St Joseph’s Catholic College provides a safe, caring and supportive environment in which each student is shaped by her relationship with Jesus in the Catholic tradition and is inspired by St Mary of the Cross MacKillop to make a difference in the world.
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English
Language shapes our understanding of ourselves and our world, and is the primary means by which we relate to each other.
The NSW Board of Studies has deemed the study of English to be mandatory at all levels. Proficiency in English enables students to take their place as confident, articulate communicators, critical and imaginative thinkers and active participants in society (Extracts from the NSW Board of Studies English syllabus).
The English faculty at St Joseph’s offers students a variety of opportunities to further enhance their language and literacy skills through remedial and extension activities, debates, access to public speaking competitions and excursions.
Stage 4 and 5: Years 7 to 10
Students are provided with challenging and enjoyable courses of study which enable them to experiment with ideas and expression, helping them to become active, independent learners able to work with each other and to reflect on their own learning.
The Stage 4 and 5 Courses are structured to increase the level of the students’ skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing and representing, by exposing them to a variety of literature and texts from past and contemporary societies, as well as a range of spoken, visual, media and multimedia texts.
The skills, knowledge and understanding taught in these courses enhances the opportunities for success in using language to communicate appropriately, effectively and accurately for a range of purposes and audiences, in a range of contexts.
Stage 6: Years 11 and 12
The Senior English Course is designed to enable students to take their place as confident, articulate communicators, critical and imaginative thinkers and active participants in society (NSW Board of Studies).
Students are offered the choice of Standard or Advanced English. Additionally, students who wish to immerse themselves further in the study of Literature and who are studying Advanced English, may select Extension 1 English and for the HSC, Extension 2 English. In Extension 2 English, students develop their own Major Work creating a short story, suite of poems, drama, suite of speeches or film, or engage in a critical study.
These courses develop in students an understanding of literary expression and nurture an appreciation of aesthetic values. A diversity of texts is studied with the aim of developing a critical approach to instil skills for distinguishing the qualities of texts.
Students are encouraged to compose and respond to texts according to their form, content, purpose, and audience, and to appreciate their personal, social, historical, cultural and workplace contexts.
The English Stage 6 syllabus is designed to develop in students the ability to perceive and understand their world from a variety of perspectives, and it enables them to appreciate the richness of Australia’s cultural diversity.
