At Chifley College Mount Druitt Campus, Year 8 English students engage in a range of units of study that develop, enhance and assess their familiarity with a range of texts:
- fiction and non-fiction
- informative, persuasive and entertaining
- visual, multimedia and literary.
The breadth of the Year 8 program ensures that students have the necessary skills to prepare them for Year 9 and Year 10. In order for students to be successful in English, it is essential that they are responsible and organised.
Equipment required:
- a 100+ page exercise book for class work
- a USB
- an equipped pencil case, particularly including pens (black/blue and red), pencils (lead and coloured), glue and a ruler
Course information
In their first term of Year 8, English students will complete a Genre Study. This unit will involve students learning about the literary concept of genre and closely studying a novel and other types of texts associated with a particular genre, such as comedy or fantasy.
In Term 2, Year 8 English students will learn about visual texts and the techniques that are used in these texts to create meaning in a unit titled 'Picture This! Visual Literacy'. Over the course of this term students will study a variety of picture books and animated short films.
In Term 3, Year 8 English students will complete a unit called 'All Aboard - Tales of Travel' that explores setting and the way that place and travel are represented in literary, factual and media texts.
In Term 4, Year 8 classes will explore a study of advertising in a unit titled 'Perfect Pitch'. Students will develop a detailed understanding of persuasive techniques, as well as the purpose and features of advertising texts. Not only will students analyse existing texts, but they will also create their own persuasive advertisements.
Homework
Wide-reading is an essential component of learning in English (and, we passionately believe, an enjoyable part of life!) and students are encouraged to read for at least half an hour of an evening.
Students are also assigned fortnightly spelling tests which are pre- and post- tested in class. Students are aware that they are expected to practise their spelling lists at home. The 'Look/Cover/Write/Check' method is taught in class as a way to revise their spelling words.
Every student in Year 8 has a Literacy Planet log in. Literacy Planet is an engaging online literacy program that teaches students the fundamentals of reading, spelling, comprehension, grammar and phonics. Tasks and interactive games can be accessed through the website. Students are encouraged to log in from home and complete a variety of tasks to build their literacy skills. For more information, visit the Literacy Planet website.
See your English teacher for your Literacy Planet login details.
