Team 2020
- Year 9 English Assessment Task: Global Poetry - Global voices due 19 October (early Week 2 Term 4)
- Year 8 English Assessment Task: Tales from Asia - Picture books due 22 October (Week 2 Term 4)
- Year 8 English Assessment Task Culture and Diversity - Dougy due Tuesday 8 Sept in-class test
- Year 7/8 Debating – First Round
- Year 10 English (10E2 & 10E3) Assessment Task: Novel Study - The Outsiders due Monday 7 Sept 2020 as a hand-in-task
- Year 10 English (10E1) Assessment Task: Novel Study - To Kill A Mockingbird due Monday 7 Sept 2020 as a hand-in-task
- Year 12 English Studies: Portfolio due 9am 27 August 2020
- Year 11 English Studies Assessment Notification
- Assessment Task Year 12 English Studies
- Year 9/10 Drama: Individual Project due 14 September 2020
- Year 11 Advanced English: Narratives that shaped our world due 9am Friday 14 August 2020
- Year 11 Advanced English Assessment Task
- Year 12 Standard English Assessment Task
- Borrow school ebooks while learning from home
- Winners of the International Women's Day Writing Competition
- Year 12 English Standard Close Study of text - Feed due 8 May 2020
- Year 10 English Close Study of Poet: Wilfred Owen due 6 April 2020
- Year 11 Standard English: Powerful Voices due 2 April 2020
- Year 10 English: Sharing Stories due 13 March 2020
- Year 10 English (10E3) : Sharing Stories due 13 March 2020
- Year 11 Advanced English: Powerful Voices due 2 April 2020
- Premier’s Debating Challenge – State Championships
- Quicksmart and Multilit students enjoy graduation morning tea
- Junior Debating Team
- Year 10 English Assessment Task - Novel study To kill a mockingbird due 13 Sept 2019
- Year 9 English Assessment Task - Dystopia - The Hunger Games due in class 29 August
- Year 11 English Standard Assessment Task Module B: Cosi - Louis Nowra due in class 22 August 2019
- Year 12 Advanced English Assessment Task - Textual Conversations - 15 August (in class task)
- Shakespeare Festival 2019
- Year 11 Extension English 1 Related Research Project - Module: Texts, Culture & Value - Satire - due 14 August, 2019 in class
- Year 7 English Assessment Task - Image & Text: Dream of the Thylacine due 3 July 2019
- Year 10 English Assessment Task - Shakespeare's Macbeth
- Year 9 E 2 and 9E3 Assessment Task - The Bard in Love due 24 June 2019, in class
- Year 9 English 1 Assessment Task - The Bard In Love due 28 June 2019
- CHS Study Centre
- Junior exams timetable
- Year 12 English - King Henry IV Part 1 - Sydney, 7-8 May 2019
- Feast of Words 2019
- 50 Word Novels
- Winners of 50 word novel
- Senior Debating Team
- ABC Journalist Jessie Davies to feature at the Feast of Words !
- Year 10 English Assessment Task - Sharing Stories due 28 March 2019
- 2019 Feast of Words
- HSC English Lectures
- Year 12 Standard English Module B: Close Study of Literature - In-Class Task 5 April 2019
- Year 7 English Assessment Task - Holes by Louis Sachar due 8 April 2019
- Year 9 English Assessment Task - Representations of the Past - due 2 April
- Year 11 English Assessment Task - Reading to Write due 29 March 2019
- Year 10 English Assessment Notification - Sharing Stories - due 28 March 2019
- Creative Story by Declan Eshman
- Year 9 English Assessment Notification - Global poetry - connection to place - due 19 October 2018
- Year 8 English Assessment Notification - Tales from Asia - Picture Books - due 19 Oct 2018
- Year 10 English Assessment Notification - due 24 September 2018
- Tournament of the Minds moves to next level
- 2018 Shakespeare Awards
- Success for Year 9/10 Debating!
- Year 9 English Assessment Notification - Dystopia: The Hunger Games due 30 August 2018
- Experiences of The Real Mulan - a diary entry by Declan Eshman
- Junior Examinations - Letter to Parents
- Win for Year 9/10 Debating!
- Brittany wins Mudgee Valley Writers' Competition
- Everybody has a story
- Feast of Words 2018 – A Recipe for Success!
- ICAS Competitions and Visiting Performance Poet - Zohab Zee Khan
- Day 1 Feast of Words
- Feast of Words Dinner
- Feast of Words 2018
- English Matters!!
- Professor Will Christie HSC Revision Workshops
- Year 7 English Speech and Media assessment task
- Year 9 'Hunger Games' assessment task
- NSW Premier's Junior Debating Competition
- Year 12 English student attend Shoe-Horn Sonata in Orange
- 50 Word Novel Winner
- Year 7 Study Skills Day
- Professor Will Christie Lectures
- Year 12 Parent Evening
- Textbook Returns
- Sydney University Lectures
- Lambing Flat Writing Competition Success
- Writing Awards
- Everybody has a story - Paul Stafford Workshop
- Overdue Library & Text books
- Brittany's Writing Success
- Feast of Words 2016
- Feast of Words - The 50 Word Novel
- Henry Lawson Writing Competition
- "Wuthering Heights" Theatre Excursion
- Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!
- Shakespeare 'As You Write It' Workshop
- English Faculty News
- Writing Competitions 2016