BROWSE SUBJECTS

Step into the world of high stakes drama, where ambition, revenge, fate, and downfall shape stories that stay with us long after the final scene. In this challenging subject, you'll explore one of Shakespeare's darkest tragedies alongside a powerful Greek tragic play to uncover what makes these stories so gripping - and why audiences have been fascinated by violent twists, moral dilemmas, and catastrophic choices for thousands of years. You'll examine how each playwright builds tension, creates unforgettable characters, and uses language, symbolism, and dramatic structure to reveal the best and worst of human behaviour. From prophecies and power struggles to betrayal, justice, and the consequences of impossible decisions, you'll compare how two different eras tackle similar themes in completely different ways. This subject is perfect if you enjoy intense stories, big emotions, complex characters, and exploring how tragedy helps us understand humanity at its most extreme.

Growing up: it's hard to do! In this subject, you will explore the depictions of youth and coming of age in media, as well as proving your own understanding of what it means to grow up in the 21st century. In this project, you will analyse a set text, and make connections to other texts - you will learn how young people have been portrayed both positively and negatively in films, TV, and novels, and how young people see and present themselves.

Step into the world of conspiracies and uncover how stories - true, twisted, or completely invented - take hold and spread. In this subject, you'll explore a mix of fiction and non-fiction texts to understand why conspiracy theories capture people's attention and how writers, creators, and communities shape them. You'll investigate how conspiracies are built: the language they use, the emotions they trigger, the gaps they fill, and the way they travel through media, storytelling, and culture. You'll analyse characters, structure, persuasion, bias, and the power of narrative techniques that make ideas feel believable - even when they're not. This is a space for critical thinking, lively discussion, and examining how texts influence what people believe. You'll finish the course better equipped to question information, understand perspective, and recognise how stories shape the world around us.

Core English is a subject that you will complete along with all other Year 7 students when you start at Salesian College. It will lay the foundation for your future studies in English by exploring reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Ever wanted to tell your story in a way that captivates an audience? Or craft the perfect sentence that leaves an impact? Learn about others through their own narratives and get ready to build your confidence, sharpen your creativity, and unlock the skills that will help you succeed in and beyond the classroom. This subject only runs for one semester.

VCE English and English as an Additional Language (EAL) focuses on how English language is used to create meaning in print and digital texts of varying complexity. Texts selected for study are drawn from the past and present, from Australia and from other cultures, and comprise many text types, including media texts, for analysis of argument. The study is intended to meet the needs of students with a wide range of expectations and aspirations, including those for whom English is an additional language.

VCE English and English as an Additional Language (EAL) focuses on how English language is used to create meaning in print and digital texts of varying complexity. Texts selected for study are drawn from the past and present, from Australia and from other cultures, and comprise many text types, including media texts, for analysis of argument. The study is intended to meet the needs of students with a wide range of expectations and aspirations, including those for whom English is an additional language.

English Language at Focus level explores the ways in which language is used by individuals and groups and how it reflects our thinking and values. Learning about language helps us understand ourselves, the groups with which we identify, and the society we inhabit. English Language builds on students' previous learning about the conventions and codes used by speakers and writers of English. Informed by the discipline of linguistics, it provides students with metalinguistic tools to understand and analyze language use, variation, and change. Students studying English Language examine how the uses and interpretations of language are nuanced and complex rather than a series of fixed conventions. They explore how people use spoken and written English to communicate, think, and innovate.

This subject explores language as a fundamental aspect of human behavior, examining its structure, functions, and role in shaping communication and identity. Students analyze language acquisition, the relationship between speech and writing, and the influence of situational and cultural contexts. A key focus is language change, recognizing its continuous evolution and the factors driving shifts in English over time. By studying historical and contemporary texts, students explore how change affects linguistic subsystems and how attitudes toward it vary. They also investigate the global spread of English, its diversification, and its impact on Indigenous languages, considering the cultural consequences of its dominance.

This subject investigates the use of English in contemporary Australian settings, examining language as a means of communication and interaction. Students explore the features of formal and informal language, analyzing how grammar, discourse structure, word choice, and context shape meaning. They consider how situational and cultural factors influence language choices, impacting formality, relationships, power structures, and inclusion or exclusion. A key focus is the role of language in constructing and challenging identities, recognizing that varieties of English reflect geographical, cultural, and social influences. Students examine how Standard Australian English shapes national identity while other language varieties contribute to social and cultural identity. Through text analysis, they explore how language expresses individuality, signals group membership, and reinforces social connections or divisions.

"When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful." Malala Yousafzai was a young girl that fought for what she believed in. She believed that "if we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness". In this subject, you will follow in the footsteps of Malala and educate yourself and others to bring about peace and freedom. Who doesn't want a world full of peace?

In this subject you will explore how ideas about Australian identity have changed over time and how these ideas impact the way we see ourselves and the way others see us. You will investigate media texts, including television programs, and how they have depicted Australian stereotypes over time. You will meet Kenny the classic "Aussie Battler" as he heroically supplies portable toilets to events across Victoria against all odds. You will connect your own experiences of growing up in Australia with personal stories from a range of diverse Australians.

I had never seen a ghost. But like they say, there is a first time for everything... Scary stories have been told for centuries, dating all the way back to ancient culture. In this subject you will look at the origins of ghost stories, how different cultures tell their ghost stories and how to create a ghost story. This subject combines writing, language, and history into things that go bump in the night. Boo!

What did Hercules do with all those slain Hydra heads? And how much truth is there in all those daring exploits of heroes through the ages, from love and loss to clashes with nature and encounters with supernatural beings? The mythical stories of our cultures still hold a deep grip on our imagination today, for example, through the appeal of what it means to be a hero. You will dive into these questions and more through myths and legends across cultures and their modern adaptations, and then write your own part of the story...

Throughout human history, we have fought bravely, loved fiercely, uplifted culture to the greatest heights, and yet wrought destruction that's caused us to re-question what it means to be human. And through it all, authors have written fiction and nonfiction about it, so we can relive it. Let's step into the shoes of those who've journeyed in our past, those who walked through the Holocaust, and other moments big and small. You will learn how best to bring the past to life through studying texts, and create your own tales of the past.

Why is it important to build an inclusive society that celebrates diversity? How can we embrace difference and recognise the value that each unique person brings to our world. Read, view and explore personal accounts from people who have experienced forms of exclusion and use creative writing to envision a better future. Use your voice to passionately and persuasively advocate for greater inclusion of diverse groups.

Are you funny? Do you want to be the class clown? This subject is for you if you want to understand how to use language to make people laugh. It explores important questions like: How does comedy make us laugh? Why is comedy important? How does comedy help us understand the world we live in? In this subject, you'll be introduced to the basics of how to write and perform a stand-up comedy routine and how to create and perform a satirical news report.

The study of VCE Literature will foster your enjoyment and appreciation of the artistic and aesthetic merits of stories and storytelling, while enabling you to participate more fully in the cultural conversations that take place around you. By reading and exploring a diverse range of established and emerging literary works, you will become increasingly empowered to discuss texts. As both a reader and a writer, you will extend your creativity and high-order thinking to express and develop your critical and creative voices. Throughout this study, you will deepen your awareness of the historical, social, and cultural influences that shape texts and your understanding of yourself as a reader.

The study of VCE Literature will foster your enjoyment and appreciation of the artistic and aesthetic merits of stories and storytelling, while enabling you to participate more fully in the cultural conversations that take place around you. By reading and exploring a diverse range of established and emerging literary works, you will become increasingly empowered to discuss texts. As both a reader and a writer, you will extend your creativity and high-order thinking to express and develop your critical and creative voices. Throughout this study, you will deepen your awareness of the historical, social, and cultural influences that shape texts and your understanding of yourself as a reader.

Let's wind back the clock to different decades throughout the ages. Let's go on a journey and explore how our understanding of family and gender have changed over time. In this subject you will explore sit-coms and short stories and how they portrayed the values and stereotypes of their time. You will have the opportunity to work with different text types and activities that encourage collaboration as you refine your own writing skills. You will also have the opportunity to compare texts that you consume every day, examining their values and whether you feel that they are an accurate representation of your own 21st Century 'Modern Family'!

One Week at a Time is a dynamic English subject that explores the power of language in the world of sport. Through the analysis of media, literature, and real-world case studies, students will examine how words shape our understanding of sporting culture, competition, and controversy. From headlines to commentary, advertising to storytelling, this subject unpacks the influence of language in one of the world's most unifying - and divisive - arenas.

How much power do we really have over our own lives? To what lengths should we go to create a 'perfect' society? How have people used their power for good and evil in society? In this subject, students will have the opportunity to break down such questions that have been with us for millennia, questions that are all the more relevant in our globalised and internet-driven world today. Through this subject, you will break down one of the biggest social experiments in history; the rise of Communism. You will examine a variety of texts and build a creative writing portfolio. Be prepared to dig deep into the roots of why we act the way we do.

It was a dark and stormy night, and the vampires, ghouls, and undead were on the prowl... Gothic literature is riddled with the spooky, but did you know that this genre is so much more than a scary form of entertainment? In Gothic literature, you'll learn about how some of the world's greatest authors from the 19th century through today used Gothic elements to tackle issues that needed serious attention: the class system, gender norms, racism, social injustice, and more! Grab your monster gear and explore why Gothic literature has retained its appeal even with today's audiences.

Raise your voice and fight for what you believe in! Let's explore different issues within the community and across the world. In this subject, you will explore the causes and effects of injustice, and explore ways of creating social change through the written and spoken word. Develop the skills you need to advocate for change!

Did you know that supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (*breath*) is NOT the longest word in English? And did you know that English is spoken by 952 million people around the world? And that William Shakespeare had a great influence on the English language? This subject looks at the basics of English language and reviews how it has developed throughout the ages and how other languages have influenced it. You will look at the subsystems of language; morphology, phonology, and syntax in order to develop writing skills. You will also examine and critique the way that language can be used to convince, cajole, and condemn!

Once upon a time there was a subject that looked at all the different fairytales across the land. The subject explored different perspectives of characters and how the characters are formed. It looked at whether villains are truly villains or whether they are just misinterpreted souls. The subject discovers all the conventions of fairytales and how students can create their own. By doing this subject you will live happily forever after.

True Crime has become a phenomena of the modern media age, but is it right to produce? In 'True Crime', we will look closely at the ethics of true crime journalism and where it began. Our core text, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, is one of the most famous true crime books of all time - a chilling, real-life murder case written like a novel. You'll explore how writers turn facts into compelling narratives, dissect media portrayals of crime, and examine why we're so drawn to these shocking stories. Then, you'll have a chance to apply this to your own product, researching crimes and becoming your own journalist - write, produce, and press record on your own True Crime journey.

This subject provides you with the opportunity to develop your literacy skills to meet the demands of the workplace, community, further study, and personal aspirations. Through analysing various text types from different cultures and contexts, including First Nations peoples' knowledge, you will learn to participate in discussions, debates, and gain an understanding of the values represented in different texts. In Unit 1, you will learn to construct and respond to a range of digital content for workplace, community, and vocational purposes. In Unit 2, you will learn to create annotations, written, oral, and multimedia responses to diverse arguments and present points of view supported by evidence.

In Unit 3, you will develop your skills in understanding and accessing informational, organisational, and procedural texts, which reflect real-life situations encountered in vocational settings or workplaces. You will learn to recognise, analyse, and evaluate the structures and semantic elements of these texts, as well as their purpose and audience. This will prepare you to deal with a range of technical content encountered throughout adulthood, such as safety reports, public health initiatives, tax forms, contracts, and promotional videos. In Unit 4, you will investigate, analyse, and create content for self-advocacy, product promotion, or community group advocacy. You will explore the importance of creating a brand and how different platforms work together to produce one central message to influence an audience.

In this subject, you will have the opportunity to develop your literacy skills to meet the demands of the workplace, community, further study, and personal aspirations. Through analysing various text types from different cultures and contexts, including First Nations peoples' knowledge, you will learn to participate in discussions, debates, and gain an understanding of the values represented in different texts. In Unit 1, you will learn to construct and respond to a range of digital content for workplace, community, and vocational purposes. In Unit 2, you will learn to create annotations, written, oral, and multimedia responses to diverse arguments and present points of view supported by evidence.