English

Kaipara College English Faculty

English - Media Studies 


What is English about?

English is the study, use, and enjoyment of the English language communicated orally, visually, and in writing, for a range of purposes and audiences, and in a variety of forms. It is creative and critical, receptive and productive. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the study of English incorporates mātauranga Māori and considers our place in the Pacific.


The Learning Area's whakataukī is:

Ko te reo te tuakiri

Ko te reo tōku ahurei

Ko te reo te ora

Language is my identity

Language is my uniqueness

Language is life

The study of English affirms language as integral to identity. Language is one of the walls (tuakiri) that form part of our identity, but a wall is stronger when it is connected to other walls, to foundations, and to a roof. A solitary wall can be transformed into something more than itself. Houses can shelter us, keep us safe, and give us an environment in which to thrive. Language is life, health, and vitality. Houses can be beautiful. This can be seen in the word ‘ahurei’, which in te reo Māori can mean prominence, splendour, uniqueness, importance. The study of English recognises and explores the ways in which language can help build connections to others. Language gives us a strong foundation for our identity and helps us to express ourselves and to connect with others (the other walls of the house through shared language use).

The study of literature is a shared journey that aims to foster belonging and connection through the exploration of texts and ideas. Through experiencing this shared journey, ākonga appreciate and enjoy texts in all their forms. The study of Aotearoa New Zealand, Pacific, and world literature contributes to students’ developing sense of identity, their cultural capital, their understanding of heritage, and of the world.

The study of literature helps ākonga to understand how language helps us to build connections with others: both with people with similar life experiences and perspectives as themselves, as well as those who may have had different life experiences and perspectives. The consideration of vā when studying literature provides a perspective for seeing the world in ways that ākonga might not have experienced before. This can help to build empathy, and awareness of the complexities and beauty of lives and experiences, captured in stories.

Understanding, using, and creating oral, written, and visual texts of increasing complexity is at the heart of English teaching and learning. By engaging with text-based activities, ākonga become increasingly skilled and sophisticated speakers and listeners, writers and readers, and presenters and viewers. This equips ākonga to be able to form developed ideas and to communicate them with confidence, participating critically in their communities, society, and in the wider world.

Ākonga at Levels 6-8 of the New Zealand Curriculum can integrate sources of information, processes, and strategies purposefully and confidently to identify, form, and express increasingly sophisticated ideas. They create and make meaning using evidence in the text, from other texts, and from their own experience.

https://ncea.education.govt.nz/english/english?view=learning


English is compulsory for Year 11 and 12 students at Kaipara College.