English Literacy Essay

The class I will be taking for my three lessons contains 25 grade 9 students. Of these students there is 15 girls and 10 boys. 12 of these students are currently working at the average literacy level for grade 9 students. There are 8 students working at an above average level, and 5 students at a below average level. Of these 5 students, 2 boys have behavioural issues, and struggle to stay attentive for long periods. Twice a week there is a Teacher’s Aid available to work with small groups for up to 2 hours. This 2 hour period is often used to help break up lessons for the 2 boys with behavioural problems, or occasionally separate them if the need arises. Throughout these literacy lessons the Teacher’s Aid will be available to help the 5 students who are currently below average literacy levels, as well as prompt deeper discussion around the chosen text, with other students in the class. The chosen text for this literacy unit is the song ‘Imagine’, originally written and performed by John Lennon. Over a period of 3 lessons this text will be explored and examined through the three receptive modes of listening, reading and viewing. The text ‘Imagine’ provides a range of relevant literacy demands for grade 9 students. It is an excellent example of literature that is well structured by an author, for a specific purpose and effect. As stated by the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority (ACARA) (2011), “By the end of year nine students analyse the ways that text structures can be manipulated for effect”. Some of the literacy demands that can be explored by students in this text include language for interaction, text structure, expressing and developing ideas. These opportunities are provided by the written content and theme of John Lennon’s song. He uses certain devices, such as metaphor and sentence structure, to suggest the world could be a better place without religion, ownership, war and possibly cultural differences. By analysing the written