English Subject Choices

[5mixer]

Not sure if this is the best place to post, just let me know if it isn't.

I am in year 10 at the moment, and for my VCE subject selections I included literature because I have done it this well and have received good grades, mostly A+'s with some A's. I planned on continueing next year and opted for it in subject selection, but I have been told today that only three people from my year level wanted to do it, and so they will not be running the subject. I have the choice of doing English or English Language, and just wanted your opinions on what to choose.

I do have the option to do both, however I am already doing Methods, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, which is a significant step up from my current work level and I'm not sure how well I would cope.

I like reading and writing fiction, and finding deeper meaning and themes in texts. My main career will likely be more programming/maths based though, so it's possible that English Language might help there. What is the scaling like on my two choices? Do you think it's worth pushing for literature, and seeing if they can work something out for me?

Thanks for any help.

[brady_price]

Hey!

It really sucks that your school isn't able to accommodate for you, always disappointing! Definitely try pushing for it, lit isn't the sort of subject a school shouldn't be offering. As for the choice out of the other two, definitely a tough one. I chose to do just standard English, and didn't regret that decision. English is a lot more like lit than English Language, although Eng Lang is definitely an interesting subject, but involves a very different type of thinking to what you will be used to from lit.

In terms of what you would enjoy more, if you have a passion for writing and reading my instinct would be to go for English, but if you're really finding it hard to decide your school will generally allow you to choose both for the start of the year and drop the one you decide against in the first couple of weeks; I did this in year 12 and didn't regret it.

Good luck!

[EulerFan102]

Hey there!

Obviously everyone's going to have their own opinions about the different Englishes, and mine is that English Language is the best! I'd particularly recommend it to people doing maths-y/science-y subjects, as (out of the 3 Englishes) it's the most like those subjects. In English Language, you don't analyse long novels and talk about themes and what the characters are thinking. Instead we look the nuts and bolts of language and how a whole heaps of things like identity and context influence someone's language.

Anyway, good luck with your decision! 

[clarke54321]

Hey!

I'd have to agree with brady_price. If you are passionate about finding deeper meaning and reading a wide of texts, English seems like the next best option. Although you are not as 'intimate' with the language as you are in Literature, English still requires you to read into language to unearth original ideas. And if you have already cultivated the skills to do this throughout Lit 1/2, English 3/4 will come to you very naturally.

Try and push for Literature, though! I've found 3/4 to be so much more rewarding and exciting than 1/2. As more than a VCE subject, it is an opportunity to challenge your ideas and widen your understanding of the world.

All the best 

[AngelWings]

To the OP,
 
I was in the same sort of situation. My friend and I were told that if we wanted to do Literature that we could instead do it as an advanced placement (i.e. U3/4 in Year 11). In the end, my friend did actually take Literature in that manner and I opted to not even do it at all, instead going for English Language as U1/2 in Year 11, which I liked a lot. I also was very maths/ science based in subjects and mentally. You can see which subjects I did take in my signature. 

Here's the difference between us: I'm not too fond of writing on deeper meanings of texts. For you, my opinion, like the others mentioned, is to go for English (mainstream). English Language won't give you the opportunities to study fiction. It is very much about linguistics and how language is used. To be absolutely honest with you, it won't be so useful when you get to your programming/ maths course after VCE; it may only mean that you have a slightly more analytical mindset. There won't be much loss from you doing English over Eng Lang, I think. In fact, you will benefit from it because you'll be happier doing it!

[5mixer]

Thank you all very very much for your insightful responses. I have chosen to go with English as I think my skills will carry across best into that subject. It's a safe choice that isn't too risky. In the email I sent to my teacher however, I stated that if possible, I'd like to also do English Language. It will depend on whether my timetable can fit it.

Thanks again, you're an awesome community of people.