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Video

How to be funny

What is the key to being funny? As Tim Ferguson explains, if you can laugh, you can write comedy. Has something funny happened to you lately? Or is there something in particular that you find puzzling or amusing about the world around you? Put your thoughts on paper and experiment with telling your story in different ways. ...

Video

Heywire: Asian and Australian: it's easy to be me

Many Australians are members of two cultures: the culture of their homes and the culture of society at large. In this Heywire clip, learn about the experiences of Michael Lam, whose Vietnamese Australian family lives in Townsville, Queensland.<br /><br />Could you write or record a story about yourself and/or your community? ...

Audio

Heywire: Visits from a Christmas Island crab

Discover the lush beauty and extraordinary wildlife of Christmas Island, a tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean more than 1,500 kilometres off the Western Australian coast. In this Heywire audio story, Isabelle Bolland shares some of her experiences of life on Christmas Island and reminds her audience that there is far ...

Video

Introduction to Food Security

This is a video that defines and explores the concept of food security using animated illustrations, spoken commentary, and pauses for discussion. Identifying the accelerating growth of population and the proportion of people who are chronically hungry, it provides the United Nation's definition of food security and its ...

Interactive

Marvellous mechanisms

Students develop skills in how to use mechanisms in a debate.

Interactive

That's debatable

Learn how to construct an effective rebuttal for a primary debate.

Interactive

Characterisation in debates

Students learn how to use characterisation and descriptive language in debating.

Interactive

Best manners

Develop student confidence in speaking in a debate.

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 ...

Audio

Radio National: Gender convergence in teenager swearing

Explore how the use of swearing by teenagers is changing. Maria Zijlstra talks to Mike Thelwall, Professor of Information Science at the University of Wolverhampton, about the upsurge in swearing on social networking sites, especially among girls. He contends that, in the UK in particular, swearing is losing its shock value ...

Audio

Heywire: Inspirational Teens

Have you ever made a big contribution to your local community? Heywire is a national competition that assists young people to make a difference in rural communities. Bridie Johnstone from Woodend, Victoria, was a finalist of the 2012 Heywire storytelling competition for young people. Listen to how she is using music to ...

Video

Four Corners: I speak, you guess

Listen to the voices of a small selection of students from around Australia to see if you can guess where they live. Is place the most important thing that shapes their language, or are there other factors that influence how people speak?

Video

Q+A: Debate surrounding ethics classes in school

Imagine you were walking down the street and found a wallet full of money. What would you do with it? Ethics is the branch of philosophy that explores the concepts of what is right and wrong. In this episode of Q&A, a group of panellists respond to the axing of ethics classes in New South Wales schools. As you watch, explore ...

Video

In My Blood It Runs: First Nations education

While watching this clip, consider Article 14 of United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP): 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods ...

Audio

Big Ideas: Evolving English and the role of social media

How many times have you heard teenagers berated for using the term 'like'? Yet this term has existed at least since 1586 when the term, 'Yon man is like out of his mind' was written into history. The truth is, our language is constantly evolving, with new words added, others dying off and some resurfacing again. In this ...

Video

Heywire: Presenting a point of view about marriage equality

Marriage equality is a controversial issue in Australia, one that has provoked media sensationalism, political rhetoric and heated arguments. Sometimes, however, quieter voices make their point amid all the furore. Explore the voice of Lochsley Wilson in his Heywire audio story.<br /><br />To talk with someone about anxiety ...

Video

Heywire: Call from a war zone

Listen to this Heywire audio story for how Jordan Curran describes the certainties and uncertainties of life in his family's long relationship with the Australian Defence Force. Could you write or record a similar story about yourself and/or your community? The ABC's Heywire competition calls for stories from 16-22 year ...

Video

Heywire: Running towards mental health

Would you accept someone's argument if you didn't think the person presenting it was credible? Explore Nakita Sobczyk's Heywire audio story and reflect on what makes her an ideal person to educate others about mental illness. As you do, consider the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle's discussion of how 'ethos' can be ...

Video

Sculpting ideas into stories with Andy Griffiths

Watch this clip to learn how Andy Griffiths turns his ideas into stories. In particular, listen to the way Andy describes how his collaboration with illustrator Terry Denton works. Now team up with a friend or family member and take on the roles of author and illustrator. What ideas can you come up with by working together? ...

Video

Radio National: 'The Great Gatsby': dream or nightmare?

Often the impact of a novel lies in its ability to comment on society. In this audio clip, discover how American writer F Scott Fitzgerald challenges readers to reconsider the society in which they live. This clip from 'Books and arts daily' on Radio National is one in a series of eight.