The English ATAR course focuses on developing students’ analytical, creative, and critical thinking and communication skills in all language modes, encouraging students to critically engage with texts from their contemporary world, the past, and from Australian and other cultures. Through close study and wide reading, viewing and listening, students develop the ability to analyse and evaluate the purpose, stylistic qualities and conventions of texts and to enjoy creating imaginative, interpretive, persuasive and analytical responses in a range of written, oral, multimodal and digital forms.

The English General course focuses on consolidating and refining the skills and knowledge needed by students to become competent, confident and engaged users of English in everyday, community, social, further education, training and workplace contexts. The course is designed to provide students with the skills to succeed in a wide range of post-secondary pathways by developing their language, literacy and literary skills. Students comprehend, analyse, interpret, evaluate and create analytical, imaginative, interpretive and persuasive texts in a range of written, oral, multimodal and digital forms.

The English Foundation course aims to develop students’ skills in reading, writing, viewing, speaking and listening in work, learning, community and everyday personal contexts. This course is for students who have not demonstrated the literacy standard in the OLNA. Such development involves an improvement in English literacy, where literacy is defined broadly to include reading ability, verbal or spoken literacy, the literacy involved in writing, and visual literacy. Students undertaking this course will develop skills in the use of functional language conventions, including spelling, punctuation and grammar. Good literacy skills are required for comprehending and producing texts; for communicating effectively in a learning or working environment, or within a community; or for self-reflection; and for establishing one’s sense of individual worth.

The English Preliminary course focuses on the fundamental skills that support language use. Language use plays a central role in human life: it provides a vehicle for communication and independence. Students study language through the use of receptive and expressive communication. Receptive skills can include reading, comprehending, listening and/or viewing. Expressive skills can include writing, speaking, acting, signing, gesturing and/or creating multimodal texts. The course recognises the diversity of the student population and builds on students’ knowledge of how language works and how to use language in a variety of forms and situations. An understanding of how to use language empowers students: it gives them access to knowledge, enables them to play an active part in society and contributes to their personal growth.