Planning

"When learning is conceived as a holistic adaptive process, it provides conceptual bridges across life situations such as school and work portraying learning as a continuous, lifelong process" (Kolb, 1984, p.33).

‘… It is important to understand there is a distinct difference between teaching Aboriginal culture and teaching about Aboriginal culture. It is not appropriate for a non-Aboriginal person to teach Aboriginal culture, that is the traditional or sacred knowledge and systems belonging to Aboriginal people. For these kinds of teaching and learning experiences it is essential to consult and collaborate with members of your local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community. It is appropriate, however, for a non-Aboriginal person to teach about Indigenous Australia, its history and its people in much the same way as a teacher of non-German heritage might teach about Germany, its history and its people … As teachers, the onus is on us to learn about Indigenous Australia, in just the same way we inform ourselves about any other subject we teach …’

Source: Victorian State Government, Education and Training

Detailed example

Deconstruct a narrative text

This detailed example is for learning associated with:

Literacy Unit 1 – Area of Study – Literacy for personal use

Outcome 1 Demonstrate understanding of how text types are constructed for different purposes, audiences and contexts through a range of written, digital, oral and visual responses.

The following points from the key knowledge and skills are identified as relevant to the learning activity:

Key knowledge

• structures and features of a range of different text types such as narrative, informative, persuasive, instructional, letters, media articles and releases, film, email, digital messaging, and workplace reports
• ways in which purpose, context, and audience influence the structure and language of different text types
• the process of planning, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading both handwritten and digital texts
• conventions of literacy, including punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing and spelling.

Key skills

• read, watch, listen to and understand a range of text types for a variety of audiences and purposes
• infer the meaning of content from the context
• listen and contribute to small group and whole class discussions
• compare the structure, language and presentation of different text types
• evaluate the effectiveness of content in terms of purpose and audience
• plan, create, draft, edit and refine a range of individual responses to different text types
• apply the conventions of literacy, including sentence structure, paragraphing, punctuation and spelling.

Identify the focus

The focus considered in this example activity is the explicit teaching of metalanguage in the narrative form and the reproduction of a self-expressive text by students.

This learning activity may be used following an excursion/activity where students are asked to reflect on their experience.

The steps for this learning activity follow the GANAG instructional model (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2021).

Step 1 – Personal stories

• Establish the learning intention:
• Build student knowledge and skills in the use of metalanguage.
• Practise the identification of literary devices and techniques in a model text.
• Analyse expressive language techniques in a model text.
• Apply knowledge and skills of literary devices in writing about a personal story/experience.
• Teacher poses the following questions:
• What is the purpose of personal stories?
• Why do people share their personal stories with others?
• Teacher asks students their motivations for reading and listening to the stories of others. What have they noticed about the stories that have interested/gripped them?

Step 2 – Explicit teaching of literary devices

• Teacher explicitly teaches the metalanguage associated with narrative/personal writing.
• Students complete a short mix-and-match exercise where they are presented with definitions of literary devices and techniques and asked to match these with the correct literary term.

Step 3 – Implementation and practice

• This part of the learning activity uses an excerpt from Tim Winton’s Breath (Penguin Group (Australia) 2008 (p.49). [*This is an example only – other texts may be chosen.]
  
  ‘I never did see the great slab of water that cut me off at the knees. Loonie said it came down behind like a landslip and simply flicked me away. I didn’t even get time to draw breath. I was abruptly in darkness, being poleaxed across the sandy bottom of the bay, holding onto the dregs in my lungs while the grit blasted through my hair and my limbs felt as though they would be wrenched from their sockets. When I burst back to the surface my board was long gone, and before I could begin the swim another rumbling pile of foam bore down on me, so I dived and took another belting. It seemed a good while before I finally came up in a spritzing froth in the shallows, sinuses burning, shorts around my thighs and by then Loonie was already up on the beach, grinning like a nutter, with my board stuck tail-first into the dry sand beside him.’ *

• Teacher selects short, well-written paragraphs of writing that have examples of literary devices and techniques used in expressive forms of writing, such as metaphors and similes, detailed descriptions and personal perspectives.
• Teacher prepares two example paragraphs for the students based on the original version.
  • The first example reduces the paragraph to a single sentence that simply states what happened to retain the meaning of the target text.
    ‘When I went surfing, I got dunked a couple of times.’
  • The second example removes all literary devices from the original version of the paragraph but retains the sequence and meaning.
    ‘I didn’t see the wave coming. Loonie said it came down behind me and knocked me over. I didn’t get time to breathe. The wave dunked me, and I had to hold my breath. When I got to the surface my board was gone, and another wave came, and I got dunked again. When I came out of the water, my nose hurt, and my pants were down. By then Loonie was already up on the beach with my board.’
  • The third example is the original text* (see above).
• Teacher presents the three examples sequentially to students, beginning with the single sentence example.
• Teacher asks students what they notice about the first example of writing. They could be asked: Does the sentence excite you or interest you?
• Teacher asks students to compare the second example with the first. What do they notice?
• Finally, students are presented with the original text form in the third example and compare this version with the two preceding versions.
  • What happens to the paragraph when descriptive language is removed?
  • How can different perspectives in a text change what the reader understands about the experience?
  • How can the choice of language turn everyday experiences into something entertaining or extraordinary?
• In pairs, students are asked to identify the text’s features using the metalanguage associated with the narrative form.
• Teacher leads a class discussion on the forms of literary devices used in the selected text.
• Teacher highlights those literary forms that students may have missed and discusses how this makes the passage particularly effective as a form of expressive personal writing.

Step 4 – Practise and apply

• Students now apply their knowledge of literary form to practise writing a paragraph.
• The sample excerpt will stand as a model for students to use in their writing.
• Teacher pre-prepares sentences about experiences, for example:
  • As the plane began to taxi down the runway…
  • As I began to paddle out to the others…
  • I saw the snake…
  • All eyes were on me as I stood before the goal…
• Students select a sentence and are asked to write a short 100-word personalised story based on the sentence. This can be randomised by writing the sentences on slips of paper and asking students to select them from a hat.
• In writing about the personal experience students must use at least three forms of expressive devices or techniques.

Step 5 – Share and reflect on the writing of others

• Students do a pair/share of their stories and ask for feedback using a PMI.
• Students may read their story to their peers and the class discusses what they liked about the story, and how it might be improved by using literary techniques.

Detailed example

Radio program/podcast

This detailed example is for learning associated with:

Literacy Unit 1 Area of Study 2: Understanding and creating digital texts

Outcome 2 Apply understanding of the conventions of literacy and digital communication by responding to and creating a range of digital content, suitable for a community, workplace, or vocational context.

The following points from the key knowledge and skills are identified as relevant to the learning activity:

Key knowledge

• the purpose, audience and types of different digital texts
• the principles of copyright and the conventions of attribution
• safe and respectful practices in the digital world
• the etiquette and conventions of small group and whole class discussion, including ways of developing constructive interactions and building on ideas of others in discussion
• the conventions of literacy, including punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and spelling.

Key skills

• plan, create and edit a range of digital texts appropriate to the audience and purpose
• demonstrate respectful digital interactions
• listen and contribute to small group and whole class discussions
• apply the conventions of referencing and acknowledge attribution, where applicable
• access and cite information from a variety of sources to create new content, reflecting personal interests or individual pathways
• apply the conventions of literacy, including sentence structure, paragraphing, punctuation and spelling.

Identify the focus

The focus in this example activity is the explicit teaching of podcast structure, and an exploration of research methods to inform the development of a podcast, working in small groups.

This learning activity may be used to develop the students’ skills in working in groups to develop a podcast.

The steps for this learning activity follow the GANAG instructional model (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2021).

Step 1 – Radio program/podcast

• Establish the learning intention:
  • Build student knowledge and skills in the development of a podcast through the deconstruction of an existing podcast.
  • Model the creation of a podcast based on researching information.
  • Apply knowledge and skills to the creation of a podcast using format and language techniques suitable for a particular audience.
• Teacher poses the following questions:
  • How can podcasts provide audiences with a greater understanding of stories about our world?
  • Do you listen to podcasts or radio programs for entertainment or information?
  • What kinds of stories might get you interested in this type of text?

Step 2 – Explicit teaching of what makes a podcast

• Teacher explicitly teaches:
  • The format and language techniques used in a specific podcast
  • Research methods
  • The development of research questions
  • Selection and acknowledgement of source.
• Teacher advises class that they will be listening to a podcast. In selecting the podcast teachers should consider their cohort and select a professionally produced example with high production values.
• The example podcast selected for this activity is Titanic – In Her Own Words – a 2012 BBC production to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The program features radio messages sent from the Titanic (originally sent in Morse code) that are voiced by actors, bringing to life the voices of the passengers on the doomed ship. [*Other podcasts and topics suitable for the cohort may be selected.]
• Before listening to the program teachers complete a KWL chart to share collective knowledge and develop interest in the program. In selecting a topic, teachers should consider knowledge students would have about the topic.

Step 3 – Implementation and practice

• Teacher introduces the deconstruction by listening to the sample text.
• Students then listen to excerpts from the podcast and complete a response worksheet to support their participation in a class discussion.
  • Which details provided in the introduction were designed to excite your interest?
  • What did you learn?
  • How does this connect to you or another text you have read?
  • What are two questions you would like to ask about the topic?
  • What was one thing that you didn’t understand?
  • What kind of research would the producers of the podcast have conducted?
  • How do we know the information presented is accurate and authentic?
  • Where was the information that was presented sourced?
  • Who would you recommend this podcast to? Why?
• Teacher leads the class discussion and creates an annotated deconstruction of the selected text.
• Teacher draws attention to where the information was sourced and why acknowledgements are necessary when presenting information in podcasts and other informational texts.

Step 4 – Practise and apply

• Students are divided into small groups and given the task of designing their own radio show and preparing a three-minute introduction about the Titanic.
• Groups are provided with a planning framework for the podcast. The framework will include the proposed title, focus of the program, target audience, resources that have been identified, and key points for an introduction designed to capture the interest of the listener. A list of the research sources should be included.
• Each group will have the responsibility of investigating one of the research questions from either the KWL or from the discussion.
• Each member of the group has the responsibility of completing a mini-internet research exercise based on the key words from the research question (approx. 20 minutes). Group members share what they have that is of value for their podcast. This is an exercise in selecting what is useful and discarding what is not.
• Students use their research to construct a collaborative script of 3–5 minutes’ duration.
• Each member of the group is given a spoken part.
• Acknowledgement of the sources used should be made by the group in a manner conventional to podcasts.

Step 5 – Share and reflect

• Students present the plan for their podcast and perform the introduction for their peers.
• Teacher and students provide feedback and consider the learnings from the exercise that would inform the execution of an assessment task involving the production of a podcast.

Detailed example

Letter to the editor

This detailed example is for learning associated with:

Literacy Unit 2 Area of Study 1: Understanding issues and voices

Outcome 1 Explain the purpose, audience, and main ideas of diverse arguments presented in different text types by creating a range of annotations, written, oral and multimedia responses reflecting their learning.

The following points from the key knowledge and skills are identified as relevant to the learning activity:

Key knowledge

• language and visuals used to influence an audience
• how the values and backgrounds of authors and speakers may influence their opinions
• ways in which bias and perspective influence authors, speakers and audiences
• ways in which different communities engage in debate or discussion
• the conventions of literacy, including punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and spelling.

Key skills

• identify the purpose and intended audience of written, spoken, and multimedia persuasive and influential texts
• identify main ideas and arguments in persuasive and influential content using skills such as note-taking and annotation
• identify and explain how language and visuals are used to influence an audience
• infer meaning from persuasive and influential content, including being able to identify the connotations of words
• use appropriate evidence to support personal points of view
• listen and participate effectively in small group and whole class discussion
• apply the conventions of literacy, including sentence structure, paragraphing, punctuation, and spelling.

Identify the focus

The focus considered in this example activity is the deconstruction of a letter to the editor.

This learning activity may be used to support students in identifying persuasive techniques and completing text analyses.

The steps for this learning activity follow the GANAG instructional model (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2021).

Step 1 – Letter to the editor

• Establish the learning intention:
  • Build student knowledge and skills in the analysis of a letter to the editor.
  • Model the analysis of a letter to the editor.
  • Apply knowledge and skills in completing a text analysis independently.
• Teacher poses the following questions:
  • What types of appeals do people use to persuade?
  • What judgments can we make about people based on who and what they say?
  • How can we determine the bias of an author?

Step 2 – Explicit teaching of literary devices

• Teacher explicitly models a text analysis of a Letter to the Editor chosen from the newspaper.

Step 3 – Implementation and practice

• Divide the class into five groups.
• Assign a different letter to the editor of approximately 200 words to each group.         
• Ask each group to identify:
  • the issue, writer’s contention, point of view
  • the arguments
  • two examples of how language is used to support the argument, and the intended effect
  • other strategies used to support the argument (such as the use of statistics and examples, denigration of those who hold opposing viewpoints)
  • the tone of voice used by the writer and its intended effect.

Step 4 – Practise and apply

• Each group annotates a copy of the text.
• Each group prepares a PowerPoint of their analysis.

Step 5 – Share and reflect

• Each group presents its analysis to the rest of the class.
• Teacher leads a discussion focused on what has been learnt collectively by the group regarding persuasive techniques and letters to the editor.

Detailed example

Famous speeches

This detailed example is for learning associated with:

Literacy Unit 2 – Area of Study 2: Responding to opinions

Outcome 2 Interpret the values and opinions of others and present in oral form their points of view supported by evidence.

The following points from the key knowledge and skills are identified as relevant to the learning activity:

Key knowledge

• language and visuals that contribute to the effectiveness of an argument
• the way authors and speakers use logic, reasoning and emotion to influence their audience
• the elements of oral communication, including eye contact, tone, body language and intonation
• the conventions of literacy, including punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and spelling.

Key skills

• sequence and structure persuasive texts to present a point of view logically
• provide evidence and argue a point of view persuasively
• present related pieces of information within a text, signalling these connections with appropriate semantic clues
• use body language, eye contact, gestures, pace, and intonation appropriately
• critically evaluate own work
• listen and participate effectively in small group and whole class discussions
• apply the conventions of literacy, including sentence structure, paragraphing, punctuation and spelling.

Identify the focus

The focus considered in this example activity is the explicit teaching of the pillars of rhetoric and a modelled analysis of the techniques and strategies used in a famous speech.

This learning activity may be used following an excursion/activity where students are asked to reflect on their experience.

The steps for this learning activity follow the GANAG instructional model (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2021).

Step 1 – Values and Opinion – Rhetorical language analysis

• Establish the learning intention:
  • Build student knowledge and skills of rhetorical techniques used in the presentation of opinions.
  • Deconstruct a well-known speech.
  • Apply knowledge and skills of persuasive techniques in completing an analysis.
• The teacher poses the following questions:
  • What makes a speech powerful?
  • How are values critical to the development of opinions?
  • What does the word rhetoric mean?
  • What is a rhetorical question?
  • Is it true that how something is said is as important as what is said?

Step 2 – Explicit teaching of literary devices

• Teacher explicitly teaches the pillars of rhetorical language (emotion, ethics and logic) highlighting the features of each and how persuasive language devices can be used in each.
• Students read a transcript of Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech. They highlight and annotate sections of this landmark speech, identifying rhetorical techniques and devices that are used.

Step 3 – Implementation and practice

• Students watch and listen to the original speech delivered by King and are asked how verbal and non-verbal features evident in the spoken version compare with the written transcript.
• The class discusses the links between this famous speech of the civil rights movement to the #blacklivesmatter movement, and how language can engage and mobilise people to act.
• Teacher models a deconstruction of the King speech using the pillars of emotion, ethics and logic.

Step 4 – Practise and apply

• Teacher provides a range of historical speeches for students to work on in pairs or groups of three.
• Student groups analyse the text they have been allocated, identifying the persuasive techniques used and the pillars of rhetoric as a framework for their analysis.

Step 5 – Share and reflect

• Groups report back to the whole class.
• Each member of the group presents their analysis of the speech to the class, identifying examples of persuasive devices and techniques under the relevant pillars of rhetoric.
• Students comment on the values and opinions expressed and reflect upon the values of contemporary audiences reading or listening, compared to those who may have heard the speech when it was first delivered.

Detailed example

What is the best car to buy as a first car?

This detailed example is for learning associated with:

Literacy Unit 3 – Area of Study 1: Accessing and understanding informational, organisational and procedural texts

Outcome 1 Demonstrate the ability to locate, read and understand the purpose, audience and context presented in a variety of informational, organisational and procedural texts through the application of their knowledge to real-life documents.

The following points from the key knowledge and skills are identified as relevant to the learning activity:

Key knowledge

• the structures and features of different texts such as reports, tax forms and advice, insurance forms, community charters and promotional texts
• key elements of specific complex texts
• the way different organisations, groups and businesses develop their use of language
• the conventions of discussion, including active listening and questioning
• the conventions of literacy, including punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing and spelling.

Key skills

• read, infer, and create meaning from texts.

Identify the focus

The focus considered in this example activity is the explicit teaching of designing survey questions and drawing inference from the data.

This learning activity may be used in the lead-up to completing the report on buying a car.

The steps for this learning activity follow the GANAG instructional model (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2021).

Step 1 – What is the best car to buy as a first car?

• Establish the learning intention:
  • Develop language for a survey that suits the survey’s purpose.
  • Create a graphical representation of data and write an interpretation of it, as it relates to the specific research question.
  • Apply literacy knowledge and skills in drawing inferences from data when conducting research.  
• The teacher poses the following questions:
  • What is the best car to buy as a first car?
  • What are the most important things to consider when buying a car?
  • Where do we find the information that we need to make our decision?
  • Why might a survey be useful when conducting research?

Step 2 – Explicit teaching of literary devices

• Teacher explicitly teaches Boolean internet searches to guide the selection of appropriate informative texts.
• Teacher leads the class in:
  • brainstorming key words for conducting internet research on the best first car to buy
  • formulating survey questions
  • interpreting data and modelling a written interpretation of a graph using objective voice
  • synthesising information.

Step 3 – Implementation and practice

• Students prepare a five-question survey in pairs.
• Individually students survey 5 to 10 people each.
• In pairs, students collate their information into a table format.
• Students convert the shared data from each question into a chart/bar graph using Excel.

Step 4 – Practise and apply

• In pairs students prepare a PowerPoint presentation based on the survey results.
• Each question asked should have a slide.

Step 5 – Share and reflect

• Each pair leads a discussion of their results.
• As a class, students reflect on the use of surveys and consider the following:
  • Did the survey provide a definitive answer to our research question?
  • Why or why not?
  • Are there things that you now wonder about, or think are worth further exploration?

Detailed example

Creating workplace documents

This detailed example is for learning associated with:

Literacy Unit 3 – Area of Study 2: Creating and responding to organisational, informational or procedural texts

Outcome 2 Create organisational, informational, and procedural texts that reflect a specific workplace or vocational experience.

The following points from the key knowledge and skills are identified as relevant to the learning activity:

Key knowledge

• the structure and language of different organisational, informational and procedural texts
• the purpose and intended audience of the text
• the characteristics of organisational, informational and procedural texts
• elements of oral communication, including eye contact, tone, body language and intonation
• the conventions of discussion and debate, including active listening and questioning
• the conventions of literacy, including punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing and spelling.

Key skills

• explain the purpose and intended audience of instructional, procedural and informational texts
• identify where to seek reliable and accurate sources of information
• create informative, procedural and instructional content for a chosen organisation or workplace taking into account the audience and purpose
• listen and contribute to small group and whole class discussions
• apply the conventions of literacy, including sentence structure, paragraphing, punctuation and spelling.

Identify the focus

The focus considered in this example activity is the application of literacy skills and knowledge in the production of workplace documents.

This learning activity may be used as an adjunct to work completed in WRS Unit 3

The steps for this learning activity follow the GANAG instructional model (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2021).

Step 1 – Creating workplace documents

• Establish the learning intention:
  • Develop language for a workplace document that suits the practical purpose.
  • Create a suitable format for the audience and purpose.
  • Apply literacy knowledge and skills in creating a workplace document taking into account the audience and purpose.
• The Hook: The class watches an audiovisual of an unsafe work practice or an image that highlights workplace safety issues; for example, one of the Victorian Worksafe marketing campaigns.
• Teacher poses the following questions:
  • What would/should be on the safety officer’s checklist?
  • How different is the language in a workplace document to how it might be discussed by workers on the ground?
  • What are the most important things to consider when formulating a workplace document?
  • Why might a workplace document be useful in a workplace?

Step 2 – Explicit teaching of literary devices

• Teachers explicitly teach the format and components of the targeted document and review advice regarding plain language suitable for a wide audience.
• Advice regarding plain language may be found on both government and non- government websites at:
  • Style Manual: Plain language and word choice
  • Information Standards: Plain Language Summary
  • SCOPE: Plain language fact sheet
    
  • Law and Justice Foundation: Writing in plain language
• Teachers may use one of the scenarios in the hook to begin formulating a checklist.

Step 3 – Implementation and practice

• In pairs and using post-it notes, students identify at least three things that they think should be on the checklist based on what is discussed in the video and/or what obviously needs to be addressed.
• Teachers should have a pre-prepared list that comprehensively addresses what should be on the checklist. This will ensure that any gaps left by the students are filled, either through teacher modelling or by the teacher coaxing the class to contribute through guided questioning.
• Students review the student statements in a whole class discussion led by the teacher. The focus of the discussion is on how these sentences might be reformulated to meet the criteria of plain language.
• Students are asked to consider the ways in which such a document might contribute to a safe workplace.

Step 4 – Practise and apply

• In this stage of the lesson students will be given a scenario and asked to formulate a workplace document.
• Teachers need to target one of the following text types for the application phase of the lesson:
  • Grievance form Internal document/external website form
  • Induction checklist
  • Meeting Minutes.
• Teachers prepare descriptions of a workplace scenario for the grievance or meeting depending on the target document they want students to create.
• Students work in pairs to draw up their own workplace document to the specifications provided.
• Teachers need to source examples of the targeted text type and provide these to students as a support.
• Teachers may like to consider one scenario from which all three workplace documents might be created as an alternative or extension to the activity. This may allow for differentiation across different ability groups as the teacher assigns a particular workplace document to student groups.  

Step 5 – Share and reflect

• Students swap their prepared checklist/grievance/meeting minutes document with another pair.
• Each group reviews the other pair’s workplace document against teacher-provided criteria in a rubric.
• The two groups meet and provide feedback to each other.
• Teacher leads a class discussion to review the learnings of each group of students.

Detailed example

Gruen segments

This detailed example is for learning associated with:

Literacy Unit 4 – Area of Study 1: Understanding and engaging with literacy for advocacy

Outcome 1 Illustrate understanding of the use of language in advocacy by producing a range of written, visual and multimodal texts for the promotion of self, a product,or a community group of their choice.

The following points from the key knowledge and skills are identified as relevant to the learning activity:

Key knowledge

• the relationship between language choices, audience and purpose
• the impact of visual cues and presentation in influencing an audience
• elements of oral communication, including eye contact, tone, body language and intonation
• the conventions of discussion, including active listening and questioning
• the conventions of literacy, including punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing and spelling.

Key skills

• identify the layout, design and structural elements of a variety of written, digital and visual texts
• identify appropriate communication techniques for different settings and contexts
• read, understand and infer meaning and context by evaluating promotional and influential material
• design and create influential or promotional material appropriate for context and audience
• critically evaluate the appeal and effectiveness of influential or promotional material from different individuals or organisations, considering their purpose and the social and workplace values associated with them
• listen and participate effectively in small group and whole class discussions
• apply the conventions of literacy, including sentence structure, paragraphing, punctuation and spelling.

Identify the focus

The focus considered in this example activity is the explicit teaching of literacy skills associated with seeking to persuade a targeted audience using techniques and strategies commonly found in advertising.

This learning activity may be used to support the execution of the marketing campaign assessment task.

The steps for this learning activity follow the GANAG instructional model (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2021).

Step 1 – Gruen segments

• Establish the learning intention:
  • Develop knowledge and skills in evaluating persuasive language in advocacy advertisements.
  • Apply literacy knowledge and skills in the evaluation of advocacy advertisements considering the audience and purpose.
  • Use persuasive literacy skills and knowledge to create a ‘pitch’ for a public service topic suitable for a target audience and purpose.
• The Hook: An audiovisual of The Pitch from an episode of the ABC’s Gruen program. These are available on iView with plenty of choice. Some are serious and some are meant to be funny; for example, National Buy Nothing Day. All segments for The Pitch are discussed and briefly analysed by the expert panel.
• The teacher poses the following questions:
  • What are the language characteristics of campaigns that are successful?
  • How have the audience and purpose been considered by each creative team?
  • How can language choice and sound and visuals influence behaviours?
  • How well is the key message communicated in the two advertisements?
  • Which of the two advertisements would you have voted for and why?

Step 2 – Explicit teaching of literary devices

• Teacher explicitly teaches the metalanguage used in describing the persuasive strategies and techniques typically used in advertising. Web resources are plentiful.
• Teacher models an analysis of components of the two advertisements that have been watched, seeking student input through targeted questioning and by revisiting the segment.

Step 3 – Implementation and practice

• Teacher determines a suitable segment from Gruen based on student interest and relevance to the cohort.
• Teacher also prepares an analysis template for the two advertisements that are watched. It should include criteria that identify strategies and comments on the language, visuals and sounds.
• Students watch a second segment from Gruen’s The Pitch.
• Students complete their evaluation and participate in a class discussion.

Step 4 – Practise and apply

• Students work in pairs. Teacher determines the topic based on student interest and relevance to the cohort.
• Students are creative teams with the challenge of designing an advertising campaign using the techniques and strategies discussed.
• The students’ ‘pitch’ should be based on the topic with consideration to audience and purpose, language, sound and visuals.
• Students may capture their ideas in a mind map or other suitable format of their choosing.

Step 5 – Share and reflect

• Students share their ‘pitch’ with the class.
• Members of the class are invited to vote for their favourite pitch.
• Teacher takes observational notes for each pair and provides direct feedback to them.
• Teacher leads a whole class review of the most effective strategies.

Detailed example

If I was in charge…

This detailed example is for learning associated with:

Literacy Unit 4 – Area of Study 2: Speaking to advise or to advocate

Outcome 2 Negotiate the topic of choice for, and complete, an oral presentation that showcases their reflections and evaluations of their learning.

The following points from the key knowledge and skills are identified as relevant to the learning activity:

Key knowledge

• the elements of oral communication, including eye contact, tone, body language and intonation
• the conventions of discussion, including active listening and questioning

Key skills

• sequence and structure oral content to advocate or present advice to an audience
• provide evidence to support advice or information presented
• use body language, eye contact, gestures, pace and intonation appropriately
• listen and contribute to small group and whole class discussions
• apply the conventions of literacy, including sentence structure, paragraphing, punctuation and spelling.

Identify the focus

The focus considered in this example activity is the explicit teaching of active listening skills through negotiating a topic of interest.

This learning activity may be used to demonstrate active negotiation of a topic following a class brainstorm.

The steps for this learning activity follow the GANAG instructional model (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2021).

Step 1 – If I was in charge…

• Establish the learning intention:
  • Develop language skills for reaching consensus on a negotiated topic.
  • Apply literacy knowledge and skills in active listening and speaking to determine an agreed topic for further investigation.
• Teacher poses the following questions:
  • What would you do if you were in charge?
  • How would you decide your priority/priorities?
  • How might a topic of interest or issue become a project?

Step 2 – Explicit teaching of literary devices

• Teacher articulates expectations of students in relation to speaking and listening to one another throughout the exercise.
• Teacher explicitly teaches oracy skills and how to implement a SWOT analysis.
• Teacher provides students with a definition of active listening and emphasises that this is about reaching consensus on an agreed topic that could become a project.

Step 3 – Implementation and practice

• Students give themselves a rating as a listener before playing a short listening and speaking game. For example, three facts, one lie.
• Students consider the question: How well did you listen? Students give themselves a rating.
• Teacher sets each student the task of ‘being in charge’ and writing down five things they would like to change about their world.
• In groups of four or five, students use their personal lists to form a group decision on the five things they would like to work on, in order of preference.
• Once each group has selected their number one topic, they complete a SWOT analysis based on whether this topic would make a suitable project.

Step 4 – Practise and apply

• Each group of students presents their top five issues and the SWOT analysis of their number one preference.
• Teacher acts as a facilitator/moderator as the whole class gradually comes to an agreement on one topic.
• Students participate in a discussion advocating for their preferred number one topic.

Step 5 – Share and reflect

• Once consensus has been reached, the teacher may lead a synthesis of the SWOT analyses presented.
• Students may individually contribute to a PMI wall using post-it notes commenting on their learnings throughout this process of reaching consensus on a topic.