Article #1: Policy Shames Us All

(10/2) Mini Articles #1

Article #1

Swim-Dive-Live,, Werribee Times, 16/3/2016

Dive like a tiger shark, swim like you’re free.

My family and I love to swim. So the news that Werribee outdoor pool is to close is a kick to the guts.

Outdoor pools provide a sense of community, a form of exercise and a welcome relief on hot summer days. They must be protected.

Some of my fondest memories are of eating cornetto’s and Doritos around a local pool. It’s an Aussie tradition that must be protected.

Now more than ever society is increasingly pushed indoors by electronics that monopolise our attention, the pool is our last semblance of outdoor recreation and freedom.

Wyndham City Council must realise we will not go away. The swim WILL live on.

Nick Joshua, Teacher

Article #2

Our Land  is Girt by a Wild Lawless Sea          1/1/2011

To the editor of the Herald Sun,

I call on all Australians to protect our way of life. A way of life that is being threatened by illegal pirates and mooching human cargo. My tax dollars shouldn’t go to funding the exorbitant whims of boat people who are increasingly becoming a scourge on our society. My job and indeed no Aussie job should be sacrificed so a two-buck immigrant can be given a fair go. We live in the lucky country. Let’s keep it that way.

Andrew Charles

Werribee, Father

Article #3

12 year old betting bandits

To the editor,

I was watching the footy with my son the other day when he tells me the ‘Pie’s are gonna win becauseBetsport has them at $1.58’ and that ‘we should put 100 bucks on them to pay for dinner.’ When did the financial interests of unethical betting houses trump the rights and future of our children? When does the exploitation stop? When does the government’s financial reliance end? It seems like the only interest that isn’t being considered is our children. Who will repay for the lives, families and financial future destroyed by this government cash grab? The onus is on the government and the consequence of not acting now will be a future of forgotten morals, family violence and entrenched poverty. We need to put a stop to betting during sports so that children, our future doesn’t grow up thinking betting on sports is normal. Let’s not promote a culture of addiction.

Joshua Douglas, 4/5/2012

Werribee, Father

Article #4

Anzac Day Shame, Herald Sun, 28/4/2016

I was at the MCG on Anzac Day and what I witnessed from some members of our youth was deplorable and disgusting. At the final notes of the last post, young men in my vicinity yelled.

“GO THE f#@$%^ PIES”

Now as a bombers supporter I understand that we can’t hold Collingwood supporters to the same standard as the rest of us but some respect please.

Anzac Day must be held as a day of respect and a day of remembrance. My great uncle fought and died at Gallipoli and I think one day of reflection and respect is the least he could expect for his sacrifice.

So lets demand no Anzacs in Macca’s ads, no jokes about Anzac ghosts and no profiteering vultures.

These men fought for us. You. Me. EVERYONE. The deserve our respect for protecting our country. So rather then yell obscenities in a moment self absorption think about the sacrifice.

Lest we forget

Hector Charles, Self proclaimed representative of the people of Australia

(9/2) Writing Kick-Arse Intro's- LA edition

The blog should be approached as two sections. The first explains how to use ITACT to identify everything we need to write a LA Intro. The second explores how we can use the scaffolds, break them and put them back together as a kick-arse introduction. 

SECTION 1


Scaffolds For Writing An Language Analysis Introduction

Below is a very basic scaffolds that can be used to write a language analysis introduction. It merely provides an outline and template that can be used to write your introduction, you simply need to fill in the gaps.

Note: This is a very basic template that provides you the scaffolds to achieve a satisfactory mark. It is in NO way the only way to write an introduction and it will be expected that you experiment with this template in order later years in order to bring increased complexity to your writing.

Introduction Scaffolds

Due to an increase (outline what has sparked the issue) the issue of whether or not (outline issue) has been raised in the media lately. In (author)’s article(article title) written in the (publication title) on (publication date) it is contended that (outline contention). (author’s surname) employs a (describe tone) tone to encourage (intended reader) to (outline effect of the tone on the reader).

If there is an image you need to introduce it as well

To do this you need to…

·         Include an outline of the image

·         The contention, intended audience and tone if they differ from the primary article.

Introduction Scaffolds

When an image is present the scaffolds are revised to...

Due to an increase (outline what has sparked the issue) the issue of whether or not (outline issue) has been raised in the media lately. In (author)’s article(article title) written in the (publication title) on (publication date) it is contended that (outline contention). (author’s surname) employs a (describe tone) tone to encourage (intended reader) to (outline effect of the tone on the reader). Accompanying (authors) article is an (image/cartoon/graph). The image shows(Describe image), contending that (outline contention of image.)

 

Sample #1

Due to an increase in youth obesity the issue of whether societies attitude to food has lead to increased incidence of youth obesity has recently been discussed in the media. In Sam Coleridge's letter to the editor 'Gorging The Innocent' written in the Herald Sun on the 4th April contends that the poor food messages propagated by society has lead to increased incidence of childhood obesity. Coleridge employs an impassioned tone to position parentsand teachers to reflect on their own children and the impact such messages are having on their own children's health. Accompanying Coleridge’s article is animage. The image shows a family that are all clearly overweight feasting on fast food. The image makes the association between parents eating habits and childhood obesity contending that parents need to place a greater emphasis on ensuring their children grow up in a healthy manner. The image employs anattacking aggressive tone to appeal to a families sense of dedication to their family.   

(8/2) The Tone of it ALL + Tone Bank

The following blog explores the idea of tone in pieces of writing, how to identify and analyse tone and a tone bank that is a list of tone words.

What is TONE?

In our everyday lives we are aware of people using a tone of voice to vary their meaning and how their discussion comes across. Everyone understands the use to tone of voice when it is someone speaking. Within persuasive pieces the author will always write their piece with a certain tone in order to establish the feeling or emotion in the piece. The different with the written work (as opposed to the spoken) is that we aren't provided with spoken cues and facial expression to assist us with identifying what the tone is. The written tone can be hard to identify. One if the best techniques to assist you with this is 'reading the article in your head, or out loud if possible to distinguish tone and imaging someone else speaking the words to imagine how it would be spoken.

The lucky thing with tone is that, as long as your assertion is reasonable you cant be wrong


within the language analyse essay the tone represents an opportunity to show off your ability to analyse

Examples of identifying tone

examples of analysing tone

(7/2) What on earth is CITCAT???

When talking CITCAT we are talking INTRODUCTIONS. CITCAT is essentially a checklist of everything you need to demonstrate when writing an introduction.

Introductions

In an introduction you are being assessed on the following 5 skills.

• Do you understand the issue and its context?

• Can you identify the text and its details?
• Can you demonstrate an understanding and analyse the authors contention?

• Do you understand and can you communicate the author’s intended audience
• Can you identify the author’s tone and how it might affect the intended audience?

So how does CITCAT relate?

CITCAT is a check list of these skills and provides a way to remember what you need to demonstrate in your INTRODUCTION.

Context and the Issue

T-Text Details

C-Contention

A-Audience

T-Tone and its effect on the intended reader

Lastly…

This is the key to high level responses and greater complexity…

• It is important that you are demonstrating an understanding of the article and the issue. Show me that you understand the issue and what the author’s opinion and writing tone is.      
• Remember you are not showing me that you can read or hold an opinion on the article or issue.
• You shouldn’t simply mention CITCAT you need to SHOW AN UNDERSTANDING of CITCAT as well. You are showing a mastery of your skill in identification and analysis.

Just a little note: CITCAT should only be discussed once in a LA essay, in the introduction: remember you are introducing your understanding of the article and your only introduce once!!! 

(6/2) Identifiying Issues 101

Overview 

An issue is something that can be debated, they will always have two sides. If you can't establish two sides they're can be a debate. When you express your understanding of the issue you need to identify and communicate the notion of their being two sides.


The easiest way to do this is through "a whether or not" statement. Such a statement is by no means revolutionary but it will get the job done.


Whether or NOT


By saying whether or not you are establishing two sides. Whether you side with my opinion or you NOT. Two sides makes on issue. To use a 'whether or not' statement you begin with...

 

'The issue of whether or not... has been discussed in the media lately.'

 

But that's not all

 

The words 'Gay Marriage' are not an issue statement, nor is the statement 'The issue of Gay Marriage,' or 'Whether or not gay marriage' you must be very clear when establishing that their are two sides to the issue. None of the previous statements established that there are two sides of the issue. Two sides that someone could argue. You need to ask yourself, what is it about 'Gay Marriage that makes it an issue?'. A quality response to this question shows that you understand the complexities and intricacies of the issue.

 

What is it about 'Gay Marriage that makes it an issue?'

 

1) Is it whether it should be allowed?

 

2) Is it whether we should change our laws?

 

3) Is it whether we need to be more accepting?

 

As a matter of fact either of the above could make on issue, they just need to be expressed in an appropriate manner.

 

1) 'The issue of whether or not gay marriage should be allowed within Australian society has been discussed in the media lately

 

2) 'The issue of whether or not gay marriage should be legalised by the Australian Government has been discussed in the media lately.'

 

3) 'Whether or not we as Australians should be more accepting of gay marriage has been discussed in the media lately.'

 

Your task is to prove you understand the issue and the article (this is not something I can show you, it comes through practice) but demonstrating the successful communication of a 'Whether or NOT.'

 

Context

In the introduction you should also include the context, this could also be referred to as the author's intention or the spark.

This is essentially demonstrating an understanding of why the issue is being discussed in the media.

• This could be due to an increase in something...

• This could be because a law is being introduced...

• This could be because a newsworthy event occurred...

Irrespective of why an article has been written you can phrase the context in the following way...

Due to an (Outline increase/introduction/event) the issue of... (Whether or Not statement)

Example Context+Issue

Due to a visit from the royal family the issue of whether or not Australia should become a republichas been discussed in the media lately. 

Due to an increase in childhood obesity the issue of whether or not society needs to address the incidence of childhood obesity has been discussed in the media lately

(5/2) How to ensure you understand an article

When we complete a Language Analysis, we must ensure that we understand what the article is asking us. Thus we must ask and be able to answer the following question.

• Why has this person decided to write the article?
• What topic is he addressing in the article?
• What outcome is he attempting to achieve through the article?
• What reasons is he providing to support his outcome?
• What attitude is the author depicting through the article?

Examples 

• Why has this person decided to write the article?

• What topic is he addressing in the article?

• What outcome is he attempting to achieve through the article?

• What reasons is he providing to support his outcome?

• What attitude is the author depicting through the article?