English - Pathways to VCE, VCE VET and VCAL
The post-compulsory years
As students approach the end of the compulsory years of schooling they begin to make choices about their preferred areas of and pathways for learning. Students choose studies from the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or recognised vocational training through either a Vocational Education Training (VET) program or the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL).
In the post-compulsory years effective literacy skills are essential for success in all curriculum areas. The inclusion of an English study in the VCE, and Literacy Skills units in the VCAL, ensures that students can continue to strengthen their literacy skills.
Students develop greater independence in their learning, and extend their competence in using the English language in many different social and academic contexts, ranging from the personal and informal to more public occasions. They further develop their capacity to use written language accurately and have control of the conventions of writing. They develop communicative capacities adequate for meeting the demands of post-school employment, further education and effective participation in society.
They further develop their critical understanding and control of language. They communicate ideas, issues and information effectively to a range of audiences in written, visual and oral texts, in print and digital formats. They present and justify points of view coherently, logically and thoughtfully.
Students develop critical awareness by considering texts in their social context, and examining whether and how the purposes of texts have been achieved. They read, listen to and view, with comprehension, enjoyment and discrimination, a wide range of texts that challenge and extend their understanding of language, themselves and the world around them.
As active, critically aware citizens, students participate confidently in debate and discussion of ideas of social importance, demonstrating critical understanding of their own use of language and the language use of others. They interpret and make effective use of the specialist language of diverse texts, including texts relevant to academic disciplines and to workplace situations.
Post-compulsory English programs
A variety of English programs is available to students in the post-compulsory years, including VCE English studies, VET programs, and the Literacy and Numeracy Skills strand in the VCAL. There are strong connections between these programs and the English standards, as they all focus on the further development of students’ knowledge and understanding of language and texts.
Post-compulsory English programs broadly aim to extend students’ competence in using language in a diverse range of academic, workplace and social contexts, working as individuals and in teams.
Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) English studies
The key concepts of texts and language in the English standards are also the central concepts in the VCE English studies. Reading, Writing, and Speaking and listening, the three dimensions in the English standards, provide continuity with all VCE English studies. The English studies aim to develop students’ critical understanding and control of the English language so that they can use it effectively in a wide range of situations. A central aim of the English studies is to extend students’ competence in using standard Australian English in order to meet the demands of study, the workplace and their own needs and interests. The English studies require students to read and comprehend, with enjoyment, and discrimination, a wide range of texts that challenge and extend their understanding of language, themselves and the world around them.
A range of English studies is available within the VCE, providing opportunities for students to choose different pathways for further study of language and texts through reading, writing, speaking and listening. In order to meet the compulsory English VCE certificate requirement, students can choose sequences of study from across the English studies.
The following studies are available within the VCE:
- English/ESL (Units 1–4) builds directly on the three dimensions of the English standards as it is structured around three areas of study: reading and responding to texts, creating and presenting texts and the use of language to persuade.
- Foundation English (Units 1–2) provides optional pathways for students to develop literacy skills to support their study of VCE English/ESL and other VCE English studies.
- Literature (Units 1–4) provides opportunities for students to undertake more specialised study of texts, and relates directly to the key discipline concept of texts in all dimensions within the English standards.
- English Language (Units 1–4) builds on students’ learning about language and provides the opportunity for intensive further study of the key discipline concept of language in all dimensions within the English standards.
Vocational education and training studies (VET)
The VCE includes a wide range of vocational education and training (VET) programs. These programs include training in language skills relevant to particular industries and particular workplace contexts. The programs articulate with the concepts of language and texts central to the English standards. Students develop further knowledge of workplace texts and apply this knowledge in the context of activities such as working in teams, job seeking, preparing of documents, reporting, and presenting information in the workplace.
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL)
The VCAL has four compulsory strands, one of which is Literacy and Numeracy Skills. In their VCAL learning program, students must include literacy and numeracy subjects such as VCE English studies and Mathematics, or other accredited studies such as literacy and numeracy modules from the Certificate in General Education for Adults.
The VCAL Literacy Skills units provide opportunities for students to develop literacy skills and knowledge in four main social contexts: family and social life; workplace and institutional settings; education and training contexts; and community and civic life. Literacy is integral to all these social contexts. The VCAL Literacy Skills units are framed around two broad domains: reading and writing, and oral communication. There is direct continuity with the three dimensions of the English standards.
More information about VCE (www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce)
More information about VET (www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vet)
More information about VCAL (www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vcal)
