Departments - English

Welcome to the English Department

Year 12 Discussion Group

In recent years, teachers of all school subjects have become 'English' teachers; it has become increasingly recognised that success in any subject depends on a student's competence in English. Subsequently at Narrabeen Sports High we have several whole-school strategies that promote literacy skills in all key-learning areas.

So does this make English as a subject in its own right redundant you may well ask!

Well of course no. (In fact, English is the only compulsory subject for students from Years 7-12.)

For it is in English that English teachers are able to focus on experiences that are at the heart of students' knowledge about communication skills and their emotional and intellectual growth.

It is in the context of the study of English that teachers are able to provide a broad program which allows such knowledge and growth to reach fulfilment. Some highlights of our program at Narrabeen Sports High include:

• the close study of literature through carefully selected poetry, novels, drama and non-fiction.
• the refinement of students' personal reading tastes through compulsory wide-reading programs in Years 7-12
• the development of public speaking skills through explicit teaching of public speaking skills for all students, culminating in both in-school and state public speaking competition.
• the development, through explicit, teaching of how the English Language works through its grammatical, syntactical,semantic and phonological systems.
• the development of students' writing skills through the explicit teaching of the eight core types of texts formally known as 'text-types'

What literature are students likely to study at Narrabeen Sports?

The English resource room is constantly being updated with relevant and stimulating texts for students to read. We read across a broad range of texts including contemporary Australian, American and English writers. We read the classics too! Some of the more popular and valued books we read include the following:

• The Catcher in The Rye
• The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
• The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll
• The Crucible
• Of Mice and Men
• I Heard the Owl Call my Name
• To Kill a Mocking Bird
• Lord of The Flies
• The Wave
• Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry
• Macbeth
• Romeo and Juliet
• The Merchant of Venice
• Twelfth Night
• Playing Beatie Bowe
• I Can Jump Puddles
• The Great Elephant Chase
• The Call of the Wild

Does Technology Have A Role to Play in English?

Yes, increasingly so in meeting the research and presentation requirements of the English program. Most students coming to high school have already developed some word processing skills and are familiar with use of the internet. This of course provides an excellent foundation for expansion and consolidation of their learning.

The English Faculty is located close to the recently up-dated computing room situated in C Block which allows nearby access. Soon we will have internet access in each classroom.

The school library has a Learning Centre which provides students with access to the internet as well as having computers linked to the internet, on the lower level.

Students have also access to the numerous vocabulary/spelling improvement software programs provided by the Support Teacher Learning.

How Can my Child Be Extended in English at Narrabeen Sports High?

The school's commitment of course goes beyond developing excellence in sport alone. There is a range of challenging opportunities for students to broaden and deepen their English competence at Narrabeen Sports High. Some of these are highlighted below.

• Each year students from Years 7-11 take up the challenge provided by the University of NSW English Competition. Last year 12 students received special acknowledgement for their achievement at the school's annual Presentation Day.
• Our best and most confident public speakers are selected to represent the school in the inter-school Debating competiton from Years 7-11. It is very rewarding to witness the growth and successes of the Narrabeen teams.
• Each year our best speakers compete in the Lions Club Speaking Competiton and the Rostrum Club Speaking competition. Narrabeen Sports High won both competitions at local level in 2001 and 2004.
• The school conducts an annual writing competition and enters the best of our entries in National Writing Competitions. In 2001 a Narrabeen student was one of the Education Week winners in the District Office Poetry Competiton.
• The opportunity to enter the Ozspell Competition.
• And we while we have traditionally conducted mixed-abilty classes, a graded class does operate in each year which allows for the class teacher to address the specific needs of students.

What Extra Support is Provided for Students?

Narrabeen Sports High was one of the first schools to participate in the now State-wide, complusory ELLA testing programs ( English Language and Literacy Assessment test).
Feedback from the ELLA test which is conducted in Years 7 and 8 provides the school (and parents) with vital diagnostic information on students' writing, reading and language skills.

This information is used in the teaching programs across the school to improve literacy outcomes for all students.
The school also has a trained ESL (English as a second language) and STL (Support Teacher Learning) who is able to use a variety of strategies in individual or small group contexts, in order to support students needing extra assistance.

What is Offered in The Senior School?

English is the only compulsory HSC subject. Senior students at Narrabeen Sports High are currently studying at Standard Level (4 classes) or at Advanced Level (1 class).It is possible for students to follow The HSC Fudamental English course ( for students requiring extra support) and Extension 2 and /or 1 ( for students wishing to be further challenged) when there is a candidature.
In 2004 Narrabeen offered Preliminary ESL( English as a Second Language)course to students in Year 11 and will offer it in Year 12 HSC.
Students may vary their level of study, subject to some conditions, up to the end of the Preliminary Year at the end of term 3 .

The English Staff

The Narrabeen Sports High English Staff comprises 5 experienced, professional, committed and caring teachers. Their work extends beyond the classroom as is reflected in the multitude of roles they undertake in the school.These include travelling throughout the state with representative sporting teams, training and accompanying debating teams, conducting school-community activities, taking on official welfare roles in the school and promoting the school in a variety of contexts. Whilst following a common program within the school's policies, they individually bring to their task of English teaching their own unique attributes and predilections. Come and meet them. There are many opportunities throughout the year at Open Nights and parent teacher nights to meet and talk to them and gain a greater knowledge of English teaching at Narrabeen Sports High.

And What of the Future?

The new HSC has provided a major challenge for teachers throughout the state with its range of new texts to be taught and the new teaching paradigms. Feedback from each HSC allows us to revise and fine tune our teaching and learning programs.

Meanwhile a new Years 7-10 English syllabus has been implemented. This is an outcomes based syllabus and will provide the final piece in the continuum of English K-12. (Kindergarten through to Year 12)

John Eggleton
English Head Teacher