English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
ISBN: Web edition: 978-1-921802-12-6 Print edition: 978-1-921802-13-3 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011 The State of Queensland (Queensland Studies Authority) 2011 Queensland Studies Authority 154 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane PO Box 307 Spring Hill QLD 4004 Australia Phone: (07) 3864 0299 Fax: (07) 3221 2553 Email: office@qsa.qld.edu.au Website: www.qsa.qld.edu.au
Contents 1 Rationale... 1 2 Dimensions and objectives... 2 Relationships between the dimensions... 2 2.1 Dimension 1: Understanding and interpreting... 2 2.2 Dimension 2: Applying and analysing... 3 2.3 Dimension 3: Evaluating and synthesising... 3 3 Course organisation... 4 3.1 Course of study overview... 4 3.2 Advice, guidelines and resources... 6 4 Assessment... 9 4.1 Principles of exit assessment... 9 4.2 Planning an assessment program... 11 4.3 Special provisions... 12 4.4 Authentication of student work... 12 4.5 Assessment technique... 12 4.6 Assessment overview... 14 4.7 Requirements for verification folio... 16 4.8 Exit standards... 16 4.9 Determining exit levels of achievement... 16 Glossary... 20
1 Rationale English Extension is an extension of the English Senior Syllabus (2010) and should be read in conjunction with that syllabus. To study English Extension, students must have completed two semesters of Senior English. In Year 12, students undertake two semesters of English Extension concurrently with the 2010 English Senior Syllabus. The subject is designed to offer more challenge than Senior English, and builds on the literature study students have already undertaken. By offering students the opportunity to specialise in the theorised study of literature, English Extension provides students with ways they might understand themselves and the potential that literature has to expand the scope of their experiences. English Extension uses the lenses of a variety of theoretical approaches to analysing and evaluating literary texts to help students explore ways of valuing literature. The subject assists students to ask critical questions about cultural assumptions, implicit values and differing world views encountered in an exploration of social, cultural and textual understandings about literary texts and the ways they might be interpreted and valued. Students will draw on different theoretical approaches to analyse and evaluate a variety of literary texts and different ways readers might interpret these texts. They will synthesise different interpretations and relevant theoretical approaches to produce written and spoken/signed extended analytical texts. The nature of the learning and assessment in English Extension demands that students are able to work independently on intellectually challenging tasks. English Extension leads to a range of careers where understanding social, cultural and textual influences on ways of viewing the world is a key element. This subject may lead to careers in such areas as law, journalism, media, arts, curating, education, policy, and human resources. It also provides a good introduction to the academic disciplines and fields of study that involve the application of methodologies based on theoretical understandings. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 1
2 Dimensions and objectives The dimensions are the salient properties or characteristics of distinctive learning for this subject. The dimensions are described through their objectives and it is these that schools are required to teach and that students should have the opportunity to learn. The objectives are grouped in three dimensions. Progress in a particular dimension may depend on the qualities and skills developed in other dimensions. Learning through each of the dimensions must be developed in increasing complexity and sophistication over the two-semester course of study. Schools must assess how well students have achieved the objectives. The standards have a direct relationship with the objectives, and are described in the same dimensions as the objectives. The dimensions for a course of study in this subject are: Dimension 1: Understanding and interpreting Dimension 2: Applying and analysing Dimension 3: Evaluating and synthesising. Relationships between the dimensions The three dimensions describe the complex thinking that students use when working with literary texts and theoretical approaches in their study, and responding to assessment. The dimensions are closely interrelated and involve iterative processes. Understanding and interpreting literary texts and theoretical approaches to their study. Analysing literary texts by applying theoretical approaches to them. Evaluating texts and theoretical approaches, and synthesising these understandings. 2.1 Dimension 1: Understanding and interpreting The dimension, Understanding and interpreting, encompasses understanding and interpreting literary texts and theoretical approaches to their study. Understanding refers to the identification, description and explanation of aspects of a variety of literary texts from different cultural, social and historical contexts and theoretical approaches to their study. Interpreting refers to the construction of meaning from literary texts and theoretical approaches to their study. 2.1.1 Objectives By the conclusion of the course of study, students should: understand the literary texts studied and the cultural, social and historical contexts in which they were produced to develop informed interpretation/s recognise, understand and explain different theoretical approaches understand the cultural, social and historical contexts of different theoretical approaches and the relationships among these approaches. 2 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
2.2 Dimension 2: Applying and analysing The dimension, Applying and analysing, encompasses analysing literary texts by applying theoretical approaches to them. Applying refers to the use of theoretical approaches to make meaning from a variety of literary texts. Analysing refers to the examinations of literary texts that are made possible by using these theoretical approaches. 2.2.1 Objectives By the conclusion of the course of study, students should: apply different theoretical approaches and ways of valuing literary texts to develop a range of interpretations analyse how different genres, structures and textual features of literary texts support different interpretations use appropriate patterns and conventions of extended analytical texts for academic communication use textual features in extended analytical responses to create desired effects for specific audiences. 2.3 Dimension 3: Evaluating and synthesising The dimension, Evaluating and synthesising, encompasses evaluating literary texts and theoretical approaches, and synthesising these understandings. Evaluating refers to the judgments made about literary texts and the usefulness of theoretical approaches to draw different meanings from these texts. Synthesis refers to drawing together ideas about literary texts and theoretical approaches to their study to produce coherent extended analytical responses. 2.3.1 Objectives By the conclusion of the course of study, students should: evaluate theoretical approaches used to produce different interpretations of literary texts evaluate their own interpretations of literary texts, making explicit the theoretical approaches that underpin them synthesise ideas, interpretations and viewpoints with supporting evidence. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 3
3 Course organisation 3.1 Course of study overview 3.1.1 Units of study A course of study in English Extension is organised around three sequential and developmental units of study: Readings and defences Complex transformation and defence Exploration and evaluation. The units of study reflect the required assessment instruments and support schools to plan a coherent course of study for their students. The resource Approaches to reading practices can be accessed on the English Extension page <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/17601.html>. It is a useful source for information about theoretical approaches to literary texts and may assist schools in planning units of study for English Extension. 3.1.2 Unit 1: Readings and defences Focus This unit focuses on building students knowledge and understanding of different theoretical approaches and the application of these approaches to literary texts to produce individual readings. In a reading, students make meaning of a text by applying interpretive strategies associated with particular theoretical approaches. Students also learn to produce a defence to support their readings. In a defence, students analyse the reading they have produced, explaining how the theoretical approach used has allowed them to make meaning of the text in particular ways. Aligning teaching, learning and assessment This introductory unit prepares students to respond to Assessment instrument 1 (see Section 4.6: Assessment overview). Student responses to this instrument must focus on applying a theoretical approach to a text to produce a reading and accompanying defence. To prepare students to select a theoretical approach for Assessment instrument 1, teaching and learning in Unit 1 must offer students opportunities to learn about and apply different theoretical approaches to literary texts. These experiences must include: reader-centred approaches, to allow students to reflect on their own interpretive strategies author-centred or text-centred approaches. These approaches are likely to be most accessible to students at this introductory stage of the course of study. Teaching and learning in Unit 1 must also offer students learning experiences focusing on producing defences for readings. These learning experiences must include: identifying specific assumptions and values promoted by texts that can be challenged by applying different theoretical approaches showing how relevant textual features support these assumptions and values. 4 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
3.1.3 Unit 2: Complex transformation and defence Focus This unit builds on students' learning in Unit 1 by exploring the relationship between writing practices and reading 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. In a complex transformation, the rewritten text invites alternative and/or resistant readings other than those that the base text seems to invite. Alternative and resistant readings require students to make an ideological shift that moves beyond mere inversion. Transformations must relate to repositioning the reader in a purposeful way and must be theoretically defensible. Students must continue to build on their knowledge and understanding of defences in this unit. Further to Unit 1, learning experiences in Unit 2 must include: identifying relevant aspects of base texts that allow opportunities for intervention explaining how the application of particular theoretical approaches can be used to rewrite texts to generate alternative readings of those texts, focusing on the aspects of the base text that were the stimulus for intervention evaluating how effectively transformed texts offer readers alternative position/s. Aligning teaching, learning and assessment This unit prepares students to respond to Assessment instrument 2 (see Section 4.6: Assessment overview). When responding to this instrument students must produce a complex transformation of a base text and a defence for this transformation. The unit also explores the relationship between complex transformations and defences. Learning experiences must, therefore, include opportunities for students to explain and evaluate how the complex transformations realise the repositioning of readers. 3.1.4 Unit 3: Exploration and evaluation Focus This unit is the culmination of students learning in the course of study, bringing together their knowledge, understanding and experiences with literary texts and theoretical approaches. From their learning in Units 1 and 2, students can now challenge a variety of texts and ideas in theoretically defensible ways. For this reason, a key element of Unit 3 is increasing student independence, in the selection both of texts and of theoretical approaches. Unit 3 builds towards students evaluating their learning throughout the course of study, 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 develop focus questions to define and scope their exploration and evaluation. Focus questions need to allow opportunities to explore the strengths and weaknesses of theoretical approaches and how they can complement one another and/or clash in producing close readings of literary texts. Through these learning experiences, students will understand that the focus question for Assessment instrument 3 must be achievable, given time constraints and guidelines for the length of response. Developing this understanding might include analysing sample focus questions prepared by the teacher or peers to help students understand the characteristics of successful focus questions. Students must also understand that developing a focus question is an iterative process during which they revisit and refine their question. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 5
Aligning teaching, learning and assessment This unit prepares students to respond to Assessment instrument 3 (see Section 4.6: Assessment overview). Student responses to this instrument must take the form of an analytical exposition in the style of an academic paper. After selecting a literary text or texts for this culminating instrument and at least two theoretical approaches to apply to the text/s, students develop a focus question for their exploration and evaluation of the selected text/s and selected theoretical approaches. The focus question developed must allow for evaluation of the effectiveness of at least two theoretical approaches when applied to the chosen text/s to produce a close reading. The text/s chosen must have enough complexity to sustain depth of analysis. Teaching and learning in Unit 3 must offer students experiences to: develop focus questions for proposed literary investigations that explore how texts and theoretical approaches can work together to produce particular readings of the text teachers guide students in developing and refining the focus questions for Assessment instrument 3 apply theoretical approaches to produce close readings of texts evaluate the effectiveness of different theoretical approaches in producing close readings that address focus questions support development of an extended analytical exposition for an academic audience. 3.1.5 Time allocation The minimum number of hours of timetabled school time, including assessment, for a course of study developed from this syllabus is 55 hours per semester. A course of study will usually be completed over two semesters (110 hours). 3.2 Advice, guidelines and resources The following advice, guidelines and resources support the implementation of the syllabus, and unless otherwise stated, are available from the English Extension subject page of the QSA website <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/17601.html>. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives 1 The Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their traditions, histories and experiences from before European settlement and colonisation through to the present time. To strengthen students appreciation and understanding of the first peoples of the land, opportunities exist in the syllabus to encourage engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander: frameworks of knowledge and ways of learning contexts in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples live contributions to Australian society and cultures. English Extension provides opportunities to explore the literary traditions and expressions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This body of works includes inscriptional and oral narrative traditions, as well as contemporary literature 2. When studying Australian literature, 1 2 The Queensland Government has a vision that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders have their cultures affirmed, heritage sustained and the same prospects for health, prosperity and quality of life as other Queenslanders. The QSA is committed to helping achieve this vision and encourages teachers to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in the curriculum. The Shape of the Australian Curriculum: English, May 2009, National Curriculum Board, p. 8 6 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
consideration could be given to making connections between the literary works of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and those of non-indigenous Australians. In the context of world literature, consideration could be given to comparing the past and present experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other nations' Indigenous peoples. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives could also inform the selection of theoretical approaches to the study of literature that are explored in this course of study. Subject-specific resources are available on the English Extension subject page. In addition, guidelines about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and resources for teaching can be accessed on the QSA website at <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/577.html>. Educational equity Equity means fair treatment of all. In developing work programs from this syllabus, schools need to provide opportunities for all students to demonstrate what they know and what they can do. All students, therefore, should have equitable access to educational programs and human and material resources. In addition to the subject-specific resources available on the English Extension subject page, guidelines about educational equity and resources for devising an inclusive work program can be accessed on the QSA website at <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/10188.html>. General Capabilities Students require a number of skills and dispositions in preparation for life and work. These include planning and organising, the ability to think flexibly, to communicate well and to work in teams the capacity to think creatively, innovate, solve problems and engage with new disciplines, according to the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians 3. The Australian Curriculum identified seven general capabilities for their entitlement curriculum. These are: Literacy Numeracy Information and communication technology (ICT) competence Critical and creative thinking Personal and social competence Ethical behaviour Intercultural understanding. It is the responsibility of teachers to continue to develop the general capabilities established in the Prep to Year 10 Learning areas that are appropriate to English Extension. Learning experiences and sample unit/s of work This resource provides guidelines for learning experiences and unit/s of work, along with sample unit/s of work. Reference materials This resource provides links to reference materials, text and reference books, websites, newspaper reports, periodicals, electronic media and learning technology, and organisations and community resources for the subject. 3 Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs 2008, Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, accessed 5 May 2011, <www.mceecdya.edu.au/mceecdya/publications,11582.html>. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 7
Work program requirements A work program is the school s plan of how the course of study will be delivered and assessed, based on the school s interpretation of the syllabus. It allows for the special characteristics of the individual school and its students. Work program requirements, checklists and samples are available on the English Extension subject page of the QSA website. Instructions for online submission of work programs are available from <https://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/wponline/login.qsa>. 8 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
4 Assessment Assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning process. For Years 11 and 12 it is the purposeful, systematic and ongoing collection of information about student learning outlined in the senior syllabuses. In Queensland, assessment is standards based. The standards for each subject are described in dimensions, which identify the valued features of the subject about which evidence of student learning is collected and assessed. The standards describe the characteristics of student work. The major purposes of assessment in senior Authority subjects are to: promote, assist and improve learning inform programs of teaching and learning advise students about their own progress to help them achieve as well as they are able give information to parents and teachers about the progress and achievements of individual students to help them achieve as well as they are able provide comparable levels of achievement in each Authority subject which may contribute credit towards a Queensland Certificate of Education provide base data for tertiary entrance purposes provide information about how well groups of students are achieving for school authorities and the State Education and Training Minister. 4.1 Principles of exit assessment All the principles of exit assessment must be used when planning an assessment program and must be applied when making decisions about exit levels of achievement. A standards-based assessment program for the two-semester course of study requires application of the following interdependent principles: Information is gathered through a process of continuous assessment, i.e. continuous assessment. Balance of assessment is a balance over the course of study and not necessarily a balance over a semester or between semesters, i.e. balance. Exit achievement levels are devised from student achievement in all areas identified in the syllabus as being mandatory, i.e. mandatory aspects of the syllabus. Assessment of a student s achievement is in the significant aspects of the course of study identified in the syllabus and the school s work program, i.e. significant aspects of the course of study. Selective updating of a student s profile of achievement is undertaken over the course of study, i.e. selective updating. Exit assessment is devised to provide the fullest and latest information on a student s achievement in the course of study, i.e. fullest and latest. While most students will exit a course of study after two semesters, some will exit after one semester. Continuous assessment Judgments about student achievement made at exit from a course of study must be based on an assessment program of continuous assessment. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 9
Continuous assessment involves gathering information on student achievement using assessment instruments administered at suitable intervals over the developmental two-semester course of study. In continuous assessment, all assessment instruments have a formative purpose to improve teaching and student learning and achievement. When students exit the course of study, teachers make a summative judgment about their levels of achievement in accordance with the standards matrix. The process of continuous assessment provides the framework in which the other five principles of exit assessment operate: balance, mandatory aspects of the syllabus, significant aspects of the course of study, selective updating, and fullest and latest information. Balance Judgments about student achievement made at exit from a course of study must be based on a balance of assessments over the course of study. Balance of assessments is a balance over the course of study and not a balance within a semester or between semesters. Balance of assessments means judgments about students achievements of all the dimensions are made a number of times using a variety of assessment techniques and a range of assessment conditions over the developmental two-semester course of study. See also Section 4.7: Requirements for verification folio. Mandatory aspects of the syllabus Judgments about student achievement made at exit from a course of study must be based on mandatory aspects of the syllabus. The mandatory aspects are: the objectives of the dimensions Understanding and interpreting, Applying and analysing and Evaluating and synthesising the three units of study: Readings and defences, Complex transformation and defence and Exploration and evaluation. To ensure that the judgment of student achievement at exit from a two-semester course of study is based on the mandatory aspects, the exit standards for the dimensions stated in the standards matrix (see Section 4.9.2) must be used. Significant aspects of the course of study Judgments about student achievement made at exit from a course of study must be based on significant aspects of the course of study. Significant aspects are those areas described in the school s work program that have been selected from the choices permitted by the syllabus to meet local needs. The significant aspects must be consistent with the objectives of the syllabus and complement the developmental nature of learning in the course of study over two semesters. Selective updating Judgments about student achievement made at exit from a course of study must be selectively updated throughout the course of study. Selective updating is related to the developmental nature of the course of study and works in conjunction with the principle of fullest and latest information. 10 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
As subject matter is treated at increasing levels of complexity, assessment information gathered at earlier stages of the course of study may no longer be representative of student achievement. Therefore, the information should be selectively and continually updated (not averaged) to accurately represent student achievement. Schools may apply the principle of selective updating to the whole subject-group or to individual students. Whole subject-group A school develops an assessment program so that, in accordance with the developmental nature of the course of study, later assessment information based on the same groups of objectives replaces earlier assessment information. Individual students A school determines the assessment folio for verification or exit. The student s assessment folio must be representative of the student s achievements over the course of study. The assessment folio does not have to be the same for all students; however, the folio must conform to the syllabus requirements and the school s approved work program. Selective updating must not involve students reworking and resubmitting previously graded responses to assessment instruments. Fullest and latest information Judgments about student achievement made at exit from a course of study must be based on the fullest and latest information available. Fullest refers to information about student achievement gathered across the range of objectives. Latest refers to information about student achievement gathered from the most recent period in which achievement of the objectives is assessed. The fullest and latest assessment data on mandatory and significant aspects of the course of study is recorded on a student profile. 4.2 Planning an assessment program To achieve the purposes of assessment listed at the beginning of this section, schools must consider the following when planning a standards-based assessment program: dimensions and objectives (see Section 2) course organisation (see Section 3) principles of exit assessment (see Section 4.1) required assessment techniques over the two-semester course of study (see Section 4.5) conditions in which assessment instruments are undertaken (see Sections 4.5 and 4.6) verification folio requirements, i.e. the assessment instruments necessary to reach valid judgments of students standards of achievement (see Section 4.7) exit standards (see Section 4.8). Further information can be found on the English Extension page of the QSA website <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/17601.html>. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 11
4.3 Special provisions Guidance about the nature and appropriateness of special provisions for particular students may be found in the QSA s Policy on Special Provisions for School-based Assessments in Authority and Authority-registered Subjects (2009), available from <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/2132.html>. This statement provides guidance on responsibilities, principles and strategies that schools may need to consider in their school settings. To enable special provisions to be effective for students, it is important that schools plan and implement strategies in the early stages of an assessment program and not at the point of deciding levels of achievement. The special provisions might involve alternative teaching approaches, assessment plans and learning experiences. 4.4 Authentication of student work It is essential that judgments of student achievement be made on accurate and genuine student assessment responses. Teachers should ensure that students work is their own, particularly where students have access to electronic resources or when they are preparing collaborative tasks. The A Z of Senior Moderation contains a section on authenticating student work <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/1426.html>. This provides information about various methods teachers can use to monitor that students work is their own. Particular methods outlined include: teachers seeing plans and drafts of student work student production and maintenance of documentation for the development of responses student acknowledgment of resources used. Teachers must ensure students use consistent accepted conventions of in-text citation and referencing, where appropriate. Further advice on drafting of student assessment responses is available on the English Extension page of the QSA website <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/17601.html>. 4.5 Assessment technique The technique and associated conditions of assessment most suited to the judgment of student achievement in this subject are described in the following sections. In English Extension, all student assessment is in the form of extended responses. Each assessment instrument must assess relevant aspects of the three dimensions. For each dimension, standards are described. For each assessment instrument, schools develop instrument-specific standards from the syllabus standards descriptors for relevant aspects of the three dimensions (see Section 4.9.2: Standards matrix). These instrument-specific standards are used for making judgments about the quality of students responses. Students must be given instrument-specific standards for each assessment instrument. 12 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
4.5.1 Extended response Purpose Extended responses assess the sustained application of higher order cognition (analysis, synthesis and evaluation) in the creation of students written and spoken/signed responses. Description In English Extension, extended responses may be presented in a variety of modes. Students are required to analyse, synthesise, manipulate and evaluate information and ideas to create their own texts for a specific purpose and audience. These assessments occur over a period of time using class and students own time. In English Extension extended responses explain, analyse, evaluate and synthesise ideas. The following are examples: analytical exposition seminar. Dimensions to be assessed All English Extension assessment instruments assess relevant aspects of all the dimensions. Conditions clearly stated on the assessment Semesters 1 and 2 Reading and defence - Written: 1000 1500 words Complex transformation and its defence - Complex transformation (written or multimodal): Written: 100 800 words Multimodal: 3 5 minutes - Defence (spoken/signed): Spoken/signed: 8 10 minutes Exploration and evaluation - Written: 2500 3000 words. Advice for teachers Ensure assessment instruments allow the full range of standards to be demonstrated. Consider the instrument conditions in relation to the requirements of the assessment instrument. Inform the students and indicate on the assessment which objectives and standards will be assessed. Provide learning experiences that support the mode and genre of the instrument, modelling the assessment technique where possible. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 13
4.6 Assessment overview Assessment instrument 1. Reading and defence VERIFICATION FOLIO MONITORING FOLIO Preparing for this instrument: Students explore a number of theoretical approaches. One of these approaches is used to produce a reading of the chosen text. The defence must explain how the selected approach has allowed the student to make meaning of the text in this particular way. Students produce: reading of the selected text defence of the reading. Mode: reading written defence written Conditions: Assessment instrument 2. Complex transformation and its defence Preparing for this instrument: There must be a clear relationship between a complex transformation and its defence. The defence must explain how the transformation realises the repositioning of readers. The defence must focus on aspects of the base text that were the motivation for the complex transformation as well as the textual features of the complex transformation and strategies used to offer readers an alternative position/s. Length of response: 1000 1500 words. Students must have prior notice of task. Students must have access to material and human resources. Students produce: theory-based complex transformation of the selected text defence of the theory-based complex transformation - explaining how they applied theoretical approaches to rewrite the text - evaluating how the rewritten text offers readers an alternative position/s. Mode: complex transformation written or multimodal defence spoken/signed Conditions: Length of response for complex transformation - Written: 100 800 words - Multimodal: 3 5 minutes. Length of response for defence: - Spoken/signed: 8 10 minutes. Students must have prior notice of task. Students must have access to material and human resources. Reading: Students select a literary text and apply a theoretical approach to produce a reading of the text. The reading must include direct and indirect references to the selected text. Defence: Students analyse and evaluate the aspects and strategies of the chosen theoretical approach they have used to produce the reading of the selected text. Complex transformation: Students select a literary text suited to the instrument demands. They select and apply aspects and strategies from theoretical approaches to intervene in the selected base text, or part of the text, to offer readers an alternative position/s. Defence: In the defence of the complex transformation, students: identify the key assumptions and values underpinning the text that they would like to challenge show how relevant textual features and language details of the base text support/construct these assumptions and values explain how they applied the theoretical approaches in the intervention in the text, or part of the text evaluate how the rewritten text offers readers an alternative position/s through application of theoretical understandings. 14 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
VERIFICATION FOLIO Assessment instrument 3. Exploration and evaluation Preparing for this instrument: Students must develop a focus question to explore how texts and theoretical approaches can work together to produce a particular close reading of the chosen text/s. This focus question must allow for evaluation of the effectiveness of at least two theoretical approaches when applied to the chosen text/s to produce a close reading. This includes evaluation of: - the strengths and weaknesses of particular theoretical approaches - how the particular approaches may be complementary and/or how they clash. To control the scope of their response, students must be discerning when selecting texts and theoretical approaches to explore the focus question. The text/s chosen must have enough complexity to sustain depth of analysis. The focus question must be achievable given the time constraints and guidelines for the length of student response. It may be necessary to revisit and refine the focus question as students work on their response. There must be a clear link between the focus question and the analysis and evaluation of the texts and theoretical approaches in the response. Students produce: An extended analytical response which evaluates the ways selected theoretical approaches may be applied in investigating a complex text/s in response to a focus question. Mode: written. Conditions: Length of response: 2500 3000 words. Students must have prior notice of task. Students must have access to material and human resources. Exploration and evaluation investigation of a focus question: Students select at least one complex literary text and at least two theoretical approaches to apply to the text/s. They use these theoretical approaches to produce a close reading of the selected text/s to explore a focus question. This focus question must allow them to evaluate how effective these theoretical approaches have been in producing the close reading. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 15
4.7 Requirements for verification folio A verification folio is a collection of a student s responses to assessment instruments on which the level of achievement is based. For students who are to exit with two semesters of credit, each folio should contain the range of assessments for making summative judgments as stated below. Students verification folios for English Extension must contain: responses to the three required assessment instruments evidence that the dimensions and objectives have been assessed a student profile completed to date. For information about preparing monitoring and verification submissions, schools should refer to the The A Z of Senior Moderation, available at <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/1426.html>. 4.8 Exit standards The purpose of standards is to make judgments about students levels of achievement at exit from a course of study. The standards are described in the same dimensions as the objectives of the syllabus. The standards describe how well students have achieved the objectives and are stated in the standards matrix. The following dimensions must be used: Dimension 1: Understanding and interpreting Dimension 2: Applying and analysing Dimension 3: Evaluating and synthesising. Each dimension must be assessed in each assessment instrument. Each dimension is to make an equal contribution to the determination of exit levels of achievement. 4.9 Determining exit levels of achievement When students exit the course of study, the school is required to award each student an exit level of achievement from one of the five levels: Very High Achievement (VHA) High Achievement (HA) Sound Achievement (SA) Limited Achievement (LA) Very Limited Achievement (VLA). Exit levels of achievement are summative judgments made when students exit the course of study. For most students this will be after two semesters. For these students, judgments are based on exit folios providing evidence of achievement in relation to all objectives of the syllabus. All the principles of exit assessment must be applied when making decisions about exit levels of achievement. 4.9.1 Determining a standard The standard awarded is an on-balance judgment about how the qualities of the student s work match the standards descriptors overall in all three dimensions. This means that it is not necessary for the student to have met every descriptor for a particular standard. 16 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
Some students will exit after one semester. For these students, judgments are based on folios providing evidence of achievement in relation to the objectives of the syllabus covered to that point in time. The particular standards descriptors related to those objectives are used to make the judgment. Further information can be found at <www.qsa.qld.edu.au/1426.html>. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 17
4.9.2 Standards matrix Standard A Standard B Standard C Standard D Standard E Understanding and interpreting discerning understanding of the complexities of literary texts and their social, historical and cultural contexts to produce discriminating and defensible interpretations discerning understanding and insightful interpretation of different theoretical approaches discerning understanding of the social, historical and cultural contexts of different theoretical approaches and of subtle similarities and differences among them. thorough understanding of literary texts and their social, historical and cultural contexts to produce informed and defensible interpretations thorough understanding and interpretation of different theoretical approaches thorough understanding of the social, historical and cultural contexts of different theoretical approaches and of substantial similarities and differences among them. understanding of literary texts and their social, historical and cultural contexts to produce informed interpretations understanding and explanation of different theoretical approaches understanding of the social, historical and cultural contexts of different theoretical approaches and of obvious similarities and differences among them. partial understanding of literary texts and their social and cultural contexts to produce interpretations partial understanding and explanation of different theoretical approaches partial understanding of the social and cultural contexts of theoretical approaches. partial understanding of aspects of literary texts to produce simple interpretations partial understanding and explanation of aspects of theoretical approaches Applying and analysing discerning application of different theoretical approaches and ways of valuing literary texts to produce insightful and defensible interpretations of literary texts discerning analysis of how different genres, structures and textual features of literary texts support different interpretations effective application of different theoretical approaches and ways of valuing literary texts to produce defensible interpretations of literary texts thorough analysis of how different genres, structures and textual features of literary texts support different interpretations application of different theoretical approaches and ways of valuing literary texts to produce interpretations of literary texts analysis of how different genres, structures and textual features of literary texts support different interpretations uneven application of theoretical approaches to produce interpretations of literary texts partial analysis of different genres, structures and/or textual features of literary texts uneven use of aspects of theoretical approaches to produce simple interpretations description of aspects of genres, structures and/or textual features of literary texts 18 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
Standard A Standard B Standard C Standard D Standard E discerning manipulation of the roles, relationships, patterns and conventions associated with academic communication, including terminology effective use of the roles, relationships, patterns and conventions associated with academic communication, including terminology use of the roles, relationships, patterns and conventions associated with academic communication, including terminology uneven use of the roles, relationships, patterns and conventions associated with academic communication, including terminology uneven use of aspects of the roles and conventions associated with academic communication discerning use of textual features to consistently achieve desired effects for specific audiences. effective use of textual features to achieve desired effects for specific audiences. use of textual features to achieve effects for audiences. uneven use of textual features to achieve effects. uneven use of textual features. Evaluating and synthesising thorough and discriminating evaluation of different theoretical approaches used to produce a variety of insightful and defensible interpretations of literary texts thorough and discriminating evaluation of own interpretations, making explicit the different theoretical approaches that underpin them thorough and systematic synthesis of relevant ideas, interpretations and viewpoints with discriminating supporting evidence. thorough evaluation of different theoretical approaches used to produce a variety of defensible interpretations of literary texts thorough evaluation of own interpretations, making explicit the different theoretical approaches that underpin them systematic synthesis of relevant ideas, interpretations and viewpoints with convincing supporting evidence. evaluation of theoretical approaches used to produce different defensible interpretations of literary texts evaluation of own interpretations, making explicit the theoretical approaches that underpin them synthesis of some relevant ideas, interpretations and viewpoints with supporting evidence. partial evaluation of aspects of theoretical approaches used to produce interpretations of literary texts partial evaluation of aspects of own interpretations partial explanation of ideas, interpretations and viewpoints with some evidence. partial explanation of aspects of theoretical approaches partial explanation of aspects of own interpretations partial explanation of ideas, interpretations and viewpoints. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 19
Glossary Glossary term academic paper base text close reading complex transformation defence interpretive strategies intervention literary texts Explanation An academic paper is written by scholars of a discipline for other scholars. The aim of the academic paper is to help readers understand the topic more fully. Academic writing in English Extension involves students developing a focus question to explore how texts and theoretical approaches can work together to produce close readings of texts. The paper examines the chosen text/s from a particular perspective that is made clear in the thesis (see Unit 3). The text the student selects for the complex transformation is referred to as the base text. Close reading operates on the premise that a text will be more fully understood and appreciated when the nature and interrelations of its parts become apparent. In English Extension, close reading involves focusing on specific details of texts, for example words, layout and graphics, in order to open texts up to a broader consideration of issues and ideas. In particular, close reading in this subject allows for the strategic application of theory to texts for the purpose of exploring and evaluating the different ways that texts can be read and interpreted. For many literary critics, close reading is the term used for the conscious and deliberate effort to read a text with as much care and attention as possible to what the words on the page are doing. It requires re-reading of the text and attention to the language and structures of the text rather than using external considerations, such as biographical or historical context, to help generate meaning. One of the goals of this intense scrutiny of the characteristics of a text is to understand how the stylistic and formal aspects of a work of literature contribute to meaning. Through close reading the reader often notices new aspects of the text and their effect. A complex transformation involves students intervening in a base text by rewriting it, to reposition the reader. A transformation is complex when the rewritten text makes available alternative and/or resistant readings other than those that the base text seems to invite. A defence is an analysis of a reading. In English Extension a defence provides an explanation of how a theoretical approach has been used to make meaning of a text in particular ways. Interpretive strategies are various ways of making meaning of a text. These strategies or reading practices are generated from a range of theoretical understandings about how meaning is made. Intervention in a text involves making changes to some aspect or aspects of the text in order to produce a new invited reading of the text. The term includes a broad range of forms, such as novels, poetry, short stories, plays, films and a variety of non-fiction works, from different cultural contexts and times. 20 English Extension Senior Syllabus 2011
multimodal patterns and conventions positioning readings theoretical approaches Multimodal refers to the use of more than one mode of communication. In assessment, multimodal refers to assessments where there is significant contribution from at least two modes (e.g. a seminar using a PowerPoint presentation). Patterns and conventions are a genre s distinguishing structures, features and patterns that relate to context, purpose and audience. Positioning refers to how texts influence readers to read or make meaning in certain ways. Readers are positioned or invited to construct particular meanings in relation to the characters, the arguments, or the groups in the text. Readings are the meanings produced when a reader applies particular meaning-making strategies or reading practices to interpret a text. Some ways of interpreting texts include: - invited readings By reading with the text the reader produces the meaning/s the text seems to invite - alternative readings By reading across the text the reader may challenge aspects of the invited reading/s but not totally oppose it/them - resistant or oppositional reading By reading against the text the reader recognises the invited reading/s but challenges or opposes it/them. Readers may shift among a range of interpretations as they read and reread texts or parts of texts. Various sets of meaning-making strategies or reading practices generated from a range of theoretical understandings about how meaning is made can be categorised into major theoretical approaches. Each of these can be identified, in broad outline, with a range of theories. The major approaches of author-centred, text-centred, reader-centred and world-context-centred are one way of conceptualising changes in the theories and practices of literary study that have evolved during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. These approaches are characterised by particular assumptions and values, and place greater or lesser emphasis on the interactions that occur between author, text, reader and the world context as we read. Queensland Studies Authority December 2011 21