Contemporary Teacher

Leadership
Individual Report

Rebekah Donoghue (17195892)

Table of Contents
Executive Summary............................................................................................... 3
Objective and Context ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Goals ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Recommendations............................................................................................................................................ 4
Background Information ....................................................................................... 5
Comparative Table ................................................................................................ 7
Recommendations ................................................................................................ 9
Reconstructed Unit ............................................................................................. 14
Scope and Sequence...................................................................................................................................... 14
Concept Map .................................................................................................................................................... 15
Assessment Task and Marking Criteria ................................................................................................ 16
Redesigned Unit ............................................................................................................................................. 19
References .......................................................................................................... 28
Appendix ............................................................................................................ 31
Original Unit of Work ................................................................................................................................... 32
Scope and Sequence...................................................................................................................................... 42
Assessment Task ............................................................................................................................................ 43
Executive Summary
Objective and Context

The objective of this report is to present a redesigned unit of work to the

English faculty of Kingswood High School that meets the specific needs of Stage 5

English cohort. This unit of work comes from my first professional placement at

Kingswood High School in the semester of Autumn 2018. The class taken was a

Year 10 mixed ability class. For the students present minimal behaviour

concerns were observed, however, there was a much larger issue of truanting

school that resulted in approximately only 18 students being present per lesson.

I was not given a unit of work and only a limited scope and sequence but was

advised students were about to start studying creative writing and would be

required to produce an original short story as their summative assessment task.

As a result, this unit is completely of my own design. I specifically used the

Understanding by Design principles to construct the unit and backward mapped

it from the assessment task. As students had two more weeks with their regular

teacher once my placement was over before the assessment was due, I did not

cover every concept reflected in the success criteria of the assessment task in the

four-week block.
Goals

- Incorporation of more formative assessment to ensure student learning is

on track

- Incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives

- Extend student learning by reworking the unit to better incorporate

inquiry based learning

- Incorporate further strategies for literacy to meet the needs of the

students

Recommendations

The following recommendations are made based on the unit being taught

in a comprehensive classroom of mixed-ability students at Kingswood High

School and therefore focus primarily on their unique learning needs.

Recommendations are made in order to enhance student academic success,

literacy skills and personal and social capabilities.

- Recommendation one: incorporate further formative assessment to

better understand student-learning progress

- Recommendation two: incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

perspectives

- Recommendation three: inquiry based learning is further incorporated in

to the unit
Background Information

This report has been constructed for the English faculty at Kingswood

High School. Located in Western Sydney, Kingswood High School is a

comprehensive, coeducational state school with a student population of 717.

Students are split 54% to 46% for males and females respectively and 53% of

students fall in the bottom quarter of community socio-educational advantage

index. Students identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander make up 10%

of the population and 21% of students have a language background other than

English. The school has recently undergone a leadership change in the last

eighteen months. This change has had a positive impact on the school culture

with attendance rates increasing and student behaviour improving. As a result,

Kingswood High School is quickly becoming the school of choice in the local area

and it is estimated that they will receive almost 90% of students from feeder

primary schools in coming years. As only ten percent of students at Kingswood

High School go on to university, Kingswood High School has fostered strong ties

with the community to offer career options to students. This includes an

extensive work experience program that has businesses from the local area

approaching the school for apprentices. Strong ties are also fostered with the

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in and outside the school.

Kingswood High School has Aboriginal Education Officers that assist teachers in

understanding the specific learning needs of Indigenous students and Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures are respected and highly valued

in the school community.

Statistics and table above have been retrieved from the MySchool website and via personal
correspondence with leadership during professional placement.
https://www.myschool.edu.au/school/41826
https://kingswood-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/supporting-our-students/careers.html
Comparative Table
Area of Strengths of the area of Concerns of the area of Suggested Changes to counteract Research support for the changes
consideration consideration consideration concerns suggested.
Adopt an inquiry-based approach
to learning by developing and Boas (2016) states that inquiry
Comprehension of texts is not
overarching essential question to based learning centres around
Adjustments and student directed rather students
be answered by students establishing essential questions
extension activities are understanding comes from direct
Literacy then developing activities that
provided for students to instruction from the teacher.
Allow students time to explore assist students in new ways of
extend their writing Students did not develop deep
texts to determine significant doing and thinking providing
understanding of concepts.
qualities rather than direct opportunities to develop these skills
instruction
Not applicable
Numeracy
It is not appropriate to incorporate strategies to address numeracy in this specific unit of work if meaningful change is the goal.
Students not provided enough Bamiro (2015),
time to consider and analyse the Students are provided more time Karen Murphy et al. (2017) and
Students given time to
texts themselves as examples of for group work or discussion in Weatherby-Fell (2015) argue that
engage in self-reflection
creative writing. order to consider the strengths and group work is essential to engage
and make adjustments
Critical and Minimal opportunities for weaknesses of texts and engage in students in higher order thinking as
based on learning
Creative students to engage in discussion critical thinking it allows for more time to consider
Thinking and articulate opinions on texts. content
The unit is based on Learning too prescriptive to the Focussed reading journals are Boas, (2016) poses that the
students generating their assessment task and does not incorporated to assist students in adoption of a focused reading
own ideas for their provide students opportunities to engaging with self-directed journal assists students in
creative writing engage in self-directed learning learning comprehending texts
Students develop
Formative assessment is changed Jarvis (2015) argues that formative
reflective practice,
Focus is on applying knowledge from a draft of the summative to assessment needs to happen
persistence and resilience
to their work for the summative smaller group work tasks to ensure regularly to ensure teachers are
by engaging in the writing
assessment students are gaining deep designing learning on data rather
process over an extended
Personal and understanding than assumptions
period
Social
Unit focuses on one way to tell Troy (2015), Price (2015), Buckskin
Capabilities Texts explored in unit
and structure a short story. Aboriginal and Torres Strait (2015) and Shipp (2012) assert that
provide opportunities for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander understanding of story incorporating Aboriginal and Torres
students to empathise
Islander perspectives and structure is included in the unit of Strait Islander perspectives in the
with characters in
understandings are ignored in the work classroom increases academic and
different social contexts
process personal success for all students
Understandin The unit was already specifically backward mapped from a summative assessment task following the principles of UBD (see background
g by Design information and recommendations).
Recommendations
I personally created the unit outline up for review during my professional

practice at Kingswood High School in the autumn semester of 2018. When

created, the unit followed the principles of Understanding by Design (UBD) and

is backward mapped from the summative assessment task (Wiggins & McTighe,

2005). In respect to reconstructing the unit as a whole to implement UBD it is

not necessary to undertake. The unit examines the big picture ideas of creative

writing and concepts build on one and other in a logical sequence to assist in

student acquisition of learning as per Vygotsky’s learning theory (Walker, 2017).

This form of sequencing specifically assists students in the creation of their own

creative writing piece to be submitted as a summative assessment. However,

although the unit does not need to be reconstructed in whole in order to achieve

the principles of UBD, in order to increase student learning and academic

outcomes changes have been made to the sequence of learning activities within

concepts, opportunities provided to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

perspectives and more formative assessment has been included.

Recommendation one: incorporate further formative assessment to better

understand student-learning progress

As this unit adopts a UBD approach, it is understood that UBD is a

backward process in which first teachers identify what specific skills and

concepts they want students to understand and be able to demonstrate,

determine what evidence will be accepted and then lastly design teaching and

learning sequences that build this knowledge and skills in students (Wiggins &
McTighe, 2005). The use of UBD in this unit is evident in the skills and concepts

covered, however, it is recommended that formative assessment been changed

from a draft submission of their summative assessment task to more informal

activities throughout the unit. The use of ongoing informal assessment in this

way will assist teachers in better understanding the needs of students,

monitoring their progress and making adjustments (Jarvis, 2015). This is not to

say that the a draft of the creative writing piece should be excluded, however, if

teachers rely solely on this as formative assessment, decisions about student

learning will not be based on data but assumptions (Jarvis, 2015). Further, as

threshold concepts are an integral aspect to success in the summative

assessment task such as the understanding the relationship between language

choice and effect on audience, different text structures and their effect, character

development and the process of composing texts, by incorporating more

formative assessment teachers can determine if students are understanding and

engaging with these threshold concepts both in their own creative writing and

evaluation of other texts (Jarvis, 2015).

Recommendation two: incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

perspectives

Differing ways of knowing and viewing the world from Australian

Indigenous perspectives are deeply different from Western Knowledges (Blair,

2015). This has significant implications for this unit of work considering the

differences in understanding of narrative and the English language of Aboriginal

people compared to the general student population (Shipp, 2013). Shipp (2012)

provides a case study in which students were required to produce an original

story, however, due to differing understandings in the structure and purpose of

narrative Aboriginal students were marked down for their attempt. As ten

percent of students at Kingswood High School identify as Aboriginal or Torres

Strait Islander, it is crucial that these differences in understanding are

acknowledged and catered for. By including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

perspectives in the classroom Indigenous students are handed an identity-

affirming mirror, which can increase their academic success (Price, 2015;

Buckskin, 2015). Further Troy (2015) argues that incorporating Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander perspectives is beneficial for all students as they engage

with Australia’s history and culture. This sentiment is also supported by Price

(2015) who suggests it provides a window for all students in to the cultures and

histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Thus, student’s

personal and social capabilities are also improved as they learn to ‘show respect

for other’s perspectives’ and ‘build their capacity to critique societal constructs

and forms of discrimination’ (ACARA, 2018).

Recommendation three: inquiry based learning is further incorporated in

to the unit

Research shows there is often no connection between the types of writing

valued in school and the lives of the students expected to engage in the work and

this can cause disengagement with the writing process even for students who

write for pleasure (Weaven & Clifford, 2015; Gardner, 2013). This phenomenon

was observed through this unit of work and although students demonstrated an

understanding of the threshold concepts, students were reluctant to begin their

own piece. Therefore it is recommended that inquiry based learning is further

incorporated to this unit of work to improve student engagement and outcomes.

Inquiry based learning is a student centred approach that engages students

through asking questions and sourcing answers (Boas, 2016). Inquiry based

learning has been incorporated in the modified unit outline by developing an

essential question to be answered (Boas, 2016; Marks, 2017). From this essential

question a concept map has been created for students to refer to. As the unit was

already planned using UBD there was no need to change the order of content

delivery, however, activities within each area have been re-sequenced. This is to

allow for more investigation and deliberation of concepts for students rather

than receiving direct instruction from the teacher. Students will complete a

reading journal for each text studied answering key questions on each text (Boas,

2016). Students also engage in collaborative learning such as group tasks and

discussions on texts in order to develop deep understanding (Bamiro, 2015; van

Kraayenoord & Muspratt, 2015). Collaborative learning is known to be one of the

most influential factors in students developing students personal and social

capabilities as it is stress and anxiety reducing, allowing students to encounter

greater success with academic tasks (Marks, 2017).

This method also aims to improve the literacy skills of students. Based on

both recent NAPLAN data and observations in the classroom, students required

assistance in building comprehension skills (ACARA, 2018). By providing

students extended time to consider content and concepts, a deeper level of

understanding and higher order thinking is observed (Weatherby-Fell, 2015). As

‘creation’ is one of the highest level of thinking students can engage in according

to Bloom’s Taxonomy, it is imperative that students are afforded time to

synthesise newly acquired knowledge before applying this to the creation of

their own work. It is also for this reason that the assessment task has not been

modified significantly. The assessment task lends itself to an inquiry based

learning, whether intentional or not, and required only minimal changes. The

only changes that have been incorporated are the removal of a word limit and

providing students freedom of choice in the topic of their story. These changes

have been made to strengthen students’ interest in the assessment task, to make

it more relevant to students and to allow for multiple means of expression (Boas,

2016; CAST, 2018).

Reconstructed Unit
Scope and Sequence

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
Critical Analysis of Texts
Term 1

Suggested texts: Deadly Unna and The Giver

Focus outcomes: EN5-1A, EN5-2A, EN5-4B, EN5-5C, EN5-6C

General capabilities and cross curricular priorities: Indigenous Australians and Cook Islanders and their stories, Social and Emotional Capabilities, Literacy, Information and
Communication Technology, Interculturalism.
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
Creative Writing – Short Stories
In this unit of work students explore the reflective and recursive process of creative writing. Students engage in a focus study on short stories to understand how authors’ use
Term 2

of language forms and features, text structures and style effects audiences. Students experiment with creative writing process and apply acquired knowledge to their own
original creative writing piece. Suggested texts include excerpts from Growing up Asian in Australia by Alice Pung, It’s Raining in Mango by Thea Astley, Only Ten by Allan
Baillie.
Focus outcomes: EN5-1A, EN5-2A, EN5-3B, EN5-5C, EN5-9E
General capabilities and cross curriculum priorities: Civics and Citizenship, Social and Emotional Capability, Literacy, Interculturalism
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
Advertising and the environment
Term 3

Suggested multimedia texts: Pepsi ‘Live For Now’, Heineken ‘#Open Your World’
Focus outcomes: EN5-1A, EN5-2A, EN5-3B, EN5-5C
General capabilities and cross curriculum priorities: Sustainability, Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy, Information and Communication Technology

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
Area of Study: Preparing for Prelim – Introduction to Senior Study
Term 4

Suggested texts: The Happiest Refugee, The Fault in our Star

Focus outcomes: EN5-1A, EN5-3B, EN5-7D, EN8D, EN5-9E
General capabilities and cross curriculum priorities: not listed
Concept Map
Assessment Task and Marking Criteria
Original Content
Modified Content

Kingswood High School

Course Name: Student Name:
Year 10 English
Date Issued Date Due:
Term 2, Week 3, 2018 Term 2, Week 9, 2018

Task Name Short Stories: Creative Writing Task

Task Weight 25%
Time to complete task: 5 weeks

The following 5-1A: responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and

course outcomes sustained texts for understanding, interpretation, critical
will be assessed: analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure
5-3B: selects and uses language forms, features and structures of texts
appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts,
describing and explaining their effects on meaning
5-5C: thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about
information and increasingly complex ideas and arguments to
respond to and compose texts in a range of contexts
5-7D: understands and evaluates the diverse ways texts can represent
personal and public worlds
5-9E: purposefully reflects on, assesses and adapts their individual and
collaborative skills with increasing independence and
effectiveness

To complete this task you must create a short fictional story based on a topic or event of your
choosing. In your story you are to:

1. Establish setting, characters and point of view.

2. Develop an effective and engaging plot.
3. Demonstrate use of detail, dialogue and description.
4. Show command of language conventions.
5. Clearly express experiences and events with originality and flair.

There is no word count for this assessment. Place your focus on creating a high quality short
story that meets the criteria, however few or many words this takes you. You will have some
allocated class time however independent work outside of school is highly recommended.
 Marking Criteria: Year Ten Assessment Task #1

Category A B C D E

Narrative I have skilfully established a I have effectively I have established a I have established either I have attempted to
Focus: setting, narrator, and/or established a setting, setting, narrator, and/or a setting, narrator, established a setting,
Establishment of Narrative

Audience, ideas, characters, and point of
view. My ideas are
interesting and show some
originality and flair.
narrator, and/or
characters, and point of
view. My ideas are
interesting and show
some originality and flair.
characters, and point of
view. My ideas are
interesting and show
some originality and flair.
and/or characters, or
point of view. My ideas
are interesting and show
some originality and flair.
narrator, and/or
characters, and point of
view. My ideas are
interesting and show
some originality and flair.

Organisation: I have skilfully written I have written an I have written a sound I have written a plot that I have attempted to write
Text structure, creating an effective plot effective plot helping plot helping create unity creates some unity and a plot that creates some
Focus

plot, unity, helping create unity and create unity and and completeness. completeness. unity and completeness.
coherence completeness. completeness.

Elaboration of My narrative skilfully My narrative provides My narrative provides My narrative provides I have attempted a
Narrative: provides thorough and thorough and effective sound elaboration using basic elaboration using narrative that provides
Character effective elaboration using elaboration using detail, detail, dialogue and detail, dialogue and some elaboration using
Development: Elaboration

development, detail, dialogue and dialogue and description. description. description. detail, dialogue and
description of description. description.
setting

Use of language Skilfully, clearly and Clearly and effectively Soundly expresses Expresses experiences Attempts to expresses
and language

– effectively expresses expresses experiences experiences and events and events in a basic experiences and events
According to experiences and events with and events with some with some. manner. clearly.
audience, originality and flair. originality.
purpose and
context.
 Language Skilful and strong command Effective and strong Sound command of Basic command of Poor command of
Conventions of conventions. command of conventions conventions with only a conventions with many conventions with many
with only a few errors. few errors. errors that do not errors that obscure
obscure meaning. meaning.

Grade: A B C D E
Teacher comment:
 Redesigned Unit
Creative Writing - Short Stories | Stage 5 | English
Duration Original Text
Sample term Recommendation One: formative assessment
4 weeks Recommendation Two: ATSI perspectives
Detail: 7 hours per fortnight Recommendation Three: Inquiry based learning

Unit overview What makes a great short story

In this unit of work, students will explore the art of creative writing. By engaging in a focus study of short stories, students will develop their understanding of the
structure of short stories and the creative writing process. Students will examine the textual forms and features of setting, character development, imagery and theme
and, in doing so, will develop understanding of their functions and effect on the text and its meaning. Students will actively engage in the creative writing process by
drafting and redrafting their own original short story. In doing so, students are given an opportunity to experiment with different language forms, features and styles
and apply their understanding and appreciation of these features and devices by composing their own sustained text.

Outcomes Assessment overview

English K-10 Summative - students produce an original and creative short story
› EN5-1A responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained Formative - completion of reading journals, group work activities, class
texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression discussions and small writing pieces
and pleasure
› EN5-3B selects and uses language forms, features and structures of texts
appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts, describing and
explaining their effects on meaning
› EN5-5C thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about
information and increasingly complex ideas and arguments to respond to and
compose texts in a range of contexts
› EN5-7D understands and evaluates the diverse ways texts can represent
personal and public worlds
› EN5-8D questions, challenges and evaluates cultural assumptions in texts and
their effects on meaning
Content
Stage 5 - Outcome 5
 respond to and compose a range
of sustained imaginative,
informative and persuasive texts
which are increasingly demanding
in terms of ideas, arguments and
linguistic, structural, cognitive,
emotional and moral complexity
Stage 5 - Outcome 7
 analyse the ways in which creative
and imaginative texts can explore
human experience, universal
themes and social contexts
Teaching, learning and assessment Resources
Integrated activities
Students will draft and redraft their own original short story in the lead up to submission for
the formative assessment task. It is recommended the teacher provide time after each key
concept is covered for students to work on their original piece of creative writing, improving
their short story by applying the techniques and strategies learned.
Introducing the short story
Introduction to the unit. Teacher explains focus of the unit is not just on how to write a short
story but on the overarching question "What makes a good short story?"
Teacher introduces the short story as text type
Class discussion: why do authors write?
 They have something to say
 Express ideas of concerns about particular situations, concepts or the world
 Persuade audiences to be a particular point of view
 Challenge stereotyping
Activity: students provided with list of features of a short story and sort them in to an element,
characteristic of structural feature
Content
Stage 5 - Outcome 3
 analyse and evaluate the
effectiveness of a wide range of
sentence and clause structures as
authors design and craft texts
Stage 5 - Outcome 8
 analyse how the construction and
interpretation of texts, including
media texts, can be influenced by
cultural perspectives and other
texts
Teaching, learning and assessment Resources
Structure https://www.aecg.nsw.e
Teacher explains basic structure of a short story: du.au/
 Orientation
 Conflict
 Climax
 Resolution
Activity: students provided with deconstructed short story and work in groups to reassemble
it in the correct order
Class discussion
 What order did each group get?
 Why do students think there were different answers?
 Did the story still make sense?
Difference between linear and non-linear structure is explained to students
Students discuss the difference in understanding of narrative in western knowledge systems
and analyse how this compares to the understanding of narrative for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples.
Students construct table comparing and contrasting the understanding of narrative between
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander understanding and Australian standard as assessed in
school. Extension: extend table to include other cultural understandings of students where
appropriate
Consult with the school Aboriginal Education Officer or the NSW Aboriginal Education
Consultative Group for an appropriate text to use to highlight these differences.
Reflection: students begin to consider the structure of their short story and generate a mind-
map or flow chart of ideas
Content
Stage 5 - Outcome 1
 analyse and explain the ways
language forms and features,
ideas, perspectives and originality
are used to shape meaning
 identify how vocabulary choices
contribute to specificity,
abstraction and stylistic
effectiveness
Teaching, learning and assessment Resources
Descriptive Writing
Class discussion: what is descriptive writing? How is it achieved?
"Show Don't Tell"
Teacher demonstrates how simple sentences can become more descriptive by applying the
show don't tell method
Think-pair-share
Students individually change sentences provided by the teacher emulating the show don't tell
method. Pairs come together to compare and discuss changes. Pairs co-construct new
sentences and share their favourite creation with the class.
Adjustment: students provided with list of language techniques and sensory examples to prompt
writing
Content
Stage 5 - Outcome 3
 analyse and explain how text
structures, language features and
visual features of texts and the
context in which texts are
experienced may influence
audience response
Stage 5 - Outcome 5
 understand and explain the ways
in which composers transform
ideas and experience into and
within texts, including
consideration of their insight,
imaginative powers and ingenuity
Stage 5 - Outcome 8
 analyse literary texts created by
and about a diverse range of
Australian people, including
people from Asian backgrounds,
and consider the different ways
these texts represent people,
places and issues
Teaching, learning and assessment Resources
Setting Hot and Spicy by Oliver
Students read 'Hot and Spicy' Phommavanh in
Students answer questions in their reading journal Growing up Asian in
 What view of the world is this presenting? Australia edited by Alice
 Who is in control? Pung
 What are their actions?
 Who do they benefit?
 Are they justified? Why?
In groups students discuss their answers
Teacher then introduces the feature of setting to the class
 Setting provides important underlying information on why events in the story may be
unfolding
Group activity: students attempt to place the exact events of the story in another setting.
Class discussion: were you successful? Why or why not? Did it affect the meaning of the text or
your response to it? Did the actions suddenly not seem justified?
Discussion should lead to the understanding of context and how the context of the setting (i.e.
a school) influences the readers understanding of the actions.
Reflection: students write PEEL paragraph explaining how context impacted their
understanding of the text.
Content
Stage 5 - Outcome 1
 identify how vocabulary choices
contribute to specificity,
abstraction and stylistic
effectiveness
Teaching, learning and assessment Resources
Creating Your Setting It's Raining in Mango -
Setting and Imagery activity: Thea Astley
Stations are set up around the room with different images of locations on them e.g. beach,
football stadium, bush. Imagining they are there, students fill out a sensory table describing
what they hear, smell, see, feel, taste
Extension: students expand sentences to create a show don't tell paragraph on their favourite
setting
It's Raining in Mango - Thea Astley
Students read chapter two 'Getting to know them' (pp. 37-48) and answer questions in their
reading journal
 What view of the world is this presenting?
 Where is this story taking place?
 How do you know?
 Who is in control?
 What are the protagonist’s actions?
 Who do they benefit?
 Are they justified? Why?
Once complete, students discuss their answers in groups.
Class discussion: where is this story taking place? In what setting and context is it occurring?
Groups resume and identify ten phrases of literary devices in the text that demonstrate this.
Groups share the literary devices they identified and discuss their affect on audience.
Adjustments: students are given a list of phrases and literary devices in the text and identify them
by highlighting
Activity: students write passage about one of the settings in the sensory activity imitating the
writing.
Adjustment: if students have a favourite place they are really passionate about, they are welcome
to write about this
Content
Stage 5 - Outcome 3
 analyse and explain how text
structures, language features and
visual features of texts and the
context in which texts are
experienced may influence
audience response
 evaluate techniques (eg contrast,
exaggeration, juxtaposition or
changing chronological order)
used in spoken, written and visual
texts to, for example, construct
plot and create emotional
responses
 analyse and evaluate the
effectiveness of a wide range of
sentence and clause structures as
authors design and craft texts
Stage 5 - Outcome 1
 present an argument about a
literary text based on initial
impressions and subsequent
analysis of the whole text
Stage 5 - Outcome 8
 identify and analyse implicit or
explicit values, beliefs and
assumptions in texts and how
these are influenced by purposes
and likely audiences
 analyse literary texts created by
and about a diverse range of
Australian people, including
people from Asian backgrounds,
and consider the different ways
these texts represent people,
places and issues
Teaching, learning and assessment Resources
Character Development Only Ten by Allan Baillie
Students read Only Ten and answers questions in their reading journal. The title and last line http://lrr.cli.det.nsw.ed
of the text have been removed. u.au/web/shortstories/
 What view of the world is this presenting? Short_Stories/lo/5387/
 Where is this story taking place? How do you know? documents/Only%20Te
n1.pdf
 Who is the main character? What are they like?
 Who is narrating?
 Who are the other characters? What are they like?
 What is their relationship with the main character?
 How do you feel about the story?
In groups students create a character profile of the protagonist using CHARTS: clothing,
habits/hobbies, actions, relationships, thinking, speaking
Class discussion on how attributes develop character: how do they feel about the story, do
they sympathise with the protagonist or do they find him weird, how do they feel about others
reactions to his behaviour, is it warranted?
Teacher reveals the last line of the text "And only ten,", murmured Henny and shook his head.
"Right boys, take your blocks ... "
Back in groups students discuss how knowing the age of the protagonist has influenced their
response to the story. Students discuss why the author would choose to structure the story in
this way.
Direct versus indirect characterisation. Teacher explains characters are carefully constructed
by authors to represent a type of person and should be someone the reader can identify with.
Characters can be used to evoke emotion the reader and challenge assumptions and ways of
thinking.
Activity: students work through stations around the classroom making a character profile at
each using CHARTS. Students choose their favourite character and extend their profile to a
paragraph introducing the character.
Adjustment: students provided with possible descriptors
Extension: students are given time to work on their own short story focussing on adding depth to
their character.
Content
Stage 5 - Outcome 1
 analyse and explain the ways
language forms and features,
ideas, perspectives and originality
are used to shape meaning
 identify how vocabulary choices
contribute to specificity,
abstraction and stylistic
effectiveness
Stage 5 - Outcome 3
 create literary texts with a
sustained 'voice', selecting and
adapting appropriate text
structures, literary devices,
language, auditory and visual
structures and features for a
specific purpose and intended
audience
Teaching, learning and assessment Resources
Dialogue Story Starter
Activity: students are provided with a story start and create a short conversation between two
people depicted in the photo. For example: Formatting dialogue
- Look, I love you but ...
Students share in pairs which people they chose and how they came up with the conversation. Texts rich with dialogue
Difference between inner and outer dialogue is explained to students such as:
Activity: students use the same story start to create an internal dialogue of one of the people The Last Cabinet by
pictured. For example: Gary Crew in The Blue
- Staring at the camera feels like staring down the barrel of a gun Dress edited by Libby
Hathorn
Rules of dialogue are given to students. Explicit refresher of how to punctuate dialogue is
given to students. They're Made Out of
Students peer edit each others work based on the rules of dialogue Meat - Terry Bisson
Reflection: students are given time to work on their short story improving dialogue
Content Teaching, learning and assessment Resources
Stage 5 - Outcome 7 Theme It's Raining in Mango -
 analyse the ways in which creative Class discussion: recap on why writers write Thea Astley
and imaginative texts can explore Blackout Poetry
human experience, universal Students read chapter five and chapter twelve of It's Raining in Mango by Thea Astley and
themes and social contexts answer questions in their reading journal
 What view of the world is this presenting?
Stage 5 - Outcome 8
 examine how language is used to  Where is this story taking place?

express contemporary cultural  How do you know?

issues  Who is the main character? What are they like?
 analyse literary texts created by  Who is narrating?
and about a diverse range of  Who are the other characters? What are they like?
Australian people, including  What is their relationship with the main character?
people from Asian backgrounds,
 How do you feel about the story?
and consider the different ways
these texts represent people, Think-pair-share: students identify the links between chapters one, five and twelve.
places and issues Class discussion: students reflect on the previous discussion to determine what it is that
Astley is trying to say in her work. Teacher identifies this as the theme of the text.
Stage 5 - Outcome 5
Extension: students research Thea Astley and report back on what they learned how this can be
 understand and explain the ways used as evidence of the theme
in which composers transform Activity: students discuss in groups the theme of each text they have covered throughout the
ideas and experience into and unit so far. Students must justify their answer with evidence from the text.
within texts, including
consideration of their insight, Activity: students choose a page of their favourite text covered in class that reveals the theme.
imaginative powers and ingenuity Students circle key word that identifies the theme and other associated words. Once
completed students illustrate around the words in a way that represents the theme of the text.

Students write PEEL paragraph explaining the theme of the text.

Adjustment: theme is identified for students and PEEL paragraph structured.

Reflection: students write a brief summary of the theme of their text and why it is important
to them. Students who cannot identify a theme discuss their writing with the teacher.
References
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Agency. (2018). Kingswood

High School: NAPLAN. Retrieved from

https://www.myschool.edu.au/school/41826/naplan

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Agency. (2018). Personal and

Social Capability. Retrieved from

https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-

capabilities/personal-and-social-capability/

Bamiro, A. (2015). Effects of guided discovery and think-pair-share strategies on

secondary school student’s achievement in chemistry. Sage Open, 5(1).

doi: 10.1177/2158244014564754

Boas, E. (2016). Developing an Inquiry Approach. In E. Boas & S. Gazis (Eds.), The

Artful English Teacher (pp.103-129). Kensington Gardens, Australia: The

Australian Association for the Teaching of English.

Buckskin, P. (2015). Engaging Indigenous students: The important relationship

between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their

teachers. In K. Price (Ed.), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education:

An introduction for the teaching profession (2nd Ed.) (pp. 174-188). Port

Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.

CAST. (2018). Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression. Retrieved from

http://udlguidelines.cast.org/action-expression

Gardner, P. (2013) Writing in context: reluctant writers and their writing at

home and at school. English in Australia, 48(1), 71-81. Retrieved from

https://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=198008;res=AEIPT
Jarvis, J. (2015). Inclusive classrooms and differentiation. In N.L. Weatherby-Fell

(Ed.), Learning to teach in the secondary school (pp. 105 – 131). Port

Melbourne, VIC: Cambridge University Press.

Karen Murphy, P., Greene, J.A., Firetto, C.M., Li, M., Lobczowski, N.G., Duke, R.F.,

Wei, L., & Croninger, R.M.V. (2017). Exploring the influence of

homogeneous versus heterogeneous grouping on students’ text-based

discussions and comprehension. Contemporary Educational Psychology,

51, 336-355. DOI: 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2017.09.003

Marks, S. (2017) Inquiry-based learning: It matters for life. Access, 31(4), 4-11.

Retrieved from

https://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=219403;res=AEIPT

Price, K. (2015b). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies in the classroom.

In K. Price (Ed.), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education: An

introduction for the teaching profession (2nd Ed.) (pp. 159-170). Port

Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.

Shipp, C. (2012). Why Indigenous Perspectives in School? English in Australia,

47(3), 20-24. Retrieved from

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es=AEIT

Shipp, C. (2013). Bringing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into

the classroom: Why and how. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 21(3),

24-29. Retrieved from

http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfvi

ewer?vid=1&sid=51029b51-bba2-4498-bb32-

951dda563b6d%40sessionmgr103
Troy, J. (2015). Language and Literacy. In K. Price (Ed.). Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander education: An introduction for the teaching profession (2nd

ed.) (pp.140-158). Port Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University

Press.

Van Kraayenoord, C.E, & Muspratt, S. (2015). Cooperative Behaviour and Reading

Comprehension Strategy Use In Small Group Reading Activities. In R.M.

Gillies (Ed.), Collaborative Learning: Developments in Research and

Practice (pp. 239-263). New York: Nova Science. Retrieved from

https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Walker, R. (2017). Student-centred Approaches to Planning in Primary and

Secondary Schools. In B. Gobby & R. Walker (Eds.), Powers of Curriculum:

Sociological Perspectives on Education (pp.445-470). South Melbourne,

Australia: Oxford University Press.

Weatherby-Fell, N.L. (2015). Planning for pedagogy: A toolkit for the beginning

teacher. In N.L. Weatherby-Fell (Ed.), Learning to teach in the secondary

school (pp. 105 – 131), Port Melbourne, VIC: Cambridge University Press.

Weaven, M & Clifford, R. (2015). Creating cultural capital in the classroom: being

Perfectly Frank about Writing. English in Australia, 50(2), 61-70.

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Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design, expanded 2nd edition.

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416602255&v=2.1&u=uwsydney&it=aboutBook&p=GVRL&sw=w
Appendix
As previously stated, I was not provided a unit of work and created my own to
teach from which I submitted as a part of an assessment last semester. Similarly
the scope and sequence I was provided was a basic word document with
information missing.
Original Unit of Work
English unit: Creative Writing – Short Stories Stage 5

Unit overview Duration: 4 weeks

In this unit of work, students will explore the art of creative writing. By engaging in a focus study of short stories, students will develop their understanding of the
structure of short stories and the creative writing process. Students will examine the textual forms and features of setting, character development, imagery and
theme and, in doing so, will develop understanding of their functions and effect on the text and its meaning. Students will actively engage in the creative writing
process by drafting and redrafting their own original short story. In doing so, students are given an opportunity to experiment with different language forms,
features and styles and apply their understanding and appreciation of these features and devices by composing their own sustained text.
Syllabus Outcomes EN5-1A: responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis,
imaginative expression and pleasure
EN5-3B: selects and uses language forms, features and structures of texts appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts,
describing and explaining their effects on meaning
EN5-5C: thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information and increasingly complex ideas and arguments
to respond to and compose texts in a range of contexts
EN5-7D: understands and evaluates the diverse ways texts can represent personal and public worlds
EN5-8D: questions, challenges and evaluates cultural assumptions in texts and their effects on meaning
Resources Hot and Spicy by Oliver Phommavanh in Growing up Asian in Australia edited by Alice Pung
English Textual Concepts - Connotation, Imagery and Symbolism: http://englishtextualconcepts.nsw.edu.au/content/connotation-
imagery-and-symbol
It’s Raining in Mango by Thea Astley
Only Ten by Allan Baillie:
http://lrr.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/web/shortstories/Short_Stories/lo/5387/documents/Only%20Ten1.pdf
Universal Class – Best Methods for Writing Dialogue in Your Short Story: https://www.universalclass.com/articles/writing/writing-
dialogue-for-short-stories.htm
Edutopia – How to Write Dialogue that Matters: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/dialogue-that-matters-aaron-sorkin-todd-finley
Image: http://www.simonhoegsberg.com/we_are_all_gonna_die/slider.html
Scholastic Black Out Poetry: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog-posts/john-depasquale/blackout-poetry/

Assessment Overview The following assessment experiences have been integrated into this unit of work.
 Formative assessment
• Completion of reading journals, group work activities, class discussion, periodical draft submission of creative writing task
Summative assessment
• Student produce an original creative writing piece following the structure of a short story

Content Teaching, learning and assessment Resources

EN5-5C Integrated activities

Students will draft and redraft their own original short story in the lead up
- respond to and compose a range of
to submission for the formative assessment task. It is recommended the
sustained imaginative, informative and
teacher provide time after each key concept is covered for students to work
persuasive texts which are increasingly
on their original piece of creative writing, improving their short story by
demanding in terms of ideas, arguments
applying the techniques and strategies learned.
and linguistic, structural, cognitive,
emotional and moral complexity
EN5-7D
- analyse the ways in which creative
and imaginative texts can explore
human experience, universal themes
and social contexts
EN5-3B
- analyse and evaluate the
effectiveness of a wide range of
sentence and clause structures as
authors design and craft texts
Introducing the short story
Teacher introduces the short story as text type:
- What is a short story?
- What are the elements?
- What are the characteristics?
- What is the structure?
Teacher reminds students that authors write because they have something
to say. Authors use writing to express ideas or concerns about particular
situations or the world. Authors can also use writing to persuade and
audience to a particular point of view, challenge stereotypes or
Activity: Students are provided with a table of the features of a short story
and sort these in to an element, characteristic or structural feature.
Structure
Teacher explains the basic structure of a short story:
- Orientation
- Conflict or problem
- Resolution
Teacher explains to students that a minor resolution may occur that may
then lead in to a compounding problem.
Linear versus Non-linear structure
Difference between linear and non-linear structure is explained to students

EN5-3B
- analyse and explain how text
structures, language features and
visual features of texts and the context
in which texts are experienced may
influence audience response
EN5-1A
- analyse and explain the ways
language forms and features, ideas,
perspectives and originality are used
to shape meaning
Activity: students provided with deconstructed short story reassemble it.
Reflection: students begin to consider the structure of their story and
generate a table or flow-chart of their ideas on the computer.
Descriptive Writing – Show, Don’t Tell
Teacher provides recap on descriptive writing: Sensory description and
Show, Don’t tell and discusses with students why this is an important
feature of creative writing specifically in regards to short stories.
Activity: Students are shown examples of how simple sentences are
changed by applying the Show, Don’t Tell method.
Individually, students change sentences provided by the teacher by
emulating the Show, Don’t Tell method.
Adjustment: students are provided with list of language techniques
and sensory examples to prompt writing.
Understanding Setting
Teacher introduces feature of setting and discusses with class their
thoughts on why it can be an important feature of a text. Differences
between the setting of a short story and setting in a narrative are discussed.
- Setting provides important underlying information on why the
events in the story may be unfolding
- Setting in short stories is usually described in a few words and
thus needs to be precise
Class reads ‘Hot and Spicy’
Students identify and discuss the setting of the short story and how the
Hot and Spicy by Oliver
setting provides an explanation for the protagonist’s actions.
Phommavanh in Growing up Asian in
Activity: students attempt to rewrite passage of the short story in a
Australia edited by Alice Pung
different setting. Class discussion on if and how this changed the text:
- Did the meaning of the text change?
- What effect did it have on the actions of the character?
EN5-5C
- understand and explain the ways in
which composers transform ideas and
experience into and within texts,
including consideration of their insight,
imaginative powers and ingenuity
EN5-8D
- analyse literary texts created by and
about a diverse range of Australian
people, including people from Asian
backgrounds, and consider the
different ways these texts represent
people, places and issues
EN5-1A
- identify how vocabulary choices
contribute to specificity, abstraction
and stylistic effectiveness
Teacher introduces the concept of context in texts and explains how it
relates to setting.
- Context is different to setting, however, they interrelate
- Setting is when and where something happens
- Context provides meaning to the when and where
Reflection activity: Students revisit the previous activity and apply
knowledge of context to explain how and why the story was changed when
the setting was changed. Students share answers with the class.
Creating Your Setting
Teacher provides refresher on Imagery as a technique http://englishtextualconcepts.nsw.
edu.au/content/connotation-
- What is it?
imagery-and-symbol
- How can it be used?
- Why is it used?
Teacher explains how writers use imagery to give greater depth and clarity
to their setting in fewer words.
Setting and Imagery activity: students given pictures of different places and
individually fill out a sensory imagery worksheet to create a setting.
Where
What Hear Smell See Feel Taste

EN5-3B
- analyse and evaluate the
effectiveness of a wide range of
sentence and clause structures as
authors design and craft texts
EN5-7D
- analyse the ways in which creative
It’s Raining in Mango – Thea Astley
Extension activity: students expand on sentences above to compose
Show, Don’t Tell paragraph about the setting.
It’s Raining in Mango – Thea Astley
Teacher and students read chapter two ‘Getting to know them’ (pp. 37 –
48) and identify and examine key techniques used to reveal the setting and
context of the text.
Activity: students identify ten phrases or literary devices in a passage of the
text that reveal the setting. If needed, provide students with a list of literary
devices for reference.
Extension: students move on to further sentences in text
Adjustments: students are given the list of phrases and literary
devices to look for and identify them in the passage by highlighting
Reflection activity: students are given time to work on their own short
story focussing on using imagery to describe their setting.
Character Development
Teacher explains characters are more than just people in the story. They
are carefully constructed by the author to represent a type of person and
should be someone the readers can identify with.
 and imaginative texts can explore
human experience, universal themes
and social contexts
EN5-3B
- analyse and evaluate the
effectiveness of a wide range of
sentence and clause structures as
authors design and craft texts
Different types of characters in texts are identified and discussed by
teacher
- Major and minor characters
- Dynamic and static characters
- Protagonist and antagonist
- Round and flat
Who sits in this chair activity: Students are shown an image of a chair
(recliner, Chesterfield lounge, rocking chair etc.) and create a character
profile using CHARTS:
C – Clothing
H – Habits/Hobbies
A – Actions
R – Relationships
T – Thinking
S – Speaking
Character profile activity:
- Various pictures of people are handed to students and students
create their own personal character profile on them using CHARTS
- Students work in groups and move around to different stations,
creating a character profile at each station. Once groups have
rotated between each station character profiles are compared.
Adjustments: students are provided worksheets with CHARTS
acronym and possible responses
Direct or Indirect characterisation is explained to students. Writers can
either make direct statements about a character or they can leave us to
Only Ten by Allan Baillie
build up understanding through other details that are presented indirectly http://lrr.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/web/s
that is, showing not telling.
hortstories/Short_Stories/lo/5387/
Activity: Only Ten – Allan Baillie

EN5-1A
- present an argument about a literary
text based on initial impressions and
subsequent analysis of the whole text
EN5-3B
- analyse and explain how text
structures, language features and
visual features of texts and the context
in which texts are experienced may
influence audience response
EN5-8D
- analyse literary texts created by and
about a diverse range of Australian
people, including people from Asian
backgrounds, and consider the
different ways these texts represent
people, places and issues
EN5-3B
- create literary texts with a sustained
'voice', selecting and adapting
appropriate text structures, literary
devices, language, auditory and visual
structures and features for a specific
purpose and intended audience
The title and final line are removed from the short story. Teacher and documents/Only%20Ten1.pdf
students read the story together with the teacher stopping to highlight key
passagelos and techniques.
Students create character profile on Hussein based on the text using
CHARTS.
Extension: students provide examples from text which lead them to
this understanding of Hussein
Adjustments: provide a quote and have students explain what the
quote says about the character
Reflection activity: Teacher reveals the last line of the text that has been
omitted. Students reflect on what the purpose of this structure is, what
emotions does it evoke in the audience, what is the author trying to say.
Reflection activity: students are given time to work on their own short
story focussing on giving depth to their character.
Dialogue https://www.universalclass.com/ar
Teacher explains basics of dialogue: ticles/writing/writing-dialogue-for-
short-stories.htm
- New speaker, new line
- Common dialogue
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/di
- Complex dialogue
alogue-that-matters-aaron-sorkin-
- Inner and outer dialogue
todd-finley
- Beats
- Avoid umm, you know, err etc.
Texts rich with dialogue such as:
- Punctuation
The Last Cabinet by Gary Crew in
Activity: students correct various sentences to enhance dialogue. The Blue Dress edited by Libby
EN5-1A
- analyse and explain the ways language
forms and features, ideas, perspectives
and originality are used to shape meaning
- identify how vocabulary choices
contribute to specificity, abstraction and
stylistic effectiveness
EN5-7D
- analyse the ways in which creative
and imaginative texts can explore
human experience, universal themes
and social contexts
Hathorn
Teacher explains effective dialogue often emulates real people. Dialogue is They’re Made Out of Meat - Terry
not an opportunity for the writer to tell the reader something they are Bisson
afraid they will miss, strong dialogue understands that people rarely say
exactly what they mean and react in unexpected ways. Writers only have
characters speak when absolutely necessary, only significant passages are
included in a text and ensure that characters are simplified or dull through
their dialogue.
Teacher explains to students the different between inner and outer
dialogue. Effective dialogue reveals what might be at stake for the
character. Indirect dialogue can reveal a character’s self-esteem, unspoken
thoughts, attitude, wants and desires which may be a direct contradiction
of what the author has them saying outwardly. In a short story, dialogue
may be completely internalised but can still reveal what the character is http://www.simonhoegsberg.com/
fighting for/against/along with. we_are_all_gonna_die/slider.html
Activity: students are provided with a story starter and create a short story
between two people depicted the photo. For example:
- Look, I love you but …
Alternatively, students create a short story using inner dialogue focussing
on one person pictured. For example:
- Staring at that camera lens feels like staring down the barrel of a
gun
Reflection activity: students are given time to work on their own short
story focussing on improving dialogue.
Theme
https://www.scholastic.com/teache
Teacher and students discuss the idea that writing is driven by a set of
rs/blog-posts/john-
values, writers write because they have something to say. Writing can be
depasquale/blackout-poetry/
used to share a vision, teach a lesson, convey an idea, make a statement,
persuade an audience and this underlying message is what we call a theme.
There can be more than one theme to a text. Themes can be identified by
It’s Raining in Mango – Thea

EN5-8D
- examine how language is used to
express contemporary cultural issues
- analyse literary texts created by and
about a diverse range of Australian
people, including people from Asian
backgrounds, and consider the
different ways these texts represent
people, places and issues
EN5-5C
- understand and explain the ways in
which composers transform ideas and
experience into and within texts,
including consideration of their insight,
imaginative powers and ingenuity
asking: Astley
- Which character is most important? Why?
- What’s the final message?
- Are there any philosophical statements?
Themes can also be revealed indirectly through literary devices such as
imagery and symbolism.
Activity: Teacher and student read chapter five ‘Home is where the heart is’
of It’s Raining in Mango. Teacher leads class discussion on linking chapter
five and chapter two (previously covered) and identifying the theme.
Students discuss what it is Thea Astley is trying to say.
Extension: students research Thea Astley and report back on what
they have learned and how this can be used as evidence for the
theme identified.
Black out poetry adaption activity: students are provided with a page of a
short story in which the theme is evident. Students first identify the theme
and circle the key word that reveals this. Students then go on to circle other
associated words that link with their anchor word. Once completed,
students illustrate the rest of the page around the circled words in a way
that represents the theme identified.
Extension: students write PEEL paragraph on what theme is evident
in the text.
Adjustments: theme is identified by the teacher and student draws
on evidence to support this; PEEL paragraph is scaffolded.
Reflection activity: students revisit their original short story and consider
the theme, applying learned skills to improve their story.
Reflection
Students apply knowledge learned throughout the unit to their own
creative writing and submit their short story as summative assessment.
Scope and Sequence
Scope and Sequence: Year Ten

Topic Assessment task Outcomes Texts Mandatory Content

EN5-1A
Indigenous Australians and Cook Islanders and their
EN5-2A Deadly Unna
Term Critical Analysis stories, Social and Emotional Capabilities, Literacy,
‘____________ Notes’ EN5-4B The Giver
One Of Texts Information and Communication
Youtube video EN5-5C
Technology,Interculturalism,
EN5-6C

EN5-1A
Excerpts from The Road
EN5-2A
Term ‘A Very Old Man with Enormous Civics and Citizenship, Social and Emotional
Creative Writing Creative piece EN5-3B
Two Wings’ Capability, Literacy, Interculturalism,
EN5-5C
Growing Up Asian in Australia
EN5-9E

EN5-1A
Advertising * Pepsi, ‘Live for Now’
Term Advertising pitch EN5-2A Sustainability, Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy,
Advertising and the * Heineken, ‘#OpenYour
Three EN5-3B Information and Communication Technology,
Environment World’
EN5-5C

EN5-1A
EN5-3B
Term Area of Study:
Essay/ EN5-7D The Happiest Refugee
Four Preparing for Prelim
Creative task EN5-8D The Fault in our Stars
Introduction to Senior
EN5-9E
English
Assessment Task

Kingswood High School

Course Name: Year 10 English Student Name:
Date Issued Term 2, Week 3, 2018 Date Due: Term 2, Week 9, 2018

Task Name Short Stories: Creative Writing Task

Task Weight 25%
Time to complete task: 5 weeks

The following 5-1A: responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained
course outcomes texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative
will be assessed: expression and pleasure
5-3B: selects and uses language forms, features and structures of texts
appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts,
describing and explaining their effects on meaning
5-5C: thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about
information and increasingly complex ideas and arguments to
respond to and compose texts in a range of contexts
5-7D: understands and evaluates the diverse ways texts can represent
personal and public worlds
5-9E: purposefully reflects on, assesses and adapts their individual and
collaborative skills with increasing independence and effectiveness

To complete this task you must create a short fictional story based on a topic chosen by your
teacher. In your story you are to:
1. Establish setting, characters and point of view.
2. Develop an effective and engaging plot.
3. Demonstrate use of detail, dialogue and description.
4. Show command of language conventions.
5. Clearly express experiences and events with originality and flair.

The word count for your short story will be assigned by your teacher. You will have some allocated
class time however independent work outside of school is highly recommended.
 Marking Criteria: Year Ten Assessment Task #1

Category A B C D E

Narrative Focus: I have skilfully I have effectively I have established a I have established I have attempted to
Audience, ideas, established a setting, established a setting, setting, narrator, either a setting, established a setting,
narrator, and/or narrator, and/or and/or characters, narrator, and/or narrator, and/or
Establishment of Narrative

characters, and point of characters, and point and point of view. characters, and point characters, and point
view. My ideas are of view. My ideas are My ideas are of view. My ideas are of view. My ideas are
interesting and show interesting and show interesting and show interesting and show interesting and show
some originality and some originality and some originality and some originality and some originality and
flair. flair. flair. flair. flair.

Organisation: I have skilfully written I have written an I have written a I have written a plot I have attempted to
Text structure, creating an effective effective plot helping sound plot helping that creates some write a plot that
Focus

plot, unity, plot helping create create unity and create unity and unity and creates some unity
coherence unity and completeness. completeness. completeness. completeness. and completeness.

Elaboration of My narrative skilfully My narrative My narrative My narrative I have attempted a

Developmen

Elaboration

Narrative: provides thorough and provides thorough provides sound provides basic narrative that
Character effective elaboration and effective elaboration using elaboration using provides some
language

development, using detail, dialogue elaboration using detail, dialogue and detail, dialogue and elaboration using
description of and description. detail, dialogue and description. description. detail, dialogue and
and

setting description. description.

t:
 Use of language – Skilfully, clearly and Clearly and Soundly expresses Expresses Attempts to
According to effectively expresses effectively expresses experiences and experiences and expresses
audience, experiences and events experiences and events with some. events in a basic experiences and
purpose and with originality and events with some manner. events clearly.
context. flair. originality.

Language Skilful and strong Effective and strong Sound command of Basic command of Poor command of
Conventions command of command of conventions with conventions with conventions with
conventions. conventions with only a few errors. many errors that do many errors that
only a few errors. not obscure meaning. obscure meaning.

Grade: A B C D E
Teacher comment: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________