In Year 8 English, students build on their Year 7 foundations and look more closely at how texts shape ideas and influence audiences. Guided by the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0, they explore novels, poetry, drama and media, learning not just what a text says, but how and why it communicates meaning. Students strengthen their writing across imaginative, informative and persuasive forms, choosing language carefully and organising ideas clearly.
Through discussion and presentations, they also develop confidence in speaking and listening. Year 8 English focuses on growing independence, sharper thinking and stronger communication skills for future learning and life beyond school.
| Unit 1: Exploring teen issues
Narrative Writing In this unit students engage with a range of short stories, and examine how text structures and language features, including intertextual references and literary devices, develop and shape meaning about characters, setting, events and concepts.
Comprehension skills In this unit students explore how authors create vivid descriptions of characters and settings. They examine the aesthetic qualities of texts and how text structures, language features including literary devices, intertextual references and visual features shape meaning.
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Unit 1 Assessment 1a - Imaginative Illustrated Narrative 1b - . Reading Comprehension Exam
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Unit 2: Exploring Ethical Issues
In this unit, students examine a range of persuasive texts to understand how ideas about ethical issues are represented and how language features, text structures and features of voice are used to persuade and influence audiences.
| Unit 2 Assessment
2 - Persuasive Speech
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Unit 3: Exploring Values in this unit, students complete a study of social issues through a novel text. They examine how text structures and language features, including intertextual references and literary devices, develop and shape meaning about characters, setting, events and concepts. | Unit 3 Assessment 3 - Imaginative Written Response
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Unit 4: Exploring Concepts In this unit, students explore how text structures shape meaning, and how language features including intertextual references and literary devices, and visual features influence an audience. This exploration is done through the study of short multimodal texts. | Unit 4 Assessment 4 - Written Explanation
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