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Listed under:  Language  >  Language modes  >  Creating texts
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Flashez: Teenage drinking in the 1970s

Do you think that Australian teenagers drink too much alcohol? If so, do you think this is a new problem? Discover what teenagers thought about such drinking back in the 1970s. This ABC program from 1977 looks at the issue of teenage drinking, some possible reasons for it and some of the social problems arising from it.

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The Navigators: Confrontation on King Island

Governor King is commander of the British settlement in Port Jackson (now Sydney). He suspects French explorer Nicolas Baudin of planning to claim a French colony in 'New Holland'. King sends a ship to race Baudin to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). Watch this clip to find out what happens next.

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The Navigators: Expeditions return home from 'New Holland'

Discover what happens when the expeditions of Matthew Flinders and Nicolas Baudin return home. Both explorers brought back detailed maps and specimens, including live kangaroos and emus, from 'New Holland'. How will each explorer be celebrated and remembered? Watch this clip to find out.

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Teddy Rock's 'Twinkle, twinkle little star'!

Sing along with Buzz, Belle and Bop as they perform 'Twinkle, twinkle little star' in this animated music video. Then have some fun exploring rhyme and description as you create your own verse for this classic nursery rhyme.

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Considering your audience when writing

Why is it important to think about who your readers will be when you write a story? In this clip author Alice Pung explains some of the things she had to consider when writing her 'Marley' books for young readers. What does Alice say about the way she used language? And how did she convey the historical themes in her stories? ...

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To plan or not to plan

Different writers approach writing in different ways. Some just dive in with nothing but an idea, while others like Morris Gleitzman like to spend some time planning their story before writing. What's your writing style like? Discuss the pros and cons of both styles.

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First Tuesday Book Club: Ruth Park's wicked, sweet, funny masterpiece

When Ruth Park wrote 'The Harp in the South', little did she know the storm of controversy it would cause. But why did it cause such outrage? And how did it go on to become one of Australia's best-loved novels? To find out, we need to go back in time � or just watch this clip!

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Reading with Rebecca Lim

Watch this clip to find out what author Rebecca Lim liked to read when she was younger. How have these early interests influenced her writing as an adult? Do you get creative inspiration from books you read? What advice does Rebecca give to people who want to be writers?

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Creating character 'trade marks'

Leigh Hobbs says that his character Old Tom's black eye, fish bone and comb are visual devices - Tom's trade marks. What do you think he means by this? Can you think of other fictional characters with trade marks or something that encapsulates who they are?

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How to Build Stories, Ch 1: What is a story?

Stories are all around us and they're happening all the time. But what exactly is a story? Stories teach and explain things, create emotion and entertain us. Watch this wonderful video and find out more.

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Books shaping identity

Do you identify with a book's protagonists when you read? Shamini Flint says she started writing her Sasha series of books about a girl growing up in Asia because she couldn't find books like these for her daughter. She thought it was important for her to be exposed to characters who were like her - someone who looked like ...

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Andy Griffiths on writing songs and stories

What's the difference between writing song lyrics and writing a story? Andy Griffiths thinks they are quite similar. Why does he think this? How important is rhythm in Andy's stories? Next time you write a story, try reading it out loud and listen for the rhythm of the words. Can you make your story's rhythm sound even better?

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What's With Poetry?, Ch 2: Rhyme time

Do all poems have to rhyme? Matt from the Sydney Story Factory explains how rhyme can be used in poetry to achieve certain effects, but sometimes deliberately not rhyming can be just as effective!

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Outback House: Travelling to the homestead

Imagine leaving your home to travel back to a time over 150 years ago, to live and work on an outback farm. Sixteen Australians take part in a reality TV show about life on Oxley Downs, a sheep station built to look and work as a real station would have in the 1860s. Join the women and children as they arrive at the station ...

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Heywire: Razia's refuge

Australia welcomes thousands of refugees from around the world every year, and Razia Gharibi is one of them. Her Heywire audio story about a journey from Afghanistan to Shepparton provides a personal perspective on Australia's refugee program. You could consider it in any discussion about whether or not Australia should ...

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First Tuesday Book Club: A moral minefield: Christos Tsiolkas's 'The Slap'

'The Slap', a novel from Australian author Christos Tsiolkas, created plenty of controversy when it was published. Why is it that some novels seem to stir people up more than others? Learn how the novel affected a group of panel members discussing popular Australian books.

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Heywire: Fortissimo frogs frustrate family

How could words convey the nightly racket of hundreds of croaking frogs outside your bedroom window? Can you think of ways to engage readers' senses so that they 'experience' the frog chorus? A use of imagery is one of them. It's something we'll explore in this humorous story about the perils of frogs. Could you write or ...

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Let's tell a story: everyday learning

This brief animation shares the story of a hamster as imagined by children. Hammie is a classroom hamster that finds new opportunity when his cage door is left open. Hammie does some exploring around the classroom and ultimately sneaks into a backpack looking for food. Three different children tell the story adding new ...

Interactive

Telestory - iTunes app

Create your own news broadcast, fun movie or your own themed TV shows using this video-creation tool. Videos can be saved in app or published via Telestory's moderated video channel 'ToonTube'. Free when reviewed 5/6/15.

Online

How do you make a difference?

In this learning sequence, students determine improvements they would like to see in public transport. They research ways of suggesting improvements to public transport authorities and other decision makers, and prepare letters and emails for this purpose. They prioritise future improvements and develop arguments to support ...