Firstly, what VCE English subjects are there?
There are 3 subjects that students can choose from:
- VCE English/EAL
- VCE Literature
- VCE English Language
Let’s talk about each subject individually:
VCE English/EAL
VCE English/EAL is the subject that the vast majority of students choose. The subject is known as English/EAL because the subject is split into two categories – EAL is for students who haven’t completed all of their schooling in English, while English is for everyone else.
The current study design is very similar across the two streams. Both English and EAL students will need to study and analyse literary texts, create different genres of texts as well as analyse and create persuasive texts. In both English and EAL, the focus is on the student’s ability to analyse texts as well as writing for clarity, accuracy, expression and sophistication. Students are expected to have a breadth of skill that is not expected in VCE Literature, and (in this current study design) there is a far greater range of texts students are expected to master.
VCE Literature
VCE Literature is traditionally known as a ‘harder’ subject than English, and I feel that is true and false at the same time!
The focus of VCE Literature is primarily on analysing and developing an interpretation of ‘literary’ texts. This means that students are expected to thoroughly examine the texts for their symbols, themes, contexts and construction, and then develop, pursue and defend their perspective on it.
While this is quite a difficult task for many students, it is also more narrow in scope than VCE English/EAL. A student who enjoys the variety and breadth in VCE English/EAL might struggle with the limited text types and assessments of VCE Literature, while a student who struggles with handling so many text types in VCE English/EAL might enjoy the focus on literary texts.
Some students also struggle with the depth of analyses required in VCE Literature, and find the whole exercise overwrought and meaningless, even if they have the writing skills required.
VCE English Language
VCE English Language is the ‘newest’ subject in the VCAA’s offering, although it has been around for more than 20 years! The focus in VCE English Language is the study of English as a language system; in other words, it is a study of Linguistics.
In English Language, students study the building blocks of all languages (called subsystems) and how language evolves and changes throughout time and place. This is a systematic study of language, and so it lends itself to students who dislike the subjective nature of VCE English/EAL and VCE Literature; there is a huge list of metalanguage or vocabulary that students are expected to learn and apply.
The focus in VCE English Language is on explaining how English is used as a language by speakers and writers, to achieve certain linguistic and social purposes. In contrast to VCE English/EAL and VCE Literature, there is indeed a right or wrong answer!
The subject is split into 3 kinds of assessment tasks: short answer questions, an essay and an ‘analytical commentary’, which is a structured, long-form analysis of a piece of communication. So while the subject has a reputation for those who are ‘not good at writing’, there is still a lot of writing (plus memorisation) involved!
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