ONE: LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

There have been several name changes at Woodleigh School in recent years. Faculties have become Learning Areas, Pathways is now Inclusion, and excitingly, what was ‘English’ will later this year become Woodleigh’s own Language and Literature Learning Area.

This is a significant development because it formally acknowledges a shift in our philosophy. The change validates our movement towards: listening to previously silenced voices, exploring texts in translation and appreciating multimodal literature.

Of course, this change will not apply to VCE Units 1-4 subjects, as these are VCAA prescribed. So, as of Semester 2, Year 7-10 ‘English’ classes will be timetabled and referred to under the new moniker.

TWO: CATE KENNEDY

For the third year running, our Year 12 students have had the opportunity to hear from the sensationally knowledgeable, generous and hilarious author, Cate Kennedy.

Here are my favourite quotations from the session:

1. ‘Adversity allows us to discover what we are made of.’
2. ‘Often, we approach the world thinking that we can change it. That we are going to change the world. Ironically, though, it is you that gets changed.’
3. ‘Writing is unlike any other art. It allows for the strange feeling of putting yourself into the consciousness of someone else. This is fiction’s superpower.

THREE: ACADEMIC HONESTY

Finally, whilst this might not sound particularly exciting, Woodleigh School is ready to publish its Academic Honesty Policy in the coming weeks.

In conjunction with this, our Learning Area and the Woodleigh Institute will be trialling the use of Turnitin this semester. This is an eagerly anticipated development. This software will help us continue our shift from timed, handwritten assessment and turn towards richer, research-based pieces of writing to express student learning.

Years 10, 11 and 12 English students will take part in the trial, with an aim to then expand the use of Turnitin to additional subjects and year levels in Semester 2.

The Policy will be published and distributed to parents in the coming weeks.

Huzzah!

ZACHARY SHINKFIELD
English & Literature Teacher – Learning Area Leader (English)