The Oasis - Expanding Views Through Text

Australian curriculum content descriptions:

Year 9 English:

• Interpret, analyse and evaluate how different perspectives of issue, event, situation, individuals or groups are constructed to serve specific purposes in texts (ACELY1742)
• Explore and explain the combinations of language and visual choices that authors make to present information, opinions and perspectives in different texts (ACELY1745)
• Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate visual, print and/or audio features (ACELY1746)
• Review and edit students’ own and others’ texts to improve clarity and control over content, organisation, paragraphing, sentence structure, vocabulary and audio/visual features (ACELY1747)

Year 10 English:

• Identify and analyse implicit or explicit values, beliefs and assumptions in texts and how these are influenced by purposes and likely audiences (ACELY1752)
• Create sustained texts, including texts that combine specific digital or media content, for imaginative, informative, or persuasive purposes that reflect upon challenging and complex issues (ACELY1756)
• Review, edit and refine students’ own and others’ texts for control of content, organisation, sentence structure, vocabulary, and/or visual features to achieve particular purposes and effects (ACELY1757)

Year 11 English:

Unit 1

• Explaining the ways language features, text structures and conventions communicate ideas and points of view (ACEEN004)
• Evaluating the impact of description and imagery, including figurative language, and still and moving images in digital and multimodal texts. (ACEEN007)
• Using appropriate form, content, style and tone for different purposes and audiences in real and imagined contexts (ACEEN011)
• Using evidence-based argument (ACEEN014)
• Using strategies for planning, drafting, editing and proofreading (ACEEN016)

Unit 2

• Analysing the ways language features, text structures and stylistic choices shape points of view and influence audiences (ACEEN024)
• Analysing how attitude and mood are created, for example, through the use of humour in satire and parody. (ACEEN027)
• The impact of language and structural choices on shaping own and others’ perspectives(ACEEN028)
• Selecting and applying appropriate textual evidence to support arguments (ACEEN035)
• Using strategies for planning, drafting, editing and proofreading (ACEEN036)
• Explaining how and why texts position readers and viewers. (ACEEN040)

Year 12 English:

Unit 3

• Analysing language, structural and stylistic choices (ACEEN041)
• The ways language patterns can create shades of meaning (ACEEN047)
• How responses to texts and genres may change over time and in different cultural contexts.(ACEEN049)
• Sustaining analysis and argument (ACEEN053)
• Using strategies for planning, drafting, editing and proofreading (ACEEN055)

Unit 4

• Undertaking close analysis of texts (ACEEN060)
• Examining how each text relates to a particular context or contexts (ACEEN061)
• Analysing content, purpose and choice of language (ACEEN063)
• Synthesising ideas and opinions to develop complex argument (ACEEN071)
• Using strategies for planning, drafting, editing and proofreading (ACEEN074)
• Using accurate spelling, punctuation, syntax and metalanguage. (ACEEN075)

Syllabus Outcomes: EN5-1A, EN5-2A, EN5-8D.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Literacy.

Unit of work: THE OASIS – English

Time required: 90 minutes

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate discussion.

• Student Worksheet – one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet
• Device capable of presenting a website to the class. Access to THE OASIS documentary on Vimeo.

This resource has been adapted from ‘Teaching Social Issues Through English’ developed with the English Teachers Association NSW and the ‘Youth Homelessness Matters Resource’ developed by Janice Atkin. You can find these resources here.