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Jennifer Byrne Presents: Anything's possible

What are writers of Young Adult (or YA) fiction seeking to achieve? What obligations do they have to their audience, if any? In this clip, listen as four successful authors share their ideas on these things.

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Heywire: Leaving home, leaving yourself

Leaving the only home you've ever known can be tough. For Janet Brown, it led to a serious case of depression. Although she was able to work through this, for a time Janet felt that she had lost everything, including herself. In her Heywire story Janet constructs a powerful image of her condition.<br /><br />To talk with ...

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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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Heywire: Cows, crops and bulbous lumps

How do you convince people that studying agriculture was the highlight of your school career? Good writers will consciously shape their text to suit their audience and purpose. Listen to Alexandra Neill's Heywire audio story to explore her successful range of strategies. Could you write or record a story about yourself ...

Audio

Heywire: Inspirational Teens

Have you ever made a big contribution to your local community? Heywire is a national competition that assists young people to make a difference in rural communities. Bridie Johnstone from Woodend, Victoria, was a finalist of the 2012 Heywire storytelling competition for young people. Listen to how she is using music to ...

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Q+A: Debate surrounding ethics classes in school

Imagine you were walking down the street and found a wallet full of money. What would you do with it? Ethics is the branch of philosophy that explores the concepts of what is right and wrong. In this episode of Q&A, a group of panellists respond to the axing of ethics classes in New South Wales schools. As you watch, explore ...

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Sculpting ideas into stories with Andy Griffiths

Watch this clip to learn how Andy Griffiths turns his ideas into stories. In particular, listen to the way Andy describes how his collaboration with illustrator Terry Denton works. Now team up with a friend or family member and take on the roles of author and illustrator. What ideas can you come up with by working together? ...

Audio

Radio National: Shakespeare sweated it!

Ben Jonson, a 17th-century playwright and critic, said of Shakespeare that 'a great poet is not just born, but made'. Enjoy this discussion between Phillip Adams and John Bell, Australian actor and director of the Bell Shakespeare company. They explore soliloquies, authorship and why Shakespeare came to be considered the ...

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Heywire: This isn't English, it's Australian English!

Mara Zeissig had a hard time understanding what was going on when she first went to school in Australia after moving from Buenos Aires, Argentina. In her Heywire audio story, explore the importance of language in our social interactions.<br /><br />Could you write or record a story about yourself and/or your community? ...

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Heywire: Bikes, cameras and cystic fibrosis

What does it take to remain active and optimistic despite having a serious physical condition? Michael McMahon's photo story shows us that cystic fibrosis hasn't stopped him doing what he loves best. A proud resident of Warrnambool in Victoria, and with a strong family network around him, he is living life to the fullest. ...

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Radio National: Understanding Aboriginal English

Australian English has evolved to adopt terms from Aboriginal languages, some of which are widely used. 'Yakka' and 'bung' are two examples. Can you think of some more? Aboriginal communities have likewise adopted English terms, like 'deadly' but with different meanings, creating 'Aboriginal English'. Can you think of some ...

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Heywire: Persuade me to make a difference

Can Matt Dombrovski encourage you to be a donor or a volunteer? Test his powers of persuasion in this Heywire audio story, and hear about his own experience of donating something. Could you write or record a similar story about yourself and/or your community? The ABC's Heywire competition calls for stories from 16-22 year ...

Audio

Radio National: Pink suits and circus wagons in 'The Great Gatsby'

Part of the success of F Scott Fitzgerald's novel 'The Great Gatsby' is the intriguing title character, Jay Gatsby. In this audio clip, explore the effect that Fitzgerald's skilfully-constructed character has on those who read the novel. Find out what makes this character so intriguing.

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Four Corners: I speak, you guess

Listen to the voices of a small selection of students from around Australia to see if you can guess where they live. Is place the most important thing that shapes their language, or are there other factors that influence how people speak?

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Voice of the People: The Aussie Accent: Whaddya reckon, mate?

Imagine a world where everybody sounded exactly the same when they spoke. What might that be like? Are there 'good' and 'bad' ways to speak? In this clip, listen to the opinions of many people about whether Australians have a bad accent.

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BTN: The future of the book

What is the future for the print book as we know it? Will it ever completely disappear? In this clip from 2010, Behind the News visits schools and talks to students about their use of ebooks (e-books). Find out about some of the ereaders (e-readers) now being used at school and at home and listen to different views on the ...

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Four Corners: Making a case for and against the use of fluoride

When presenting an issue for debate, what should we include? Follow this television current affairs story to see how the case for and against fluoridisation of public water is presented. Analyse the evidence and the perspectives of the people chosen. This black-and-white clip is from a Four Corners program aired in 1963.

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Heywire: Running towards mental health

Would you accept someone's argument if you didn't think the person presenting it was credible? Explore Nakita Sobczyk's Heywire audio story and reflect on what makes her an ideal person to educate others about mental illness. As you do, consider the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle's discussion of how 'ethos' can be ...

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Heywire: Presenting a point of view about marriage equality

Marriage equality is a controversial issue in Australia, one that has provoked media sensationalism, political rhetoric and heated arguments. Sometimes, however, quieter voices make their point amid all the furore. Explore the voice of Lochsley Wilson in his Heywire audio story.<br /><br />To talk with someone about anxiety ...

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Heywire: Call from a war zone

Listen to this Heywire audio story for how Jordan Curran describes the certainties and uncertainties of life in his family's long relationship with the Australian Defence Force. Could you write or record a similar story about yourself and/or your community? The ABC's Heywire competition calls for stories from 16-22 year ...