Definition of Texts

The Victorian Essential Learning Standards describes texts as those which are spoken, read, viewed and written. Texts are therefore to be defined broadly and will include literature, mass media, electronic and everyday texts.

The term selected texts is defined as those texts or types of text that are selected by teachers for school and/or home study. The purposes of choosing texts that are compulsory for each student to study include ensuring that students have the opportunity to explore writing and images that offer opportunities for challenging and worthwhile engagement and response, analysis and exploration.

The criteria below apply to the selection of literary, everyday and mass media texts for Years 7 - 11. The selection of literature texts at year 12 is determined by the Victorian Board of Studies which provides a set list of literary texts for both English and English Literature.

Suggested Criteria For Text Selection

• That the texts enable students to explore aspects of Australian culture. This requires the reading of at least one Australian text at each year level.
• That the texts allow students to develop a critical appreciation of the craft and aesthetics of language and to experience the enjoyment and pleasure offered by reading.
• That the texts have intellectual merit. That the ideas and issues explored in the texts, in addition to being appropriate to the relevant age group, be significant, challenging and complex.
• That the texts be accessible to as wide a range of students as possible within a particular year level and class. That the language of the texts and the ideas explored in the texts be comprehensible to as many students as possible.
• That the range of texts ideally include traditional and contemporary texts.
• That the texts represent a range of literary genres.
• That the texts reflect a wide range of experience. Wherever possible, they should reflect the experience and perspectives of male and female, young and old, and a wide range of cultures, in historical, contemporary and imaginary settings.
• That the texts be free of language or images which would be judged to be obscene or offensive by current community standards and expectations. Exceptions to this general principle may occur where the texts in which such language or images are present meet the criteria set out above, the language or images are of central importance to the development of the characters or representations or ideas explored in the text, and the English teachers have determined that exposure to such language or images will not hinder the social and moral development of their students