English 2008

[Nick]

This is a great idea Nick!

I'm doing "A Man for all Seasons" and "Look Both Ways". I'm glad the movie is very good to analyse.

I'm hoping for a 45+ in English, which i know is really high, but with hard work, I hope I can achieve this.

One thing that would be really helpful is essay hints and tips, e.g how to not waste time, be concise and not waffle, what examiners look for.

Also, a bit of help in the new "context" area would be really great. (mine is "imaginative landscapes"). The books were using for this area are "Fly away Peter" and "Island- a collection of short stories" Even our teachers are kinda clueless about this area.

I"m really glad you're the English mod 

WOW Elaine! I did "Fly Away Peter" in year 11 Lit! I love that book! I was hoping that someone would say they were doing it. It definately fits into "imaginative landscapes". David Malouf's writing is so descriptive..you almost feel as though you are part of the novel. 

[memka]

Context: Identity and Belonging
Books:
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Collected Short Stories by Beverly Farmer (only 12 though)

Play:
Bombshells by Joanna Murray-Smith

Film:
Witness directed by Peter Weir

I'm hoping to get 34+ for English. Congrats on getting Mod. 

[Nick]

Context: Identity and Belonging
Books:
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Collected Short Stories by Beverly Farmer (only 12 though)

Play:
Bombshells by Joanna Murray-Smith

Film:
Witness directed by Peter Weir

I'm hoping to get 34+ for English. Congrats on getting Mod. 

You've got a really good selection there. It's good to have a mix of film, plays and short stories in one course. It seems as though your English faculty has decided to be creative.. lol

[Matt The Rat]

We did The Crucible in Year 11 Lit this year, but the school's not doing it in English for Year 12.

[Nick]

We did The Crucible in Year 11 Lit this year, but the school's not doing it in English for Year 12.

The Lit students at my school for '08 are lucky. They studied 'Hotel Sorrento' by Hannie Rayson as part of the year 11 course and they are undertaking the text for year 12 Lit.

[azhtey]

my english tutor said that Catcher in the rye is a yr9 book in some schools lolz.

I read it in year 8 at my school lol wtf??

[Toothpaste]

Catcher is an English text next year? That's an awesome book

I KNOW!!!! I put emphasis on that. It's a must read! Eriny, I like your taste in literature.

Nick, you're awesome.
Here's my prescribed texts for English:

Section A, Text Response:
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell

Section B, Context: Exploring Issue of Identity and Belonging
Film: Witness - Peter Weir
Poetry: Sometimes Gladness - Bruce Dawe

I'm going to personally study The Catcher in the Rye as an extra since I dislike our set text/film for this section, and also because I love the book. I don't know whether this is a wise thing to do or not. What do you think?

I'm aiming for 45+ since I think English might be one of my stronger subjects. I'm not too sure yet. I'll probably have a clearer estimate after the SACs are halfway done. I'm expecting 40+, but aiming a little higher. I hope I don't disappoint myself too much.

Resources? Here's some I stumbled upon:
A Man for All Seasons
The Kite Runner

EDIT-More resources:
Sometimes Gladness
Sometimes Gladness
Sometimes Gladness

[costargh]

My school dropped Nineteen Eighty-Four for the 08'ers. I was so dissapointed. I loved the central theme of the book and my brother said it was a bit hard for him (he's not the best at English) but it was interesting.
=( =( I might try and read it anyways if I find the time.

[brendan]

My school dropped Nineteen Eighty-Four for the 08'ers. I was so dissapointed. I loved the central theme of the book and my brother said it was a bit hard for him (he's not the best at English) but it was interesting.
=( =( I might try and read it anyways if I find the time.

If there was ever a fiction novel that i was slightly interested in reading it would have been 1984

[costargh]

My school dropped Nineteen Eighty-Four for the 08'ers. I was so dissapointed. I loved the central theme of the book and my brother said it was a bit hard for him (he's not the best at English) but it was interesting.
=( =( I might try and read it anyways if I find the time.

If there was ever a fiction novel that i was slightly interested in reading it would have been 1984

Did you read it?

(edit by coblin: took post outside of quotes)

[brendan]

My school dropped Nineteen Eighty-Four for the 08'ers. I was so dissapointed. I loved the central theme of the book and my brother said it was a bit hard for him (he's not the best at English) but it was interesting.
=( =( I might try and read it anyways if I find the time.

If there was ever a fiction novel that i was slightly interested in reading it would have been 1984

Did you read it?

nup

[costargh]

Hmm I liked Animal Farm by George Orwell. LOL

[sheepz]

Hey looks like we have a really keen mod here! ^^

I'm doing ESL next year and have no idea how the year 12 ESL exam works and how similar it is to mainstream. I spoke to my teacher today though and she said we're sort of following what mainstream is doing in our school. Anyone doing ESL next year too?

My school chose the context 'encountering conflict'.
Texts:
Sky burial (really good story)
The Line (what my school mainstream is also doing)
Film:
Look both ways (also what my school mainstream is doing... this is not fully decided yet but we'll probably be doing it)

I'm expecting 40+ and aiming for 45+ (if i do bad in my SACs i'll lower my aim and expectations lol). I've always been aiming for 45+ though until i saw the paper today and realised that only the top 50 students get that. >.<

[AppleXY]

Yeah, I've started reading 1984, and its a complex story to grasp. The write shows that how society could be in the future if central power dictates. What I gather from the book, is to show how harsh central powers can get, with even thoughts being controlled by "Big Brother".


One question, just say you're doing a difficult text which a minority of students selected, will you get an advantage if the essay is well written? lol.

[Nick]

I'm going to personally study The Catcher in the Rye as an extra since I dislike our set text/film for this section, and also because I love the book. I don't know whether this is a wise thing to do or not. What do you think?

Going against what your class is doing is a fairly risky exercise. Despite this, if you have already read the book and feel that you can grasp the key themes and conceps, I don't see why not.

To study a text outside your school's prescribed choices would also mean that you'd have to be a very independant learner. Given that you're aiming for 45+ it would seem that independant learning is well within your capabilities.

Speak to your teacher about it. Say that you really love the novel and that it's an alternative option for the context your school is studying. Just make sure that he/she is willing to offer some assistance if you ever need it.

All things considered, as long as your teacher isn't heavily against it, I reckon you should go for it