This term has been a busy one for the English learning area. We’ve welcomed the arrival of Mr Friis to the English team and have found time to enjoy a wide variety of pies with today’s delicious vetkoek from Mrs Bezuidenhout becoming an instant hit with the team.
Year 7 students have dived headfirst into the world of poetry this term and are currently creating their own poetry from cinquains and tankas to sonnets and ballads. The Year 8s have been virtually travelling the world to create their own travel blogs as they consider interesting ways to appeal to different audiences and create multimodal blogs.
The Year 9s have been designing alternate endings and forms to studied texts and many in Ms Wilson’s Enrichment class fully committed for book week by coming to class in costume. Students discussed their favourite novels and the enjoyment that reading can bring. It was great to see students coming as characters such as Dr Seuss’s Thing 1 and 2, the Ninja Turtles, Katniss Everdeen, and Funny Grandmothers. It was a great way to complement the fantastic work done by the library team to create a book week experience that was enjoyed by so many of the students in our school (and so many primary students).
The Year 10s have been exploring how visual texts can represent individuals and ideologies and the power that language can have in empowering individuals. Students have created reviews, written essays and developed their critical thinking to understand the construction of texts.
The Year 11 ATAR classes have explored the world of interpretive texts with students continuing to develop creations that reflect on the role of close family relationships, alternate interpretations of Shakespearean plays and the role of coffee in 21st century life. The Year 11 General classes have chucked on their boots and hats to deep dive into the Western genre.
The Year 12 General students have reflected on ways to stand out in job application processes and are currently choosing and discussing songs that represent key aspects of their high school experience. The Year 12 ATAR students are busily working on their final unit of work before their exams. They are examining the ways that documentaries present representations of reality and how these representations need to be closely examined to understand the reasons why responses can be controversial or empathetic.
The English team and I have been privileged to see students flourish this term. It is fantastic to see students find both enjoyment and academic growth as they engage with studied texts, think critically about the world, and craft their own creations, whether it’s poetry, blogs, reviews, or reimagined endings.
Mr Ryan Blechynden
HOLA English
