Year 10 English prepares students for the demands of senior secondary study. Students engage with complex literary, persuasive and multimodal texts, evaluate how language represents values and power, and develop sustained analytical, argumentative and creative responses.
Key Topics Covered:
Language and power, media representation, analytical writing, syntax and nominalisation, literary voice and interpretation, argument and ethics, satire, rhetoric, persuasive essays, multimodal structures, creative voice, editing and spoken performance.
Parent Tip:
Year 10 is the final foundation year before senior pathways such as the HSC, VCE and QCE. Strong control of textual evidence, interpretation, argument, structure and expression gives students a major advantage when assessment becomes more sustained and specialised.
Skills Your Child Will Build
By Term 4 of Year 10 English, Your Child Will...

4 school terms. 10 lessons each. Mapped to the Australian Curriculum.
Year 10 English Curriculum, Term by Term
Term 1
| No. | Topic | What We Cover |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Inclusive and Exclusive Language | Students explore how language can include, exclude, empower or marginalise audiences. They analyse pronouns, shared assumptions and persuasive phrasing such as "we", "of course" and "as you can imagine". Real-world examples from speeches and articles are examined. Students identify whose voices are centred and whose are silenced. They practise rewriting sentences to make language more inclusive. |
| 02 | Representation in Media Texts | Students analyse how people, places and groups are represented in news and media texts. They identify stereotypes and discuss how these reflect social and cultural contexts. Visual and written elements are examined together. Students evaluate whether representations are fair, biased or misleading. They justify their opinions using evidence from the text. |
| 03 | Analytical Paragraph Writing | Students learn the structure of an analytical paragraph: topic sentence, evidence, explanation and link. They write a paragraph explaining how language positions an audience. Model responses are unpacked to highlight effective technique. Students draft, peer-review and refine their work. Emphasis is placed on clarity, cohesion and formal tone. |
| 04 | Sentence Focus and Syntax | Students examine how sentence structures shape meaning and emphasis. They compare active and passive voice and explore verbless clauses for effect. Complex sentences are analysed to show cause, concession and condition. Students manipulate sentences to shift focus and tone. This builds control over precision and style in writing. |
| 05 | Vocabulary and Inference | Students develop academic and technical vocabulary for analysing texts. They practise inferring implicit meanings and values from word choices. Strategies such as predicting, questioning and summarising are modelled. Short texts are used to locate subtle viewpoints. Students apply new vocabulary in analytical responses. |
| 06 | Nominalisation and Abstraction | Students explore how nominalisation turns actions into concepts (for example, "decide" becomes "decision"). They examine how abstraction creates authority and objectivity in formal writing. Examples from essays and articles are analysed. Students rewrite sentences to increase or reduce abstraction. They evaluate how these choices affect tone and meaning. |
| 07 | Short Story: Identity and Voice | Students read a short story that explores identity and voice. They analyse how characters and contexts are represented. Literary devices and aesthetic choices are examined for their emotional impact. Students discuss how the author positions the reader. Responses are supported with close textual evidence. |
| 08 | Persuasive Writing Task | Students craft a persuasive response on an issue linked to representation or power. They identify values embedded in language and replicate these techniques. Planning focuses on argument structure and audience awareness. Drafts are edited for clarity, precision and tone. Students reflect on how their language choices reveal values. |
| 09 | Speaking: Media Bias Debate | Students prepare and deliver a short debate on media bias. They use rhetorical devices to engage and persuade an audience. Listening skills are developed through rebuttal and questioning. Students evaluate how spoken language conveys values and attitudes. Peer feedback focuses on clarity, impact and effectiveness. |
| 10 | Revision and Integrated Assessment | Students complete a mixed assessment combining reading, language analysis and writing. They apply comprehension strategies across unfamiliar texts. Tasks mirror exam-style integration of skills. Students review key concepts from the term. Reflection identifies strengths and areas for improvement. |
Every One-hour Lesson Follows a Proven Structure
What a Typical Lesson Looks Like

Warm-up (5 min)
Quick review of the previous session plus a sounds or spelling warm-up
Core Teaching (25 min)
New concept from the lesson eBook, with reading and writing examples
Guided Practice (15 min)
Student reads and writes with tutor support
Independent Practice (10 min)
Student completes the in-class quiz independently
Wrap-up (5 min)
Summary, 2 take-home quizzes and a preview of the next session
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