Year 13
English UNBOUND

In all English courses, you will develop confidence in the skills required for study at University, in particular academic writing.  This course will help you to think critically and to communicate with clarity. 

We are increasingly using philosophy and literary theory to analyse texts at Level 3.  You will work with your classmates to explore social, political and philosophical issues through language and literature, which will be a useful foundation for further study of the arts. 

Level 3 English offers the opportunity to express yourself creatively and critically as you choose how to structure your ideas for a specified audience. 

You will be encouraged to think critically about the way that texts reflect current issues by:

• Exploring and synthesising a range of critical perspectives of a literary topic.

• Evaluating the value of a film.

• Making connections between a range of text types.

• Examining how texts are structured for an audience.

You will also develop effective and essential communication skills by:

• Developing your academic writing style in reports and essays, using MLA citations.

• Expressing your ideas in a writing portfolio.

• Developing the ability to order and structure your ideas for a specific purpose.

• Presenting ideas to an audience in a seminar.

Through the year you will develop the capacity to be a critical, creative, connected lifelong learner by:

• Collaborating with peers both in class and online.

• Self-selecting texts for further study according to your interest.

• Using writing to express your critical response to texts.

• You will develop appreciation of the way writers have used craft through time.

• You will watch films, read Shakespeare, and a range of other written text forms.

Students will be entered for four compulsory Achievement standards, and will also be given the opportunity to select optional extra assessments.  These are detailed in the section below.

You will have the opportunity to sit Scholarship examinations if you choose to, and you can attend Scholarship tutorials to support this goal.

This Level 3 course flows on from the 12ENG programme.  If you have achieved the University Entrance Literacy credits (5 reading and 5 writing credits) and have demonstrated strength as a writer, this may be the course for you.   

You will also need:

• A willingness to develop your communication skills as essential to your future.

• Recognition of personal strengths as a learner and willingness to build upon these with support.

• Curiosity, interest, and awareness of current social and political issues.

• Ability to contribute positively/maturely to discussion.

• Willingness to take risks as a writer and a thinker, and to learn from mistakes.

This course includes four compulsory standards; two internals and two externals. While this is subject to change, this could include:

Internals

• Produce a selection of fluent and coherent writing which develops, sustains, and structures ideas (compulsory)

And a choice of:

• Respond critically to significant connections across texts, with supporting evidence, OR, 

• Develop an informed understanding of literature and/or language using critical texts

Externals

• Respond critically to specified aspect(s) of studied written text(s), supported by evidence

• Respond critically to specified aspect(s) of studied visual or oral text(s), supported by evidence

You may choose to complete up to two OPTIONAL internal assessments, with guidance from your teacher, if you feel that they are better aligned to your strengths:

• Create and deliver a fluent and coherent oral text which develops, sustains, and structures ideas

• Respond critically to significant aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) through close reading, supported by evidence

NZQA English Subject Resources

http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/subjects/english/levels/

School Policy for NCEA Assessment

You should be aware of the school procedures for NCEA assessment. They can be found on the school website at this link. There you will find answers to frequently asked questions about how NCEA works as well as guidance about how to apply for extensions, reconsiderations or the process for withdrawing from a standard.