Subject focused on forms of exposition, including narration, critique, argument, and persuasion. Frequent writing assignments, regular revisions, and short oral presentations are required. Readings and specific writing assignments vary by section. See subject's URL for enhanced section descriptions. Emphasis is on developing students' ability to write clear and effective prose. Students can expect to write frequently, to give and receive response to work in progress, to improve their writing by revising, to read the work of accomplished writers, and to participate actively in class discussions and workshops. Focus: What can we believe when we read an autobiography? How do writers recall, select, shape, and present their lives to construct life stories? Readings that ground these questions include selections from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Linda Brent (pseudonym for Harriet Jacobs), "A Sketch of the Past" by Virginia Woolf, Notes of A Native Son by James Baldwin, "The Achievement of Desire" by Richard Rodriguez, The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston, and "Our Secret" by Susan Griffin. Discussion, papers, and brief oral presentations will focus on the content of the life stories as well as the forms and techniques authors use to shape autobiography. We will identify masks and stances used to achieve various goals, sources and interrelationships of technical and thematic concerns, and "fictions" of autobiographical writing. Assignments will allow students to consider texts in terms of their implicit theories of autobiography, of theories we read, and of students' experiences; assignments also allow some autobiographical writing.

These units, and the supporting resources of Global Words, aim to build the essential knowledge, skills and values young people need to participate actively, critically and creatively as global citizens. This curriculum integrates the teaching and learning of English, across strands of language, literature and literacy, with Global Citizenship Education, using explicit and exploratory teaching and learning activities. The four units use a range of text and text-types to address the themes of Sustainability, Refugees and migration, Neighbours, Asia/Pacific, and Indigenous peoples, with a focus on literacy with Geography and Human Society and its Environs curricula. All units of work include an overview, description of focus, four teaching and learning activities, and links to the curriculum content, strands, outcomes and indicators.

These units, and the supporting resources of Global Words, aim to build the essential knowledge, skills and values young people need to participate actively, critically and creatively as global citizens. This curriculum integrates the teaching and learning of English, across strands of language, literature and literacy, with Global Citizenship Education, using explicit and exploratory teaching and learning activities. The four units use a range of text and text-types to address the themes of Sustainability, Refugees and migration, Neighbours, Asia/Pacific, and Indigenous peoples, with a focus on literacy with Geography and Human Society and its Environs curricula. All units of work include an overview, description of focus, four teaching and learning activities, and links to the curriculum content, strands, outcomes and indicators.

People, Place, Language and Song explores concepts of place, language and song as they relate to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures. Unit elements include an overview, description of focus, teaching and learning activities, and links to the Australian Curriculum and NSW syllabus. The unit explores the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures through the Australian Curriculum: English, and strands of language, literature and literacy, applied to a range of texts and text types.

Ways of Being allows students to explore ideas of cultural identity - specifically Aboriginal identity - and belonging, and how these are embedded in language. Unit elements include an overview, description of focus, teaching and learning activities, and links to the Australian Curriculum and the NSW English syllabus for Stage 4. The unit addresses the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures through the Australian Curriculum: English, and strands of language, literature and literacy, applied to a range of texts and text types.

Helping Hands explores fiction, non-fiction and multi-modal texts related to the 2004 Asian tsunami and its tragic aftermath. Unit elements include an overview, description of focus, teaching and learning activities, and links to the Australian Curriculum and the NSW English syllabus for Stage 4. The unit addresses the cross-curriculum priority of Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia through the Australian Curriculum: English, and strands of language, literature and literacy, applied to a range of texts and text types.

Changing Minds, Changing Behaviour allows students to explore the persuasive power of advertising by analysis of a narrative television advertisement and a short animated documentary. Unit elements include an overview, description of focus, teaching and learning activities, and links to the Australian Curriculum. The unit addresses the cross-curriculum priority of sustainability through the Australian Curriculum: English, and strands of language, literature and literacy, applied to a range of texts and text types.

Global footprints explores the concepts of sustainable futures, global or ecological footprints and personal and social responsibility, using the picture book, 'The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley', written by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Amy Lissiat, a factual text and video in 'Ida's story', and the short novel, 'Blueback: A fable for all ages', by Tim Winton. Unit elements include an overview, description of focus, teaching and learning activities, and links to the Australian Curriculum. The unit explores the topic of sustainability through the Australian Curriculum: English, and strands of language, literature and literacy, applied to a range of texts and text types.