You may have heard that VCAA is in the process of changing the VCE® Exam study design. Units 1 and 2 moved to the new study design at the start of the year, while Units 3 and 4 will change over at the start of 2017. If you’re currently in Year 12, then you can relax; these changes don’t apply to you. But if you are in Year 11 or lower, the changes to the study design will directly affect you.
One subject that is being almost completely remodelled for the new study design is VCE® Exam English/EAL. Most notably, Context – which has been a subject of controversy and debate among students and teachers since it was introduced in 2008 – is being cut out of the course. Below is a comparison of the current and new study designs for VCE® Exam English.
OLD STUDY DESIGN (2008-2016)
UNIT 3
- Outcome 1 – Reading and responding
- Analysis of a single selected text (written or oral – usually written)
- Outcome 2 – Creating and presenting
- Writing in context (with written explanation for non-EAL students)
- Outcome 3 – Using language to persuade
- Analysing the use of language in a text that presents a point of view on a current issue in Australian media
- Sustained and reasoned point of view (written or oral – usually oral)
UNIT 4
- Outcome 1 – Reading and responding
- Outcome 2 – Creating and presenting
FINAL EXAM (3 hours)
- Section 1 – Reading and responding (Text response)
- Section 2 – Creating and presenting (Context)
- Section 3 – Using language to persuade (Language analysis)
NEW STUDY DESIGN (2017-2020)
UNIT 3
- Outcome 1 – Reading and creating texts
- Analysis of a selected text
- Creative response to a selected text (written or oral) with written explanation*
- Outcome 2 – Analysing argument
- Analysing the use of argument and persuasive language in a text that presents a point of view on a current issue in Australian media
- Outcome 3 (EAL only) – Listening to texts*
UNIT 4
- Outcome 1 – Reading and comparing texts
- Comparative analysis of two related texts*
- Outcome 2 – Presenting argument*
- Written statement of intention
- Oral presentation of a point of view on a current issue in Australian media
FINAL EXAM (3 Hours)
- Section 1 – Reading and creating texts
- Analytical response to a selected text
- Section 2 – Reading and comparing texts
- Analytical response to two texts
- Section 3 – Analysing argument
- Analysis of argument and persuasive language in a text
EAL students will have a section on the outcome ‘Listening to texts’ instead of the ‘Reading and comparing texts’ section in the final exam. The EAL course is going to diverge further from the English course next year, so look these up if you are an EAL student.
The new ‘Reading and creating texts’ section is likely to raise issues with students and teachers. The first part of the ‘Reading and creating texts’ outcome in Unit 3 will effectively be a text response essay. The second part of the task retains some aspects of the current ‘Creating and Presenting’ outcome, but the response must be a
creative piece. This could be a challenge given many current students are not confident writing imaginative responses for Context under time pressure. The creative piece will only be assessed in internal SACs and will not appear in the final exam.
The ‘Reading and comparing texts’ outcome is different from the current ‘Reading and responding’ section because
two texts have to be analysed together and compared based on the themes and key ideas they present. In the final exam, this gives you roughly an hour to analyse two different texts and then link them back together, so you may find it a challenge to finish on time.
Language analysis will remain largely unchanged in the new study design and will test the same skills as in previous years, but the oral presentation component will be have a higher weighting from next year. In your presentation, you must put forward a point of view on a current issue in Australian media and support it with appropriate arguments and evident. This, along with your written statement of intention, makes up an entire Unit 4 SAC and is worth 10% of your grade.
While changes to the school curriculum do need to be made from time to time, the new VCAA study design will initially cause headaches for students and teachers. If you are going into Year 12
next year, the VCE
® Exam past exams and examiner’s reports on the VCAA website might no longer be relevant (though they are still worth looking over). This means that you may be unclear on what is expected of you for any new topics being introduced in 2017. Teachers will be unsure how to teach the new curriculum and assess your work. The whole system will be a work in progress in its first few years.
Fortunately, there are ways of preparing yourself. First and foremost, make sure you have a clear understanding of the new course outlines for your subjects. Work with your teachers, as they will be able to inform you of any announcements from VCAA and guide you through the new course design. Look out for some sample exams from VCAA which will indicate what you need to know and the standard expected. A number of VCE
® Exam company papers will also be released in 2017, available for purchase by schools and individual students. Remember though that the final exams will be just like any other year; if you know your content and have done enough practice, you will get the results you deserve!
