English

Year 7

Understand the way language evolves to reflect a changing world, particularly in response to the use of new technology for presenting texts and communicating (ACELA1528)

  • Explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and dialects and how they have evolved to incorporate changes since colonisation e.g. new technologies such as different modes of transport, new illnesses, household items, computer technology and so on.

  • Listen to some new languages such as Yumplatok and Kriol and come to understand how these new languages have evolved as a result of our shared history.

Understand how accents, styles of speech and idioms express and create personal and social identities (ACELA1529)

  • Identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages connected to your local area i.e. language/s of traditional custodians as well as languages of local communities who have long histories locally with heritage links to other areas.

  • Notice the accents, styles of speech and idioms of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and groups and connect with them to talk about the importance of language and how it creates personal and social identities (languages may include creoles and varieties of Aboriginal English).

Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints about events, issues and characters represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1619)

  • Consider stories and texts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples valuing their oral traditions.

  • Notice the language/s used and reflect on the significance of using Australia’s first languages in terms of expressing ideas and viewpoints about events.

Recognise and analyse the ways that characterisation, events and settings are combined in narratives, and discuss the purposes and appeal of different approaches (ACELT1622)

  • Consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors from a range of backgrounds (urban, rural, remote) and explore their use of language, traditional as well as new varieties and dialects of English.

  • Reflect on the different approaches and the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors as well as the similarities e.g. importance of the oral tradition and consider narratives told through dance, song and other art forms as well as through text.

Year 8

Understand the influence and impact that the English language has on other languages or dialects and how English has been influenced in return (ACELA1540)

  • Explore examples of Kriol, Yumplatok (Torres strait Creole) and other Australian creoles spoken by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in your area / state to hear how languages change over time. Find out about how these languages have evolved as a result of our shared histories and consider how these new languages us English vocabulary in different ways building on traditional sounds and grammar.

  • Investigate words that have been borrowed from a range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages into English e.g. vocabulary such as yakka and mob.

  • Look at a map of your region and identify town names might have an Aboriginal origin. Research the original pronunciation and meanings of these words.

Understand how conventions of speech adopted by communities influence the identities of people in those communities (ACELA1541)

  • Reflect on what you know (or don't know) about your own language and cultural heritage. Are their conventions of speech still passed on through your family and / or community? Do you think it is important? Why or why not?

  • Consider the language differences in your class and school community including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and consider how speech may (or may not) reflect culture and first languages. Talk to people about how it influences their sense of identity.

Explore the ways that ideas and viewpoints in literary texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts may reflect or challenge the values of individuals and groups (ACELT1626)

  • Consider a wide range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and notice the language used and how these choices impact on ideas and viewpoints e.g. Melissa Lucashenko’s use of Yugambeh language in her novel Mullumbimby and Jackie Huggins use of language in Aunty Rita.

  • Consider literary texts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and groups in a variety of languages i.e. traditional first languages, new language varieties including creoles and dialects of English. If possible share, discuss and seek opinions from different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in your school community and local area.

Explore the interconnectedness of Country and Place, People, Identity and Culture in texts including those by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors (ACELT1806)

  • Consider biographical and autobiographical works that explore the survival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander spirituality and connection to the land e.g. Ruby Langford, Glenyse Ward, Ella Simon, Alice Nannup, Melissa Lucashenko.

  • Reflect on the use of language and the importance in plays in terms of identity and culture.

Year 9

Understand that Standard Australian English is a living language within which the creation and loss of words and the evolution of usage is ongoing (ACELA1550)

  • Explore how creoles have evolved in Australia i.e. Kimberley Kriol, Torres Strait Creole and other creoles e.g. spoken in Cape York region and Aboriginal communities.

  • Consider how English words have been borrowed in these new language varieties (and dialects of English such as Aboriginal English) to create new meanings and the different pronunciation and accents that are reflective of the sounds and grammar of Australia’s first languages.

Understand that roles and relationships are developed and challenged through language and interpersonal skills (ACELA1551)

  • Explore how roles and relationships are reflected through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages e.g. extensive vocabulary for family relations; the complex pronoun system of many traditional languages and restricted language e.g. for mother-in-laws or younger / older siblings.

  • Reflect on how language and interpersonal skills reflect culture and notice differences between English and other languages. What can language tells us about the value and belief systems of the culture?

Interpret and compare how representations of people and culture in literary texts are drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1633)

  • Compare Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors from a variety of locations (urban, rural and remote) and over different time periods e.g. pre-contact stories passed down through oral traditions to contemporary stories presented through a range of medium.

  • Reflect on how language is used (traditional language as well as new language varieties) in texts and how this influences how diverse groups of peoples are represented.

Analyse how the construction and interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by cultural perspectives and other texts (ACELY1739)

  • Explore texts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians including Indigenous media sources e.g. Koori Mail, Indigenous Times, NITV and analyse their use of language. E.g. is there traditional language incorporated? Consider how this influences the reader / viewer.

Listen to spoken texts constructed for different purposes, for example to entertain and to persuade, and analyse how language features of these texts position listeners to respond in particular ways (ACELY1740)

  • Explore Indigenous speakers, academics and comedians and notice their use of language, the language features they use and how this positions the listener to respond in particular ways.

Year 10

Understand that Standard Australian English in its spoken and written forms has a history of evolution and change and continues to evolve (ACELA1563)

  • Investigate how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages impact on Standard Australian English throughout our shared history and explore words that have been borrowed into SAE e.g. from plants (dilly bag, piccabeen, midgen, bunya), words (jackaroo, yakka) as well as place names (Taringa, Goodna, Yerongpilly). Find out which traditional languages some of those words were borrowed from. Find our about Indigneous words from the language/s in your local area.

Understand how language use can have inclusive and exclusive social effects, and can empower or disempower people (ACELA1564)

  • Reflect on how you use language to include and exclude individual people and groups you are involved with.

  • Talk to a person whose first language or dialect is not Standard Australian English including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and groups and reflect on their experiences of language in terms of feeling empowered or disempowered.

Understand how to use knowledge of the spelling system to spell unusual and technical words accurately, for example those based on uncommon Greek and Latin roots (ACELA1573)

  • Consider words that have been borrowed from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and explore the different sounds systems e.g. Ngukurr and other words starting with ng / ny.

  • Discuss the challenges of writing down Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages that are based on oral traditions with very different sounds systems to those found in Standard Australian English. Reflect on the many different spellings found in Australia’s first languages that have been written down by English and European migrants.

Compare and evaluate a range of representations of individuals and groups in different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1639)

  • Consider how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are represented in a range of contexts and reflect on the language/s used.

  • Thoughtfully include representations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Peoples and stories prior to colonisation through traditional languages, songs, dance, story and reflect on the complex economic, social and cultural systems they had in place to care for the country so efficiently.