This document outlines a unit plan for an English as a Second Language class focusing on Australian values. Over four weeks, students will explore how narratives, films, and other texts portray Australian values through conventions like structure, language, and visual techniques. They will closely analyze the film "Australia" and short story "The Rabbits" to identify values presented and how composers use techniques to convey meaning. Assessment will include tasks analyzing how a value is portrayed in a text, a viewing representation, and reflection on learning. The unit aims to improve students' English skills while learning about Australian culture and values.

1.
AUSTRALIAN VALUES
PRELIMINARY HSC English ESL

2. Yr 11 ESL Program and Register 2013
Module: Australian Values
Unit Statement
English (ESL) is designed for students to increase their expertise in English in order to enhance their personal, social, academic and vocational lives. Students
learn to respond to and compose a wide variety of texts in a range of situations in order to be effective, creative and confident communicators.
In this unit, students will explore the ways in which composers use the conventions of narrative and film to tell a story. In their responding and composing
students study how these conventions are used to present certain values. Students will examine the core text, Australia in addition to the related text The
Rabbits to explore the conventions of narrative and film to portray Australian values.
Texts: Core text: Australia – Baz Luhrmann
Related text: The Rabbits, Marsden &Tan;
Other texts: Aesop’s fables. Bombing of Darwin feature article, 1942.
Key competencies:
§ Communicating ideas and information
§ Working with others in groups
§ Using technology
Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
1. A student demonstrates and understanding of the relationships between composer, responder, text and context
2. A student identifies and describes relationships among texts
3. A student demonstrates understanding of cultural reference in texts
4. A student develops language relevant to the study of English.
5. A student demonstrates understanding of how audience and purpose affect the language and structure of texts.
6. A student interprets texts using key language patterns and structural features.
7. A student identifies the ways different technologies and media of production affect the language and structure of
particular texts
8. A student uses a variety of textual forms appropriately for different purposes, audiences and contexts, in all modes.
9. A student engages with a wide range of texts to develop a considered and informed personal response
10. A student assesses the appropriateness of a range of processes and technologies in the investigation and organisation
of information and ideas.
11. A student analyses and synthesises information and ideas from a range of texts in a range of modes and
media.
12. A student draws upon the imagination to transform experience into text.
13. A student reflects on own processes of composing and responding
14. A student reflects on own processes of learning English
Time allocation: 4 weeks (Term 3)
Assessment of Learning: Task 3 Viewing/representing and Speaking 20% (Speech or imovie with voice-over)
Outcomes: 1,4,5,6,11
Assessment for Learning: Ongoing.
Classwork: individual, pair, group and whole
class work; discussions, viewing, listening,
reading and writing
Cross Curricular Content: Difference & diversity, Aboriginality, modern Australian history, ICT. Literacy: focus on:
§ Film techniques – metalanguage
§ Conventions of narrative
§ Nominalization
§ Paragraph structure: cohesion and
cohesiveness.
Variations Teacher: Viviana Mattiello

3. Teacher Evaluation:
Content.
Activities:
Additions/ Modifications/Variations.
Evaluation of Assessment:
Student response to teaching, learning and assessment experiences:

4. Teaching and Learning Activities Resources Outcomes Evidence of
Learning
Feedback Reg
WEEK 1
Lesson 1+2
Listening exam feedback.
Lesson 3+4
Introduction to the Narrative genre
1. Teacher shares a popular story with students (i.e.
Cinderella)
2. Class discussion:
• When do we use this type of story and with whom?
• Why do people tell this type of story?
• What are the main narrative features of this type of
story and why?
3. Group discussion. Students complete the Telling
stories discussion worksheet. In groups students
should attempt to decide whether statement are
True/False giving reasons to support their
decisions.
4. Each group shares their answers and justify them.
“The Rabbits” analysis
Students read The Rabbits silently.
1. Provide focus questions before reading and explain
how students should approach reading the text.
2. Students discuss initial response to the narrative.
3. Teacher reads The Rabbits aloud.
4. Students share their individual observations and
link discussion back to the focus questions,
highlighting the way the elements of narrative are
used.
5. Discussion questions:
• What is the narrative structure?
Feedback resources
can be found here
and here
Homework:
Students write a
summary of the
“narrative elements
and techniques”
sheet to handout for
marking next class
in preparation for
related text analysis.
Students also revise
key visual analysis
features through this
slideshare 1
Statements about
Telling Stories
worksheet
The Rabbits
ESL 4.1 Contribute information and
ideas in group tasks and classroom
discussions
Syllabus
4. Students learn the language
relevant to their study of
English including:
4.1 its terminology
4.2 language for making
connections, questioning,
affirming, challenging,
speculating and generalising
ESL 5.1
A student communicates in familiar
social and classroom situations,
extracting relevant information
from spoken English and
elaborating on some ideas in
coherent speech.
ESL 5.8
Incorporate new vocabulary from
texts into personal vocabulary
(specialised terminology)
1. Students demonstrate an
understanding of the
relationships between composer,
responder, text and context
1.1 identifying and describing the
Students negotiate the
meaning of each
question and take a
stance on each
answer.
Students participate
in group discussion,
giving reasons to
support their opinions
Teacher/class
oral feedback
Students
provide oral
feedback to
each other
1
Please note that students will upload ALL work to their personal blogs once they have been given written feedback in order to maintain their personal
portfolio in an online environment. Students are also required to comment on each other’s work.

5. • In what ways is the story an allegory? (Teacher can provide
an example of an allegory)
• Does this remind you of other texts that your have read or
viewed?
• What language is used? Consider: specific word choice,
verbs, sentence structure, formal/informal language, omission
of voices and connotations.
6. As a class, we will explore specific images in the
book and identify visual techniques. Students will
attempt to write an analytical paragraph following the
model in the keynote presentation. This skill will be
revisited and consolidated next class.
WEEK 2
Lesson 1+2
“The Rabbits” consolidation & Link to Australian
values
1. Warmer: on the board, students brainstorm what
they thought Australia was like before living in
Sydney. Stereotypical ideas about Australia are
discussed and explored. What is Australia like in
reality? Students again brainstorm on the board
their ideas. Teacher will make an explicit link to
Australian values orally.
2. In groups, students attempt to complete the Rabbits
analysis table.
3. On the projector screen, teacher writes some of
answers elicited from groups. There is a distinct
focus on setting, themes, characterization, point of
view and dialogue. Additionally, the use of visual
techniques to advance the plot and represent certain
values will be discussed.
4. Students are introduced to the S.E.X.Y.L.
paragraph structure through discussing the model
paragraph. Students will refer back to this
paragraph as they do their own writing.
5. Australian values: Students read the Department of
Immigration and Citizenship’s Australian values
factsheet. Students jot them down and discuss
meanings.
6. In pairs, students choose ONE Australian value and
write an analytical paragraph of how this value is
softback copies for
each student.
The Rabbits
keynote
Homework:
Students have an
initial opportunity
to write an
analytical paragraph
on how narrative
and visual
techniques.
The Rabbits
analysis table
The Rabbits model
paragraph
Dept of
Immigration
factsheet
Homework:
Students complete
contexts of responding to and
composing particular texts.
1.4 recognizing the effect of
language experiences and culture
on responding to and composing
texts.
14. Students reflect on own
processes of learning of English
by
14.4 writing
ESL 5.6: Identify main events and
supporting detail in a narrative text.
4. Students learn the language
relevant to their study of English
including:
4.1 its terminology
8. Students use a variety of
textual forms appropriately for
different purposes, audience and
contexts in all modes by
8.1 identifying and describing a
variety of language forms and
features and structures of particular
texts in personal, social, historical
and workplace contexts
Students compose an
analytical paragraph
to demonstrate their
understanding of the
text and the
conventions used by
composers to create
meaning.
Students compose an
analytical paragraph
to demonstrate their
understanding of the
text and the
conventions used by
composers to create
meaning.
Oral feedback
Teacher
written
feedback
Oral feedback
Oral feedback
Written
feedback

6. presented in The Rabbits. Students hand in their
paragraphs in class. – If time runs out, they will be
able to complete it as homework.
Lessons 3+4
Telling stories in the medium of film
Key concept: Stories use the codes and conventions of narrative
differently according to the mode and medium of storytelling.
1. Teacher brainstorms the similarities and
differences found in film compared with picture
books, anecdotes and other forms of storytelling.
What impact do the similarities and differences in
the mode and medium have on the way the story is
told?
2. Teacher introduces: Revising film techniques
keynote.
3. Students play a competition game on the board.
Teacher gives a definition of a film technique and
students write the terminology on the board. The
student who writes the term correctly first gets a
point. Winner is the student with the most points.
Introduction to Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Australia’ film
Pre-viewing activities
Key concept: That meaning is influenced by the cultural and
historical context in which texts are set and composed.
1. Students are provided with some images and
guiding questions on the film. Students answer
them working in pairs. (Australia study guide IFI
Education)
2. Teacher shows the class the DVD cover of the
film. Teacher elicits ideas on what the film might
be about (themes), links to Australian values and
allows students to identify some visual features.
3. Historical background: Teacher introduces
students to the film’s historical background.
Students research the bombing of Darwin through
a web-link and an archived newspaper article from
February 1942. Students answer questions in page
2
4. Feature article deconstruction: Teacher points
the second
analytical
paragraph.
Revising film
techniques keynote
Australia study
guide – Page 1,
Activity 1
Australia
DVD Cover
Darwin Bombing
1942 feature article
Feature Article
keynote
ESL 5.8
Incorporate new vocabulary from
texts into personal vocabulary
(specialised terminology)
2. Student identify and describe
relationships among texts:
2.1 identifying similarities in
differences between texts
5. Students learn to understand
how audience and purpose affect
the language and structure of
texts by:
5.1 identifying the language
features and structures of texts
composed for different audiences
and purposes.
5.2 composing texts for specific
purposes and audiences.
6. Students interpret texts using
key language patterns and
structural features by:
6.1 Identifying key words and
phrases of a text
6.4 Identifying and using
appropriate syntax.
ESL 5.1
Communicates in a familiar social
and classroom situations, extracting
relevant information from spoken
English and elaborating on some
ideas in coherent speech.
ESL 5.6
Reads with understanding a range
of texts, including those remote
from personal experience,
interpreting mainly at a literal level
and using the information for other
Students identify film
techniques
terminology through
recalling them and
using them in the
game.
Students are
confident in
analysing the DVD
cover.
Oral feedback
Teacher
Written
feedback

7. out certain language and structural features used in
feature articles. Students revise the purpose and
structure of feature articles through the Feature
article keynote
WEEK 3
Lessons 1+2
Viewing Australia
1. Prior to viewing, students complete a brief pre-test
of their current knowledge of film techniques.
Students access online quiz.
2. Class starts watching the film. Opening scenes –
Teacher leads a discussion of film and sound
techniques in the opening sequence. Class consider
what hooks the responder? How is Australia
depicted?
3. Play the opening sequence twice to observe and
then note techniques used. Discuss the effect on the
responder.
4. Teacher shows the model analysis table for
Australia’s opening scene (similar to a viewing
log) on the screen.
5. Continue viewing focusing on plot and personal
responses during viewing.
Lessons 3+4
Viewing and personal response to the film
Key concept: That films engage us and promote our
involvement in a range of ways that differ from stories in
other modes and mediums.
Students complete their first watching of the film. Students
summarize the first part of the study guide (pages 2-8) and
start answering the Metro magazine study guide questions
(pages 11-14) Note: Questions will be numbered to allow
students to answer some questions only.
The answers to these questions will be submitted in writing
for marking.
(Teacher is expected to be away this day on Professional
Learning conference)
Lessons 3+4
Homework:
Students write a
feature article using
quotes from
informal interviews
carried out among
MLC students using
the question: What
does being
Australian mean for
MLC students?
Online quiz
Opening Scene
Model Analysis
table
“Australia study
guide” by Metro
Magazine.
purposes.
ESL 5.11
Writes a number of coherent texts,
demonstrating some flexibility and
control over key organisational and
language features.
ESL 5.3
Student shows understanding of spoken
English, cueing into key organisational
and language features…
7. Student describe the ways different
technologies and media of production
affect the language and structure of
particular texts:
7.1 responding to text produced by a
range of technologies
9. Students engage with a wide range
of texts to develop a considered and
informed personal response by:
9.2 Relating responses to aspects of
human experience
9.5 discussing and reflecting on the
wider issues arising from their
engagement with texts.
3. Student demonstrates
understanding of cultural reference
in texts by:
3.3 identifying a range of culturally
based values and perspectives in texts
3.4 showing understanding of some key
cultural attitudes, beliefs and values
underlying issues and language in texts.
ESL 5.8
Applies basic text access strategies to
enhance comprehension and learning.
5. Students demonstrate
understanding of how audience and
purpose affect the language and
structure of texts by
5.1identifying the language features and
structures of texts composed for
different audiences and purposes
8. Students use a variety of textual
forms appropriately for different
purposes, audiences and contexts in
Students compose an
acceptable feature
article using relevant
language and structural
features as well as
showing evidence of
personal research and
interview processes to
comment on Australian
values.
Students obtain a
positive score in the
quiz.
Instant online
feedback

8. 1. Students are asked on their personal response to
film. Did you like the film? Why/why not?
2. Students share some of their answers with their
peers to check their understanding. Pairs share their
answers to the class.
3. Plot-sequencing activity: Students cut out and
order sentences as they happen in the film.
4. Narrative structure in the film. As a follow-up
activity, students write some of those sentences
over a narrative structure graphic and also compose
a paragraph on what narrative structure the film
follows (this paragraph might be jointly
constructed if necessary)
WEEK 4
Lesson 1+2
1. Dictogloss Activity: Students listen to a short film
synopsis of the film and construct it in pairs.
2. Themes discussion: Class will explore various
themes in Australia using the IFI Australia Study
guide pages 2,4 and 5 (themes include Love,
Aboriginal Australia, Stolen Generations, etc).
3. Guided activity: Teacher reads and class completes
study guide questions. Students are paired
according to questions directions.
4. Extension Task: What is the significance of the
song “Over the rainbow” to the plot and themes of
the film “Australia”? Justify your answer with
textual evidence.
5. Class brainstorm: Students identify Australian
values depicted in the movie (Students are
reminded of some of the values discussed in Week
2)
Lesson 3+4: Close study of the film
Key concept: That films are constructed to promote viewer
involvement and response.
1. Australian Values: Teacher leads a discussion on
how Australian Values are presented in the film.
2. Guided practice: Teacher guides students into how
a specific scene is analysed. Teacher deconstructs
and analyses the “cattle rush” scene and completes
all sections of the analysis table with the class.
Australia Study
guide by Metro
Plot and narrative
structure worksheet
Dictogloss activity
Australia study
guide
Homework:
Students complete
questions on the
“Film Studies”
section of the study
guide. – Students
may also complete
the Extension Task.
all modes by
8.1 identifying the effects of language
forms and features and the structures of
particular texts.
9. Students engage with a wide range
of texts to develop a considered and
informed personal response by
9.3 composing personal responses to
individual texts and groups of texts
considering the responses of others
11 Students analyse and synthesise
information and ideas from a range
of texts in a range of modes and
media by
11.3 synthesising information and
ideas.
3. Student demonstrates
understanding of cultural reference
in texts by
3.3 identifying a range of culturally
based values and perspectives in texts.
3.4 showing understanding of some key
cultural attitudes, beliefs and values
underlying issues and language in texts.
6. Students interpret texts using key
language patterns and structural
features by
6.1 identifying key words and phrases
of a text
6.4 identifying and using appropriate
syntax
14. Students reflects on their own
processes of learning English by
14.3 comparing their own learning
processes with those of others.
ESL 5.7
Student interprets texts, cueing into key
organisational and language (film)
features.
7. Students describe the ways
different technologies and media
of production affect the language
and structure of particular texts
Students answer
questions correctly.
Students sequence the
plot’s scenes
correctly.
Students reconstruct
the text satisfactorily.
Students work in
pairs effectively and
answer the study
guide’s questions
satisfactorily.
Teacher
written
feedback and
peer-feedback
on next lesson
Teacher &
Peer oral
feedback
Teacher
written
feedback
/ student self-
reflection
Teacher oral
feedback
Teacher/peer
feedback

9. There will be an explicit focus on Film and
narrative techniques. This is the second time
students see a similar table in this unit and should
feel more confident with undertaking their own
analysis.
3. Class watches the “cattle delivery in Darwin”
scene and teacher briefly discusses Australian
values in this scene. Students work in pairs and
analyse this scene using the analysis table. Pairs
present this analysis to the class. Teacher and Peers
give groups feedback on their analysis. Students
are expected to complete this table in class time.
4. Students hand this in using dropbox on Schoology.
WEEK 5
Lesson 1+2
1. Teacher gives oral feedback to students on how
effective their analysis was in their homework
responses and reviews how Australian values are
presented in the film. Students are instructed to use
their own copy of the film at this point.
2. Students work in pairs and find various quotes and
film techniques from the film that match a certain
Australian value. Note: Access to this worksheet
will only be given electronically as its is expected
that students find a good range of techniques so the
word document will only be provided so they are
able to adjust their number of rows accordingly.
Lesson 3+4
Writing analysis of selected scenes
Key concept: That effective analysis of texts requires the
analysis of the effects of textual devices and the provision of
detailed and appropriate textual evidence.
1. Writing: Joint construction of a paragraph
analysing one of the focus scenes using the
S.E.X.Y.(L.) structure (preferably the same scene
that was analysed as a whole class) in Word .
Students are also directed to the “verbs of analysis”
Cattle rush scene
analysis table
Cattle delivery
scene analysis table
Homework:
Students complete
the analysis and
hand it in. Also,
students are
instructed to watch
the films again as
we will continue
analysing how
Australian values
are presented in the
film.
Australian values
worksheet-
Accessed through
Schoology only
Ear/headphones to
re-watch specific
sections of the
movie.
S.E.X.Y.L structure
7.2 Identifying and describing the
effects of technological forms and
conventions on meaning in
personal, social, historical, cultural
and workplace contexts.
11. Students analyse and
synthesise information and ideas
from a range of texts in a range of
modes and media by
11.4 developing and presenting
information and ideas in texts in a
range of modes and media and in
analytic, expressive and
imaginative ways.
5. Students demonstrate
understanding of how audience and
purpose affect the language and
structure of texts by
5.1 Identifying the language features
and structures of texts composed for
different audiences and purposes.
7. Students describe the ways
different technologies and media of
production affect the language and
structure of particular texts
7.1 responding to texts produced by a
range of technologies
7.2 Identifying and describing the
effects of technological forms and
conventions on meaning in personal,
social, historical, cultural and
workplace contexts
4. Students develop language relevant
to the study of English including:
4.1 its terminology
4.2 language for making connections,
questioning, affirming, challenging,
speculating and generalising
5. Student demonstrates
understanding of how audience and
purpose affect the language and
Students work in
pairs effectively and
complete the analysis
table correctly.
Students can identify
techniques
appropriately
Students complete the
analysis table
correctly. Students
can identify
techniques
appropriately
Students write an
analytical paragraph
following S.E.X.Y.L
structure
Teacher/peer
oral feedback
Teacher
written
feedback

10. sheet and are required to use a variety of them in
their paragraphs. Language focus: Using analytical
language with focus on verb form.
2. Topic sentences development: As a class, we will
brainstorm a number of possible topic sentences
discussing how Australian values are presented in
the movie. This will facilitate students’
understanding of how to write using the S.E.X.Y.L
structure effectively. Also, utilizing word will
allow the teacher to highlight those structural
elements in different colours as a strategy for
organizational mastery.
3. Students choose to focus on ONE Australian value
depicted in the movie and write analysis on another
scene in pairs.
WEEK 6
Lessons 1+2
1. Peer editing: Students are given a copy of their
peers’ paragraph work and they engage in
highlighting parts of the paragraph for ensuring
structural effectiveness and also appropriateness of
textual evidence to support topic sentences.
2. Introduction to the Speech text type: Teacher
elicits current knowledge of the Speech text type
(students should have some understanding of this
and of spoken language features as we studied this
last term).
3. Text deconstruction: Teacher will show the class
an annotated sample of a speech and deconstruct it
orally.
4. Writing: Students will look back at the paragraphs
they constructed and use those plus their notes on
the deconstruction of various scenes to construct a
practice speech Note: depending on the students’
understanding of the processes, teacher will decide
whether students will be required to write about
various or just one Australian value.
Lessons 3+4
1. Students focus on re-writing their speeches
considering the teacher’s feedback and the website
produced by their Year 12 peer on “how to start a
handout
Verbs of analysis
sheet
Word software and
highlighter tools.
Homework:
Students work
individually on a
different scene at
home and submit
their paragraphs in
dropbox on
Schoology.
Paragraph rubric
Speech annotated
sample
Homework:
Students complete
their speech for
homework and
submit it using the
dropbox facility on
Schoology.
structure of texts by
5.2 composing texts for specific
purposes and audiences
14. Students reflect on their own
processes of learning of English by
14.4 writing
13. Students reflect on own processes
of responding and composing by
13.1 editing their work to correct errors
and ensure consistent and appropriate
style.
13. 3 assessing style in a variety of
texts.
4. Students develop language
relevant to the study of English
including
4.1 its terminology
4.4 conventions of language
8. Students use a variety of
textual forms appropriately for
different purposes, audiences and
contexts in all modes by
8.1 identifying the effects of
language forms and features and the
structures of particular texts.
14. Students reflect on their own
processes of learning of English
by
14.4 writing
Students mark their
peers’ work
satisfactorily.
Students compose
effective speeches
Teacher’s
individual oral
feedback.
Teacher oral
and written
feedback

11. speech effectively”.
2. Students view and record a viewing log of ONE
scene from Australia. Students start constructing
their speeches for the Assessment Tasks. Students
will be given a choice whether they prefer to give a
speech or create an iMovie as oral assessments are
believed to be quite confronting for ESL students
and they might prefer to demonstrate their
understanding of this unit using a voice-over in a
iMovie product instead.
Sally’s study skills
website
As per Assessment Notification
guidelines
Teacher
written
feedback