What does HSC English look like?
HSC English can be broken down into a choice of these compulsory (2-unit) courses:
- English EAL/D
- English Studies
- English Standard
- English Advanced
And a choice of these optional (1-unit) courses, if you take the English Advanced pathway:
Which English course to pick
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves – before we think about studying anything, we need to find the best English course for us!
External factors to consider
What does your workload currently look like and can you manage it moving into senior years? Think about your other subjects, co-curricular activities, and potential Major Works, to which you will have to dedicate extra time.
What do you want to do in the near future? Verbal and written communication is important, but many university courses will list a prerequisite HSC English level, so do your research!
Some information about each course
Most students in New South Wales pick between English Standard and English Advanced. English Advanced features a far more demanding syllabus which requires you to do a comparative study and evaluate texts more deeply, meaning more commitment and effort. Texts are also more conceptually complex.
However, this is rewarded by a reflective level of scaling! To give you an idea, being in the top 30% of English Advanced students equates to being in the top 10% of English Standard students (in 2019). That being said, it’s still better to take the English Standard course if you feel as though it’s more suited to your capabilities.
If choosing English Advanced was a confident decision for you and you’re passionate about English, consider taking English Extension 1 or 2 as well!
English Extension 1 is more conceptual than the core courses, offering development of analytical and writing skills, as well as a more nuanced understanding of texts. It features at least 3 prescribed and 2 related texts (that you choose to study yourself).
English Extension 2 is an opportunity for students to undertake a creative Major Work. While it gives more freedom of choice as classes are replaced by one-on-one mentor sessions, a higher level of discipline and self-motivation is required to research, draft, refine, and reflect.
English Studies is an alternative course to English Standard, offered in some schools. It is taken to consolidate your literacy skills and help you transition to employment or vocational training after high school. The HSC exam is optional, but required to receive an ATAR.
Finally, you’re only eligible for English EAL/D if you’ve received 5 years or less of English education, in Australia or overseas.
Manoj Arachige
How to approach English throughout the term
It can get pretty overwhelming to figure out how to approach each class, homework, and assessment every term. We can break down the goals of studying English throughout the term into long and short-term, and the best way to excel in HSC is by hitting both of them!
Long-term: Gradually improving your English skills 📈
- Reading at least a few chapters ahead when you have a prescribed text so that you can absorb more information in class
- Try your best to hand in practice writing AND edit using feedback - just reading it is never as effective as applying directly!
- Saving past assessment tasks to look back on later to identify your strengths and weaknesses to work on
- Read more books in general - they’ll subconsciously shape your writing
Short-term: Acing the next assessment task 😎
Best study methods for assessments
Every student has a different method of studying that works for them, but here are some pointers if you’re still trying to find that method.
- Do all the practice paragraphs set for homework throughout the term – you can reuse these old arguments AND you have your teacher’s feedback to work with
- Splice these together to create a more polished essay
- Try to tick off these:
- Broad topic sentences fit into a variety of questions
- Address context and form
- 3-4 pieces of evidence per paragraph
- Create a table based off the essay to help you memorise your main points
Here’s an example from Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice:
- Practice hand-writing timed essays with the table of notes, then without
- Make adjustments to the length of your essay based on these practices, and you’re ready to go!
In the case of creative writing assessments which are more difficult to prepare for, follow steps 1 and 4. Before any exam, just prepare some general ideas and practice thinking imaginatively under time pressure.
Best of luck, and happy writing!
FAQs
What if I still can’t decide between two HSC English courses?
If you’ve done your research and considered your workload but you still can’t seem to choose, always pick the course with higher difficulty! Although it will challenge you, remember that you always have the option to drop down a level if necessary, but not the option to go up if the course you picked feels too easy.
Should I prepare an introduction for my HSC English essays?
Generally, no! Unless you’re responding to a given question that you know will be in the exam, it’s better just to think on the spot to give a brief overview of how you would address the question - it can even provide direction for your response.
How do I prepare for short-answer questions?
The best way to familiarise yourself with any task is to practice it repetitively. There should be plenty of past papers provided by your school in preparation for the task! If you’ve already exhausted the list, you can grab any unseen text online and analyse it based on past questions.
Manoj Arachige
Want personalised study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor can make the biggest difference!
Written by KIS Academics Tutor for HSC English, Rachel Xie. Rachel is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce/Fine Arts at UNSW and has received stellar reviews from her past KIS Academics students. You can view Rachel's profile here and request her as a tutor.
