Foundation English

English

Unit 1 & 2

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VCE Foundation English focuses on how English is used to communicate through written, spoken and multimodal texts of varying complexity.

Teachers may select a range of texts for study from the past and from the present, from Australia and from other cultures. Other texts may be selected for the analysis and presentation of a persuasive text. The study is intended to meet the needs of students with a wide range of expectations and aspirations, including those for whom English is an additional language.

This study enables students to:

  • strengthen and extend their competence and confidence in using Standard Australian English in meeting the demands of further study, the workplace and their own needs and interests
  • strengthen and extend their language skills through thinking, reading, writing, speaking and listening
  • communicate ideas and information effectively using the conventions of written and spoken language
  • listen and speak in a range of informal and formal settings for different audiences and purposes
  • read a range of texts to construct personal, creative, comparative and critical responses
  • read accurately to locate, extract, understand, organise and synthesise ideas and information
  • control the conventions of Standard Australian English in order to edit and proofread their writing to enhance accuracy of expression and clarity of meaning
  • acquire a vocabulary to talk precisely about language and texts.

Assessment activities

  • prose summaries
  • digital or handwritten graphic representations
  • summaries of texts
  • an oral or written explanations
  • business letters, resumes, cover letters, blogs and/or reviews
  • instructional and/or informative writing
  • role-plays of interviews or a problem-solving situations
  • oral presentations
  • active participation in or leadership of discussions
  • written responses to analytical questions on texts
  • extended responses
  • creative written or oral responses to literary texts
  • written or oral comparative analyses of texts
  • exams.

Selection advice

The Foundation English study is designed for students who may require a more vocationally orientated approach to English or may be aiming to directly enter the workforce upon completing their senior secondary studies. It may also be suited to students who need additional time and assistance to strengthen and refine their literacy skills to support their study in VCE English and English as an Additional Language (EAL).

Links to further pathways

Foundation English enables students to improve their skills in comprehending and responding to a variety of texts, and to enhance their overall communication skills. The study may be taken as a bridging course into the VCE or by students completing technically orientated courses.