English / Year 8 / Literature / Literature and context

Curriculum content descriptions

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)

Elaborations
  • investigating texts about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history from different sources and explaining differing viewpoints
  • comparing attitudes and ideas in texts drawn from contexts that are different to students’ own
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Intercultural understanding Intercultural understanding
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
ScOT terms

Social settings (Narratives),  Personal responses

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Stories without words

Learn how Australian story-teller, artist and academy award winner, Shaun Tan uses emotive illustrations to tell a story. You will also create your own character and tell a story using illustration.

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Rebecca Lim's spooky themes

Do you enjoy reading spooky stories? Listen to Rebecca Lim as she describes how her half-memories, reading experiences and imagination come together to inspire her.

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Tara June Winch

This resource is a series of videos featuring writer Tara June Winch talking about her writing and book 'Swallow the Air'. Related resources and teaching notes are included.

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Respectful Civil Discourse: Post-Referendum (Years 7 and 8)

This set of resources about civil discourse education uses the Uluru Statement from the Heart and other resources as the basis for students in Years 7 and 8 to discuss the types of debates that occurred during the 2023 referendum for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The focus is ...

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The ABC Book of Australian Poetry: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support this anthology of Australian poetry. Compiled by Libby Hathorn, it contains over eighty poems dating from 1885 to the present day representing the diversity of Australia. This unit provides practical teaching ideas for teaching specific poems and an assessment task.

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Writers Talk 2007

A resource for primary and secondary students that features ten award-winning writers from the 2007 Sydney Writers' Festival. The resource explores each author's books, background, beliefs and approaches to writing, and includes advice for young writers. Video interviews of each author are accompanied by a biography, bibliography. ...

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Syllabus bites: Exploring Asia-related texts

This resource has information, links and study guides on Asia-related texts to support the Australian Curriculum in English for Year 7, 8, 9, 10.

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Syllabus bites – responding to literature

A web page with information, teacher guides and resources on responding to texts. This resource supports the NSW English K-10 syllabus.

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Cartooning Political and Social Issues

In this lesson, students will examine the role of cartoons play in presenting viewpoints about political or social issues. Students gather and organize information about a current or past issue and analyze the different sides. They plan, design, and illustrate a political cartoon that presents a position on a political ...

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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. ...

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Gary Crew and the role of objects

In some stories, writers use particular objects as symbols. In other stories, writers use objects as tools to help them shape their narrative. What does Gary Crew say about the meaning of the ring in Strange Objects? What is its purpose within the story?

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Sally Rippin on authors and illustrators

Watch this clip to find out about the relationship between authors and illustrators. What role does the publisher play in this relationship? What does Sally Rippin say about the role of illustrations in books for young children?

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Thinking about story themes

Noa and Francis are two young writers who've had their stories published. Listen as they talk about the main ideas they chose to explore in their stories. Find and watch the clips of Noa and Francis reading their pieces at the Melbourne Writers Festival (also found on Splash). How did they build their stories around the ...

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Sally Rippin on sculpting stories

Watch this clip to learn where Sally Rippin finds inspiration for her writing. What does she say about where story ideas come from? Sally talks about noting down ideas in a notebook and remembering how particular experiences made her feel. What does she say about turning ideas into stories? Why not try keeping a notebook ...

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Hannie Rayson on writing complex roles for women

Watch as Hannie Rayson describes her early desire to write multidimensional, complex roles for women in her plays. What was this in response to?  Why is it important for audiences to see female characters as well as male characters driving drama in plays? 

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Talkabout: Using language to describe being Australian

What are some iconic Australian symbols? No doubt people would say the kangaroo, the koala or the emu. But what about sheep? Have they played a part in shaping the way Australians see themselves?

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Thinking about settings with Leigh Hobbs

As Leigh Hobbs says, the great thing about inventing a character is that you also have the power to choose where they live. What's your character's world like? Describe your character at home. Where do they live? And what do they do there? Now choose a completely different location and plonk your character there. Think ...

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Different views

This resource will encourage students to develop their understanding of the first contact of the Aboriginal people of Kamay Botany Bay and the men aboard the HMB Endeavour in 1770. This resource is one part of the 'Endeavour – eight days in Kamay' resource.

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Editing with Alice Pung

In addition to being a writer, Alice Pung has experience as an editor. What was the advice her own editor gave her when she started editing other people's work? Alice believes that good editors ask writers good questions. How else can editors help writers? Next time a friend or classmate asks you to give them feedback on ...

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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