English or English Language?

[elly123]

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Hi all,

Just wondering what topics are covered in units 1, 2, 3 and 4 in English and English Language. Subject selection is coming up and I want some more in-depth information than just the teachers cover because they all seem to be giving us briefs...

Thanks

[mastermind666]

Originally Posted by elly123

Hi all,

Just wondering what topics are covered in units 1, 2, 3 and 4 in English and English Language. Subject selection is coming up and I want some more in-depth information than just the teachers cover because they all seem to be giving us briefs...

Thanks

Yeh, i'm in the same boat as elly

[autumn-bird]

hey!
i guess the best way to find out more info about these subjects is by looking at the study design of them from the vcaa website (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)).

i'm in year 11 this year, and have started doing english language units 1/2.... englang is pretty interesting, i like it heaps! englang is more "scientific and factual" than normal english... englang is basically linguistics. you study englang as like a science subject, i feel; whereas english is more like the stuff you've been doing all throughout high school, like text response, creative writing, argumentative writing, language analysis etc.

in englang this year, i've studied so far: grammar (but it's really interesting, so don't worry! haha); how babies learn language and now we're learning about the history of the english language.

i'm not doing vce english though, so i can't offer my opinion on that, but from what my friends tell me (who are still doing normal english), i gather it's pretty much the same as english in yr 7-10.

so summary:
englang - linguistics, more of a "sciency factual" approach, learning about concrete information
english - more creative writing involved (i guess), good if you've got strong expressive verbal skills, exploring abstract ideas (in novels, plays etc)

oooh, another note: both require you to do essays, so don't simply pick englang solely on the mis-guided belief that you don't need to do essays... because that is wrong!! :P

i would strongly advise you, however, to go speak to both english and english language teachers at your school for more info. and check out the vcaa website!! you probably need more info than what i've provided here to make your decision...

or you could do both... ?

[elly123]

Thanks for that

Yeah I think I want to do englang because I would be more interested by the topics you covered rather than just doing the same old boring stuff at a much higher level...

I don't mind essays, I'm currently practicing them so I'd say I am getting better...

Thanks again and I'll be sure to check out the VCAA website!

[autumn-bird]

Originally Posted by elly123

Thanks for that

Yeah I think I want to do englang because I would be more interested by the topics you covered rather than just doing the same old boring stuff at a much higher level...

I don't mind essays, I'm currently practicing them so I'd say I am getting better...

Thanks again and I'll be sure to check out the VCAA website!

hahaha, no worries, elly!

[Silhouettex]

I'm currently doing both 3/4 English and Englang. I'm very much in love with Englang because it is such a great subject.
This is also a very biased opinion because we have great Englang teachers at my school and not very good english ones. I have spoke to Englang students at other schools and it seems that a majority have pretty dodgey Englang teachers.
To break it down there are different components you focus on in each subject.

English-
- Language analysis: these first 2 you would've already done some aspect of it in younger years.
- Text response
- Context: creative, expressive writing using ideas from texts you have studied

English Language-
Unit 3: Essay writing
- Language according to user: how we portray ourselves and our identity through our language, what's the intended effect/purpose of various strategies
- Language according to use: how different language is used in different contexts, what type is appropriate when

Unit 4: Short answer
- Spoken lang: analyse spoken transcripts and identify the various features and their functions
- Writting mode: analyse writted texts and identify (a more technical version of the English language analysis)


I would recommend Englang to those who have more of an analytical type of mind because it involves a lot more concrete and solid ideas and answers. There's really only 1 essay component and most of it is weighted on short answer.
Whereas some of English involves using your creative juices and the answers are very subjective. Also it's good for those who like reading books and reflecting on them.

[RDX]

I was considering English Language since it would've suited me a bit better but ended up just sticking with English since I'd have a crappy timetable in Year 12 if I chose EL.

[angeliquem]

NOOOOOOOO lit over eng lang



I did English Lang hw all year, studied hours and hours, close to probably 30 hours and the exam killed me !!!!

[Mrs. Wisty]

It depends what you're good at; neither is superior to the other. If you're more "analytical" in your thinking, you won't necessarily enjoy EL more, because mainstream Eng also has a big analytical component - in fact, all three sections require you to analyse something and come up with an original response to it. That's the difference, really - mainstream gives you more freedom to be original; in EL you might find yourself regurgitating memorised definitions and examples. That's not to say there isn't room for creativity in your EL essays. If you enjoy psychology, biology, anthropology, etc., chances are you'll love EL - I'm always fascinated by how a bunch of apes can convey complex ideas with a lump of cauliflower, a bellows and a rather disgusting-looking muscle. To really hone your skills as a communicator - if you plan to go into law, advertising, politics and what have you - mainstream might be more up your alley, though EL would also come in very handy for something like advertising.