Y9 Autobiography Unit - Week 2 - Lessons 5-8

Year 9 English
Autobiographical and
Biographical Study
Lesson 5:
Autobiographical Writing
Daily Review
Concept Development CFU
Explain the origin of

Life writing the word
‘biography’.
Biography
• A biography is a non-fiction text written by someone other
than the subject of the autobiography.
• The subject may be alive or dead.
• Biographies are generally written in chronological order, in
the past tense using the third person point of view.
Origin
• The word biography has Greek origins.
• BIO- meaning LIFE
• GRAPH - meaning TO WRITE
Daily Review
What is the
difference between
a biography and an
Life writing autobiography?
Autobiography
• An autobiography is a non-fiction
text written by the subject of the
autobiography.
• Autobiographies use the first
person point of view.
Daily Review
What is subjective
language?
Subjective and objective language
• Subjective language indicates an attitude to, or feeling about, a topic.

Example: Sadly, the group’s valiant efforts to save the whale were in vain.
ON YOUR WHITEBOARDS
Rewrite the following sentence to change it from subjective to objective
language.
• Thankfully, Australia became a safer place after bushranger Ned
Kelly was hanged at the old Melbourne Gaol in 1880.
Daily Review
What is objective
language?
Subjective and objective language
• Objective language does not show any attitude or feeling. It is focused on

facts and information only.
Example: The group’s attempts to save the whale were not successful.
ON YOUR WHITEBOARDS
Rewrite the following sentence to change it from objective to subjective
language.
• The property, which was located in a drought-declared region,
received rain for the first time in 12 weeks.
Daily Review
What is jargon?
Jargon Name a hobby or
occupation that has
its own jargon, and
an example of that
Jargon is the technical jargon.
language used in a particular
occupation or field.
For example, the terms deck,

180, 360, alley-oop, gnarly,
grind, kick turn, tic tac and
wipeout are all examples of
skateboarding jargon.
Learning Objective CFU
What are we
WALT (We Are Learning To): learning today?
• LIST examples of autobiographical texts.

• DESCRIBE the conventions of autobiographical writing.
• DIFFERENTIATE between primary and secondary sources of life writing.
Success Criteria
WILF (What I’m Looking For) by the end of this lesson:
• Students will be able to independently DESCRIBE the conventions
of diary writing.
• Students will be able to independently LIST examples of
autobiographical text types, and DIFFERENTIATE between primary
and secondary source life writing texts.
Concept Development
Vocabulary
flashback (noun)
flash-bak (2 syllables)
Definition: A short part of a film, story or play that goes back to events in
the past.
Examples: The novel began with a flashback to the protagonist’s
experience in the war.
I shuddered as I had a flashback of him on the ground, blood
gushing from his chest as he took his last breath.
On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word flashback.

Concept
Concept Development
Development
Autobiographical writing
Earlier in the unit, we briefly learnt about the difference
between biographical and autobiographical writing.
We know:
• Autobiographical writing is written in the first person
point of view, usually in the past tense.
• The author is the subject of the autobiography
• Autobiographical writing is usual told in chronological
order, starting with events that happened first and
following through significant events in the person’s life
in the time sequence in which they occurred.
Name a convention
of autobiographical
Conventions of autobiographical writing writing.
Autobiographical writing:
1. refers to relevant people and events in the subject’s
world.
2. usually contains detailed, descriptive and often
emotive language.
3. uses jargon appropriate for the purpose and audience.
4. often begins with events prior to the birth of the
subject to provide background on the subject’s family
and its influence on him/her.
Name a convention
of autobiographical
Conventions of autobiographical writing (cont’d) writing.
5. commonly uses time connectives to skip ‘uneventful’
periods, or events are omitted because the author does
not wish to share them.
6. may use flashbacks to earlier times.
7. often include input from others in the form of letters, or
interviews.
8. is written retrospectively. Events of the person’s life are
gathered and written into narratives, often many years
after they took place.
What is a
(a) primary source
(b) secondary
Primary and secondary sources source?
In your study of history in HASS, you will be familiar with
the terms primary and secondary sources that are used
when categorising artefacts.
In English, life writing can be divided into primary and
secondary sources.
• Primary sources provide an immediate, first-hand
account of specific events, times or places, and reflect
the original thoughts and ideas of the writer.
• Secondary sources provide secondhand information or
commentary.
Name an example of
a text type that is a
(a) primary source
Primary and secondary sources (b) secondary source
Primary sources:
• autobiographical writing such as
diaries, memoirs, letters and
autobiographies.
Secondary sources:
• biographical writing such as
eulogies, songs, poems, profile
articles and biographies.
Concept Development HINT
Primary sources
provide an
immediate, first-hand
account of specific
Primary and secondary sources events, times or
places, and reflect the
original thoughts and
ideas of the writer.
ON YOUR WHITEBOARDS:
• A handwritten diary is/is not a

primary source because
___________________________
___________________________
________________________.
Why do people
keep diaries or
journals?
Diaries
• People keep diaries (or journals)
to record personal experiences
and thoughts.
• They are usually private texts
that are not designed to be
shown to others, at least until
the writer’s death.
Name a structural
convention of diary
writing.
Diaries
Structural conventions of diary writing include:
• A series of chronological entries over a period of
time
• Entries written at regular or irregular intervals
• Entries marked with a date, day and sometimes
even a time of the day
• Salutations (for example, Dear Diary)
• Sign-offs (usually the author’s name)
Name a language
Diaries convention of diary
writing.
Language conventions of diary writing include:
• First person point of view of the diary writer
• Expressions of thoughts, feelings and opinions as well as facts
• Plans for the future
• Colloquial (informal) and often emotive language
• A range of tenses (past, present, future)
• Inside jokes and humour that may only be familiar to the author’s immediate
circle of family/friends
• A unique voice that reveals the author’s unique identity
Name a language
convention of diary
Sample text writing.
We will now examine a sample diary entry.
Please download the text TANZANIA JOURNAL EXTRACT from Connect.
Read the text together as a class and then answer the questions on the
following slide.
Concept Development
Independent practice
JOURNAL TASK
Referring to the text TANZANIA JOURNAL EXTRACT, write full sentence

answers to demonstrate your understanding of diary entry conventions.
1. The diary entry is/is not in chronological order because ______.
2. The diary entry is written in the _____ person point of view. We know this
because of the use of pronouns such as ____, ____, _____ and _____.
3. Examples of words that indicate the diary entry was mainly written in the
past tense are _____, _____ and _____.
4. A phrase in which the writer mentions plans for the future is “______”.
5. A phrase in which the author has used multiple tenses is “_______”.
6. Two phrases where the author has used emotive language are
“_____” and “_____”.
Lesson Closure
Today we have learnt:
• Life writing texts can be classified as primary sources or secondary
sources.
• Diary writing is a form of life writing with its own set of conventions.
Skill Closure
• Can you name an example of an autobiographical text type?
• Can you name a convention of diary writing?
• When referring to life writing texts, can you explain the difference
between primary and secondary sources?
Year 9 English
Biographical Study
Lesson 6:
Making Inferences
Daily Review
Explain the origin of

Autobiography the word
‘autobiography’.
Origin
• The word autobiography has
Greek origins.
• BIO- meaning LIFE
• GRAPH - meaning TO WRITE
AND
• AUTO- meaning SELF

Concept Development
Daily Review CFU
Autobiographical
Autobiographical writing writing uses ____
point of view.
The author is the

• Autobiographical writing is written s_____ of an
in the first person point of view, autobiography.
usually in the past tense. Autobiographies

are usually written
• The author is the subject of the in the _____ tense,
autobiography in c_____ order.
• Autobiographical writing is usual

told in chronological order.
Daily Review
Name a convention
Conventions of autobiographical writing of autobiographical
writing.
• refers to relevant people and events in the subject’s world.
• usually contains detailed, descriptive and often emotive language.
• uses jargon appropriate for the purpose and audience.
• often begins with events prior to the birth of the subject to provide
background on the subject’s family and its influence on him/her.
• commonly uses time connectives to skip ‘uneventful’ periods, or events are
omitted because the author does not wish to share them.
• may use flashbacks to earlier times.
• often include input from others in the form of letters, or interviews.
• is written retrospectively. Events of the person’s life are gathered and written
into narratives, often many years after they took place.
What are we
• INFER information from a text.
Success Criteria
• Students will be able to independently JUSTIFY inferences
using evidence from an autobiographical text.
Concept Development
Vocabulary
exalted (adjective)
ig-zawl-tid (3 syllables)
Definition: Raised or elevated, as in rank or character.
Examples: I felt small and unworthy in such exalted company.

He worked hard for years to reach an exalted position in his
profession.
On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word exalted.

Concept
Concept Development
Development CFU
If a writer does not

Inference and deduction directly tell us what
he or she is
thinking, the reader
may be able to
• Being able to infer and deduce information work this out from
from a text is a key skill in English. h_____ or c_____.
• Often in a text, the author will not directly
tell you what he or she is thinking or feeling.
Instead, the author will leave it up to the
reader to work it out.
• The author may, however, leave hints or
clues for the reader to pick up on.
Concept
Concept Development
Development CFU
What is the
Inference and deduction difference between
a literal meaning
and an inference?
• The literal meaning of a word or phrase refers to the strict,
dictionary definition. In other words, it refers to what’s on the
surface.
• To infer means to arrive at a meaning after examining evidence

such as facts, circumstances or statements. It requires the reader
to dig beneath the surface.
• Accomplished readers spot the clues or evidence an author

provides by ‘reading between the lines’ to infer information and
understand the text on a deeper level.
Concept
Concept Development
Development
THINK/PAIR/SHARE
• Examine this image.

What has happened?
Use evidence from the
image to explain your
answer.
Concept
Concept Development
Development
THINK/PAIR/SHARE

What has happened?
Use evidence from the text
to explain your answer.
Concept
Concept Development
Development
THINK/PAIR/SHARE

What has happened?
Use evidence from the text
to explain your answer.
Concept
Concept Development
Development
Sample text
• Please download the text

CAPTAIN HARDCASTLE EXCERPT
from SEQTA.
• The excerpt is from a memoir
called Boy by Roald Dahl.
• We will read it together as a class.
Concept Development
Guided practice
Captain Hardcastle Extract
• We will now examine the extract closely to

infer information about the character
Captain Hardcastle.
• We will examine the language used in the
passage and work out why the author has
chosen to include it, and what it tells us
about the character.
• In other words, we will make an inference
and show evidence from the text that
justifies that inference.
Concept Development
Guided practice VOCABULARY
Exalted means at a
high or powerful
Captain Hardcastle Extract level or rank.
• We can use a table to organise information about the text.

• On the left hand side we will write the inference, and on the right hand side
we will detail evidence from the text to justify that inference.
INFERENCE EVIDENCE
• Captain Hardcastle suffered from shell-shock. “the constant twitching and jerking and snorting”
• Captain Hardcastle viewed students as insignificant and “small boys are insects”
low in the pecking order compared with teachers.
• Captain Hardcastle uses his title to make himself sound “But even small insects like us knew that “Captain” was not
more important than he is. a very exalted rank and only a man with little else to boast
about would hang on to it in civilian life.
Guided practice
Concept Development
Sample text
We will now examine an excerpt

from the memoir The Happiest
Refugee, written by Anh Do.
Please download the text

WHAT A GREAT COUNTRY EXCERPT
from SEQTA and we will read it
together as a class.
Skill Development
Concept Development
The Happiest Refugee
The Happiest Refugee tells the story of

how Anh Do’s family fled Vietnam in a
boat as refugees and settled in
Australia in the early 1980s.
This excerpt takes place shortly after

the subject’s family has settled in
Australia.
Concept Development
Skills development VOCABULARY
The literal meaning
INFERENCE EVIDENCE of a word or phrase
refers to its strict
• Australia is a ‘generous’ nation. dictionary definition.
• The migrant family’s English language skills VOCABULARY

are not strong.
• The migrant family is not accustomed to To infer means to
living in a spacious dwelling. arrive at a meaning
• Miss Buk was a welcoming neighbour. after examining
evidence such as
• The migrant family is grateful for Australia’s facts, circumstances
generosity. or statements.
•
JOURNAL TASK
• Copy the table to your journal and complete it to demonstrate your
understanding of inference and evidence from the text.
Lesson Closure
We have learnt:
• To infer means to arrive at a meaning after examining evidence such
as facts, circumstances or statements.
• When an author does not directly state information, the reader can
make inferences by using clues or evidence from the text.
Skill Closure
• What is the difference between a literal meaning and an inference?
Year 9 English
Biographical Study
Lesson 7:
Language Choice
Concept Development
Daily Review CFU
How do readers
gather information
Characterisation about characters in
a text?
Readers discover information about characters in a text by:

• Being directly told about them by the author
Example: Brian was a 65-year-old accountant who had always been stingy
with his money.
• Reading between the lines and using clues or hints left by the author to
make inferences
Brian always went missing when the ladies from the animal charity made
their annual visit to his office to collect donations.
Concept Development
Daily Review
Characterisation
ON YOUR WHITEBOARDS
Rewrite one of the following sentences

so it enables the reader to infer information
about the character without telling him or
her directly.
• Alexandra loved dogs.

• Faye was embarrassed about her black eye.
• Sam thought the cake tasted terrible.
Concept Development
Daily Review CFU
Characterisation How do readers

gather information
about characters in
We can use the abbreviation SAAO to categorise information a text?
about characters in a text, including the subject of an

autobiography or biography.
• SPEECH: What does the character say and how does he/she say it?
Example: Dialogue/accent/use of jargon/formal vs informal language
• APPEARANCE: What does the character look like?
Example: Age/clothing/body language/body type
• ACTIONS: What does the character do? How does he/she behave?
Example: How the character acts on his or her own or around others
• OTHERS: What do other characters think of the character?
Example: Dialogue/other characters’ opinions and responses.
Daily Review
Figurative Language
• There is a simple acronym to remember forms of figurative language.
• This is known as SHAMPOO …
a method of comparison. (like, as)
exaggerated statements
the same letter or sound at the beginning of closely

connected words.
a method of comparison. (is)
personal nature or human characteristics to
something non-human
a sound associated with what is named (e.g. bang, sizzle )
contradictory terms appear in conjunction

(eg deafening silence, definitely maybe)
Concept Development
Daily Review CFU
To ____ means to
arrive at a meaning
Inference and deduction after examining
evidence such as
facts,
• Often in a text, the author will not directly tell you what he circumstances or
statements.
or she is thinking or feeling. Instead, the author will leave it
up to the reader to work it out.
• The author may, however, leave hints or clues for the reader to pick up on.
• The literal meaning of a word or phrase refers to the strict, dictionary
definition. In other words, it refers to what’s on the surface.
• To infer means to arrive at a meaning after examining evidence such as
facts, circumstances or statements. It requires the reader to dig beneath
the surface.
What are we
• DESCRIBE how language choice positions the reader to respond to

a character.
Success Criteria
• Students will be able to independently EXPLAIN how language choice
positions readers to respond to a character in an autobiographical text.
Concept Development
Vocabulary
loathsome (adjective)
lohth-suhm (2 syllables)
Definition: Hateful, revolting, repulsive or disgusting.
Examples: Beating his dog with a stick was one of many loathsome
things I saw my neighbour do.
On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word loathsome.

Concept Development
Vocabulary
sullen (adjective)
suhl-uhn (2 syllables)
Definition: Gloomy or dismal.
Examples: Every cheerful thing I said to her seemed to bounce right off
her sullen attitude.
It was not like Kate to be so sullen, especially considering she
had so many things in her life to be happy about.
On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word sullen.

Concept
Content Development
Figurative language and its effects
• It is one thing to seek out and find examples of descriptive (including

figurative) language in a text, but it is also important to be able to
describe its effect.
• The reader should consider why the author has chosen to use that
language. In other words, how has that language positioned a reader to
feel about a character, place or situation? What emotive response does it
provoke?
• To gain a deeper understanding of the text, the reader should also
consider whether he or she can make other inferences from author’s
choice of language.
Concept Development
CHOICE OF LANGUAGE: Simile
Comparing two things, often using ‘like’ or ‘as’.
EXAMPLE
In his autobiography My Left Foot, Irish writer and painter Christy Brown, who
had cerebral palsy and learnt to write with the toes of one foot, describes his
own hands in this way: “They were queer, twisted hands with bent, crooked
fingers, hands that were never still…they looked more like two wriggling snakes
than a pair of human hands.”
THINK/PAIR/SHARE
• The use of the simile “like ______” compares human hands with _____.
• What image does this bring to the reader’s mind?
• How does it position the reader to feel about the subject?
This example does
CHOICE OF LANGUAGE: Simile not use ‘like’ or ‘as’.
Explain how it can
Comparing two things, often using ‘like’ or ‘as’. still be considered a
simile.
EXAMPLE EXTENSION
In her autobiographical writing, Australian nurse and travel Explain how the
author has used
writer Lydia Laube details an encounter with “… a large humour in this
woman who resembled an unmade bed.’ sentence and its
effect on the
reader.
THINK/PAIR/SHARE
• The use of the simile “_____” compares _____ with _____.
• How does it position the reader to feel about the character
being described?
Concept Development
CHOICE OF LANGUAGE: Metaphor
Draws attention to how two things are similar by stating one
thing is another.
EXAMPLE
While her parents and siblings were loud and loved to play sport, Meredith was
the black sheep because she disliked physical activity and much preferred to
find a quiet place to read and write.
THINK/PAIR/SHARE
• The use of the metaphor “_____” shows Meredith is
different from the rest of her family.
• How does it position the reader to feel about the
character being described?
Skills Development
Concept Development
Sample text
We will now examine another excerpt from the

autobiographical text Boy, by Roald Dahl.
Please download the text MRS PRATCHETT EXCERPT

from SEQTA.
Read the text together as a class then complete the

table on the following slide to demonstrate the effect
created/inferences we can make about characters
from the author’s choice of language.
Guided Practice
Concept Development
• Copy the table into your journal and we will analyse the character of Mrs
Pratchett as a class.
EXAMPLE FROM TEXT TYPE OF DESCRIPTION EFFECT/INFERENCE
(SPEECH, APPEARANCE, ACTIONS or
OTHERS. Identify any figurative
language)
• “She never smiled. She never • actions • Mrs Pratchett does not really like children.
welcomed us when we went in.”
• “The woman who owned it was • metaphor/others

a horror. We hated her and we (interaction with)
had good reason for doing so.”
• appearance • Mrs Pratchett is ugly.
• yer, them chocolates, 'ere, forks • speech (the words and • Mrs Pratchett is not a very refined woman.
out expressions she uses)
“… a mouth as sour as a green • appearance (physical • Mrs Pratchett is not a happy woman.
gooseberry.” (SIMILE) description).
• Mrs Pratchett is dirty/unhygienic
Skills Development
Concept Development
Using evidence from the text
• We can now use information from the table to explain our inferences about
Mrs Pratchett, using the examples we have gathered from the text.
• Here is the example answer frame that you will use to answer questions in
your journal today.
“An inference we can make from the excerpt is that Mrs Pratchett does not
really like children. This is shown through the description of her actions.
For example, “She never smiled. She never welcomed us when we went in.”
The language used to describe Mrs Pratchett’s actions positions the reader
to view her as someone who does not like children.”
Skills Development
Concept Development
Using evidence from the text
• Now we will try another one using a different example from your table.
This time we will use metalanguage (simile), and the author’s name as part
of our written response.
• “An inference we can make from the excerpt is that Mrs Pratchett is not a
happy woman. This is shown through Dahl’s description of her appearance.
For example, Dahl uses the simile “… a mouth as sour as a green
gooseberry” to describe her. The language used to describe Mrs Pratchett’s
appearance positions the reader to view her as an unhappy character.
Independent
Concept Practice
Development EXTENSION
Find as many
examples of
JOURNAL TASK figurative language
as you can in the
excerpt, and
• Using the information from your table and the following identify the type of
figurative language
answer frame, write full sentence answers to explain how that has been used
language used in the excerpt has positioned the reader to in your response.
feel about Mrs Pratchett.
• “An inference we can make from the excerpt is that Mrs Pratchett _____.
This is shown through the description of her _____. For example, “_____”.
The language used to describe Mrs Pratchett’s _____ positions the reader
to view her as _____.
Lesson Closure
We have learnt:
• An author’s choice of language when describing a character’s speech,
appearance, actions and interactions (with others) may tell us directly, or
enable us to infer information, about that character.
Skill Closure
• “An inference we can make from the excerpt from Boy is that Mrs
Pratchett _____. This is shown through the description of her _____. For
example, “_____”. The language used to describe Mrs Pratchett’s _____
positions the reader to view her as _____.
Year 9 English
Biographical Study
Lesson 8:
Blogs
Daily Review
DEFINE audience.
Audience refers to who a text is created for, or who reads or
views it.
• Purpose refers to the reason the author created the text.

We use the acronym PIE to remember this concept.
P – PERSUADE
I – INFORM
E – ENTERTAIN
It is important to remember author’s may have more than one

purpose for writing. For example, a text can be both entertaining
and informative.
Daily Review
What does the
acronym PIE stand
for when referring
to author’s
purpose?
Author’s purpose (P-I-E)
PERSUADE: The author’s intention is to convince the reader to agree with

him or her. A persuasive text usually contains opinions and a call to action,
urging the reader to act.
INFORM: The author’s intention is to educate the reader about a real-

world issue. Informative texts usually contain facts rather than opinion.
ENTERTAIN: The author’s intention is to entertain the reader by keeping

things as interesting as possible so he or she remains engaged.
What are we
• DIFFERENTIATE between formal and informal language.
• DESCRIBE the conventions of a blog.
Success Criteria
• Students will be able to IDENTIFY examples of formal and informal
language in an autobiographical text (blog).
Concept Development
Vocabulary - metalanguage
ethnicity (noun)
eth-nis-i-tee(4 syllables)
Definition: A social group that shares a common and distinctive culture,

religion, background or language.
Examples: Ethnicity is not something that should set people apart, it

should allow us to learn from one another.
Anna wished that there were not so many negative
stereotypes about her ethnicity.
On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word ethnicity.

What is a blog?
Where does the
What is a blog? word ‘blog’ come
from?
• A blog is an online journal or diary.
• It is a form of autobiographical
writing.
• The word blog is a shortened version

of the phrase web log.
• Someone who writes a blog is called

a blogger.
Concept Development
What are the conventions of a blog?
• The structure and the language of a blogs

varies widely, and depends on the blogger’s
audience and purpose.
• A blog is a regularly-updated website that features a series of journal-like

entries that may be linked by a common topic or theme (such as art, videos
or music) or they may be unrelated.
• A blog may be used as an advertising tool to generate income for the

blogger when visitors to the site click on various links.
Name one way the
Point of view use of first person
pronouns in a blog
Blogs are a very personal type of writing, so they often positions a reader
use the first person (using the pronouns “I”, “me”, “my”, “mine”) to respond.
and second person point of view (“you”, “your”, “yours”).
First and second person pronouns may produce the following effects:
• They help create a connection between the blogger and the reader.
Readers see and feel things through the eyes of the narrator so they may
be more likely to feel empathy for the narrator (subject/blogger).
• Readers tend to feel more assured the subject knows what he or she is
talking about (that he or she is credible) because he or she is speaking
about his or her own experience, compared with the blogger telling
about what other people told him or her about the subject.
Name a common
structural feature
Conventions of blogs: Structure of blogs.
Although blogs vary widely in the way they are

presented, most include:
• A title
• An image of the blogger
• The most recent posts are at the top
• A facility for visitors to make comments
• Photos and captions
• Links to video content or embedded video clips
• Short blocks of text
• An archive of older posts accessible through links
What factors
determine the style
Conventions of blogs: Language of language used in
a blog?
Name a common
language feature of
A blogger’s audience and purpose vary widely, so the language blogs.
they use will vary. However, some common language features
of blogs include:
• informal expressions
• personal observations
• personal pronouns
• slang, idiom and colloquial expressions that online readers understand
• emotive language describing the blogger’s feelings and reactions
• jargon specific to a topic
• calls to action encouraging users to visit more pages on the site
Name a category of
informal language.
Informal Language
• Because blogs are personal online diaries or journals, they often contain
informal, personal language. People who respond to (comment on) blog
contents also use features of informal language.
Informal language includes:

• slang (eg. slack = lazy, arvo = afternoon, salty = angry or bitter)
• figures of speech (eg. alliteration, hyperbole, idiom, oxymoron, pun, simile).
• colloquial language – common everyday language (eg. G’day, I wanna or I’m
gonna).
• cliches - expressions that have become tired through overuse –
(eg. better late than never, as hungry as a horse, cried over spilt milk).
Name a category of
Sample text informal language.
• We will now take a look at an extract from a blog.
• The blogger (subject) is Ricardo Goncalves.
• Please download the text RICARDO GONCALVES BLOG EXCERPT from

Connect.
• Read the text together as a class then write the answers to the
following questions on your whiteboard as your teacher asks you to.
Skills Development
Concept Development
Test your understanding
Who is Ricardo Goncalves?
(a) a blog commenter

(b) a Portuguese immigrant
(c) an SBS television presenter
(d) a neurosurgeon
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
Who is Ricardo Goncalves?
(c) an SBS television presenter

Skills Development
Concept Development
Which of these best describes this

reporter’s blog?
(a) an inside look at the experiences of

a television presenter
(b) a news report
(c) an opportunity for the public to
comment on current affairs
(d) a profile and summary of an SBS
reporter
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
Which of these best describes this
reporter’s blog?
(a) an inside look at the

experiences of a television
presenter
Skills Development
Concept Development
Blogs can be classified by their topic or

subject, also known as genre.
What genre does this blog fit into?
(a) political opinion

(b) music and the arts
(c) social commentary
(d) the environment
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
Blogs can be classified by their topic
or subject, also known as genre.
What genre does this blog fit into?
(c) social commentary

Skills Development
Concept Development
What is the purpose of Ricardo Goncalves’ blog?
(a) To present information about his Portuguese

ancestry
(b) To explain why he has changed his name
(c) To discuss what it means to be Australian
(d) To share his experiences of racism as a
teenager
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
What is the purpose of Ricardo
Goncalves’ blog?
(c) to discuss what it means to be

Australian
Skills Development
Concept Development
Referring to the text, what is the best definition

of the phrase ethnically diverse (paragraph 3)?
(a) culturally individual

(b) culturally varied
(c) culturally similar
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
Referring to the text, what is the
best definition of the phrase
ethnically diverse (paragraph 3)?
(b) culturally varied

Skills Development
Concept Development

of the phrase anglicise (paragraph 3)?
(a) make English

(b) make religious
(c) make diverse
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
anglicise (paragraph 3)?
(a) make English

Skills Development
Concept Development

of the phrase culminating in (paragraph 4)?
(a) adding in
(b) resulting in
(c) mixing in
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
culminating in (paragraph 4)?
(b) resulting in
Skills Development
Concept Development

of the phrase melting pot (paragraph 8)?
(a) mixture
(b) environment
(c) process
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
melting pot (paragraph 8)?
(a) mixture
Skills Development
Concept Development

of the phrase stereotype (paragraph 8)?
(a) a fixture
(b) a barrier
(c) a fixed idea
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
stereotype (paragraph 8)?
(c) a fixed idea

Skills Development
Concept Development
In paragraph 2, Ricardo tells the reader that the

nuns anointed him Richard. What does anointed
mean in this sentence?
(a) daubed
(b) christened
(c) named
(d) offered
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
In paragraph 2, Ricardo tells the
reader that the nuns anointed him
Richard. What does anointed mean
in this sentence?
(c) named
Skills Development
Concept Development
In paragraph 8, Ricardo tells the reader that to him, being

Australian is not about cultural exclusion.
What does cultural exclusion mean?
(a) being accepting of different cultures

(b) rejecting people based on perceived cultural differences
(c) government regulations about who can immigrate to
Australia
(d) allowing residents to decide who may enter Australia,
and who may not
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
In paragraph 8, Ricardo tells the
reader that to him, being Australian
is not about cultural exclusion.
What does cultural exclusion mean?
(b) rejecting people based on

perceived cultural differences
Skills Development
Concept Development
In paragraph 9, when Ricardo says “It’s as simple as that”, what is

he referring to?
(a) what it really means to live as an Australian

(b) assisting Australia to go forward as a young country
(c) his own experiences as a Portuguese-Australian
(d) allowing people from different backgrounds to live in Australia
Skills Development
Concept Development
ANSWER:
In paragraph 9, when Ricardo says
“It’s as simple as that”, what is he
referring to?
(a) what it really means to live as an

Australian
Skill Development
Concept Development HINT
Use of first and
second person points
of view can help
create a connection
JOURNAL TASK between the author
and reader. It can also
make the writing
Answer the following using full sentence answers. seem more credible.
• An example where the subject uses the first person pronoun “I” in the text is
_____. The use of this pronoun positions the reader to feel ____.
• An example where the subject uses the first person pronoun “we” in the text
is __. The use of this pronoun positions the reader to feel ____.
• An example where the subject uses the second person pronoun “you” or
“your” is __. The use of this pronoun positions the reader to feel ____.
Concept Development
Informal vs Formal Language

Examples:
Informal Formal
• a big deal • commotion/controversy
• can’t • cannot
• use of I, we, you • Use third person perspective
instead eg. Ricardo instead of “I”
Skill Development
Concept Development
JOURNAL TASK
Rewrite the following excerpt from the reporter’s blog by changing the
language from informal to formal.
“Neither I nor my family really questioned it or made a big deal about it. It
kind of just happened. Instead of being called Ricardo at school, I was Richard.
The bizarre thing was that I probably went to one of the most ethnically
diverse Catholic primary schools in Wollongong, so surely it wasn’t because of
my cultural background or an attempt to anglicise me.”
Concept Development
Cliches
Cliches are metaphors and expressions that may have once been
original and interesting but have now lost their effect through overuse.
Examples:
• Busy as a bee
• On a wild goose chase
• The early bird catches the worm
• An apple a day keeps the doctor away
• You can’t win them all
• Better late than never
Independent
Concept Practice
Development
JOURNAL TASK
Using full sentence answers, rewrite the

following clichés from the reporter’s blog to
make them more original and less clichéd.
• Australia is a melting pot of different ethnicities.

• I’m as Aussie as they come.
• Richard stuck with me for 24 years.
• It’s as simple as that.
• When he hit primary school, the nuns made him ‘Richard’.
• Neither I nor my family really questioned it or made a big deal
about it.
Lesson Closure
We have learnt:
• Blogs are a form of online journal or diary, the structure and language of
which varies according to the subject’s audience and purpose.
• Bloggers frequently use informal language including first and second person
pronouns and adopt a personal tone to speak directly to the reader.
Skill Closure
• Informal language used in blogs often includes first person pronouns
including ___, we and ____, and second person pronouns including you
and ____. Other types of informal language used in blogs includes s_____
(such as the word gross to mean ‘unpleasant’), c______ language (such as
‘gimme a dollar’) and c______s such as ‘as crooked as a dog’s hind leg’
or ‘good things come to those who wait’.

Y9 Autobiography Unit - Week 2 - Lessons 5-8

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Year 9 English

Explain the origin of

• Subjective language indicates an attitude to, or feeling about, a topic.

• Objective language does not show any attitude or feeling. It is focused on

For example, the terms deck,

• LIST examples of autobiographical texts.

On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word flashback.

• A handwritten diary is/is not a

We will now examine a sample diary entry.

Please download the text TANZANIA JOURNAL EXTRACT from Connect.

Referring to the text TANZANIA JOURNAL EXTRACT, write full sentence

Explain the origin of

• AUTO- meaning SELF

The author is the

usually in the past tense. Autobiographies

• Autobiographical writing is usual

Definition: Raised or elevated, as in rank or character.

Examples: I felt small and unworthy in such exalted company.

On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word exalted.

If a writer does not

• To infer means to arrive at a meaning after examining evidence

• Accomplished readers spot the clues or evidence an author

• Examine this image.

• Examine this image.

• Examine this image.

• Please download the text

Captain Hardcastle Extract

• We will now examine the extract closely to

• We can use a table to organise information about the text.

We will now examine an excerpt

Please download the text

The Happiest Refugee

The Happiest Refugee tells the story of

This excerpt takes place shortly after

• The migrant family’s English language skills VOCABULARY

Readers discover information about characters in a text by:

Rewrite one of the following sentences

• Alexandra loved dogs.

Characterisation How do readers

about characters in a text, including the subject of an

the same letter or sound at the beginning of closely

contradictory terms appear in conjunction

• DESCRIBE how language choice positions the reader to respond to

Definition: Hateful, revolting, repulsive or disgusting.

On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word loathsome.

Definition: Gloomy or dismal.

On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word sullen.

Figurative language and its effects

• It is one thing to seek out and find examples of descriptive (including

We will now examine another excerpt from the

Please download the text MRS PRATCHETT EXCERPT

Read the text together as a class then complete the

• “The woman who owned it was • metaphor/others

• appearance • Mrs Pratchett is ugly.

feel about Mrs Pratchett.

• Purpose refers to the reason the author created the text.

It is important to remember author’s may have more than one

PERSUADE: The author’s intention is to convince the reader to agree with

INFORM: The author’s intention is to educate the reader about a real-

ENTERTAIN: The author’s intention is to entertain the reader by keeping

Definition: A social group that shares a common and distinctive culture,

Examples: Ethnicity is not something that should set people apart, it

On your whiteboards, write a sentence using the word ethnicity.

• A blog is an online journal or diary.