Year 7 English tuition in Sydney and online

Holiday

April

Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night

Overview

Students will study an example of a well-known painting, Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night to analyse how this painting has inspired many other composers to create texts of different forms and types. Students will study paintings, poems, songs, advertisements, documentaries, and websites to understand the relationship between context, values, attitudes, beliefs and perspectives on the painting.

Course breakdown

Day 1: Introduction to Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night

Day 2: Perspective and Point of View in Texts & Van Gogh’s Letters

Day 3: Connotation, Imagery, and Symbolism in The Starry Night & Other Texts

Day 4:  Different Text Types: Advertising, Documentary, & Reflection

What students will gain:

• Art interpretation and visual literacy skills by analysing symbols, imagery and visual elements that convey emotions or themes
• Critical thinking skills by drawing connections and exploring broader themes inspired by the painting
• Strong writing skills by using descriptive and analytical language to articulate ideas clearly and effectively
• Creative expression to create their own interpretations of the painting through writing, poetry or art
• Persuasive communication skills by debating interpretations and defending perspectives with peers

Holiday

July

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince

Overview

In this course, students will explore The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry—a timeless allegorical novella that weaves together visual storytelling and philosophical insight. Through close analysis of the text’s language and illustrations, students will examine how meaning is constructed and consider multiple perspectives within the narrative. They will also develop creative responses inspired by the story’s universal themes of friendship, imagination, and human connection.

Course breakdown

Day 1: Introduction to The Little Prince and Visual Storytelling
Day 2: Characters, Perspectives, and Symbolism
Day 3: Language Features, Imagery, and Allegory
Day 4: Creative Response and Reflection on Universal Themes

What students will gain:

• Textual analysis skills by examining how words and visuals work together to create layered meaning
• Interpretive skills through exploring allegory, symbolism, and multiple viewpoints
• Stronger writing skills by practising analytical and imaginative responses
• Creative confidence through writing their own stories, scenes, or reflections inspired by the text
• Deeper comprehension of abstract themes such as loneliness, wonder, and relationships

Module 2

Introduction to Analysing Texts

Lesson 1: What is Poetry?

• Characteristics of poetry, use of figurative language in and personal expression through poetry; discuss and define the concept of poetry.
• Identify and utilise figurative language techniques such as metaphors and similes; compose an original poem.

Lesson 2: Poet Case Study: Maya Angelou

• Study a series of poems by Mary Angelou; interpret punctuation of effect, performance, and the concept of persona.
• Describe poetic style and ideas, discuss the impact of performance, persona, and reception; analyse the use and effect of language features.

Lesson 3: The Verse Novel

• Define the verse novel, narrative point of view; interpret how the story and characters evolve over connected poems.
• Apply techniques, examples, and effects as a model of analysis; design and explain meaning in an original poem; compose a poem featuring certain points of view.

Lesson 4: What is Prose?

• Discuss and define the concept of prose, and its characteristics, and study a short story in full by a contemporary writer.
• Distinguish fictional from nonfictional meaning, read for meaning; annotate and analyse a short story for meaning.

Lesson 5: Prose Case Study: The Hunger Games

• Fundamental characteristics of prose: plot, character development, setting, and narrative point of view as exemplified by a contemporary fiction writer; values and thematic concerns in the 21st century.
• Analyse writing choices and effects; develop ideas and select evidence for longer analytical responses.

Lesson 6: Genre: Science Fiction

• The sci-fi genre and conventions; the importance of personal, social, and historical context.
• Interpret and analyse extracts from sci-fi texts; explain the influence of context on form and content.

Lesson 7: Writing About Film

• Fundaments of cinematic storytelling: camera, sound, and mise-en-scène; film trailers as texts; PEEL paragraph structure.
• Analyse filmmaking choices and their effects, explain the relationship between cultural values and textual meaning and construct a PEEL paragraph.

Lesson 8: Film Case Study: Jurassic Park

• Visual and aural techniques in the film; 21st century values and themes; processes for drafting and revising analysis.
• Identify and explain the effects of techniques in conveying an idea/argument; develop/maintain an argument; incorporate dramatic techniques and contextual detail into the analysis.  

Lesson 9: Topic Test

Module 3

The Art of Persuasion

Lesson 1: Introduction to Persuasion

• Visual and literary persuasive techniques including diction and connotation; the issue of plastic pollution.
• Analyse advertisements and campaigns, assess their persuasiveness and discuss the effects of visual and literary techniques on meaning. 

Lesson 2: Creating a Brand

• The impact of brand names, logos, and slogans on advertising campaigns; the importance of brands.
• Analyse logos and slogans, assess their effectiveness and develop creative ideas using persuasive techniques.

Lesson 3: Communicating a Brand’s Message

• How brands use ad campaigns to sell messages and products; visual techniques used to convey ideas.
• Analyse film and visual techniques and their impact on persuasiveness; read and respond to advertising critically.

Lesson 4: The History of Advertising

• The history of marketing, viral marketing, and direct e-mail techniques.
• Analyse film and visual techniques, and online marketing campaigns, and read and respond to copy critically.

Lesson 5: In-Class Writing Task

• Incorporating rhetorical techniques as evidence; analytical paragraph structure and composition.
• Respond to questions through essay plans, reflect on and analyse how rhetorical techniques persuade, and compose an essay paragraph.

Lesson 6: Speeches

• Logos, pathos, and ethos; persuasive techniques such as diction, tone, and connotations; essay structure and compositions.
• Assess the effect of rhetorical techniques in persuasion; analyse a speech and identify key arguments and techniques.

Lesson 7: Propaganda

• History of propaganda, subjectivity and objectivity, and the power of language to shape history.
• Analyse propaganda, analyse texts for purpose, audience, and technique, and critique the objectivity of propaganda.

Lesson 8: Film Reviews

• The language of positive and negative film reviews; literary techniques including wordplay, sarcasm, and diction.
• Analyse language choices used in film review writing, and creatively adapt a section of a film review.

Lesson 9: Topic Test

Module 4

Introduction to Shakespeare

Lesson 1: Who is Shakespeare

• The history of drama, early modern dramatic genre: tragedy, comedy, and history.
• Identify genre conventions; write discursively about Shakespeare’s life.

Lesson 2: Shakespeare’s Time

• The social and cultural context of early modern England; the influence of context on texts.
• Analyse the way context shapes meaning, and incorporate context into writing.

Lesson 3: The Shakespearean Theatre

• The Globe Theatre and plays within plays.
• Assess the effect of language on live audiences; analyse metatheatre.  

Lesson 4: Shakespeare’s Poetic Language

• Sonnets, history and structure; language techniques including imagery, couplets, and personification.
• Analyse and discuss poetic language in sonnets; explain the influence of context on form and content.

Lesson 5: Dialogue in Tragedy

• Shakespearean tragedy, conventions, settings, characterisation, speech, and dialogue.
• Analyse key scenes and conventions; analyse dialogue.

Lesson 6: Soliloquy in Comedy

• Shakespearean comedy, conventions, structure, characterisation, speech, and soliloquy.
• Analyse language choices in soliloquy and identify comedic conventions.

Lesson 7: Monologue in History Plays

• Shakespearean history plays, monologues, tone, and simile.
• Analyse key scenes and monologues, and identify conventions.

Lesson 8: Writing About Shakespeare

• Processes for drafting analytical body paragraphs; the importance of planning, editing, and revising.
• Develop and maintain argument, and incorporate dramatic techniques into PEEL paragraphs.

Lesson 9: Topic Test