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=Welcome to the VCE Year 11. Just as Snoopy, you may be feeling a little apprehensive about what lays ahead of you in terms of the VCE. While some of you have had a taste of the VCE through fast-tracking, for many of you this is your first year tackling subject units that will allow you to gain your VCE certificate. It is also the first year for you all where you have to cope with a full VCE load. While this can seem daunting, the reality is that the VCE is an enjoyable learning and growth period in young people's lives. By dealing with the stresses of the VCE maturely, seeking support when needed and taking on board the advice from those who care about your learning and future, you will set yourself up to achieve your best and have lots of fun along the way.= =media type="custom" key="21871214" align="left"= = =

=Hello there young ones. My name is Mr. Hoot and I am very wise in the ways of the VCE. I teach English and have been invited to support you throughout the year with some sage and friendly advice. When I pop up in your study spaces it will be worth your while to take note of what I have to say.= =Hence, my first and very important message to you - debunking the 'Year 11 doesn't count' myth. Well, it does count! The learning you undertake in Year 11 sets the foundations for being as successful as you can in Year 12. Your Year 11 units can also make the difference between a VCE pass or fail result in some cases. And, for many of you, it will stand as the most important promotion of yourself for when you are competing to gain jobs, apprenticeships and/or traineeships. Discount the value of Year 11 learning opportunities at your own peril. Choose the smart path, and put in the efforts to make it count for you.=

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==Your Year 11 English course involves two units of learning that each consist of three areas of study. You will be required to meet outcomes in each area of study by completing learning activities and assessment tasks. You can read about this in detail at the VCAA website. Also, access past exam responses at the VCAA site and use them as a study aid throughout your whole VCE. Our course will be set up to meet the outcomes as follows:==

__UNIT 1__
==Area of study 1 - Reading and Responding: We will study the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. You will complete text response activities relating to the text and present a text response essay.== ==Area of study 2 - Creating and Presenting: We will study the Context of 'Self and Place'. We will use the anthology //Growing up Asian in Australia// that has been collated by editor Alice Pung as our focus text. You will complete learning tasks to explore the focus text and Context. Drawing from the focus text and beyond, you will use your knowledge of the Context to craft responses in various text forms. One response will be in the form of an oral presentation that presents a point of view on a Context issue.== ==Area of study 3 - Using Language to Persuade: We will study the ways language is used by people to try and persuade others to adopt their point of view. You will analyse a persuasive text and write a language analysis essay that discusses how the text works to persuade.==

__UNIT 2__
==Area of study 1 - Reading and Responding: We will study the film On the Waterfront which was directed by Elia Kazan. You will complete text response activities relating to the text and present a text response essay.== ==Area of study 2 - Creating and Presenting: We will change our Context focus to 'The Lessons Life Teaches Us'. We will use //Sometimes Gladness - collected poems 1954-2005//by Bruce Dawe as our focus text. Drawing from the focus text and other Context ideas and sources, you will use your knowledge of the Context to craft responses in various text forms.== ==Area of study 3 - Using Language to Persuade: You will select a media issue of personal interest. You will source background information and a minium of three point of view articles on the topic. You will compare and analyse the persuasiveness between the authors in your selected articles. In an oral format, you will present your own point of view on an issue.==

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=Throughout the year we will be using digital spaces and tools for your learning. This will require you to set up a variety of online accounts for school use. You all have a school e-mail account that has been set up for you, with your school login attached to @mooroopnasc.vic.edu.au. This is your primary school e-mail which we will use to invite and join you up to learning spaces. You will also be asked to use this address as much as possible when signing up to use web tools. When you create accounts for school learning you must use your your school logon as your identifier/username. So, if your school login is abc123, a gmail account you create for school purposes will be abc123@gmail.com. View the document below for detailed advice.=
 * How can you utilise tools like these for learning and communication? Are you developing your writing, speaking, listening and viewing skills beyond simply socialising? ||



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===Yes, this heading does mean you will be writing a letter to your English teacher to start the year. This is a purposeful task and one you're sure to be a pro at by now. This activity provides you with an opportunity to reflect, to consider your ambitions and set learning goals, to help your teacher help you and most importantly, to put in place an individual learning plan that advocates for you to be the best independent learner you can be. It is students who take control of their learning and show initiative that build their skills the best over time.===

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===As you write your letter and consider your goals for your learning and, really, your life, I want to draw your attention to the importance of English when it comes to achieving your best ATAR score and opening up the door for opportunities for yourself as a school leaver. In regards to the ATAR, Paul Livingstone - manager of research, measurement and reporting at the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre - outlines that,===

'An ATAR Aggregate is calculated by adding: - Your best ATAR Subject Score in any one of the English studies, plus the ATAR Subject Scores of your next best three permissible studies, plus - 10 per cent of the ATAR Subject Score for a fifth study (where available), plus - 10 per cent of the ATAR Subject Score for a sixth study (where available)'. Read more: [|http://www.theage.com.au/national/tertiary-education/how-the-atar-is-calculated-20111215-1ox41.html#ixzz2Ih0NdhD0] ===Notice that English is the only compulsory subject area that will influence your outcomes. Whether it is your favourite subject or not it is imperative that you put in the efforts to do the best that you can in English. There is a VCE ATAR calculator that you can play around with to see the impact that your English outcomes can have on overall results. Next year, at the start of Year 12, your English teacher will organise for you to use your Year 11 results to get an approximation of how you are travelling with your studies. Use this as a motivation when you set goals and devise learning strategies for this year in your letter. By aiming to take as much as you can out of Year 11 studies you are setting yourself up to absorb the background information and knowledge that directly informs your Year 12 studies, and this will create a more successful year for you than if you don't. Also, if an ATAR score is not important for you personally, remember that your most immediate school performance and results will be a critical aspect of your resume when you are seeking apprenticeships, traineeships and jobs. The attitude you take towards making the most of your learning opportunies is a key factor in making you a competitve candidate when you look for employment. At the end of the day, by choosing to approach your school days with enthusiasm and a 'will try' approach, you are choosing to invest in yourself and a secure future.===

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=UNIT TWO:TERM TWO HOLIDAYS - //On the Waterfront// and //Sometimes Gladness//= media type="custom" key="23430824"

=UNIT ONE:TERM ONE HOLIDAYS - //Growing Up Asian in Australia// - Context writing and oral presentation= media type="custom" key="23430830"