Welcome to the Secondary English website.
Further reading and useful information
Chapter 1 The early development of English teaching
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OpenLearn from the Open University, ‘History of English’
A brief, amusing summary of the development of the English language.
Chapter 2 The later development of English teaching
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Critical literacy
Allan Luke explains his understanding of critical literacy.
Chapter 3 Language
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Australian Voices
A Macquarie University site with a wealth of information on Australian English including audio recordings. -
Aboriginal English
New South Wales Education Standards Authority site with useful information on Aboriginal English.
Chapter 4 Literature
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Alexander Bacalja and Lauren Bliss, A Report on Trends in Senior English Text Lists, University of Melbourne, University of Melbourne and Victorian Association for the Teaching of English, n.d.
Findings from a research project investigating text-list trends in the Senior Victorian English curriculum between 2010 and 2019. -
Kelly Gallagher, ‘Reversing Readicide’, Educational Leadership, March 2010, Volume 67, Number 6
Some aspects of this article are particular to the United States but the sections of the dangers of ‘overteaching’ and ‘underteaching’ literature should be read by all teachers of English.
Chapter 5 Literacy
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Misty Adoniou, ‘Literacy standards aren’t falling, but they are changing’, The Conversation, 28 January 2016
Thought-provoking article about the perennial claim that literacy standards are falling. -
Department of Education and Training, Victoria, ‘Literacy and English’
A rich range of resources and strategies.
Chapter 6 Understanding reading
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Deslea Konza, Comprehension
Explains the processes involved in reading and provides strategies for helping students to improve their comprehension.
Chapter 7 Teaching strategies
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Department of Education and Training, Victoria, High Impact Teaching Strategies
Research-based compendium and explanation of effective teaching strategies.
Chapter 8 Learning activities
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Berkeley Centre for Teaching and Learning, ‘Active learning strategies’
Provides a range of useful learning activities.
Chapter 9 Course planning
- South Australian Certificate of Education Board, ‘Assessment task exemplars’ (Stage 1)
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South Australian Certificate of Education Board, ‘Assessment task exemplars’ (Stage 2)
Provides a range of example assessment tasks suitable for Years 11 and 12 English. -
School Curriculum and Standards Authority, Western Australia, ‘Syllabus and support materials – English’
Sample course outlines for Years 11 and 12 English and Literature.
Chapter 10 Unit and lesson planning
- Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, ‘P–10 English sample assessments’
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New South Wales Education Standards Authority, ‘Sample units – K–10 English’
Sample units for K–10.
Chapter 11 Assessment
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Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, ‘English work samples portfolios’
Work samples from Years F–10, indicating Above satisfactory, Satisfactory and Below satisfactory achievement. A useful starting point for developing a sense of standards that might be expected of students at each year level. -
New South Wales Education Standards Authority, ‘English K–10 Syllabus – support materials – sample work’
Graded student work samples. -
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, ‘Annotated work samples’
Annotated student work samples
Chapter 12 Writing
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US Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively
An American study of the teaching practices that can be used to help improve secondary students’ writing.
Chapter 13 Spelling, punctuation and grammar
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Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, Notes on Grammar
Explanations of grammatical and punctuation terminology.
Chapter 14 Oral language
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Victoria Curriculum and Assessment Authority, ‘Speaking and listening’
Annotated work samples of oral tasks.
Chapter 15 Reading: from comprehension to interpretation
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‘Literary theory and schools of criticism’
A Purdue University guide to various forms of literary criticism.
Chapter 16 Prose
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East of the Web
A wide-ranging collection of short stories.
Chapter 17 Poetry
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Poetry Foundation
A comprehensive resource for poems, poets, teaching resources and podcasts. -
Australian Poetry Library
A resource for Australian poetry.
Chapter 18 Drama
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Bell Shakespeare, ‘Online resources’
A wide range of resources for teaching Shakespeare’s plays. -
Royal Shakespeare Company, ‘Teacher resources’
A wide range of resources for teaching Shakespeare’s plays.
Chapter 19 Visual language and visual texts
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Department of Education and Training, Victoria, ‘Visual literacy’
Explanation of the concept of visual literacy with some sample lessons.
Chapter 20: Continuing your professional development
Contact details for English teaching associations
- Australian Capital Territory Association for the Teaching of English
- English Teachers Association of New South Wales
- English Teachers’ Association of the Northern Territory
- English Teachers Association of Queensland
- South Australian English Teachers Association
- Tasmanian Association for the Teaching of English
- Victorian Association for the Teaching of English
- English Teachers Association Western Australia