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Listed under:  Language  >  Language conventions
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Descriptive Writing

Here are some techniques for students to use to make their writing more vivid and interesting, including metaphors, similes, personification, adjectives and sensory imagery. This resource also includes a descriptive writing activity, as well as a short test on the techniques.

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Wide Reading

Good advice for students encouraging them to read widely beyond the classroom, with useful links to ways to finding a good book

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Science Fiction: Short Stories

This resource for students presents information on how to respond to short answer questions on texts. Using textual evidence is discussed, with details on the use of ellipses and full stops. A sample answer is provided to a short answer question on Louise Lawrence's story 'Extinction is Forever'. Students are then asked ...

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How to use rhetoric to get what you want

This short video for students describes the fundamentals of rhetoric and shares some tips for appealing to an audience's ethos, logos and pathos in your speech.

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Formal vs Informal Writing: What's the Difference and When to Use Them

Before you start writing any article, one of the first things you need to ask yourself is "Who's my audience?" Answering this question will help you decide if you should use a formal or an informal writing style. This resource explores this and other questions to be answered before writing, such as 'What's the best way ...

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Poetry from the Poetry foundaton - iTunes app

View poems from classic and contemporary poets. From William Shakespeare to T.S. Eliot to Emily Dickinson this app turns your device into a mobile poetry library. Free when reviewed 5/6/15.

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Refugee analysis from The Conversation

This is a collection of 200+ articles about refugees. It includes articles about the Australian government’s refugee policy over time, policies and approaches internationally, articles on the western Europe migrant crisis of 2015, “explainers” on why refugee intake number vary across Europe, and a long-read essay by Julian ...

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Digging into the Stanza Stones

Imagine having your poetry carved in stone. What would you write? British artist Pip Hall carved six poems by Simon Armitage in rocks found in 'quiet, poetic corners of the landscape' between the towns of Marsden and Ilkley in northern England. Listen as Mr Armitage describes this unique project, known as Stanza Stones.

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Four Corners: Core speech with extras, thanks

A national survey in the 1960s indicated that the use of spoken English was surprisingly similar throughout Australia. This challenged the notion of 'regionalism', which suggested that people from different places would use language in different ways. In this clip, two leading academics discuss regionalism and suggest that ...

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BTN: Did you see it? Subliminal advertising

Are you persuaded to purchase products by the advertising you see on TV? If advertising was so subtle that we couldn't distinguish it from the content of the shows we watch, what effect might this have? Watch this clip and find out how some advertisers are using hidden messages to advertise products and influence our purchasing ...

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Writing London: Discovery and rebirth

How do writers respond to, and write about, the great city of London. Listen as some of London's greatest writers, including Andrea Levy, Jeremy Reed, Ian McEwan and Bernard Kops, reflect on the experience of writing in and about London. Consider what Bernard Kops means when he asks, 'Where was I born after I was born?'

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Can We Help?: The keys to clearer explanations

G'day cobber! Are you a true-blue, dinky-di Aussie? Australian slang can be quite bewildering for anyone who is new to this country and even for those who've lived here quite a while. In this clip Professor Kate Burridge explores how to use verbal and non-verbal language to explain difficult concepts.

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First Tuesday Book Club: The Great Gatsby

How do authors develop their characters? In 'The Great Gatsby', F Scott Fitzgerald creates characters through others' impressions of them rather than by creating an inner, or 'interior', world of thoughts for them. We never really get to know Gatsby except by how others see him. Find out what the First Tuesday Book Club ...

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Four Corners: Devon, Polony, Stras or Fritz?

How much is your use of the English language influenced by where you live? Would it be possible to work out where in Australia somebody comes from just by listening to them speak? In this clip from a 1975 episode of Four Corners, find out how words and expressions we use every day might be revealing more about us than we realise.

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Changing ideas and discovering themes in stories

Have you ever started out with an idea for a story and later realised you wanted to change it? You're not the only one! In fact, changing your mind is all part of the process of writing. Listen as author Tony Wilson explains how the idea for his book 'The Cow Tripped over the Moon' changed over time. What was his initial ...

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Farmers' market: by locals, for locals

What are food miles, and how can a farmers' market support sustainable farming and supply a community with fresh food? To find out, view this clip called 'To market, to market', created by young reporters from Willunga Primary School, South Australia. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the news!' ...

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Story starting points

Do you sometimes have trouble finding an idea to write about? Watch this clip to learn how author Tony Wilson developed the idea for his book 'Stuff Happens: Jack'. Is there a dramatic moment from your life that might inspire a story? Remember what Tony says about building a fictional world around this real starting point, ...

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Learn a Dhurga greeting

Walawaani! Learn this Dhurga greeting by listening to teacher Kerry Boyenga and the students of St Mary's Primary School in Moruya. Walawaani means "We hope you've had a safe journey here", or "We hope you have a safe journey home". Dhurga is the first language of the NSW far south coast between Wandandean, Braidwood and ...

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This Day Tonight: Debating Vietnam: using counter-arguments, 1967

Imagine agreeing with your opponent in a debate. How could that possibly help your argument? Many successful speakers, however, realise that concession is an important persuasive technique. In this clip, explore how two speakers discussing the effectiveness of Vietnam War protest marches both use concession to improve their ...

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What's With Poetry?, Ch 1: What is poetry?

It is easy to dismiss poetry as too difficult, but really all you have to do with poetry is read it and then think about how it makes you feel. Yes, there are rules to poetry, but there are rules to most things we enjoy. Watch this video as Matt from the Sydney Story Factory explains how writing poetry is just another way ...