Teaching and learning

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed Discussion

Activity 1

One issue, many perspectives

In pairs or small groups, students choose an issue and look at the various opinions different groups of people may have. Students think about and document possible reasons for each opinion. This information is shared back to the class.

• The teacher introduces the unit and modules and goes through expectations for the semester, including the need to be respectful of everyone’s ideas and opinions. The class discuss why it is important to listen to each other and brainstorm what we can learn when listening to others.
• The class brainstorm all the current news and social issues they can think of and organise the issues into groups based on who they would affect – school, town/suburb, state, country, world. For example, compulsory uniforms would be a school issue, while equal rights would be a world issue.
• The class looks at one issue and thinks about differing opinions on that issue. For example, school uniforms – what would the principal think? What would parents think? What about the students and the wider community?
• Students document these ideas in a table, and think about why the different groups might have their opinions. For example, parents like uniforms because kids don’t need lots of clothes, faster to get ready in the morning, everyone is equal.
• In small groups, students to choose another of the issues discussed and document the different opinions from different groups and try to think of reasons for each opinion.
• Students share this with the class.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed Discussion

Activity 2

Visual representation of me

Students create a poster to visually represent their values and beliefs. Students can use images and words to share about themselves.

• The class explore the concepts of values, beliefs and experiences, and how these things influence a person’s perspective.
• Students identify their own values and beliefs and create a personal concept map.
• Students find visuals that represent their values and beliefs and add these with key words and terms, to make a poster outlining what they believe in.
• Students share their posters in small groups.
• The teacher selects an issue and students explore where their opinion on this issue has come from (parents’ views, religious beliefs, personal values, own experiences etc.).
• The class discusses why it is important to think about values and beliefs, as well as why it is important to recognise and acknowledge other people’s perspectives.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed Discussion

Activity 3

Workplace worries

In small groups linked to their VET or preferred pathway, students choose a relevant issue and come up with a situation that may occur because of it.

• The class brainstorms issues that can occur in a workplace.
• The teacher writes a situation or dilemma along the top of the whiteboard. For example, an employee wants to leave work early on a Friday without telling anyone and is trying to get the team to go with him.
• The teacher divides the whiteboard into quarters and in each quarter writes the name of a role in the chosen workplace (owner, site manager, experienced team member, work placement student or first year apprentice/trainee).
• Students then look at the dilemma/situation from each role’s perspective to think about what they might take into account, their actions etc. (Owner = angry, loses money, bad for reputation. Site manager = annoyed with team, behind in job timeline, worries boss will find out. Work placement student = feels pressured to leave to be ‘one of the team’, wants a good report from the employer).
• Students form groups based on their VET or preferred pathway. Students choose an issue relevant to their VET or pathway and come up with a situation that may occur because of it.
• Students write the dilemma/situation in the middle of an A3 page and divide the page into quarters.Follow the process completed as a whole class to come up with a poster.
• Groups plan a discussion of their poster/situation and make a recording of their discussion.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed Discussion

Activity 4

Town talkback

Students explore the two sides of a local issue.

• The teacher introduces and explores some basic persuasive language techniques (e.g. emotive language, repetition, evidence).
• The class reads a short text of someone giving their opinion on a local issue and highlights the persuasive language techniques they used, the issue and their key arguments.
• The class watches a news story, Vlog or YouTube video on the same local issue but from a different perspective, and identifies the key arguments and persuasive techniques used in the video.
• The class creates a Venn diagram to compare the written text with the audio-visual one. Students discuss which one they found most persuasive and give one reason why.
• The class looks at another local issue in your town or city, and does some online research to find out the different sides of the issue and the main arguments for each side.
• The teacher invites one person from each side of the issue to come in to speak to the class.
• Students prepare questions to find out more about the issue, the visitors’ perspectives, and their values.
• After listening to each speaker, students decide who they agree with and fill in a template (issue, their opinion, arguments presented by guest speaker, why the student agrees with those arguments, add their own argument etc.).
• Students record their opinion as if they were calling into a talkback radio show.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed Discussion

Activity 5

Point of view

• Through discussion, the class come up with shared definitions of ‘fact’ and ‘opinion’, and students share an example of each to show their understanding. For example, fact = I am 44 years old. Opinion = I am old.
• The teacher leads a class discussion around the examples given, including if people share the same opinions on topics raised.
• The class reads a simple text that has a mixture of facts and opinions; students highlight the facts in one colour and the opinions in another.
• The teacher identifies an issue that is interesting or relevant to the class; students share their opinion and one reason for their POV on that issue.
• Students watch or listen to a text which contains both facts and opinions on the issue and students write the facts they hear in one column and the opinions they hear in the other column.
• The teacher leads a discussion about whether it is easier to differentiate facts and opinions in written or audio texts.
• Students choose one of the issues discussed in class and apply the writing process to create a paragraph outlining their point of view, using both facts and opinions.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed Discussion

Activity 6

Picture perfect

Students choose an issue affecting Australians and find photographs to represent both sides of the issue.  

• The class brainstorm issues affecting Australians (include multicultural communities, indigenous communities, youth, aged, etc.), and look at the key arguments and opinions on both sides.
• The class look at how photographs can be used to position opinions, and compare different photographs on the same issue to see what message/opinion the photographer is trying to share (e.g. the closing of Uluru – hordes of tourists climbing on the last days vs indigenous Australians watching on).
• Students write a few sentences about what each photograph makes them feel and think about.
• Students choose another issue affecting Australians and find photographs to represent both sides of the issue.
• Students write some notes about the issue raised and point of view given, and their response to the visual and issue.
• Students prepare a PowerPoint presentation introducing the issue, sharing and explaining each photo and giving their point of view on the issue.
• Students record their narration of the PowerPoint presentation.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed Discussion

Activity 7

‘The Littlest Refugee’

• The class read Anh Do’s ‘The Littlest Refugee’.
• The teacher leads a discussion about the purpose and audience of the text.
• The class read it again, looking for facts and opinions on being a refugee coming to Australia. The class looks at the pictures in the book to see how these position the audience.
• The class listens to part of one of Anh’s stand-up routines about being a refugee and discusses how the information is the same but the audience and presentation is different.
• Students complete a Venn diagram comparing the picture book and the stand-up routine.
• Students answer some questions based on sentence starters to give their opinion on each text.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed Discussion

Activity 8

Bias

• The class discusses the idea of ‘bias’, including the students’ understanding of it and the definition of it.
• The teacher shows a poster visually representing someone’s values and beliefs. Students outline who they think this person is based on the visuals shown (e.g. a world with arms around the globe = values the environment, a multicultural photo = open to all cultures, a woman holding a baby = a young mum).
• The teacher introduces some world issues (racism, sexism, equal rights, marriage equality, etc.) and asks students to predict what each person’s opinion on these topics may be based on the values and beliefs given.
• The teacher shows a different visual board (a war veteran in his 80s, extended family, Anglo Saxon etc.) and compares what his responses to the issues may be.
• The class discusses how each person’s values, beliefs and experiences impact on their bias towards issues.
  
• The class returns to the visual posters created in weeks 4 and 5 and divides them up evenly among the students.
• Students look at three major issues and see if they can predict the perspective and bias the person represented by the poster may have on each issue.
• Give the visual poster and predictions back to the author, who then writes their actual views on each issue.
• The class compare the prediction and the truth to see if the visual posters students created contain a lot of information about them that allowed their peers to guess their biases.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed Discussion

Activity 9

Issues oral presentation

• Students choose an issue explored throughout the unit, or a different one they would like research, and prepare an oral presentation on the topic.
• Students outline the issue, give arguments for both sides (including a visual, if possible) and then share their opinion.
• Students apply the writing process, using a template, and present to the class.
• Students listen to each other’s presentations and provide feedback.

Module 1: Explaining and understanding issues and voices

Activity 1

Brainstorm activity: All about you

Think of all the things that describe you and make you who you are.

Write your name in the centre of an A3 page and complete a word picture of yourself

Include the following:

• Name
• Age
• Family – provide details
• Interests
• Areas you do well in
• What areas do you feel you need help in?
• How would you describe yourself?
• Home – Describe where you live. Is home important to you? Why?
• Add in other details as you wish (e.g. favourite shows, sport, great books you’d recommend)
• Add in one or more issues (major concerns) you know about or are interested in knowing more about, e.g. employment, gangs, prejudice, racism, gender equality, equal rights, a right to education, immigration and so on.
• Explain briefly why it is an issue (major concern) that interests you
• Try to be OBJECTIVE when writing about an issue that interests you. Just state the reasons you find that issue interesting.

Go back and label each element describing yourself as either OBJECTIVE or SUBJECTIVE.

Editing aloud

For each piece of work you do, you need to apply the active editing checklist.

Active Editing Steps

1. Read your writing aloud. Listen to make sure that all sentences are complete and clearly expressed. You might come across sentences that don’t make sense. You need to fix them. You can only hear expression errors, you cannot see them.
2. Remember that a sentence should have a verb and subject and should express a complete thought or idea. A sentence without these is considered a sentence fragment.
3. Check to ensure that capital letters are used at the beginning of every sentence and on proper nouns.
4. Check to make sure that you are using full stops and commas correctly.
5. Make sure that you are using a combination of simple and complex sentences.
6. Check your spelling. Make sure that words like ‘their’, ‘there’ and ‘they’re’, as well as ‘to’, ‘two’ and ‘too’ are used correctly.
7. Where possible, allow some time to lapse between finishing your work and proofreading it. This will allow you to notice more errors.

VOCABULARY sheet

In the back of your folder you are to construct a VOCABULARY SHEET. Any word you find that you don’t understand you must add it to the sheet and write up a meaning for it. YOU MUST ensure you spell the words carefully, as later you will add it to an ANCHOR CHART to which all of you will contribute.

Here are some words to start.

1. Vocabulary – the words we use
2. Objective – factual, without emotion
3. Subjective – viewpoint, opinion, some emotional responses
4. Biased – looking only at one side, not balanced
5. Issue – a major topic of debate
6. Go back over what you have already done and add to the VOCABULARY SHEET now.

Module 1: Explaining and understanding issues and voices

Activity 2

Reading and listening: All about someone else

• Watch this video twice
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWW8v2F08Dk
  This presentation was made to briefly educate people on the culture of Aboriginal Australian people. This presentation was created by two Aboriginal university students with the purpose of creating awareness in the workplace. Please enjoy the video!
• Go to your Vocabulary Page and add the words that you need to spell properly. Keep adding to this page all the way through the unit.
  • Indigenous
  • Aboriginal
  • culture
  • digeridoo
    (Add other words you need to remind yourself of.)

• Answer the following questions. Ensure you edit to check that you use capital letters for people’s names and look carefully at the spelling on the video when you write down your answers.
  You will need to pause the video when you watch it a second time to write the answers to the questions.
  1. What does the word Indigenous mean?
  2. What does Aboriginal mean?
  3. Why should the words be capitalised in written work?
  4. What are correct terms to use when referring to Aboriginal people?
  5. What was the aim of Closing the Gap Campaign started in 2008?
  6. How do Aboriginal people tell their dreamtime stories?
  7. When Indigenous Australians dance to the digeridoo what are they imitating?
  8. What is the message the two presenters end with?
  
  CHECKLIST: Make sure you edit aloud for each point as you complete it. Listen to the video all the way through first, then play it again, writing the details you need from the screen.
  
  Skill check: Listening and reading closely. Writing words correctly. Identifying point of view and fact from fiction. Identifying the main ideas and information.

Module 1: Explaining and understanding issues and voices

Activity 3

Creating a chart to help explain the meaning of language terms

• Look at the Revisiting Language Features worksheet below.
• Choose a partner. Your task is to create an Anchor Chart to help your classmates understand the terms used.
• Select four of the terms. Each pair must have different terms to explain.
• Work in pairs to create a chart that explains clearly what the terms mean. Provide examples for each term.
• You might have to use a dictionary or a search engine to find other definitions and more examples. You need to ensure it is an explanation that others can understand.
  
  Revisiting Language Features
  Read through this list first and see what terms you can recall from previous work.

• Tone: this is how the composer feels about the subject of the poem. The word choice, poetic devices and symbolism will convey the tone of the poet. There are many words that can be used to describe tone. E.g.: angry, concerned, frustrated, critical, mocking, bitter, cynical, etc.
• Word Choice: the selection of words like verbs, adjectives and nouns help to make the message clear. E.g. He screamed (verb) Su was a bright and talented student (adjectives) (nouns) They lived in a small, cosy room with lots of brightly coloured paintings on the dark walls. (adjectives) (nouns). What do these words do in a sentence?
• Structure: a song usually has a repeated chorus and the words may or may not rhyme. Protest poems can be free verse or lyrical with a rhyming scheme.
• Poetic Devices: there are so many poetical devices that a composer can use. Below are some of the main ones you need to know:
• Similes: a comparison using ‘like’ or ‘as’. E.g. “He floats like a butterfly.”
• Metaphors: where one thing becomes the other. E.g. “War is a destructive monster.”
• Personification: giving human qualities to a non-human object. E.g. “The hydrogen bomb left behind a sinister calling card.”
• Oxymoron: two contradictory words placed together to make a dramatic point. E.g. “cruel tears” and “sweet sorrow”
• Hyperbole: dramatic exaggeration. E.g. “I am so hungry I could eat a horse.”
• Repetition: repeating key words.
• Alliteration: repeating the first letter (consonant) at the beginning of a number of words. E.g. “The rifles rapidly fired and reloaded.”
• Assonance: repeating the vowel sound in a number of words. E.g. “It is a sin.”
• Onomatopoeia: a word that echoes the sound it represents. E.g. “The bullets whistled past his head.” The water bubbled in the pot.
  Other Features:
  • Irony: saying one thing but meaning another. E.g. “War doesn’t hurt anyone.”
  • Symbolism: a representation. E.g. The rose represents beauty and love. The sun represents growth and warmth.
  • Person: 1st: ‘I’; 2nd: ‘You’; 3rd: ‘He’ or ‘She’ or ‘They’ E.g. I told her my story. You are very generous with your praise. They were heading off to work.
  • Rhyme and Rhythm:
  • Repetition: A powerful way to place emphasis on the key words and the message of a poem or song.
    “They took the children away/They took the children away”
  • Rhyme: A rap employs rhyme to make it catchy and more memorable.
  Musical Features:
  • Vocals: comment on the pitch, pace and tone of the voice. What does the voice sound like?
  • Pace: comment on the speed, slowness, etc.
  • Instrumental: comment on the choice of instruments and their impact on the sound of the song and the message.
  Exercises:
  Identify the following features:
  a. “The river was choking on the rubbish.”
  b. “Slowly, silently and stealthily he crept…”
  d. “She was a fair, frail child.”
  e. “The monstrous anger of the guns.”
  f. “And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds.”
  g. “The clubbing of the gun.”
  h. “He waded through the waist deep water.”
  i. “Oh glorious sun shine on this beauty!”
  j. “Men marched asleep.”
  k. “Sunlight throws spears against the afternoon.”
  l. “Oh beautiful, beautiful child now you are free…”

Module 1: Explaining and understanding issues and voices

Activity 4

Listening to a song to understand the past

• With your teacher, follow the lyrics as you listen to Archie Roach’s song ‘Take the Children Away’.
• Answer the questions that follow, after you have discussed the meaning of the lyrics.

1. What is the song referring to?
2. Whose story is being told?
3. How do the pictures in the YouTube clip help tell the story and convey the singer/songwriter’s opinion?
4. What language features can you recognise in this song? Write the example and identify the technique or language feature being used. For example, Repetition.
5. How do these techniques work together to create a sense of sadness and loss?
6. Describe your understanding of the vocal (tone, pace, delivery) and the music. How do they help convey Roach’s message?

CHECKLIST: Make sure you actively listen and that you edit aloud for each point as you complete it.
Skill check: Identifying a point of view and a message. Identifying tone. Making sense of persuasive and influential content. Identifying an author’s point of view. Applying the conventions of literacy in structuring answers.

Module 1: Explaining and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 5

Writing about a person and their experience

• With your teacher, read an interview with a notable Australian – for example, Adam Goodes.
• Highlight the main points as you read and listen to the reading.
• Circle words you want to add to your Vocabulary Page.
• In your Vocabulary Page, list all the words you come across in the interview that you need to find meanings for.

Sample Questions – Notable Australians
Article:
Who is Adam Goodes? What do you already know about this man?
Story Time – an interview with Adam Goodes.
Story time ‘The Age’ Monday 15th November 2021

• Read and highlight the key points in the interview with former Swans player and Australian of the year, Adam Goodes, For example:
  1. Who are the two people Adam Goodes has teamed up with to write about First Nations stories?
  2. What is the title of the five-book series?
  3. What is the series about?
  4. What is the first book’s title?
  5. What does Adam Goodes say he hopes will be the difference between his education and his daughter Adelaide’s education?
  6. Adam reads to his daughter every day. Why does he think that is important?
  7. The experiences of the stolen generations is still very raw. What was Adam’s connection to that time?
  8. What is not taught in schools that Goodes feels should be?
  9. What is the word he uses to describe what his books will be about?
  10. Being a father has made Goodes determined that his daughter will learn about her culture. Choose a line that shows this.
  11. What is terra nullius? You will need to search for this term as is it is not defined in the interview.
  12. As well as explaining the concept of terra nullius, Goodes is wanting to write about what?
  13. What is the tone that is most obvious in this interview? You might consider the following words that describe tone: determined, concerned, hopeful or maybe positive?
  14. Choose two sentences that support your choice of tone.
  15. Is this piece balanced in point of view? How can you tell?
  16. Imagine you have been asked to introduce Adam Goodes on a radio station and you have to give a brief outline of the man and what he is doing now, before the interview begins. What would you say?

CHECKLIST: Make sure you edit aloud for each point as you complete it. Have you added to you Vocabulary Page?
Skill check: Reading for meaning. Identifying a point of view. Identifying tone. Identifying how language relates to purpose and audience.

Module 1: Explaining and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 6

Reading about and listening to a person’s experience: Growing up Aboriginal in Australia, (ed.) Anita Heiss

• Read at least three stories with your teacher

CHECKLIST: Active listening needed. Highlight as you read. Read the question first and highlight the text when you hear the word and see the writing that refers to the question.
Skill check: Identifying a point of view and quotations that help reveal what this person has experienced. Identifying tone. Apply the conventions of literacy in responses.

• Respond to at least one story
• The teacher should supply a response scaffold

CHECKLIST: Make sure you edit aloud for each point as you complete it.
Skill check: Interpreting the message in a story. Using evidence from the story to complete a response. Applying the conventions of literacy.

Module 1: Explaining and understanding issues and voices

Activity 7

Listening to an opinion: Anita Heiss

• Watch the short video and listen to what Dr Heiss is saying.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqE2Wthc3rU
• Why does Anita Heiss believe Reconciliation week is important? Is she biased?
• What tone does she use as she tries to explain her point of view to her audience?
• What do you notice about her body language and eye contact and voice?
• List the words she refers to in her talk and then create a wordle (a word cloud) that highlights the key points https://www.wordclouds.com/

CHECKLIST: Make sure you edit aloud for each point as you complete it.
Skill check: Interpreting the message in a story. Using evidence from the story to complete a response. Recognising the difference between informed opinion and biased viewpoints. Adding new words to your vocabulary sheet.

Module 1: Explaining and understanding issues and voices

Activity 8

Writing about a person of interest

• Select one of the authors from the anthology Growing up Aboriginal in Australia, whose work you have read, OR select another person of interest to research.
• Research online to find out:
• Where they grew up
• Any biographical information about them.
• Their interests
• Their careers
• Influences in their life
• Include a photo
• Read the biographical details on the back of the Growing up Aboriginal in Australia book to add extra information about the person.

Presenting your research

• Create a PowerPoint to present your work:
• Choose an appropriate theme and design and colour
• Font minimum 24pt
• No more than 6 slides
• Use minimum words
• Do not copy and paste
• Edit carefully – use the terms for Indigenous Australians correctly
• Do not read your slides
• Talk to the class ensuring you use appropriate body language, pace and eye contact, and that you are comfortable with the pronunciation of your words

CHECKLIST: Make sure you highlight the tasks as you go. Tick off each point as you complete it. Look at the rubric for how you will be marked.
Skill check: Following a model in order to create a PowerPoint. Editing written work. Emailing the PowerPoint to your teacher after editing. Presenting using eye contact and appropriate presentation skills.

Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 9

Heywire listening, note-taking and writing

• Select three (or more) stories to listen to, read and view
• Log onto Heywire site
  https://www.abc.net.au/heywire/winners/
• Listen to a few stories together and participate in discussion to find the main points of each story and provide evidence to support your comments about the stories’ good points.

Active Listening involves these steps:

1. As you listen remember to listen ACTIVELY
2. You need to pay attention
3. You must try not to judge
4. You need to consider or reflect on what has been shared
5. You must try to make sense of, or clarify, so you can understand the key points more clearly
6. You need to be able to summarise the story so you could, for example, tell someone else what it was about

Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 10

Heywire: Writing about one of the stories you watched as a class

• Select one of the stories you watched together with the class.
• Use the writing guide below as a scaffold

Story Title
Author’s name/State of residence
Summary of the story.
A summary is a brief statement of the main points and does not include your own opinions or ideas. From the Latin word summa.
You have watched and listened to a story.
In your words, explain to me what it was about. Read the summary provided about each story but do not copy it.

How did the author structure the piece?
This means how the story is built or set out; how different parts are fitted together. From the Latin word stuctura.

• How does the writer begin the story?
• What is the opening line?
• Is it engaging? How?
• What happens in the middle of the story?
• Are there examples provided.
• Does it build up as in interest or tension?
• How is the story ended?
• Is there a finish to an event or is there a message to be passed on?
• Has the writer learnt something?

Features that stood out in the story and why.

• Was the story engaging? Why?
• Did you identify with the writer and what they had to say? In what way?
• Did you disagree with the writer and their point of view? Can you explain why?
• Did the story make you think or want to know more?
• Did you sympathise with the writer? Why?
• Was it full of detail?
• Did it use humour?
• Was it a serious tone?
• How could you tell?

What was effective about the presentation?
Consider, images, video, song, music and so on

Why do you think this story would have been one of the winners?
Put on a judge’s hat. What would a panel of judges have liked about the story to make it a winner?
Choose two lines from the story that are memorable to you. Try to explain what made those lines stand out for you.

• Read out your written responses. Look at the checklist and tick off each point that has been included.
• When you have listened to several other responses, select at least two more stories to watch and to listen to individually, and then use the same headings with suggested focus points, to write about the selected pieces you have chosen to watch.

Editing your responses

• Use the Editing Aloud Steps to ensure your written work is correct. Check your sentence structure, punctuation and spelling and punctuation.

Active Editing Steps

• Read your writing aloud. Listen to make sure that all sentences are complete and clearly expressed. You might come across sentences that don’t make sense. You need to fix them. You can only hear expression errors, you cannot see them.
• Remember that a sentence should have a verb and subject and should express a complete thought or idea. A sentence without these is considered a sentence fragment.
• Check to ensure that capital letters are used at the beginning of every sentence and on proper nouns.
• Check to make sure that you are using full stops and commas correctly.
• Make sure that you are using a combination of simple and complex sentences.
• Check your spelling. Make sure that words like ‘their’, ‘there’ and ‘they’re’, as well as ‘to’, ‘two’ and ‘too’ are used correctly.
• Where possible, allow some time to lapse between finishing your work and proofreading it. This will allow you to notice more errors.

Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 11

Heywire: Writing and recording your own story

• Brainstorm some ideas first, for example:
• Growing up in a small regional town
• Life on the land
• I came from a very different culture
• My family and other animals
• I like cars
• I enjoy reading
• I have a dream to be …
• Travel has made me realise …
• Lockdown was an opportunity to …
• I have a condition that…
• My job is very interesting.
  
• Think of the structure and features that made the stories you listened to (and or watched) engaging (refer to your notes to remind you).
• Brainstorm:
• Write down lots of ideas to start
• Select your favourite three topics from your list
• Select your favourite topic and brainstorm every possible idea that seems to be a part of that topic for your story
• Select three to four of the most interesting ideas that go with this one topic
• Expand each one with ideas, anecdotes, examples and what you have learnt about yourself
• What is the point of each of your four key points?
• What did you learn from each experience?
• How did the experience help clarify some understanding for you?
• Structure your story:
• How are you going to introduce your story? How did the winning writers introduce their stories?
• What idea are you going to talk about first? Remember to use the ideas you have selected
• Put the ideas into an order
• How will you conclude your piece? How did the writers you listened to do so?
• How are you going to present it?
• Are you going to write it up and add pictures as background?
• Record your story with music?
• Film and record the story as a voice over?
• Another way?

Skills Check: Responding to a series of spoken pieces, identifying the main ideas and structures used. Identifying how the selected stories engaged the audience: how they used body language, eye contact gestures and pace when presenting their stories.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices

Activity 1

Understanding community post-it notes

• Introduction to Area of Study 1: Understanding issues and voices (teacher to provide brief summary of the outcome descriptor in the form of an annotated visual for students (Powtoon/PowerPoint). The teacher explains meaning of key words such as ‘text types’, ‘bias’, ‘vocational settings’ while simultaneously testing students’ prior knowledge through probing questions etc. The teacher might choose to create a PowerPoint or laminated cue cards that provide a definition of key words and images to represent these key words to assist students in building knowledge of specialised vocabulary. Or students might be prompted to produce these.
• Understanding community post-it note activity – the teacher scaffolds students to understand notions of ‘community’ on a personal level, national level and global level
• The teacher writes a brainstorm bubble on the whiteboard and distributes individual post-it notes to students in the class. The students are prompted to write down their understanding of the term ‘community’ on the post-it note using key words only.
• Students are instructed to discuss their ideas of community with each other and then place their post-it note on the whiteboard under the heading ‘Community’.
• The teacher provides a working definition of the term ‘community’ and asks students to create a mind map of all the different communities they are part of. For example, sports communities, school communities, art communities, cultural communities, language communities, gaming communities etc.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 2

Understanding Community PowerPoint

• Teacher prepares and presents a PowerPoint of images representing different communities and invites students to take notes on what they know about these communities (football communities, workplace communities, global communities, social media communities such as Snapchat and Instagram etc.)
• Teacher invites students to list a range of issues that may affect people in these communities on post-it notes (students post the notes on a whiteboard under key headings listing different communities such as ‘Football Community’)
• Students create their own annotated PowerPoint/Powtoon/Voicethread presentation exploring a community of their choice. Students research and list a range of issues that affect these communities. Students present their findings to small groups or the class.
• Students create a poster (digital or hard copy) representing a mind-map of the communities they themselves are part of.
• Teacher presents an overview of different issues affecting different communities by sharing a selected series of news articles exploring community-related issues (climate change, AFL and racism, council parking fines, MYKI ticket prices etc.).

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 3

Expressing my opinion diary

Students are to produce a digital or hard-copy diary allowing them to express their own opinions on a range of media texts.

• Teacher introduces major assessment 1 for LO1 titled ‘Voices in the press: My Voicethread presentation’.
• Teacher runs ‘Expressing my opinion’ activity over two weeks. The teacher screens pre-selected ‘You Can’t Ask That’ episodes from ABC online and prompts students to note-take any key points from the film.
• Teacher scaffolds students through note-taking, unpacking the ways language and visuals are used to influence an audience (in reference to the ‘You Can’t Ask That’ series).
• Students fill out their ‘Expressing my opinion diary’ and write their own personal thoughts, opinions and insights on the issues presented.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 4

Values – What are they?

• Teacher introduces the concept of values by running the ‘Values – What are they?’ activity.
• Teacher cuts a four metre strip of masking tape and places it on the floor down the centre of the classroom.
• Teacher directs all students to stand on one side of the tape. The teacher nominates the left side of the tape to be the ‘YES’ responses and the right side to be ‘NO’ responses. The teacher reads out 10 to 15 questions asking students to move to the side of the room if they:
• Like to earn a lot of money (Yes or No? Move to the side that represents you. Stand on the line if you are in between. The teacher asks individual students why they chose their position. The teacher prompts students to think about what they might place high value on, money, for example?)
• Like to play team sports at least once a week (Do you value sport and physical exercise?)
• Like to use social media? (Do you value digital technology? Is it important to your life? Extremely important move to ‘yes’. Not that important move to ‘no’)
• Like to travel (links to valuing travel)
• Like to spend time with family (links to valuing family)
• Teacher provides a working definition of social values and asks students to note-take in their Literacy workbooks.
  

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 5

Voicethread presentation: Voices in the press

• Teacher introduces Voicethread digital media platform and scaffolds students through a sample presentation made by the teacher on a chosen issue (racism in the workplace/climate change/underpayment in the workforce/bias in the media etc. Predicted length should be roughly 5–10 minutes).
• The teacher records their own video recorded persuasive introduction in Voicethread and embeds key facts, statistics, video clips and images using a range of sources in their Voicethread presentation to support their main argument.
• Students note-take key pieces of evidence on the topic and engage in a class discussion unpacking the key themes/issues/biases presented.
• Teacher continues scaffolding the skills embedded in major assessment 1 for LO1 titled ‘My Voicethread presentation: Voices in the press’.
• Students are directed to research ONE topical issue of their choice for their major Voicethread project.
• Students directed to source a range of key statistics, facts and persuasive texts to present a particular point of view.
• Teacher scaffolds students through speech writing and prompts students to produce a one to two page persuasive written speech, which they will later break up into small recorded segments in their Voicethread presentations.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 6

Sound like a pro: Rule of three

• The teacher prompts students to create a rule of three in their opening speech for their Voicethread presentations. To create a rule of three, students can use a word or phrase at the beginning of a sentence or three clauses within a sentence (taken from ‘How to Teach…students to give engaging oral presentations’, 2013, Ticking Mind). For example, instead of using one verb at the beginning of a speech, we can use three such as: We must stand up, rise, move to action. Or we can use three adjectives to describe a noun in an opening sentence to a speech such as: The once majestic jungles of the Amazon now lie wasted, destroyed, ruined.
• Teacher runs the ‘Sound like a pro’ activity to assist students in writing a persuasive intro to their Voicethread presentations. Students record their introductions to their topic in Voicethread.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 7

The Australian Dream film review

The teacher screens The Australian Dream film and writes a series of questions exploring media bias, discrimination in sport racism and equality on the whiteboard for students to respond to at the end of the film.

• The teacher invites all students to take notes on the key themes, opinions, issues and biases presented by the text.
• Students use quotes, recount notes and key facts presented by the film to write a four-paragraph film review. Students are encouraged to support their own opinions using examples from the film. Students are prompted to embed one of their responses to the film in their Voicethread presentations.
• The teacher invites students to think about the ways an author’s (i.e. Adam Goodes) values and background can influence their opinions.
• Students watch Adam Good’s 2014 Australian of the Year acceptance speech (Adam Goodes - Australian of the Year 2014 Acceptance Speech - YouTube) and take notes on the key message/s being presented.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 8

My Voicethread presentation: My story

• The teacher introduces the ‘My story’ activity, scaffolding students through the use of the ‘Story Maker’ app to enable students the chance to produce their own short stories exploring bias. The teacher provides writing prompts and mind maps to help students organise their story ideas.
• The teacher prompts student through the use of the app ‘Story Maker’ and invites students to produce a short story about an animal that encounters bias. Students draft short one-page stories following a narrative structure and use metaphor, repetition and alliteration to convey a moral message.
• Students include images and text and generate a complete digital story (after drafting in their workbooks).
• The teacher continues scaffolding students through narrative structure and persuasive techniques including repetition and alliteration. Students are encouraged to include a moral to their story. The teacher may read various short stories with morals to engage learners in this activity.
• Students embed their Story Maker story in their Voicethread presentations (either via the voice recording icon, the video icon or by uploading a link to their story). Students read their stories to either small groups or the whole class.
• Students continue embedding images, facts, film clips and their own recorded clips, discussing the main issue they have chosen to explore. The teacher scaffolds conventions of referencing, paying specific attention to copyright.
• Students are prompted to include questions to their audience into their Voicethread presentations (e.g. Do you agree with the statement just made?).

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 9

Presenting to persuade

• The teacher runs the ‘Presenting to persuade’ activity, encouraging students to practice public speaking and persuasion by attempting to sell products to small groups.
• The teacher puts students in small groups (five per group) and hands out a series of objects that can be sold (a tie, a book, a packet of chips, a cup etc.) The teacher distributes five items per group and each student has 30 seconds to sell an object. On the whiteboard, the teacher writes examples of statistics and facts, as well as demonstrates examples of good eye-contact and voice modulation. Students each have to try sell an object in 30 seconds using these tools of persuasion. Students vote on the objects they would buy based on the quality of the pitch the seller gave.

Module 1: Exploring and understanding issues and voices
Module 2: Informed discussion

Activity 10

My Voicethread presentation: Presentations and responding to others

• The teacher schedules the Voicethread presentations into one to two weeks of oral presentations.
• The teacher scaffolds students using paralinguistic features of language such as use of eye-contact, body language and gesture as well as verbal features of language such as voice, tone and modulation of voice.
• Students present their final persuasive Voicethread presentations either to small groups or to the whole class. The teacher grades final project using suggested rubric.
• The teacher invites all students to respond to at least five other students’ presentations using the questions embedded as a prompt. Students can choose to respond using the type function, the voice function or the video function.
• The teacher encourages all students to produce personal reflections in any media format (iMovie, Voicethread, writing in workbooks, PowerPoint etc.)
• Each student produces a three-paragraph written draft reflecting on their own presentations as well as the presentation of one other. Students share their reflections in small groups.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation
Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 1

Emails and phone calls

• The teacher introduces the unit and outline expectations for the semester.
• The class brainstorm who we are likely to send emails to over the next year, and divides the list into formal and informal emails.
• The class focuses on formal emails (teachers, work placement, job applications etc.).
• The class reads through a text about sending emails, which covers having a subject, what to include in the body, attachments and proofreading.
• The teacher reviews skimming and scanning techniques as part of the reading task.
• Students answer questions on a worksheet linked to the text to show understanding.
• The teacher sets a scenario and the class jointly construct an email suitable for that situation.
• The teacher sets another scenario and students prepare a suitable email and send it to the teacher.
• The teacher confirms whether students have an appropriate email address other than their school one and, if not, ask them to follow instructions on how to set one up (Gmail for example).
• The teacher introduces the skills needed for the phone.
• Students discuss things they like and don’t like about making formal phone calls, especially if it is with someone they don’t know.
• The class watches a video about formal phone calls and students take notes about key phrases used, and how they start and finish calls etc.
• The class creates role plays to practice making and receiving calls.
• The class discusses leaving voice messages and comes up with a basic script (who are you? what do you want? how can you be contacted?).
• The class discusses personal greetings (“Hi, this is Tom. I can’t come to the phone right now but leave a message and I will get back to you.”).
• The class looks at different greetings from a formal perspective – if a teacher were to call you, if a possible employer called – what would their reactions be? What might the outcomes be?

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation
Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 2

Employment support excursion

Students attend an excursion to an employment agency or their local LLEN where one of the employees gives a short introduction about the job and services on offer.

• Students look at the website for a local provider of short courses. The class talks through the layout/structure of the website and discusses audience, purpose and language.
• Students do a scavenger hunt to find certain information on the site.
• Students find three short courses they would be interested in and fill the details in on a table (course name, topic, cost, location, dates, how to apply).
• Students share their findings with the class, including why they would like to do each course and how it would help them in the future.
• The teacher outlines the role of job employment agencies and LLENS.
• The class does an online search to find some agencies and the local LLEN.
• The class chooses one agency and looks at their website, discussing the layout/structure of the website – key aspects of websites (about us, contact us, FAQs etc.), audience, purpose and language.
• In pairs, students create a scavenger hunt for the website where they come up with the questions and answers.
• The teacher proofreads the questions to check their accuracy and then shares some with the class.
• The teacher organises a visit to an employment agency or local LLEN and asks for one of the employees to give a short introduction to the students.
• Students have a planned question to ask while they are there.
• Students collect any other resources (brochures, forms, posters etc.) and compare them, looking at audience, purpose, language and effectiveness.
• Students apply the writing process to create an email to a friend outlining what they have learnt about the job agency or LLEN.
• The class brainstorms information needed on the first day of a job and discusses where this information might be found and people who may be able to help.
• The class watches a workplace induction video, and students listen for key information and record answers on a worksheet as they watch.
• Students imagine they are starting at that job and write three questions they might still have.
• Students apply the writing process to create and send an email to the line manager outlining what was learnt in the video and asking the three questions.
• Students role play the line manager calling the new employee to answer the questions.
• Students need to think about how they will answer the call and take notes about the information given.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation
Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 3

Online calendar

• The teacher shows some examples of workplace schedules, and asks students questions about it (What dates does this schedule cover? What time does X work on Monday? How many shifts does Y have this week? Who works the Thursday afternoon shift?)
• After modelling the questions and writing examples on the board, students ask and answer questions of each other to show their understanding of the schedule.
• The teacher sends an email to the class as their parent/caregiver outlining a few family events that are on during the week and asks if they can attend.
• Students take on the schedule of one of the sample employees and reply to their parent/caregiver outlining their shift times and which family events they can and can’t attend.
• The teacher talks through the Outlook Calendar and provides an instruction sheet with steps of how to add events.
• The class follows the steps and adds an event as an example.
• Students follow the instructions themselves and add in their work schedule and family events as discussed for that week. Students then receive emails from a few different friends about social events during the week, and reply to the emails saying if they can attend or not and add the relevant ones to the calendar. Students colour coordinate the calendar, so work is one colour, family is another and friends are a different one.
• Students talk through their week with a classmate.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation
Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 4

AEC visit

• The class brainstorms things students can do when they are 18, one of which is vote.
• The class explores the Australian Electoral Commission website together, discussing audience, purpose and effectiveness, for example, is the layout and structure like other websites explored?
• Using the website, ask each student to find out if they are eligible to vote and what they need to enrol.
• Ask students to bring required information to the next class and support them to complete their online enrolment at www.aec.gov.au/enrol/
• Invite the AEC to run an incursion about the electoral system and how to vote.
• Students take notes during the presentation.
• Using information from the website and the incursion, students apply the writing process to make a digital poster aimed at informing Year 12 students about voting, including the steps to follow to enrol.
• The teacher reviews plagiarism, writing in own words and the need to acknowledge sources.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation

Activity 5

Volunteer Research Centre visit

• The class visits the local Volunteer Research Centre to find out about volunteering and local opportunities.
• Students collect resources and documents to review back at school.
• Students write notes outlining key information about the visit.
• The class goes to the Volunteering Victoria website, clicks on For Volunteers and then Volunteer Benefits and Stories.
• Students read one of the stories as a class and list the key information on the whiteboard.
• Students choose a different story to read and write their own notes on.
• Students share with a classmate what they have learnt and then record all the benefits of volunteering they can think of.
• Students find a local volunteering opportunity and, applying the writing process, write a letter to introduce themselves, including what they would like to do and why they would be a good volunteer.
• The class researches some local organisations that students might encounter in the coming years (sporting group, Red Cross Blood Donation, Foodshare, RSPCA, interest group etc.).
• Students fill in key information about each – there could be three or four joint ones and space for students to add two or three of their own ideas and interests.
• Students review the information shared on their website compared to the information on Facebook and/or Instagram, and create a Venn diagram to compare and explore the reasons for the similarities and differences.
• The class discusses which online media would be more accurate and why.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation

Activity 6

Do Food Safely

Students complete the ‘Do Food Safely’ certificate online by participating in class discussions and recording key information at the end of each section. The class revises together by reading notes and asking each other questions before completing the online assessment. Students discuss how the skills learnt and processes followed can be applied to other tests in the future (TAFE, Driver’s Licence etc.).

• The class brainstorms different situations in which people prepare and share food, and adds consequences of not preparing food properly.
• The class completes the Do Food Safely certificate together online to ensure students know safe food preparation for all parts of life.
• The class reads through and discusses the information together.
• At the end of each section, students write key information in dot points, including new words.
• Students revise together by asking each other questions.
• Students complete the online assessment and print the certificate to add to their CV folder.
• The class talks about the steps taken to complete this certificate and how these can be applied to other tests in the future (TAFE, Driver’s Licence etc.).
• The class reads information on the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website about applying for a Tax File Number (TFN).
• The class reads a chosen section together and then students answer some Kahoot questions to check their understanding.
• Repeat this with a few different sections on the website.
• If a student has not applied, support them to complete their online application.
• If a student already has a TFN, get them to write the steps of how to apply for one so it can be shared with Year 12s who still need to apply.

Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 7

Pathway prepared checklist

• The class brainstorms all of the things students need to, or can do, this year to be ready for their pathways.
• Divide the list into things everyone should do and things that are specific to individuals/pathways.
• As a class, design a Pathway prepared checklist, including all the generic elements (clear pathway or options, cover letter, CV, TFN etc.), as well as space for students to add their own elements.
• Students present their checklist to their teacher and talk through actions they are going to take to get them done.
• Students start thinking about their pathway plan and/or options.
• Students fill a template about two options (job/field, qualifications needed and how to get them, skills needed including what you need to work on, pay, leave, hours, reason interested, possible links, work placement opportunities etc.).
• Students need to record websites visited and resources used.
• Students choose one of their pathway options and prepare a cover letter. If they have created one in another subject, they can bring that to review from a literacy perspective (add detail, check accuracy etc.).
• The teacher reviews the structure of a formal letter to make sure it includes everything (address, date, greeting, sign off etc.); reviews the language used – formalise, remove slang etc., looks at paragraphing – is there an intro, one idea per paragraph and a conclusion? Looks at detail – are there examples to back up what students are saying?
• Students proofread to ensure accuracy – spelling, capitals, full stops etc., and consider the presentation – font, writing size, formatting consistency, print on coloured paper etc.
• Students follow a similar process with their CV.

Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 1

SMART Goals

• The class discuss why SMART Goals (or setting any goals) are important to personal and educational goals. The teacher shows the class an example of a SMART Goal and provides a template that they can use to create their own.
• Students create a simple SMART Goal (something they can achieve in one to two days).
• The teacher explains the difference between educational and person goals, then each student comes up with four goals that they will achieve by the end of the year (two per semester). Two goals must be related to their education/VET and the other two can be personal goals.
• Students record their goals digitally (if possible) and then share with the teacher.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation

Activity 2

Digital poster/Presentation task intro & brainstorm

• The teacher introduces the task – creating a digital poster/presentation of things young adults need to know when they leave school. The categories students focus on are:
• Laws
• Respectful Relationships
• Resilience
• Home and Living
• Physical and Mental Health
  
• The teacher explains the task to be achieved in Unit 3, including modules and learning goals.
• The teacher introduces a planner to set out goals for the class to meet. Students can negotiate these goals with the teacher; goals can also be individualised if required. 
• The teacher creates a visual timeline with the students so that they can clearly see what needs to be completed and by when.
• Students brainstorm things they want to know by the time they leave school and group the ideas in relevant categories (for example, Living, House and Rent, Tax and Jobs, Fun, Legal, Rules etc.).
• The class navigates the website Youth Law Australia (yla.org.au) focusing on laws that students are interested in. 
• Students form groups of two to three, and then skim/read and write down three to four laws that they think are extremely important to know about when they leave school. 
• The class create a master list of laws. Based on the numbers of laws on the master list, they divide them out to each group; these laws will be included in their final product (digital poster/presentation).
• Students research the laws, skim and write a summary of key points including details related to how/where someone can get support if they break or are affected by the law (100 to 150 words for each law).

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation

Activity 3

Resilience case study

• Students are to research a famous person who has shown resilience and write up an informative report about the person. 
• The teacher shows the class clips about resilience.
• Students create a whole class definition of what resilience means. 
• Once the definition has been created, the class brainstorms some additional tips on how to build and develop resilience (examples from the video can also be included in the brainstorm).
• Students select and research a famous person who has shown resilience (based on the class definition) and write up an informative report about the person. 
• The class discuss the writing structure of a report, including:
  • writing style
  • use of heading and subheadings
  • pictures and images
  • language that should be used. 
• Teachers give students a report pro forma/template that they can use to write a report related to their person. 
• Teachers can provide a research planner (depending on student’s needs) to assist in the planning process before students write their report.
• Students draft their reports using the provided template, seek feedback and make amendments before starting on their final copy.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation

Activity 4

Respectful Relationships video

Students pick one or two areas of interest related to Respectful Relationships and create a video to explain their topic. Please note, this can be a sensitive topic so it is essential to constantly monitor students and check in with them while they work though this topic.

• Students read the article at Respectful Relationships | Body Talk.
• Students summarise what Respectful Relationships (RR) means in 20 words or less. 
• The class, share and write up all the responses and then come up with a whole class definition of Respectful Relationships.
• Students select one or two areas of interest related to Respectful Relationships and create a video to explain their topic.
• Before recording, students create a script, check appropriateness (and alter script/message based on feedback if required) and create a basic storyboard.
• The teacher reminds students about the language they are using and the audience they are addressing.
• Once the teacher is happy with the students planning, the video can be created and edited as required.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation

Activity 5

Home and living

• Students read through the following websites, skim and take notes of what they believe are the most important things to remember when moving out of home.
  • Moving out of home - Moneysmart.gov.au
  • Costs of living out of home in Australia | Savings.com.au
• The class brainstorm and rank ideas on the board.
• Students start creating a ‘Moving List’. This list is a ‘live’ list and students are to continue adding more tips to it while they work on the following tasks (the completed list will be included in the final presentation).
• Students create a house shopping guide; the guide should include the following (this is also going to be included in the final presentation):
  • Ideal places to live – Students are to research where they believe would be an ideal location for them to live.
  • Home cost comparison – Students are to compare three properties located in a region of their choosing, the comparison must include: price, size, layout, local amenities and a reason for and against living at each location (including maps and images).
  • Cost of living vs wage comparison (based on average wage) students are to list the things they would need to live comfortably including cost and compare it to the amount of money they would make a month (minus tax).
  • Contracts that need to be signed and why? (such as phones/internet and mortgage) – Students are to list the things they would need to sign (any form of legal binding contracts), look at the terms and conditions, summarise what would happen if they broke the contract and provide tips for what to look out for when signing contracts.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation

Activity 6

Physical and mental health

Students run a workshop for the class, and obtain feedback from participants and the teacher:

• The class brainstorms ideas about how we can improve our physical and mental health.
• Using the list created and student’s personal knowledge, students select and research a physical and mental health activity, and explain how it helps overall physical and mental health.
• Students skim and read though the following websites, making summary notes:
  • LAYMHA | Mental Health Tips (lookafteryourmentalhealthaustralia.org.au)
  • Physical activity and exercise guidelines for all Australians | Australian Government Department of Health
• Students move into groups of three to plan and run a short tutorial/workshop about their selected physical and mental health activity using their research and the brainstormed ideas.
• The class and the teacher will provide brief, written feedback to each group.
• Students review their work and the feedback, making any necessary changes.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation

Activity 7

Digital presentation

• Using information researched throughout this unit in Activities 2 to 6, students make a digital poster/presentation aimed at informing Year 12 students about life and legal skills, including the steps to avoid common real-life problems and successfully navigate adulthood.
  The categories that students focus on are:
  • Laws
  • Respectful Relationships
  • Resilience
  • Home and Living
  • Physical and Mental Health
• The teacher reminds students about their target audience and to use appropriate language and writing style.
• The class discuss/brainstorm what the digital presentation should look like, including:
  • fonts and colours
  • linking all relevant media
  • structure
  • target audience
  • how to make it relevant to that target audience.
• If students choose not to create a digital presentation, go over possible ideas of how to convey their messages that were created digitally through the last few weeks (e.g. Respectful Relationship video).
• Students must remember to include all the previous tasks in their presentation.
• Students focus on putting the information into their own words and recording/acknowledging the sources they use.
• Students submit drafts to the teacher for feedback prior to the final poster/presentation. 

Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 8

Workplace research

• Students complete a VET related employability and training research task (OH&S and Job worksheet).
• Students create a summary sheet that includes all relevant information from the worksheet on one A4 page that someone would give to a younger student who is interested in the industry.
• Students draft their summary page, seek feedback and make relevant changes.
• The teacher reminds students about their target audience and to use appropriate language and writing style.
• Students submit a draft and receive and reflect on an apply feedback from the teacher before submitting.

Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 9

Business plan

Students create a basic business plan.

• The teacher introduces the class to the idea of creating a business plan, going over examples so that students can skim through and pick up on the type of language used, structure, tone and writing style used when creating a business plan.
• The class discuss what they might need when trying to start a business. After brainstorming, rank five of the top ideas that the class believes are most important.
• Students create a basic business plan related to their VET/Workplace/Industry.
• Students include the five top ideas from the brainstorm and the following elements in their business plan:
  • Business vision
  • SWOT analysis
  • Three Strategies that will assist in implementing your business vision
  • Positive and negative analysis of the three strategies
  • Action Plan 3 Months, 6 Months and 12 Months.
• Students should draft their work to submit for feedback, make any amendments and alterations and submit a final copy.

Note: Students will be reusing some of the details from their Business plan in the following task – Creating a ‘marketing plan’.

Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 10

Marketing plan

• The teacher introduces the next step – Creating a marketing plan.
• The teacher reviews examples so that students can skim through and pick up on the type of language used, structure, tone and writing style used when creating a marketing plan (some templates are available free online).
• Students create a marketing plan. A template can be used, but as a minimum, students should include the following:
  • Business summary – name, structure, location, products of services and owner’s experience (obtained from VET research task and can be made up (but realistic).
  • Market overview – target market, customer profile, competitor profile and market objective.
  • Marketing strategy – In-depth details, including product/service, pricing, location (online?), promotions, people you would hire (e.g. ICT/online content creator/manager), how will you advertise your product (including possible costs).
  • Action plan 3 Months, 6 Months and 12 Months that will assist you to reach your market strategy/market goals (e.g. increased sales, increase online presence etc.).
  • Vision and Mission statement.
  • Short-term and Long-term goals.
• Students submit a draft, review and apply feedback, before submitting their final version.

Module 2: Literacy for pathways and further learning

Activity 11

OH&S documentation

Students create a set of OH&S documents (two to three documents) relevant to the business they created in Activity 9.

Creating OH&S documentation

• Students read through the following websites and summarise what they would need for their company to be safe for workers:
• https://business.vic.gov.au/
• https://business.gov.au/risk-management/health-and-safety/work-health-and-safety
• The class go over some examples of OH&S documentation, looking at the writing style, language used and key terminology used through the documentation.
• Students research the consequences of not having well documented OH&S procedures, finding some real-life examples of what could go wrong in the workplace and how OH&S can prevent many serious injuries.

The class share and list examples on the board discussing ways that the issue could have been avoided.

Module 1: Literacy for civic participation

Activity 12

Revisit Smart Goals

• The class brainstorm and share the issues students came across when trying to achieve their SMART Goals.
• If no issues were encountered, then students reflect on and explain the strategies they used in order to achieve their goals.

Module 1: Negotiated project

Activity 1

Introducing me

Students record a short audio text to introduce themselves, outlining why they are interested in their topic. Students could talk about their dreams for future, their five-year plan and how their chosen topic links into those.

• The teacher outlines the semester project and reviews at the timeline, including shortened Term 4.
• The class goes through the booklet so students can see the text types they will be accessing and producing.
• Students brainstorm all the ideas they are interested in doing their project on, then choose their top three and write their key reasons.
• The teacher meets with each student to talk through their top three topics and negotiate their final topic.
• Students complete a template to reflect on their chosen topic (topic, why chosen, benefits of doing this topic, what they know already, what they want to learn, people they could speak to about it, places they could get information).
• Students share their topic with the class and groups of common interest can be made so they can support each other through the unit.
• The teacher introduces the idea of a five-year plan and how it can be used to reach a goal. Show an example of a five-year plan as a mind map.
• Students produce their own mind map using the template provided.
• Students record a short audio text to introduce themselves, outlining why they are interested in their topic, their dreams for future, their five-year plan and how their chosen topic links into those.

Module 1: Negotiated project

Activity 2

Written report

Students produce a written information report on their chosen area of interest. Students use information gained by accessing other sources, as well as including their own knowledge.

• The teacher leads a class activity looking at a written informative text.
• The class reviews skimming and scanning techniques to locate information, the structure of the text, and language/audience/purpose.
• As a class, pull out the key ideas and information from the text, document them in dot points and write in own words.
• Students find a written informative text on their topic, which they show the teacher to discuss its accuracy and validity.
• Students read their text, pull out the key information and record dot points.
• The teacher leads a class activity looking at an oral informative text.
• The class reviews listening techniques to locate information, and language/audience/purpose.
• As a class, listen to/view the text and record key information.
• Students access the text again, adding detail to the notes already taken, and organise the notes into clear dot points and use them to construct a joint paragraph in own words.
• Students find an oral informative text on their topic, which they show the teacher to discuss its accuracy and validity.
• Students listen to/view their text, pull out the key information and record dot points.
• The class reviews a written report structure, including heading, subheadings, paragraphs and visuals.
• Students read over their notes from their written and oral texts and decide on topics to cover in their report.
• Give students a written report template as a planning tool and ask them to add in their subheading.
• Students read through their notes again and add relevant information under each subheading.
• Encourage students to access other sources if they don’t have enough information in a certain section.
• Students apply the writing process to produce a written information report on their chosen area of interest.
• Remind students to acknowledge sources and write in own words.

Module 1: Negotiated project

Activity 3

Procedural PowerPoint

Students produce a PowerPoint presentation outlining the steps to follow to complete a task in their chosen area of interest.

• The teacher leads a class activity looking at a procedural text.
• The class reviews accessing the information, the structure of the text, and language/audience/purpose.
• As a class, pull out the key ideas and information from the text. Using the learnt knowledge and that of the class, write the steps to complete the task.
• Students brainstorm different things linked to their topic that they could explain to someone how to do.For example, Building and Construction – how to construct a wall frame, Child Care – how to introduce a new child to the room, Office Management – how to answer the phone and book in an appointment.Get students to find two texts on the topic, access them and write notes.
• The teacher discusses the chosen texts with each student in regard to accuracy and validity.
• Students add their own thoughts and knowledge to their notes, and apply the writing process to write out the steps for the procedural text.
• Students present the procedural text as a PowerPoint presentation.
• Give students a template to plan their PowerPoint – an introduction to the topic, one step per slide, a visual per slide, consistent formatting etc.
• Students record a narration for their PowerPoint.
  

Module 1: Negotiated project

Activity 4

Persuasive video

Students produce a persuasive video outlining why they would be an asset to a workplace/organisation linked to their chosen area of interest.

• The teacher leads a class activity looking at a few persuasive video texts.
• The class reviews persuasive language techniques, presentation skills and language/ audience/ purpose.
• As a class, come up with a list of what needs to be included in a persuasive video and key dos and don’ts.
• Students brainstorm and plan a text to outline why they would be an asset to a workplace/organisation linked to their chosen area of interest, making links to the texts created throughout the unit.
• Students apply the writing process to create a persuasive script.
• Students annotate the final script with notes about key words to emphasise, when to look at the camera, how to pronounce words etc.
• Students rehearse their presentation with their teacher, a classmate and/or at home.
• Students record their persuasive video.

Module 1: Negotiated project

Activity 5

Online portfolio and presentation

Students produce an online portfolio to share their work from the unit. Students need to create the portfolio with a clear audience and purpose in mind to ensure content and language is appropriate.

• The class explores Google Sites to see how to set up an online portfolio to share their work from the unit.
• The class discusses audience and purpose to make sure the portfolio contains the right content and language.
• Students can follow written instructions to set up their own portfolio.
• The teacher link in with the Work Related Skills teacher/s to ensure the portfolio complements their work.
• The teacher reviews presentation skills and asks students to identify two things they are confident with and two things they would like support with.
• The teacher sets up mini-PD sessions in areas of need – these could be run by students with strengths in that area.
• Students share their online portfolios with small groups.
• Students apply any feedback given to finalise the portfolio.

Module 1: Negotiated Project

Activity 1

Introduction and SMART Goals

Students write an introduction about themselves and their career pathway, including the SMART Goals they created for themselves in Unit 3.

• The teacher explains the task, modules and learning goals that will be achieved in Unit 4.
• The teacher introduces a planner to set out goals for the class to meet. Students can negotiate these goals with the teacher, goals can also be individualised if required. 
• The teacher creates a visual timeline with the students so that they can clearly see what needs to be competed and by when. 
• The teacher introduces SMART Goals and the class discuss why SMART Goals (or setting any goals) are important to personal and career goals. 
• The teacher shows the class an example of a SMART Goal and gives students a template that they can use to create their own. The teacher reminds students that their SMART Goals, and reasons why goals are important, will need to be included in their final project (Magazine and Video).
• The teacher shows students an example of a dream board or vision board (including what some people may put on their dream board) then students create one of their own which should include images, words and personal goals that relate to what they want to achieve within the next 5 to 10 years. 
• Students brainstorm personal interests related to their work/VET or career.
• Students select two to three interests and write a brief explanation of them, so they can focus on these interests for the planning of their magazine and mock expo video later in the unit. For example, if a student picks job security, wages and working outside, then remind them to make sure they focus on those ideas in their magazine articles.

Module 1: Negotiated Project

Activity 2

Informative text

• The class reviews the structure of an informative text, students look for key information and then summarise the text in 50 words or less. 
• The teacher explains/introduces skimming and scanning techniques to help find relevant information. 
• Once students have read the example informative text, the class brainstorm the following on the board:
  • Why was the text written?
  • What makes it an informative text?
  • Who is it for (audience)?
  • What kind of language is used within the text?
  • How can we trust the validity of the text?
• Using the information from the brainstorm, students read an informative text related to their topic, brainstorm the above questions and summarise their informative text in 50 words or less (in their own words).
• Students complete this task using two informative texts and then include their summaries in their final product.

Module 1: Negotiated Project

Activity 3

Informative multimodal text

• Using a short example of an audio-visual informative text, students summarise and explain what the text is about. 
• The class follows similar steps to Activity 2 with a multimodal or audio-visual medium.
• Students select relevant information and summarise two audio-visual texts related to their topic in 50 words or less. These summaries are included in their final product.

Module 1: Negotiated Project

Activity 4

Mock interview

• The teacher shows students a recent video interview (a written interview from a magazine could also be used).
• Students write down what they notice about the language used, the questions asked, the question sequencing and how the question becomes increasingly more difficult/on top (depending on the interview shown).
• After viewing, the teacher leads a discussion and brainstorm how to run a successful interview. Students copy down any additional notes from the brainstorm. 
• Students select a person to interview relevant to their selected interest/s from Activity 1:
  • some students may interview real people (where possible)
  • some students may create mock answers (these answers need to be well researched). 
• The teacher reminds students of the structure and language used while giving an interview.
• Students create their own mock interview to be included in their final product.
• Students write 12 to 15 interview questions and either have them answered by a person relevant to their industry or create research ‘mock’ responses. 
• These question and answers need to focus on why their industry is a good one to choose when looking at career pathways. 

Module 1: Negotiated Project

Activity 5

Written report

Students produce a written information report on a topic of interest related to their workplace/industry.

• The teacher leads a discussion about the writing structure of a report, including:
  • writing style
  • use of heading and subheadings
  • pictures and images
  • the language that should be used.
• The teacher provides a research planner and a report pro forma/template to write the report.
• Students produce a written information report on a topic of interest related to their workplace/industry. The topic should also relate to the final product.
• Students use information obtained during class and from other research sources, plan, draft and complete an informative report.
• Students submit a draft of their report, and reflect and act on the feedback before submitting the final report.

Module 1: Negotiated Project

Activity 6

Procedural text

Students produce a procedural text that shows the steps to follow to complete a task related to their industry/workplace.

• Students compare two visual procedural texts reviewing the structure and language used in each text, then compare based on the following criteria:
  • clarity of instructions
  • easy to follow
  • passion/enthusiasm of presenter
  • what could be added to improve both visual texts.
• The teacher uses a group activity to demonstrate the need for clear instructions when creating a procedural text:
  • students move into small groups with two scribes and one instructor; provide a picture that the instructors need to describe to the scribes without explicitly stating what the image is; the scribes draw based on the instructor’s instructions
  • the teacher provides simple instructions/steps which have been cut into sections and jumble; students read through steps and place in the order they think is correct and determine what the instructions are for.
• Students create a 5-minute ‘how- to’ guide on a particular activity they are interested in, related to their industry (teacher to provide template/pro forma).
• Students run their how-to tutorials to the class the following week.
• Students write up the steps and then in small groups run ‘how-to’ workshops demonstrating/teaching their task.

Module 1: Negotiated Project

Activity 7

Workshops

• The class look at a few persuasive videos and come up with a list of what needs to be included in a persuasive video do’s and don’t do (this includes structure, language and persuasive techniques).
• Students brainstorm and plan a script to outline why their career/workplace is the best future path for students.
• Students link their persuasive text to their SMART Goals from Activity 1.
• Students write up their script including:
  • why is their career/pathway excellent, with links to their SMART Goals?
  • why should someone consider (or change into) the career?
  • what sets this career apart from others?
• The class brainstorm presentation and presenting skills, and focus on the following: language, eye contact, vocalisation, clarity, tone and pronunciation (depending on words/terms the students are using in their presentation).
• Using the brainstormed information and their own notes/knowledge, students create a draft script selling their career and magazine. 
• The script should include:
  • an introduction
  • information related to their career/industry/workplace
  • reasons why their career/industry/workplace is a good choice.
• Students should be reminded about the language they are using and the audience they are addressing.
• Students run their workshops for the class.
• The class and teacher provide feedback, students write reflection on feedback.

Module 1: Negotiated Project

Activity 8

Magazine

• The class discuss and brainstorm what a magazine should look like, from front cover to where articles should be placed. Students review some current magazine as examples. 
• Students draft a magazine that incorporates all the written tasks from this unit. Once drafted, a final copy is created; this can be either printed or digital but must be presented in the students’ mock expo video in some way.
• Students produce a magazine that includes all the written tasks from this unit.
• Students’ aim is to persuade others to take up careers in their chosen industry.
• The magazine will be included in their Expo video (Activity 9).

Module 1: Negotiated Project

Activity 9

Expo video

• Students produce a mock expo video outlining why their workplace/industry is the perfect career choice.
• Students create an appropriate video using language that is suitable for their audience and offers an insight to their workplace/industry.
• Students present their videos in small groups, and offer and receive constructive feedback on ways to improve the mock expo video.
• Students review and edit their work based on the feedback.
• The final products: Expo video and Magazine will be submitted to the teacher for marking.