This is a three-part resource for students undertaking the NSW HSC Standard English Module B: Close Study of a Text. A generic essay plan shows students how to compose an essay suitable for Stage 6, progressing them from the simpler PEEL/TEAL models of Stage 4 and 5. A sample essay for the prescribed text, M.T. Anderson’s novel Feed, answers a sample question for this module. There is also a second copy of the essay, marked up to show how it follows the plan, and with five short questions which require students to engage critically with the essay and its form.

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout. Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference. There are four activities, corresponding to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding A close reading task assists development of textual analysis A writing at length task involves considering the story’s effect, mood, or technical strategies. A choice of two creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. This satirical short story ‘Putois’ by French writer Anatole France is around 5000 words and has been successfully used with a Year 10 class (age 14-15).

HSC Module C: The Craft of Writing offers students complex texts from which to draw for their own writing. Because of their complex construction and ideas, students can be at a loss for ‘ways in’ to the text, and teachers can often struggle to break down these complex texts in the time available. This teacher’s version of Diving Bell’s ‘Ways Into’ for Module C provides the answers to the student worksheet (also available). These comprehensive answers help teachers to lead classes through complex texts in the brief time available. With the ‘Ways Into’ Module C both teachers and students should be clear on the content, meaning, construction-strategies, and ways to use Kim Cheng Boey’s autogiographical poem ‘Stamp Collecting’. NOTE: the final question, addressing ways to appropriate the text for the student’s own work, is undone since it invites an individual, creative response.

Memorized essays betray a lack of confidence and an unwillingness to commit to authentic answers. Examiners have always advised students to prepare ‘talking points’ instead - a selection of ideas that they can draw on and which convey solid analysis and interpretation of the text. These talking points can be used by teachers, to focus discussion on higher-level or less-noticed features of the text and context. They also form effective student revision materials for formal assessment. Each point is supported by a piece of evidence from the text, and there are sufficient points to generate solid responses to almost any essay question. The Talking Points also model how students can articulate more complex thoughts about the text, and adduce evidence in natural and well-integrated writing.

The What Even Is… series of worksheets explains some of the key concepts in literary analysis, with examples from familiar and popular books and films. There is a single page explanation, with appropriate images and graphics, followed by a question which exercises students’ knowledge and understanding of the concept. Short texts aimed at different abilities and levels are given for the question. This handout, explaining the discursive mode of writing, describes three different ways to identify and implement discursiveness. The activity uses very brief examples from six discursive works.

Although dystopian novel study is a firm and familiar part of high school English, an awareness of the Utopian tradition in thought and literature is just as important. Tested on a middle-ability Year 9 (14-15 years) class, this 60-page unit can be taught independently or alongside the study of dystopian fiction. This unit looks at how ideas of a perfect world grew from visions of paradise in early religion, through planned societies (focusing on Ancient Sparta), and comical visions (the medieval poem of topsy-turvy land), before appearing as a full description of a social perfection in Thomas More’s Utopia and Michel de Montaigne’s account of Brazil in the 1600s. Each section as an introduction to the concepts and context, and has a core primary text broken into manageable chunks which encourage collaborative learning. There is a variety of writing tasks throughout for students of all abilities. There is an ongoing task, based on the work of Jim Dator, for students to describe their own ideal society. The final assessment (for which the marking criteria are included) draws on this ongoing project and requires a verbal presentation of one aspect of the student’s ideal world. This unit can be taught in an English, History, Social Science, Civics, or Philosophy class.

Mark Haddon’s popular novel about an unusual young man with a flair for Maths and a drive to know who killed his neighbour’s dog has been one of the most surprising crossover books of the last 30 years. This 52-page unit of work has been tested successfully with a mixed-ability class: It divides the novel into eight substantial sections for convenient planning across a term Over 100 questions offer a blend of higher-order thinking skills and personal reflective tasks provides a contextual discussion for each section, drawing out concepts and ideas such as the brain and cognition; logic and language; individuality and disability; imagination, and alternative world. Extension exercises allow stronger students to stretch their knowledge and thinking with philosophical tasks A two-question analytical assessment task asks students to consider theme and voice in a nominated chapter The unit can be printed for students who prefer hard copy, or presented digitally.

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. [Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout.]https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564488) Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. Maupassant’s psychological short story has been successfully used with a Stage 5 / Year 10 class ( 15 years).

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s famous short story broke new ground in both topic and style and is a great vehicle to introduce senior students to more sophisticated ways of analysing and evaluating texts. This 38-page resource comprises A copy of the text, in numbered sections for easy reference Questions for the story which follow Bloom’s Taxonomy of lower-to-higher order tasks A handout on different schools of theory and how they have viewed Gilman’s story, with an accompanying reading and analysis task A longer extract from the first academic article about ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’, which gets students to read academic prose, and consider formation and challenges to argument A discussion of related texts which also respond to similar ideas and themes, and a sample poem by William Carlos Williams which students can compare to Gilman’s story. A 2-page bibliography of poems, short stories, and films from which students can select their own related text A choice of six engaging creative tasks

Short stories are a vital part of English literature. These short story studies can be used to build a short story unit, to supplement other texts, or as a standby lesson. [Use this with our FREE Introduction to Short Stories two-page handout.]https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564488) Each classic story is copyright free in Australia, the U.K. and U.S. Paragraphs are numbered for ease of reference. Activities correspond to Bloom’s taxonomy of lower- to higher-order tasks. A comprehension question checks knowledge and understanding Application questions ask students to apply their knowledge of literary or rhetorical technique Analytical questions interrogate the story’s effect, mood, and construction-strategies. Creative writing tasks use an aspect of the story as a springboard to write creatively, discursively, or persuasively. These three very short stories from classic texts have been tested with a Year 8 (age 13-14) mixed-ability group.

The poetry of W.B. Yeats is a great choice for higher interest/ability senior students. This worksheet will take 1-2 lessons to complete. It provides: a copy of the poem a comprehensive series of questions structured according to Bloom’s Taxonomy for easier differentiation a creative writing task which students can complete as homework

The story of the Trojan War is foundational to European literature and thought. Rosemary Sutcliffe’s retelling makes the epic accessible to younger students. It rewards close study in junior high-school English because of Sutcliffe’s rich figurative language, vivid character portraits, and seamless blending of the many tales of Troy. This 96-page unit comprises: An introduction to Troy, Homer, the Iliad, and the story’s importance - with student research activities. A 4-6 page worksheet for each chapter (19 chapters) with an explanation of the relevant concept to the story, questions for the chapter, and a visual learning exercise using a famous art-work which depicts the events. Essay questions suitable for 11-13 year olds A summative creative writing task Questions require higher-order thinking skills and encourage writing at length and reading widely to support growing knowledge. Students’ knowledge of the canon of European literature and art should grow considerably over the term with this unit.

Huxley’s famous dystopian novel is a fantastic choice for senior fiction studies. This 75-page unit of work has been tested successfully with a mixed-ability Year 11 (age 16-17) class. It focuses oin textual analysis and engagement with questions of social and political philosophy. There is a comprehensive, illustrated introduction to issues of industrialisation, sexual freedom, and political authoritarianism which affected Huxley’s world and continue to affect us. There are 80+ writing tasks of different lengths and types, which allow teachers to differentiate for a mixed-ability group. Each 3-chapter section is accompanied by an extension reading which engages with the relevant philosophical topic. Readings range from Hobbes and Rousseau on human nature to Admiral Moreel on bread and circuses. The unit can be printed for students who prefer hard copy, or presented digitally. Ten essay questions suitable for senior high schoolers can be used as the basis of assessment.

This comprehensive set of study notes includes a solid, step-by-step commentary on the text, relevant contextual detail, and pull-boxes giving examples of criticism in ‘Essay Language’ (allowing teachers to show differentiation of tone, register and modality). There’s also a sample essay to this question:** How do the texts you have studied depict the emotional and intellectual responses provoked by a discovery? In your response, refer to your prescribed text and ONE other related text. ** The sample essay uses Michael Gow’s Away and Robert Cormier’s short story ‘The Moustache’.

‘Circular Breathing’ by the Australian poet Jaya Savige, is a set text for HSC Standard English study. This set of notes gives a full analysis of the poem with a relevant image and a handy grab-box explaining the poem’s significance and poetic techniques. A simple, one-stop analysis of this complex poem which students can work through in class or take home for private study.

‘Translucent Jade’, by the Malaysian-Australian poet Maureen Ten, is a set text for HSC Standard English study. This set of notes gives a full analysis of the poem with a relevant image and a handy grab-box explaining the poem’s significance and poetic techniques. A simple, one-stop analysis of this complex poem which students can work through in class or take home for private study.

Study guide with questions and activities for every scene in the play, with plenty of room for written responses. The guide contains activities which can be differentiated for strong and weak students and allows teachers to make use of technology through video-diary activities which students can complete using an iPad or mobile phone (this can, of course, be changed to a handwritten diary task). You can also purchase an images-only powerpoint on the representation of Jews in Medieval and Renaissance Europe which can be used to show how the issue of anti-Semitism began and continues today. Suitable for a broad range of students from middle school.

This comprehensive set of study notes includes a solid, step-by-step commentary on the text, relevant contextual detail, and pull-boxes giving examples of criticism in ‘Essay Language’ (allowing teachers to show differentiation of tone, register and modality). There’s also a sample essay to this question: Self-discovery often involves uncovering things hidden and reconsidering things known. How is this perspective explored in The Awakening and ONE other related text? The sample essay uses The Awakening and Jane Campion’s film The Piano. Remember- if you’re going to print copies, please buy a licence for each copy. Items are priced to make this possible for all schools. Thanks for supporting our work.

A close reading of Eliot’s famous poem, giving analysis of the work and a discussion of the culture and context from which Eliot wrote.

'Mending Wall’, by the American poet Robert Frost, is a perennial favourite for senior study. This set of notes gives a full analysis of the poem with a relevant image and a handy grab-box explaining the poetic techniques, and related texts which complement the poem for students who must study it in concert with one other text. Important points are in red. A simple, one-stop analysis of this complex poem which students can work through in class or take home for private study.