Texts and Human Experiences

LEARNING INTENTIONS

To understand the syllabus rubric for the common module Texts and Human Experiences.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

Effectively contribute to class discussion and compose individual student answers to show understanding of introductory concepts.

What is the common module?

It is compulsory to study this topic as prescribed by NESA and it is common to all three English courses.

Optional worksheet to introduce the module

Texts and Human Experiences

HUMAN EXPERIENCES

Though it may initially seem very vague and confusing, human experiences can encompass an infinite amount of events, emotions and situations and are, therefore, difficult to define.

Most broadly, it is the life encounters of an individual or a wider group that shapes the human psyche in one or more ways.

Introduction to the module

Discuss the following questions:

based on the module title, what do you believe will be the focus of the module?
what are human qualities and emotions?
what could the difference be between collective and individual human experiences?
how might a human experience lead to reflection?
what role does storytelling play in depicting human experiences?
how might a text allow you to better understand some of your own experiences?
how might texts allow you to see the world differently, challenge your assumptions and ignite new ideas?

Experiences are occurrences that lead to feelings and knowledge.

Experiences can be positive and negative.

The Rubric

Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences

In this common module students deepen their understanding of how texts represent individual and collective human experiences. They examine how texts represent human qualities and emotions associated with, or arising from, these experiences. Students appreciate, explore, interpret, analyse and evaluate the ways language is used to shape these representations in a range of texts in a variety of forms, modes and media.

Students explore how texts may give insight into the anomalies, paradoxes and inconsistencies in human behaviour and motivations, inviting the responder to see the world differently, to challenge assumptions, ignite new ideas or reflect personally. They may also consider the role of storytelling throughout time to express and reflect particular lives and cultures. By responding to a range of texts they further develop skills and confidence using various literary devices, language concepts, modes and media to formulate a considered response to texts.

Students study one prescribed text and a range of short texts that provide rich opportunities to further explore representations of human experiences illuminated in texts. They make increasingly informed judgements about how aspects of these texts, for example context, purpose, structure, stylistic and grammatical features, and form shape meaning. In addition, students select one related text and draw from personal experience to make connections between themselves, the world of the text and their wider world.

By responding and composing throughout the module students further develop a repertoire of skills in comprehending, interpreting and analysing complex texts. They examine how different modes and media use visual, verbal and/or digital language elements. They communicate ideas using figurative language to express universal themes and evaluative language to make informed judgements about texts. Students further develop skills in using metalanguage, correct grammar and syntax to analyse language and express a personal perspective about a text.

Key ideas from the rubric

individual and collective human experiences are represented in texts.
texts reveal the human qualities and emotions arising from individual and collective human experiences.
texts give insight into the anomalies, paradoxes and inconsistencies in human behaviour and motivations
texts can challenge assumptions and allow us to see the world differently.
the role of storytelling to express and reflect particular lives and cultures.

Find definitions for these key words from the rubric, and write these definitions in your own words.

Anomaly

Paradox

Inconsistency

Assumptions

Motivations

Questions in the rubric

What ideas about human experiences are in the text and how has the composer used techniques to communicate these ideas?

How does the text represent individual human experiences?
How does the text represent collective human experiences?
How does the text represent human qualities?
How does the text represent human emotions?
How does the text give insight into anomalies and paradoxes of human experience?
How does the text give insight into inconsistencies of human experience?
How does the text express and reflect particular lives and cultures?
How does the world of the text connect to issues in the wider world?
How has the composer used language to represent individual and collective human experiences?
How has the composer used characters (human experiences) to provoke responders to see the world differently and ignite new ideas?
How has the composer used characters (human experiences) to provoke responders to challenge assumptions?
How has the composer used characters (human experiences) to express universal themes?
How has the composer used form, structure, stylistic and grammatical features (form and techniques) to shape messages about human experiences?

Defining human experiences

The process of encountering or undergoing something.

The knowledge or wisdom gained from what one has encountered or undergone.

Examples of “human experiences” include but are not limited to:

Synonyms for experience

Effect of experiences on people

Experiences affect us emotionally.
Experiences teach us and we learn from experiences.
Memory is the key to understanding experiences.
Experiences change our behaviour.
We do not always react rationally to experiences - this causes the paradoxes, anomalies, inconsistencies and irony in our behaviour.
Experiences can have a positive effect.
Experiences can have a negative effect
Shared experiences connect people and create a sense of belonging and affinity.

Universal Human Experiences

Humans share experiences or have the same experiences as others.

Watch the trailer for the documentary ‘The Human Experience’.

Discussion questions:

1. How is the human experience defined?

2. What experiences are outlined in the documentary?

3. Can you relate to any of the experiences outlined? Give reasons for your response.

4. How can seeing others as human change the world?

5. What is the overall message of the documentary?

All We Do

Oh Wonder

All We Do.mp4

Do you agree or disagree with this response to this video?

After watching this video, answer these questions

What was the purpose of this short film?

What perspectives and values of humanity are evident in this film, such as compassion, empathy and tolerance?

What is the key message?

How do the filmmakers use images, interviews, words and sound to convey their message about what it means to be human?

What is the meaning of the refrain?

All we do is hide away

All we do is,

all we do is hide away

All we do is chase the day

All we do, all we do is chase the day

All we do is lie and wait

Have you ever wondered: Am I a human being?

Ze Frank suggests a series of simple questions that will determine this. Please relax and follow the prompts. Let's begin …

Are you human?Have you ever wondered: Am I a human being? Ze Frank suggests a series of simple questions that will determine this. Please relax and follow the prompts. Let's begin …

After watching this video, answer these questions

What does it mean to be human according to this text?

What is Frank trying to communicate about the experience of being human?

You need lots of words for emotions

The ability to identify the emotions experienced by characters and personas in texts will lead you to the knowledge they gained from the human experience.

The Present - short film

videoplayback (1).mp4

Is the experience in this narrative positive or negative?

What exactly does the persona of this narrative experience?

What emotions does the persona experience? Choose the emotion at the beginning, middle and end of the film. Use the emotion wheel to help you.

Identify a moment when the character acted in a way that created a paradox, anomaly, inconsistency or irony in their behaviour.

What does the persona learn from this experience?

Individual and collective human experience

1970s spiritualist Ram Dass described the human experience this way:

"If you and I go through a small town and if you are hungry, you will notice pizza places, donut shops and restaurants and if I go through the town, with a strange sound in my engine, I will notice repair shops and gas stations. You and I really went through different towns."

What is this saying about individual and collective human experiences?

Explore the effect of falling in love

All texts, in some way, explore human experiences. Many explore how those experiences are individual and unique to each one of us.

Students listen to and read the two songs and answer the following questions:

My Girl by The Temptations

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day

When it's cold outside

I've got the month of May

I guess you'd say

What can make me feel this way

My girl, my girl, my girl

Talkin' 'bout my girl

My girl

I've got so much honey

The bees envy me

I've got a sweeter song

Than the birds in the trees

Well, I guess you'd say

What can make me feel this way

My girl, my girl, my girl

Talkin' 'bout my girl

My girl

Ohh ohh

Hey hey hey

Oh yeah

I don't need no money, fortune, or fame

I've got all the riches baby one man can claim

Well I guess you'd say

What can make me feel this way

My girl, my girl, my girl

Talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl, talkin' 'bout my girl

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day with my girl

I've even got the month of May with my girl

Talkin' 'bout, talkin' 'bout, talkin' 'bout

Source: Musixmatch

Experiences are occurrences that lead to feelings and knowledge.

Experiences can be positive and negative.

Is the experience in this narrative positive or negative?

What exactly does the persona of this narrative experience?

What emotions is the persona experiencing?

Identify a moment when the character describes a paradox, anomaly, inconsistency or irony in their behaviour or what they are experiencing.

What does the persona learn from this experience?

The composer of this song has used metaphors, personification and hyperbole to express their experiences of love. Identify an example of each from this text.

I LET LOVE IN - NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS

Despair and Deception, Love’s ugly little twins

Came a-knocking on my door, I let them in

Darling, you’re the punishment for all my former sins

I let love in

The door it opened just a crack, but Love was shrewd and bold

My life flashed before my eyes, it was a horror to behold

A life-sentence sweeping confetti from the floor of a concrete hole

I let love in

Well I’ve been bound and gagged and I’ve been terrorized

And I’ve been castrated and I’ve been lobotomized

But never has my tormentor come in such a cunning disguise

I let love in

O Lord, tell me what I done

Please don’t leave me here on my own

Where are my friends?

My friends are gone

So if you’re sitting all alone and hear a-knocking at your door

And the air of promises, well buddy, you’ve been warned

Far worse to be Love’s lover than the lover that Love has scorned

I let love in

Experiences are occurrences that lead to feelings and knowledge.

Experiences can be positive and negative.

Is the experience in this narrative positive or negative?

What exactly does the persona of this narrative experience?

What emotions is the persona experiencing?

Identify a moment when the character describes a paradox, anomaly, inconsistency or irony in their behaviour or what they are experiencing.

What does the persona learn from this experience?

The composer of this song has used metaphors, personification and hyperbole to express their experiences of love. Identify an example of each from this text.

Comparing the two texts - write a PEEL paragraph.

How do these texts convey the collective human experience of love?

Some cause and effect statements about human experiences

Experiences affect us emotionally.
Experiences teach us and we learn from experiences.
Memory is the key to understanding experiences.
Experiences change our behaviour.
We do not always react rationally to experiences - this causes the paradoxes, anomalies, inconsistencies and irony in our behaviour.
Experiences can have a positive effect.
Experiences can have a negative effect
Shared experiences connect people and create a sense of belonging and affinity.
Experiences lead to new behaviours.
Major events can alter behaviour of whole societies.
Often it is only through time and reflection that we can understand how an experience has changed the way we see a situation.
A person's context and prior experiences shape how they perceive the world.
Our experiences shape the way we see other people.
People respond more strongly with emotion than logic to many human experiences.
Storytelling is a particularly human way of communicating our experiences and making meaning of our life.
Stories bring meaning to our lives and explain our existence and purpose.
We all have a seemingly innate need for narratives to make sense of our lives.
Narrative can either confirm our world view or alter our world depending on the experiences they convey.
Adverse experiences build resilience so the next negative experience isn't as traumatic.
Discrimination and prejudice can lead to one becoming suspicious of the world and the people in it.
Holding stereotypical views about people results in a rejection of new ideas and the maintenance of assumptions.
Racist ideologies have a negative effect on the experiences of whole populations and societies.

Websites and videos that cover the rubric

TEXTS-AND-HUMAN-EXPERIENCE-LESSON-1.pdf

Questions for Texts and Human Experiences

How would you define this module in your own words?
How are people connected by shared experiences?
How do you think a person's context and prior experiences shape how they perceive the world?
To what extent does experience shape the way we see other people and / or groups?
Is it possible not to have any meaningful experiences at all?
Why do people tell stories?
What do you think you might learn from a narrative?

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