Year 8 Masterclass English

Year 8 Masterclass English – Term 1 2024 Assessment

Task 1: Podcast
Learning Outcomes
Speaking and Listening 8.0
Students listen for and identify different emphases in texts, using that understanding to elaborate upon
discussions. They understand how the selection of language features can be used for particular purposes and
effects (VCELY426). They explain the effectiveness of language choices they use to influence the audience.
Through combining ideas, images and language features from other texts students show how ideas can be
expressed in new ways. They create texts (VCELY427) for different purposes selecting language to influence
audience response. They make presentations (VCELY427) and contribute actively to class and group
discussions, using language patterns for effect.

Description of the task:

Your task is to create a series of 3 - 5 podcast episodes. Your podcast can be about any topic you
want and in any style you choose. You may work individually or in pairs.

Each podcast episode needs to be 5 - 7 minutes long and should be recorded, saved in your Google
drive with a link to each episode pasted in a word.doc and submitted to the Compass learning task
by the due date.

Make sure you have a CLEAR purpose, audience and form before beginning to plan and script your
podcast. Each group will be given a time to conference with their teacher do discuss these things
BEFORE you begin your podcast.

Some suggested topics:

• Hobbies / Sport • Films and TV shows
• Science • Music
• History • Reviews
• Famous figures who achieved amazing things • How things work
• Murder mystery / True crime
Suggested forms:
• Choose a topic to argue over (e.g. Who is the greatest literary villain of all time?)
• Interview option - the interviewer asks questions and the interviewee answers. The
interviewer elaborates and links to next question
• Talk about how to do something well, providing step by step instructions for your audience
• Review or analyse a films / books / TV shows / Music
• Tell a story or create a murder mystery in instalments
• Retell an interesting historical event or a human-interest story
• Tell the story of individuals who have achieved great things we may not know about

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WHERE TO BEGIN?
1. LISTEN TO SOME PODCASTS
Listen to some episodes off the Podcasts Recommendations List to see how others approach
the task. As you are listening, consider what you like / don’t like about the way presenters
structure their podcast so you can incorporate some of the same strategies into your series.
Listen to the speaker’s tone – how does it create mood and connect with the audience?
What language features does the speaker use to engage their audience and make the
podcast more interesting for listeners? How does the topic appeal to the target audience?

2. CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC

Podcasts can literally be about anything you like. When choosing a topic, consider the
following:
• What is a topic you are passionate about / interested in / know a lot about?
• What do you think an audience would like to hear about?
• What is the purpose of your podcasts – to entertain, to inform or to persuade?
• Who are you creating the content for and what will engage this group of people?
• How will you structure your podcasts episodes to create a series whilst still maintaining
audience engagement?

3. RESEARCH YOUR TOPIC

Whether you choose to present an informative, persuasive or entertaining podcast series,
you should consider the following when gathering information and taking notes:
• What do you already know about this topic?
• What do you think your audience will find interesting and what would they want to
know?
• How is this topic relevant to your audience and how can you make it engaging?
• What would be some reliable sources that could provide you with information about
your topic?
• Make sure you research the topic from all angles. Are there differences of opinion or
different perspectives on the topic? If so, what are they and how will you manage this
information?
• What will be the most important information for you to include?

4. CREATE A PLAN
• Before putting your ideas together, it is important to have a plan, or a roadmap for your
podcast series – particularly as you are creating a series of 3-5 episodes that must be
linked in some way. This means it could be a story / mystery told over time, a series of
episodes about the same key idea (eg: Infamous women throughout history, The greatest
unsolved mysteries of all time) or even an interview series with different ‘experts’ in
particular field. All great speakers know what they want to say and how they want to say
it.
• Introduction – How will you introduce your topic? How will you engage and hook your
audience? How will you reveal what your podcast series is about and what listeners can
expect to hear?

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• Body: What are the key ideas you want to discuss in each episode? What parts of the
topic do you think your audience needs to know? What is the best way to organise these
ideas so that they build on one another AND link the episodes together?
• Conclusion: How are you going to wrap up each episode? Will it carry over into the next
or is each lesson a stand alone piece? What is the key message you want your audience
to remember?

5. WRITE DRAFT SCRIPTS

Now that you have a plan, it is time to put the podcast episodes together. When writing the
script for each episode, it is important to remember the following:
• How are you using language to engage, persuade or inform your audience?
• Have you chosen vocabulary and techniques suitable to your purpose?
• Do you have range of evidence to support your ideas?
• Does the language suit the target audience you have identified?

6. CONFERENCE WITH A PARTNER / SMALL GROUP

Once your drafted podcast episodes are written, you will swap it with a partner/another
team and conference. Remember to provide constructive feedback based on the
requirements of the task.

7. EDIT YOUR PODCAST SCRIPTS

Based on the feedback provided during the conferencing process, make any edits or
adjustments to your drafts to make the final scripts you will record.

8. REHEARSE YOUR SPEECH

Read over your script out loud and see how it sounds. You might even like to entertain your
family by testing out some episodes on them. Whatever you do, practise before you record
your podcast series.

9. RECORD EACH EPISODE

Using your device (laptop, iPad), record each episode of your podcast series. Save each
episode to your Google drive as you record it. Don’t forget to give me access to this folder so
I can listen to and assess your work! kate.walsh@alkirasecondarycollege.com.au

10. UPLOAD TO COMPASS

When you have recorded each episode of your podcast series, past the link to each recording
into a Word document, then save this word document and upload to the Compass learning
task. Again, don’t forget to give me access to each episode / the Google folder so I can listen
to and assess your work!

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Tick off each task from the checklist as you complete them:
Checklist: ✓ if
completed
1. I have listened to some podcasts from the recommendations list
2. I have chosen a suitable topic for my podcast series
3. I have thoroughly researched my topic
4. I have created a plan for each episode in the podcast series
5. I have written draft scripts for each episode
6. I have conferenced my work and gotten feedback
7. I have edited my drafts and created the final transcripts for each episode
8. I have rehearsed each episode out loud
9. I have recorded each podcast episode, saved to my Google drive AND shared the
folder with kate.walsh@alkirasecondarycollege.com.au
10. I have pasted a link to each episode in a Word document and uploaded the
Word.doc to the Compass Learning Task

Suggested structure for each episode:

Introduction: Introduce the podcast name, your name; what the podcast is about; what your episode
of the podcast is about; use a hook related to your topic to engage your audience

Example #1: "Hello and welcome to [podcast title], the show that [insert concept of show or
tagline]. I'm [host name]. In today's episode, we will talk about [insert talking points] with
[guest name]. We'll discuss the ins and outs of [episode topic] and offer listeners a special
surprise at the end. Be sure to listen all the way through for the details!"

Example #2: Guest intro: "Our guest today is [guest name]. They are a [insert role, title,
experience] with a passion for _______. They're going to share with us [episode topic]. Hi,
[guest first name]! Thanks so much for joining us!"

Body: This is where the bulk of your content will be. What you talk about and how you structure this
section will depend on your topic and form.

Conclusion: Wrap your episode up and thank guests and listeners; you can invite your listeners to
rate and review your podcast.

“That brings us to the end of this episode! Thanks to [guest name] for joining us during that
[adjective] discussion of [topic(s)]. We hope [the value brought to your audience by the
episode] was beneficial to you. As always, thanks for listening to [podcast name].

“If you enjoy our show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts—and be sure to come
back next week for a discussion of [next episode’s topic]. Until then, this is [host name], and
don’t forget: [podcast slogan/catchphrase]!

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[Over outro music]: “This podcast was created by [name]. It was produced and recorded by
[name], researched by [name], and edited by [name]. [Podcast name] is a product of [studio
name].”

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Podcasts Assessment Task Rubric

6 7 8 9 10 10a
I can experiment with text I can experiment with text I can apply structural features I can create texts for particular I can arrange paragraphs and I can arrange paragraphs and
WRITING

structures structures and their effects
STRUCTURE I can create texts with a clear
introduction, structured
paragraphs that use topic
sentences and a conclusion
Rereads own and others’ writing Edits writing for meaning by:
using agreed criteria - removing repetition,
- refining ideas,
Edits own and others’ writing and - reordering
WRITING explain editing choices sentences, and - adding or
PROCESS substituting words for impact
I can use details to support a I can draw on personal
point of view knowledge, textual analysis and
other sources to express or
challenge a point of view or idea
IDEAS
I can select words to express I can use cohesive vocabulary to I can choose alternative and
shades of meaning, feelings and indicate order, cause and effect specific verbs to add variety
SPEAKINGand LISTENING
consistently. purposes and effects using
structural features (punctuation,
layout and font variation)
appropriate to the type of text
.
I can draft my writing and use I can review and edit own and
feedback to make improvements others’ texts to improve clarity
and control over: - content,
Improves the effectiveness of my - organisation,
texts by experimenting with text - paragraphing,
structures and language features - sentence structure,
to refine and clarify ideas - vocabulary, and
- audio/visual features
I can create imaginative, I can create imaginative,
informative and persuasive texts informative and persuasive texts
that raise issues, report events that present a point of view or
and advance opinions idea and advance or illustrate
arguments
I can combine ideas and language
features from other texts to show I can create innovative texts that
how ideas can be expressed in manipulate language features
new ways
I can use vivid and less
predictable vocabulary to affect
images for different:
- purposes
- audiences
I can review, edit and refine own
and others’ texts for:
- control of content,
- organisation,
- sentence structure,
- vocabulary, and -
visual features
to achieve particular purposes
and effects
I can create sustained texts, for
imaginative, informative, or
persuasive purposes, that reflect
upon challenging and complex
issues or ideas
I can refine vocabulary choices to
discriminate between shades of
images for different:
- purposes,
- audiences,
- perspectives, and
- stylistic effects
I can review, edit and refine own
and others’ texts for:
- control of content,
- organisation,
- sentence structure,
- vocabulary, and -
visual features
to achieve particular purposes
and effects
I can create a wide range of
sustained texts to articulate
complex ideas and make relevant
thematic and intertextual
connections with other texts
I can use words that invite
connotations (startled,

opinions
I can use expressive words to
I can recognise and use describe actions and affects the
VOCABULARY increasingly complex words audience
I can intentionally substitute
common or generic words with
synonyms (excited for happy)
(replied for said) the audience (stroll, prowl for
walk)
I can use words to express cause
and effect (consequently, thus)
I can use topic-specific
vocabulary to add credibility and
weight to arguments or ideas
meaning, with deliberate
attention to the effect on
audiences
dismayed)
I can use language that evokes an
emotional response (the soldiers
triumphed)

USE OF VOICE I can project my voice to an I can speak at a coherent pace I can vary my pitch and speak I can use pauses and emphasis I can use various tones for effect I can use varying intonation, pitch
audience clearly at a coherent pace for effect and pace to engage the audience

SPEECH I can deliver a prepared speech I can deliver a prepared speech I can use cue cards or visual cues I can present a speech that has I can present a speech that has
that meets the time to support my delivery been rehearsed for fluency been rehearsed and memorised
PREPARATION requirements of the task
Year 8 Masterclass English