VCE VM Literacy

Area of Study 1: Literacy for personal use

This area of study focuses on the structures and features of a range of texts – print, visual and film – and the personal reasons readers may have for engaging with these texts. Students will read or watch a variety of texts for a personal purpose, such as finding information. Texts should be chosen from a range of local and global perspectives, including First Nations peoples’ and multicultural perspectives, and should include film, TV, online videos, song, poetry, biographies and digital content, and other texts of interest to the cohort. Through discussions and class activities students will develop their understanding of the structures and features of these text types, and examine how they are influenced by purpose, context, audience and culture.

Students will read texts that serve a variety of purposes, from everyday content written to convey information, to texts written for specific workplaces or educational settings. Students will employ a variety of strategies to develop their understanding of the purpose and key ideas within the written and spoken language. They will extend their knowledge of the layout and format of a range of text types and use indexes, headings, subheadings, chapter titles and blurbs to locate and extract information.

Area of Study 2: Understanding an creating digital texts

In this area of study students build on and work to consolidate their digital literacy skills. Students will develop their capacity to critically assess digital texts, including webpages for vocational and workplace settings, podcasts and social media. They will continue to develop the analytic skills they used in Area of Study 1 to identify and discuss aspects of digital texts. As a part of their studies, students will discuss the reliability and effectiveness of websites in connecting with audiences and delivering factual messages and information.

Students will read, view and interact with different digital texts and participate in learning activities to develop their capacity to explore and discuss their impact. They will identify the ways a visitor encounters and experiences digital texts, considering their purpose and the social, cultural, vocational and workplace values associated with it. They will explore text through the prism of their own experience, knowledge, values and interests, and also those of others.

As a part of this exploration of the digital world, students participate and engage in learning practices that will equip them to deal safely and respectfully with others in the digital and virtual world.

Area of Study 1: Understanding issues and voice

In this area of study, students will engage in issues that are characterised by disagreement or discussion, developing and expanding upon students’ learning from Unit 1. Students will consider the values and beliefs that underpin different perspectives and how these values create different biases and opinions, including thinking about how these issues might arise in particular vocational or workplace settings. Students will read, view and listen to a range of texts and content that demonstrate diverse opinions on a range of local and global issues, and which may impact on their community or be of particular concern to a vocational or workplace group. Students should consider the language and purpose of different text types and consider how this language is used to influence an audience. 

Students will engage with a range of content from print, visual, aural and multimodal sources. Selection of text types should take into consideration the interests and abilities of the student cohort and the text types that students typically read, including social media. Students will discuss and explain how personal and vested interests, including those of particular vocations or workplaces, affect their own responses to an issue.

Students will practise note-taking and responding to short-answer questions as well as formulating their own oral and written opinions. 

Area of Study 2: Responding to opinions

In this area of study students practise their use of persuasive language and participate in discussion of issues, either in print, orally or via a digital platform. Students consider their own perspectives on issues and develop reasoned and logical responses to these discussions in a respectful and thoughtful manner. 

Students consider the arguments presented and critically analyse the language, evidence and logic of the arguments of others so that they can create their own response. In constructing their own responses, students select evidence that supports their viewpoint. Students learn to accurately reference and acknowledge the evidence they select.

In developing their responses, students draft, revise, check and edit their writing to improve the clarity and meaning of their work.

Area of Study 1: Accessing and understanding informational, organisational and procedural texts

In this area of study students will become familiar with and develop confidence in understanding and accessing texts of an informational, organisational or procedural nature. These texts should reflect real-life situations encountered by students and be representative of the sorts of texts students will encounter in a vocational setting or workplace, or for their health and participation in the community.

Students will learn to recognise, analyse and evaluate the structures and semantic elements of informational, organisational and procedural texts as well as discuss and analyse their purpose and audience. Students will develop their confidence to deal with a range of technical content that they will encounter throughout adulthood, such as safety reports, public health initiatives, tax forms and advice, contracts, promotional videos and vocational and workplace texts. 

As a part of this exploration of texts and content, students will participate and engage in activities that equip them to access, understand and discuss these text types.

Area of Study 2: Creating and responding to organisational, informational or procedural texts

This area of study focuses on texts about an individual’s rights and responsibilities within organisations, workplaces and vocational groups. Students read and respond to a variety of technical content from a vocational, workplace or organisational setting of their choice, demonstrating understanding of how these texts inform and shape the organisations they interact with.

Area of Study 1: Understanding and engaging with literacy for advocacy

In this area of study students will investigate, analyse and create content for the advocacy of self, a product or a community group of the student’s choice, in a vocational or recreational setting. Students will research the differences between texts used for more formal or traditional types of advocacy, influence or promotion, as well as some of the forms that are increasingly being used in the digital domain for publicity and exposure. 

Students will consider which elements are important for creating a ‘brand’ (including personal branding) and how different texts, images, products and multimedia platforms work together to produce one, central message to influence an audience. Students will compare and contrast the ways in which same message can be presented through different platforms and participate in discussions that consider the effectiveness of these messages, considering their purpose and the social and workplace values associated with them.

Students will read, discuss, analyse and create texts that influence or advocate for self, a product or a community group of the student’s choice.

Area of Study 2: Speaking to advise or to advocate

In this area of study students will use their knowledge and understanding of language, context and audience to complete an oral presentation that showcases their learning. The presentation needs to be developed in consultation with the teacher and should focus on an area of student interest with a clearly stated vocational or personal focus. Students are encouraged to connect this area of study to their learning in Unit 4 of either Work Related Skills or Personal Development Skills. If students are not undertaking either of these studies, they may select an option from either of the two outlined below: Literacy for civic participation or Literacy for everyday contexts.