Stage 1 Essential English

Stage 1 Essential English is designed for students planning to pursue a career in a range of trades or vocational pathways, and those intending to continue their study of Essential English at Stage 2. There is an emphasis on communication, comprehension, analysis, and text creation.

 

Subject Type: Compulsory. Students to receive their SACE must be assessed at a C grade or higher for the literacy requirement in an English subject at Stage One.

Length: Two semesters

SACE Credits: 10 credits per semester= 20 credits for the year.

Prerequisites: Open Subject

Contact Person: English Learning Area Leader: Stephen Summers - stephen.summers@stcolumba.sa.edu.au

Further Reading: https://www.sace.sa.edu.au/web/essential-english/stage-1

Semester One Topic Overview

  • Magazine covers
  • Reviews: Games, café, cooking shows, TV episode
  • Seeking Change: Advocacy text study
  • Personal recount

Semester One Assessment Overview

Responding to Texts (50%)

  • Annotated magazine cover with commentary
  • Two short reviews of two leisure activities

Creating Texts (50%)

  • An annotated recount
  • Advocacy speech (oral presentation) arguing for change

 

Semester Two Topic Overview

  • The language of procedures and procedural texts
  • The language and power of posters
  • Workplace documents
  • Film study

Semester Two Assessment Overview

Responding to Texts (50%)

  • Written comparison of two posters on a similar issue and how they meet the needs of the target audience
  • Film response essay to the ideas and devices used to position the audience in the shared film study

Creating Texts (50%)

  • A portfolio of student produced workplace documents, including email, incident report, memo, poster, health and safety
  • An oral or multi modal instructional presentation on a “How to” topic of their choice