Connecting research on Australian Englishes with the high school curriculum

With all the great work being conducted on Australian Englishes, linguists are in a unique position to enrich the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) English Language curriculum. VCE English Language is the only senior schooling curriculum in Australia that focuses on the linguistic structure of the English language, rather than literature and critical writing. Bringing current research into the VCE classroom can help ensure the subject says as current as possible, while inspiring a new generation of linguists.

In this talk we provide a breakdown of participation in English Language in the VCE. We also outline the key areas in which research on Australian Englishes can engage with the VCE English Language curriculum. English Language is particularly grounded in language variation, as well as teaching students core linguistic terminology. We illustrate how features of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority’s Study Design for English Language (VCAA 2014) can be linked to current research.

We also discuss ways that researchers can become more involved in VCE English Language, including engaging with teachers and resource providers, and giving school talks. We conclude by introducing a new initiative to create a list of researchers working on English who are available to participate in school talks and educational outreach programs.

References

VCAA. (2014). VCE English Language 2016–2020. Available from https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/studies/englishlanguage/englangindex.aspx Accessed 13th September 2018.