By providing an increasing and inclusive range of exciting and challenging texts and tasks, the English Department challenges St Dominic’s students at secondary level to think critically, to understand the power and beauty of language and to develop an awareness of their own identity within a universal context.
Year 7 and 8 English
Language Study – After studying parts of speech and figurative language you create a language booklet for a Year 7 audience.
Poetry – In this unit you read a range of poetry and go on to write your own poems in celebration of West Auckland.
Novel – Here you read and study a novel in class and respond to it through written, visual and performance activities.
Short Story Writing – This is your chance to write as cleverly as Roald Dahl.
Film – This unit is a study of film as visual text and you look at the effects of camera and sound techniques. You will learn to write an analytical essay as a response to the film you study.
Research - Enter the world of Shakespeare and share your findings with the class via PowerPoint.
Personal Writing – It’s all about me ... Moi! Expressive writing and design to show the world who you are at the end of Year 9.
Speech Competition – Who will be hailed as Year 9’s best speaker??
Formal Writing – Discuss, debate and commit to paper the big issues as you see them. Here you learn to express your opinions formally and persuasively.
Short Story Study – This unit looks at several short stories, usually by New Zealand authors, and leads into the Static Image assessment for Achievement Standard 1.8.
Creative Writing – With its “The hills are alive...” focus, this unit develops descriptive writing and performance poetry.
Shakespearean Study - “Macbeth” or “The Merchant of Venice” or “Romeo and Juliet”. A close reading of the play is undertaken, with focus on character and theme. Performance and essay writing follow the study. You might bring Lady Macbeth or Juliet or even Shylock to life in your Dramatic Monologue for AS 1.8.*
Film – Here you focus on reading the film as a visual text, with an emphasis on camera techniques, characterisation, symbolism and themes. Films studied by classes include “Whalerider” and “A Knight’s Tale”.
Novel - Meet new characters from a range of exciting texts and get involved in their lives. You will produce formal and expressive writing in your responses. You might meet some of these individuals again in the Dramatic Monologues.
New Zealand Language – This unit finishes off the year, looking at our Kiwi culture and expressions.
*Achievement Standard 1.8 – Produce a media or dramatic presentation (two assessment opportunities) 3 credits
Achievement Standards:
1.1 Produce creative writing
1.7 Deliver an oral presentation in a formal situation
(Internally assessed standards, each worth 3 credits)
1.2 Produce formal writing (3 credits)
1.3 Read, study and show understanding of extended written text(s) (2 credits)
1.4 Read, study and show understanding of short texts (2 credits)
1.5 Read, study and show understanding of Film (2 credits
1.6 Read, study and show understanding of Unfamiliar Texts (3 credits)
(Externally assessed standards)
Either 8808 Read an inclusive range of written texts and record the reading experience (3 credits)
or 10792 Write formal personal correspondence (3 credits)
This course is for students new to English or for whom the more academic, traditional course is inappropriate.
10792 Write Formal Personal Correspondence (3 credits)
8808 Read an inclusive range of written texts and record the reading experience (3 credits)
8810 Read an inclusive range of visual texts and record the reading experience (2 credits)
8811 Collect information using a range of oral, written, and visual sources and methods (3 credits)
8813 Produce poetic written text in simple forms (4 credits)
8816 Deliver transactional oral text (3 credits)
2.1 Produce crafted and developed creative writing
2.2 Produce crafted and developed formal writing
2.7 Deliver a presentation using oral and visual language techniques
(Internally assessed standards, each worth 3 credits)
2.3 Analyse extended written texts
2.4 Analyse short written texts
2.5 Analyse a visual or oral text
2.6 Read unfamiliar texts and analyse the ideas and language features
(Externally assessed standards, each worth 3 credits)
12905 Read an inclusive variety of written texts and record the reading experience (4 credits)
This course offers more internally and fewer externally assessed standards.
2.2 Produce crafted and developed formal writing
2.7 Deliver a presentation using oral and visual language techniques
(Internally assessed standards, each worth 3 credits)
2.3 Analyse extended written texts
2.5 Analyse a visual or oral text
(Externally assessed standards, each worth 3 credits)
Unit Standards:
12905 Read an inclusive variety of written texts and record the reading experience (4 credits)
8823 Investigate a theme across an inclusive range of selected texts (4 credits)
Year 13 English Programme:
3.1 Produce an extended piece of writing in a selected style
3.6 Construct and deliver an oral presentation
3.7 Complete independent research on a language or literature topic and present conclusions in writing
(Internally assessed standards, each worth 4 credits)
3.2 Respond critically to written text(s) studied
3.3 Respond critically to Shakespearean drama studied
3.4 Respond critically to oral or visual text studied
3.5 Read and respond critically to unfamiliar prose and poetry texts