Great State. Great Opportunity.
Topics studied
Topic Assessment Focus Details
Focussed Literacy Every English lesson includes unit work and the explicit teaching of a focussed literacy skill, such as grammar,
punctuation, spelling, reading comprehension, applied writing.
Semester One
Speculative Fiction Short narrative writing Students explore a wide range of speculative fiction – short stories in the
science fiction, fantasy, alternate history and alternate future genres. Each
student writes a short speculative fiction narrative. Stories are submitted in
written form and are also read aloud.
NAPLAN
preparation
Reading comprehension
Spelling
Gramma
Punctuation
Writing
Students are prepared for NAPLAN standardised testing (12, 13, 14 May) with
intensive study of reading comprehension strategies, spelling, grammar,
punctuation, genres of writing and test procedures. [NAPLAN results are not
included in school report card ratings. Results are forwarded to students’
families by the Australian government’s NAPLAN testing authority].
Personal memoirs Reading comprehension
Students consider a wide range of personal memoirs, including those written by
Asian immigrants to Australia. Each student completes a written test of their
literal, inferential, evaluative and applied comprehension skills.
Semester Two
‘The Boy in the
Striped Pyjamas’
(novel and film
study)
Analytical essay writing
(response to literature)
Students study the novel ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ (a story about the
Holocaust) and view the film adaptation. Students study the plot and characters
and consider the moral and ethical issues explored in the text. Each student
completes an analytical essay assignment about a significant aspect of the text.
Word Power
Language analysis Students study video interviews and media excerpts and identify how visual and
spoken language can influence audiences. Each student views a video interview
and responds to test questions about the how the language choices of each of
the participants influence the audience.
‘Twelve Angry
Men’
(drama study)
Interview dramatisation
(response to literature)
Students study the radio play ‘Twelve Angry Men’ and consider issues of social
justice explored in the text. Each student prepares and presents a radio
interview with one of the jurors from the text demonstrating insight into the
influence of personality and life experiences on the juror’s opinions.
Year 9 English
Overview
English is a compulsory subject in year 9. Students have three
seventy minute lessons of English each week.
Year 9 English builds on the knowledge and skills developed in
previous years, and leads on to the compulsory study of
English in Year 10.
Dalby State High School’s English program is structured
according to the Australian Curriculum’s essential strands of
Language, Literacy and Literature.
Australian Curriculum
Language: Students learn about how language is
structured, how to use language in different contexts, how
language changes through time and how to use language to
develop and express ideas.
Literacy: Students develop their skills in the areas of
writing, editing, comprehension (reading, listening and
visual), public speaking and the use of visuals in spoken
presentations.
Literature: Students learn how to examine literature,
respond to literature and create literature.
Great State. Great Opportunity.