English / Year 8 / Language / Text structure and organisation

Curriculum content descriptions

Understand how coherence is created in complex texts through devices like lexical cohesion, ellipsis, grammatical theme and text connectives (ACELA1809)

Elaborations
  • interpreting complex sentence structures through reading aloud literary texts such as sonnets or plays
  • using cohesive devices when writing complex texts
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
ScOT terms

Text connectives,  Cohesion (Language),  Ellipses (Punctuation)

Text

Tales of Terror

This text for students contains short answer questions on four short stories - 'The Landlady', 'Lamb to the Slaughter', 'The Monkey's Paw' and 'Cold Reading'. It describes how to write short answers, as well as how to use textual evidence.

Text

Work sample Year 8 English: Creative responses to a poem

This work sample demonstrates evidence of student learning in relation to aspects of the achievement standards for Year 8 English. The primary purpose for the work sample is to demonstrate the standard, so the focus is on what is evident in the sample not how it was created. The sample is an authentic representation of ...

Audio

Heywire: Living in the outback, coping with boarding school

For Timmy Watson, living in a remote community in the Northern Territory is as good as it gets. But there's one drawback: the need to go to boarding school during the final years of secondary school. Find out more in Timmy's Heywire audio story. Could you write or record a story about yourself and/or your community? The ...

Audio

Paul Hogan and Australian slang

Listen to Australian comic actor Paul Hogan talk to reporters in February 1987 about the Oscars and his role as Mick Dundee in the film 'Crocodile Dundee' (1986). Hogan played a laid-back outback survivalist in this hugely successful film, which is known for its use of Australian slang. Take note of Hogan's own use of Australian ...

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Adventure Stories

This resource for students discusses the conventions of action and adventure stories, suggests some possible scenarios, how to plot the story and examples of descriptive writing techniques, as well as suggestions for proofreading and revising.

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The Invisible War: A tale on two scales

The Invisible War is a graphic novel set on the Western Front in 1916. The novel is an interdisciplinary text that includes a large science-history reference section (hyper-linked within the novel). Told from two points of view – human and microbial – the story describes a deadly infection by dysentery-causing Shigella ...

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Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

This resource is a revision for students of some of the rules for punctuation and spelling, with examples. It covers sentences, paragraphing, apostrophes, punctuating dialogue, ellipses, brackets, titles, acronyms, ampersands, commonly confused words and IM and Text Speak.

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Focus on Indonesia: Cross Curriculum Connections in Secondary Schools

Ideas and resources that connect the learning of Indonesian language with other learning areas.

Audio

Heywire: Sporting Volunteers

Sport is a way of life for many Australians. Often all we see are the players on the field, but have you ever thought about what is involved behind the scenes? Jarvis Holt from Kurraca, Victoria, was a finalist of the 2012 Heywire storytelling competition for young people. Listen as he explores the whole army of people ...

Audio

Radio National: Noongar people speak about a sense of place

Some places hold special importance for us. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a very strong sense of connection to their ancestral lands. They are important elements of their history and culture. In this audio clip, listen to two Noongar speakers talk about their connection to place.

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They're Pests but Cruelty is Inexcusable

This is an example for students of an analytical essay on the persuasive techniques used in a feature article

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Science Fiction: Radio Dramas

This resource for students is one in a series of three on science fiction. The introduction contains links to old radio dramas as great examples of story telling. Students are then asked to produce their own two minute science fiction radio drama. A link is provided to Celtx, an application which allows you to write the ...

Online

Teaching Reading and Viewing - Comprehension Strategies and activities for Years 1-9

This resource developed by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority provides teachers with a collection of strategies and activities for developing students’ comprehension. It is a companion document to the series of guides on teaching reading and viewing. The strategies are listed alphabetically in the table ...

Online

Teaching Writing - Guide for Years 8-9

This resource offers ideas and activities to help teachers develop the writing skills of their Years 8 and 9 students. It features planning modelled writing lessons and scaffolding for independent writing.

Audio

Radio National: Re-awakening Australian Aboriginal languages

Did you know that before colonisation there were about 250 distinct Aboriginal and Torres Strait lslander languages being spoken across Australia? Today, however, the majority of these languages are endangered. Listen to a number of significant Australians discussing the Aboriginal language situation in Australia today. ...

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Letter of Introduction

This resource for students explains how to write a letter of introduction for your English teacher

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Analysing Persuasive Language

This resource for students is a comprehensive explanation of how to analyse a persuasive article, from how to identify the contention and tone, to how persuasive techniques are used to position the reader. Techniques discussed, with examples, include the use of adjectives, adverbs, alliteration, appeals, anecdotes, everyday ...

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Book Review

This resource provides advice to students on how to present a three-minute book review, with advice on how to write the review, and how to present it orally.

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Descriptive Writing

Here are some techniques for students to use to make their writing more vivid and interesting, including metaphors, similes, personification, adjectives and sensory imagery. This resource also includes a descriptive writing activity, as well as a short test on the techniques.

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Wide Reading

Good advice for students encouraging them to read widely beyond the classroom, with useful links to ways to finding a good book