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Coming of Age and Point of View

Year 9 English

Learning Module

Abstract

Through an exploration of the themes of growing up and coming of age, year 9 students develop their understanding of point of view. By experimenting with the concept of point of view in a short story, film, song and music video, and documentary, students explore other ways of seeing the text, and develop their inferential reading skills and an appreciation of the constructed nature of a text.

Keywords

English Textual Concepts, Freedom, Identity, Loss of Innocence, Point of View.

Australian Curriculum and English Textual Concepts

Through an exploration of the themes of growing up and coming of age in a range of multimodal texts, this learning module develops students' understanding of point of view. Experimenting with point of view allows students to explore other ways of seeing the text.

POINT OF VIEW: WHAT IT IS

Point of view in a text is the position from which the subject matter of a text is designed to be perceived. In defining a point of view the writer, speaker or director of the text controls what we see and how we relate to the situation, characters or ideas in the text. Point of view may be expressed through a narrator or through a character (focaliser in a novel, persona in a poem) and because we are invited to adopt this point of view we often align ourselves with the character or narrator. The point of view constructed in a text cannot be assumed to be that of the composer.

Composers can privilege certain points of view by choosing a particular narrative stance including omniscient, limited, 1st, 2nd or 3rd person narrator. In visual, film and digital texts, point of view is indicated through such devices as foregrounding in visual images, types of camera shots or guiding a pathway of navigation through a web site. In spoken and audio texts the tone and accompanying sounds convey a point of view. Point of view therefore constructs an attitude towards the subject matter in a text which the reader, listener or viewer is invited to adopt.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT

Understanding point of view is a critical reading practice because point of view is often inferred rather than explicitly expressed and its exploration leads to an appreciation of the constructed nature of the text. It is a device which allows subject matter to be foregrounded or distanced and therefore it invites certain attitudes and feelings in response to the text.

English Textual Concepts (NSW Department of Education and English Teachers Association of NSW, 2016)

Year 9 (Stage 5)

Students understand that point of view is the position from which the subject matter of a text is designed to be perceived.

Students learn that

  • narrators may be omniscient, limited, deceptive, masking the ideology of the text
  • there may be multiple narrators offering different points of view,
  • point of view may be through a focaliser,
  • the point of view can create an emotional response,
  • point of view controls the meaning of a text and may be resisted.

 AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM ENGLISH : YEAR 9 CONTENT DESCRIPTORS

Reading and viewing

Language

Understand that authors innovate with text structures and language for specific purposes and effects (ACELA1553)

Literature

Explore and reflect on personal understanding of the world and significant human experience gained from interpreting various representations of life matters in texts (ACELT1635)

Literacy

Interpret, analyse and evaluate how different perspectives of issue, event, situation, individuals or groups are constructed to serve specific purposes in texts (ACELY1742)

WRITING

Language

Text structure and organisation

Understand that authors innovate with text structures and language for specific purposes and effects (ACELA1553)

Literature

Analyse text structures and language features of literary texts, and make relevant comparisons with other texts (ACELT1772)

Literacy

Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate visual, print and/or audio features (ACELY1746)

Explore and explain the combinations of language and visual choices that authors make to present information, opinions and perspectives in different texts (ACELY1745)

Review and edit students’ own and others’ texts to improve clarity and control over content, organisation, paragraphing, sentence structure, vocabulary and audio/visual features (ACELY1747)

Use a range of software, including word processing programs, flexibly and imaginatively to publish texts (ACELY1748)

1. The Bike

For the Student

In this learning module you will be learning about growing up and coming of age through studying a short story, film, song and documentary. You will also be learning about point of view, an important concept in writing.

Learning Intention: To think about freedom as you grew up and to read and respond to a story about growing up.

Success Criteria:

  • Draw up a timeline.
  • Discuss other students' timelines through a gallery walk.
  • Read and discuss "The Bike" by Gary Soto.
  • Comment and comment on other students' comments.

Draw a timeline and with a partner or in a group of 3, annotate it with some childhood experiences where you found some new-found freedom. Your timeline should start at the age that you first experienced freedom - yes it could have been at 6 months when you learnt to crawl - up until your current age. Discuss ideas and record as many as you can on your group's timeline.

Fig. 1: Timeline

After 10 minutes, do a gallery walk around the room to read other students' memories and experiences. It may spark some more memories for you too so go back and add them to your timeline.

Now read The Bike by Gary Soto.

In a Think-Pair-Share, discuss and take notes on important points:

  • What was your favourite part? Why?
  • What was your emotional response to the story (how did you feel as you read it)?
  • What was some interesting language that you noted as you read it? Talk about specific examples.
  • What freedom did the narrator experience?
  • Was it a positive or negative experience? Why?
  • Does it remind you of any of your own experiences?
  • The narrator writes in first person, using "I" so the story is told from his point of view. What did the narrator learn from his experience?

Comment: Comment on 2-3 main points from your discussion. Start with "We talked about........." Then read other students' comments and comment on any that interested you or you agreed with/disagreed with, explaining why. Start with @Name so the person knows you are commenting on their comment. 

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Engaging Personally and Connecting

The focus of this learning module is on explicitly teaching point of view through a range of texts:

  • The Bike (short story by Gary Soto, 1990)
  • Back Seat (an excerpt from a short film directed by Pauline Whyman, 2007)
  • Caught in the Crowd (song and lyrics  by Kate Miller-Heidke, 2008)
  • The Mask You Live In (excerpts from a documentary directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, 2015

This learning module uses blended learning through classroom interactions that are through technology and through face-to-face activities. Once a class community has been set up in Scholar, each update can be delivered directly to students' own devices. The update can also be shown on a screen to a class and those students who have a device can comment in the comment box, while those without devices can write their comments in their books.

Option 1: Students not in Scholar
Set up a community, post the updates to the community and show them on an electronic whiteboard. The metacognitive reflections in the comments can be done by students in their books.

Option 2: Students in Scholar
Set up the community, invite the students and post the updates to the community where students access the material. They write their comments in the comment box and comment on each others' comments. This will set up an active knowledge making and collaborative community.  Posting comments is a form of accountability, promotes reflection, and develops students’ writing skills and confidence to work in Scholar.

Option 3: Some students in Scholar
Set up the community, invite the students and post the updates to the community where students access the material.  Students choose to write their comments in their books or in the comment box and comment on each others' comments. This may motivate some students to bring their devices and use them. 

Find out more about Scholar and its seven affordances.

Once students accounts have been set up, create a community and invite students. The Scholar Help tutorials will guide you.

Purpose: The purpose of this update is to engage students and connect them to their learning through social learning, establishing accountabilty to each other as well as to the teacher. It also introduces an important concept that a story told from a specific point of view such as a five year old child can evoke an emotional response.

Teaching Tips

Timeline: Set strict time limits so students  are focused and on task. Only allow more time than 10 minutes for the initial discussion if you see all students are engaged and still adding ideas.

Gallery Walk: Encourage students to make positive comments and no put downs. Allow 5 minutes and encourage students to "borrow" ideas from others. Students then return to their timelines and add more ideas. Again set a time limit so you establish high expectations that students are on task at the beginning of this module.

Reading "The Bike"

Use paired reading or read the text aloud. The students can discuss the open-ended questions in pairs. These questions address diversity in that students may respond differently and are required to think and respond. Their discussion also serves as a scaffold for writing reflections/comments. Each student should write their own comment in the comment space or as a journal reflection. The latter  can swap books with students from other groups to write a comment on a comment.

Background on Gary Soto. This information provides some context about a Mexican migrant family in California. His grandparents migrated there in search of a better life and more economic security. Compare this to Australian economic migrants and refugees in search of a better life for themselves and their children. This would explain the protectiveness of many migrant parents and refugees towards their children. Further, Soto's father was killed when he was 5.

2. Growing Up, Freedom and Point of View

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand that point of view is the position from which the subject matter of a text is designed to be perceived.

Success Criteria:

  • Discuss and complete the "Who would say this?" chart.
  • Plan and then retell the story from another point of view.
  • Share your retellings and give feedback to other students.
  • Discuss and comment on what you learnt.
  • Comment on 1-2 comments of other students.

Who would say this?

Work with a partner to complete the second column by selecting from the narrator (5 year old boy), the boy on the trike, narrator's mother, neighbours, orange cats. 

Statement Who would say this?
1. I know you are getting older and you like to feel freedom, but I'm worried about your safety so you need to do as you are told.  
2. That little boy sure loves his freedom but if I was his mother I wouldn't let him ride so far from home.  
3. Oh..O! We can tell he is up to no good. His mother won't be happy.  
4. I love the feeling of freedom when I do figure eights, ride up on curbs and onto lawns, bump into trees and over a hose to make the water spring up in the sprinkler.  
5. That boy sure is tough! I could see that I hurt him but he tried not to cry.  

These statements represent different points of view that the author could have used in "The Bike". Gary Soto decided on a first person narrator. This narrator writes using "I" so you know it is his point of view.  Point of view is the position from which the subject matter of a text is designed to be perceived. So we are meant to read the story from the point of view of a five year old boy.

Timed-Think-Pair-Share: Do you think that the point of view of a five year old boy is biased? Is it reliable or limited? How would it be different to an adult's point of view?

Your turn to write

You will be allocated a point of view to write from:

  • neighbour
  • mother
  • orange cats
  • boy on trike

Each group (e.g. all the students writing from the point of view of the neighbours) brainstorm ideas and record them in dot points. As a group, complete the following table from the new point of view.

I saw I heard I felt
     
     
     
     
     

Once you have run out of ideas, return to your seat and individually write 2-3 paragraphs retelling the story from the point of view of the character you have been allocated. Write in first person as if you are the character you have been allocated. If you are the orange cats with their all-seeing antennas, you will write as "we" rather than "I" and imagine that cats can talk!

Then read your paragraph to other members of the group. Alternatively, you can create your own update in the community in Scholar and write your paragraph. Other students can read and comment.

In the comment/ feedback - comment on 2 positive things and one thing that could be improved.

Timed-Think-Pair-Share:

  • Which character do you empathise with most? Why?
  • Does writing from a different point of view influence who you empathise with?

Comment: Meanings of stories may change when viewed through the eyes of different characters in the story. How did writing from a different point of view make you think differently about the story? Read other students' comment and comment on 1-2 that you agreed with or found interesting.

Fig. 2: "Hi Mom. I haven't gone anywhere."

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Understanding

Purpose: In this update students come to a deeper understanding of point of view and explore different points of view in order to infer themes in the narrative. 

Teaching Tips

Who would say this?

This activity is designed for students to define point of view. Show the update on a screen and students can draw up the table and complete it by using numbers rather than writing out the statements. Allow about 5 minutes for this task. Maintain interest by moving through the activities and setting high expectations that students will be focused and on task.

For the writing activity use a numbered heads/jigsaw. Number students 1-4. The ones then form a group to discuss the point of view of the neighbour while the twos form a group to discuss the point of view of the mother and so forth. Students then return to their home/cooperative groups to write their individual paragraphs, share, and give and receive feedback. Give students about 15-20 minutes to write; this is not an extended writing task.

If students decide to write their paragraphs in Scholar, see how to create an update in 2.8.2 in Working in a Community in the Scholar Help Tutorials. Students can then give feedback through written comments.

The Think-Pair Shares promote metacognitive thinking about how point of view influences how you respond to characters. Timing the activity is important so students are on task and accountable to each other.

3. Point of View through Character and Language

For the Student

Learning Intention: To analyse how point of view shapes the meaning of the text and can create an emotional response.

Success Criteria:

  • Complete an analysis of how the author creates point of view in "The Bike".
  • Discuss and take notes on 3-8 statements about point of view in "The Bike".
  • Write a PEC paragraph on point of view.
  • Read other students' paragraphs and comment on 1-2.

Let's start by identifying how the author develops point of view in the story by identifying his narrator's actions. This is the easy part as it is what happens in the story.

Next, infer the narrator's feelings. You have to go beyond what the text actually says to work out what he is feeling. The first person point of view allows the reader to understand and infer the narrator's feelings.

As you do this, find evidence/examples of the narrator's point of view and how they affect the reader. In this way you will see how the author is deliberately influencing how you think and feel about the narrator.

Go through the beginning of the story with a partner/small group - it has been done for you as a model. Then work with a partner to complete the rest of the table.

Beginning of story

(paragraphs 1-4)

Middle of story

(paragraphs 5-8)

End of story

(paragraphs 9-10)

Narrator's Actions

(at least 3)

 Rides his bike up and down the block.
Turns corner out of his mother’s sight.
Returns immediately, looks back at Sarah Street and then returns to his own street.		    

Narrator's Feelings

(at least 3 - use a thesaurus)

 Sure of himself
Unsure/uncertain
Frightened (of the unknown)
Curious (rainbow)
Excited (to be taking a risk)		    

Evidence/

Examples of Language

(at least 3)

 I thought I was pretty cool riding up and down the block.
I was scared of riding on Sarah Street.
Hungry dogs lived on that street and “red anger lives in their eyes.”(personification)
I braked and looked back at where I had gone.
I let my finger uncurl like a bean plant….
…my eyes open as wide as they could go.
After a few circle eights….		    

Effects on Reader

Focuses on the narrator’s emotions and feelings of fear and uncertainty.

Empathises as reader relates to their own experiences of growing up, uncertainty, fear and tasting freedom.

Understands the narrator’s personality and point of view  – obedient child but now wants some freedom.

Establishes a close relationship between the reader and narrator.

    
The Bike - Analysis of Point of View Chart Template

After completing the table, select three (you can do more!) of the following questions and discuss with a partner/small group.Take notes as they require some in-depth thinking and will help you to write your detailed comment in a PEC paragraph.

  1. Point of view shapes the meaning of a text, persuading you what to feel and think. What does the narrator's point of view in "The Bike" persuade you to feel (this is your emotional response)? What does the narrator's point of view persuade you to think (these are your attitudes and opinions)? 
  2. The author asks you to infer how the narrator is feeling. For example, when the narrator tells the boy on the trike to ride over his leg, you infer that the narrator is acting tough. The author shows rather than telling you this. What is another example of showing rather than telling?
  3. Point of view allows the author to foreground certain subject matter/ideas/themes/ values that links to the author's purpose. What subject matter/ideas/themes/values are foregrounded in "The BIke"? What do you think is the main theme? What do you think is the author's purpose?
  4. While point of view controls the meaning of a text, you do not have to agree. For example, you may have thought the mother was too controlling and the boy did not deserve his punishment. What other parts of the story might people not agree with?
  5. Point of view controls the effects of a text. For example, first person can create a more personal or close relationship, evoking empathy and concern. On the other hand, third person can create a more distant or public relationship with the reader, evoking some interest or even indifference. What is the main effect of point of view on the relationship between the narrator and the reader in "The Bike"? Is it a personal or a public social distance?
  6. Point of view can direct the reader to the values in the text. What values are included in "The Bike"? (Hint: what does the boy learn at the end?) How are the author and the narrator the same and how are they different?

Comment: Do you think Gary Soto communicated the point of view of his narrator effectively? Write a PEC paragraph in which you describe the effects of using first person point of view in "The Bike" Then read through other students' responses and comment on 1-2 that you thought were interesting or agreed/disagreed with. Give reasons for your opinion.

Fig.3: Through point of view you can construct a relationship between a narrator/character and the reader.

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Engaging critically

Purpose: To understand how point of view is constructed.

See Textual Concepts

Understanding point of view is a critical reading practice because point of view is often inferred rather than explicitly expressed and its exploration leads to an appreciation of the constructed nature of the text. It is a device which allows subject matter to be foregrounded or distanced and therefore it invites certain attitudes and feelings in response to the text.

NSW Department of Education and English Teachers' Association of NSW, 2016.

Students will be able to apply these understandings in Update 4 as well as in their final creative response in Update 15. In this way they will be making deliberate choices to construct a point of view, persuade the reader, invite an emotional response, control the meaning of the text and direct the reader to the themes and values of the text.

Teaching Tips

This is a complex update and may take 2 lessons. Some students may be able to work independently as they analyse the model and then complete the chart. For others, go through the first column as a group and offer ongoing support to complete the second and third columns. If necessary, work with a small group of students to complete the chart, while others work in pairs.

The Bike - Completed Analysis of Point of View Chart

Students may download the semi-completed chart (available on the student side so students can access it) and complete by hand or electronically. If it is saved electronically, then for accountability, students may submit them to the teacher through Submissions in the class Community.

Provide lead in sentences for the PEC (point - example/evidence/elaboration - conclusion). For example:

P: Gary Soto communicates the point of view of the narrator effectively/ineffectively because...

E: Evidence of this is........

E: Another example is ..........

E: The effects of these are......

C: Overall, the story is effective because it is not just about growing up, it is .......

Students may write their paragraphs in their books and swap with a partner to give and receive feedback. If students decide to write their paragraphs in Scholar, see how to create an update in 2.8.2 in Working in a Community in the Scholar Help Tutorials. Students can then give feedback through written comments. 

Grammar Focus

Throughout the learning module, as students create short pieces, the texts can be used to explore aspects of grammar through text innovations. These could be provided as targetted mini lessons or as extension activities.

Point of View

  Singular Pronouns Plural Pronouns
1st Person I, me we, us
2nd Person you you
3rd Person he/she/it, him, her, it they, them

Tense

Narratives are generally written in the past tense or the present tense. Students rewrite at least one paragraph of their story (they can do more) in another tense - change past to present or present to past. What about future tense?

Discussion focus: How does it change the story? Present tense makes the reader feel like it is happening now. Past tense makes the reader feel more separated from the events.

Teaching Tip: Model some examples of tense using regular and irregular verbs.

Vocabulary

Synonyms and Antonyms: Students rewrite using synonyms to develop vocabulary and then with antonyms to see how their paragraphs change.

Teaching Tip: Use dictionaries (real and virtual) to develop vocabulary.

Direct and Indirect Speech

Refer to novels to identify the rules of direct speech and include in their narratives.

4. Writing about Freedom

For the Student

Learning Intention: To apply what you have learnt about point of view through your own narrative.

Success Criteria:

  • Write a narrative (3-5 paragraphs).
  • Use the rubric to guide you as you write and to give feedback.
  • Comment on 1-2 other students' narratives.

Writing Task: Freedom: First Person Point of View Narrative

Write about one of your memories of gaining freedom as a child. Write the story as a first person narrator. 

Write 3-5 paragraphs.

Use the rubric to focus on:

  • Building the relationship between the narrator and the reader by evoking an emotional response.
  • Showing the narrator's feelings; not telling so the reader infers.
  • Showing some change or development in the narrator.
  • Foregrounding certain subject matter/ideas/themes/values that link to your purpose in telling the story. 

Comment: Read other students' narratives and comment on 1-2 that you enjoyed, explaining why. Start with @Name so they know you are commenting on their narrative.

Fig. 4: Freedom

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Experimenting

Purpose: In this update students apply what they have learnt about constructing a point of view by retelling one of their own memories of freedom that they brainstormed in the first update.

This writing piece could go through peer review in Scholar - start the project, set up dates in Publisher (just follow the wizard) and finalise. Students will then receive Notifications to start their work in Creator.

Alternatively, hand out the attached rubric to guide students as they write. When they have finished, they could swap their works and give feedback to one of their peers.

First Person Narrator Point of View Rubric

5. Back Seat

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand that point of view is the position from which the subject matter of a text is designed to be perceived.

Success Criteria:

  • With a partner, discuss your responses to the videoclip.
  • Create a comment sharing 2 - 3 ideas.
  • Comment on 1 - 2 other students' ideas.

Watch - ‘Back Seat’ written and directed by Pauline Whyman.

This is only a short clip of the film but it will help you understand that point of view can also be shown through visuals. Janine is an indigenous foster child who has been raised by a white Australian family. She is visiting her biological family for the first time. In this clip she has just met her biological mother, siblings and cousins. The film is based on the experiences of Pauline Whyman, the writer and director.

Think-Pair-Share, discuss and take notes on important points:

  • How did you feel as you watched this clip?
  • Which characters did you like/dislike? Explain why.
  • Whose point of view is presented in this clip?
  • Are you positioned to empathise with Janine, Elise or Beverly? Explain why.
  • How do you think Janine feels about being adopted and her Aboriginal identity? Does she change at all?
  • How would the subject matter about adoption of Aboriginal children and identity  change if you were positioned to view it from the point of view of another character in the video?

Comment: Comment on 2-3 main points from your discussion. Start with "We talked about........." Then read other students' comments and comment on any that interested you or you agreed with/disagreed with, explaining why. Start with @Name so the person knows you are commenting on their comment. 

Fig. 5: Lille Madden in "Back Seat", written and directed by Pauline Whyman

​

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Engaging personally and Connecting

Purpose: In this update students view and respond to a short clip from the documentary "Back seat" and learn how point of view can be designed to make the audience form a particular point of view about the subject matter. 

Teaching Tips

Check that there not students in the class who might find the subject matter challenging because of their Aboriginal identity and/or adoption. Decide on another text or go through the text with any affected students beforehand to check with them.

Encourage students to take notes of their discussion as these notes will form the basis of their metacognitive comment. This comment is designed to create accountability as well as encourage students to think and contribute to the collaborative knowledge of the group - their ideas and opinions matter.

6. Point of View through Visuals

For the Student

Learning Intention: To analyse how point of view positions the audience, especially how point of view can create an emotional response.

Success Criteria:

  • Complete a Y Chart for a character you are allocated.
  • Select 5 images and analyse them.
  • Write a PEC paragraph where you analyse your findings.
  • Read other students' comments and comment on 1-2.

Work in a group of 4 with each person focusing on one of the following:

  1. Janine
  2. Elise (Janine's mother)
  3. Beverley (Janine's foster mother)
  4. Janine's brothers and sisters

As you watch use the Y Chart to identify what your character is thinking, feeling and seeing. You need to use evidence from the videoclip to support your thinking, e.g. Janine looks nervous (close up shot and direct gaze). 

Visual Features and Social Distance

Use the Visual Tools and Social Distance Definitions to help you complete the Y Chart. 

You can work in an expert jigsaw group first with all the 1s working together initially. Then return to your home group and share your Y Charts. Alternatively, find a peer who was looking at the same character as you. Share your ideas. Discuss what made you come to these conclusions.

Return to your table group, discuss the different characters. Which point of view is the director favouring in this clip? 

Use the completed Y Charts to complete the next activity.

Select 5 key images from the text. Identify the shot type (close up, mid shot, long shot, panning shot), angle (high, low, at level), gaze (direct, indirect) and any other significant techniques and analyse the effect of the image on the viewer. The first one has been done for you. Think back to your learning intention about how this positions the viewer and creates an emotional response. Also consider the social distance between the characters and the viewer - is it a personal (close ups or direct gaze) or public distance (long shots or indirect gaze)?

Shot/Image

 Mode Effect

Direct gaze

Close Up

  Janine demands our attention with a direct focus/gaze on the viewer. It emphasises her point of view and creates a close personal distance between the character and the viewer. The close up shows a serious and unhappy expression. The viewer is positioned to empathise with her feelings of confusion.
Image 2    
Image 3    
Image 4    
Image 5    


In pairs discuss your analysis of the five images and how the images position you as a viewer.

Comment: Summarise your findings into a PEC paragraph. Read 2 - 3 other students' comments and comment on any that interested you or you agreed with, explaining why. Start with @Name so the person knows you are commenting on their comment.

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Engaging critically and Experimenting

Purpose: This update focuses on analysing how visual techniques can present a point of view and elicit an emotional response. 

Teaching Tips

Model the first image as a class. Help support students' understanding by discussing the effect as a class. Use the learning intention to guide the discussion back to how gaze, shot type and angle control the point of view. Students should then select their own 4 images and analyse how point of view positions the audience to understand a text.

 

7. Coming of Age and Point of View

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand coming of age and loss of innocence.

Success Criteria:

  • Read a definition and watch a video about coming of age.
  • Work with a partner to discuss and take notes on "Back Seat".
  • Complete and discuss the "Growing Up" chart with a partner.
  • Comment and comment on other students' comments.

In a coming of age short story, the protagonist, usually an adolescent, experiences a significant event – a turning point or illuminating moment – that brings an adult understanding of the world. The incident causes a loss of innocence; the protagonist can no longer live completely sheltered as a child.

Quoted from Short Story Guide

 
Media embedded November 22, 2017

After watching this video about "Coming of Age" stories (the first 5 minutes is most important), discuss the following with a partner. Record key ideas from your discussion.

  • How does the experience of visiting her real mother affect Janine? Think about how it is making Janine question the world as she has always known it.
  • What discoveries is she making about herself and the world?
  • What questions would Janine have about her Aboriginal identity and life before she was adopted?
  • Is Janine changed by this experience?
  • Do you think that "Back Seat" is a coming of age story? Why/why not?

Growing Up Statements Chart

Now that you have studied two texts about growing up, "The Bike" and "Back Seat", think about whether you agree or disagree with the following five statements about growing up and coming of age.

Reflection: Discuss with a partner as you complete your own table. You can also add a final statement that you think is an important indicator of being grown up. 

Statements on Growing Up and Coming of Age

I will be grown up when........

  Agree Disagree Reason for your opinion
I turn 18 and am allowed to vote.      
I have a job and leave home.      
I have a family of my own.      
I experience life events or some problem that brings an adult understanding of the world.      
I have "ah ha" moments and develop a more realistic view of the world.      
       
Growing Up Statements Chart

Comment: Comment on 2-3 main points from your discussions of "Back Seat and the "Growing Up" chart. You can start with "We talked about........." Then read other students' comments and comment on any that interested you or you agreed with/disagreed with, explaining why. 

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts Learning Process: Understanding

Purpose: This update connects the videoclip, "Back Seat" to the theme of coming of age and to students' own lives and experiences. It also sets up a connection to the next text, "Caught in the Crowd".

Teaching Tips

Again encourage students to take notes of their discussion as these notes will form the basis of their metacognitive comment. 

Students can draw up the chart or complete the handout. This can be submitted through "Submissions" in the class Community in Scholar.

8. Caught in the Crowd

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how experiences contribute to coming of age.

Success Criteria:

  • View, discuss and record notes about your responses to the music videoclip with a partner.
  • Prioritise themes in a list with a partner.
  • Compare and contrast your list with another pair.
  • Write a comment.
  • Comment on 1-2 other students' comments.

Watch the music video, "Caught in the Crowd" by Kate Miller-Heidke.

Media embedded November 7, 2017

Think-Pair-Share 

  • What did you think of the song?
  • Is it your style of music?
  • What is the song/video about?
  • Who is the narrator?
  • Where is the narrator and why has she chosen that setting?
  • Did it create an emotional response in you, for example by making you feel sad, angry, empathetic etc?

Record 5 important points from your discussion. Then watch the videoclip again and read the lyrics as you listen.

Caught in the Crowd Lyrics

Think-Pair-Square: Now think about the message and values presented in the video by working with a partner and prioritising the themes of the video from most important (1) to least important (5).

  • Cowardice
  • Bullying
  • Friendship
  • Regret
  • Peer pressure
  • Complicity

After you have your list, find another pair and compare and contrast your lists. How are they the same and different? Discuss why.

Comment: Why do you think that "Caught in the Crowd" has been included in a unit about "Coming of Age"? What were the singer's experiences that contributed to her coming of age. If you could add another song, poem, film or book that is about coming of age, what would it be? Read through other students' comments and comment on 1-2 that you like/agree with, explaining why.

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Engaging personally and Connecting

Purpose: This update focuses on engaging students through responding to the music video and lyrics and discussing how the song relates to coming of age. 

Teaching Tips

Build student agency through asking students to add another statement about growing up. Also in the final comment, students can suggest other texts. This allows for differentiation as well as promoting metacognition and active knowledge making.

To create accountability, students can record key ideas from their discussions in the Think-Pair-Shares/Squares.

As students think about coming of age, encourage them to refer back to "Back Seat" and "The Bike" as well as their own experiences.

9. Types of Narrators

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand that point of view may be through a focaliser who may be an omniscient or limited narrator.

Success Criteria

  • Watch a video on point of view.
  • Teach your partner about point of view.
  • Complete the point of view chart.
  • Write a reflection.
  • Comment on 1-2 comments of other students.

Who is telling the story?

Here are 3 videos about point of view (POV). Work with a partner.

  • Person 1 watches and takes notes about POV: Point of view (9.30).
  • Person 2 watches and takes notes on Point of View: through whose eyes (5.30) (don't worry about the quiz at the end) and What is Point of View (2.04).

Then teach each other what you have learnt.

Media embedded November 12, 2017
Media embedded November 12, 2017
Media embedded November 12, 2017

Now read the definitions and complete the chart based on the texts you have studied in this unit, plus one other text you know about such as novel you have studied."The Bike" has been done for you.

Definitions

The Bike

 Back Seat Caught in the Crowd

????Text
A first person narrator tells the story from her/his point of view. He/she is in the story.  Four year old boy      
A focaliser uses first and third person to give the main point of view expressed in the text; the events and interpretations are filtered through the focaliser. The focaliser is generally a character in a narrative who shows how he/she sees the world. An author can use different focalisers throughout a narrative. Four year old boy      

An omniscient (omniscient = all knowing) narrator "knows" the whole story and can know whatever the author chooses; for example having access to all the actions and thoughts of multiple characters in the narrative. The omniscient narrator may/may not be a character in the narrative. The omniscient narrator generally uses third person.

 n/a      

A limited narrator has a restricted view of events and doesn't "know" the whole story. The limited narrator uses third person.

(Consider other characters if they were narrators)

 Mother, cats, neighbours and the boy on the trike

      
The narrator may be reliable or unreliable - an unreliable narrator is not a reliable source of ‘the truth’ or trustworthy information because of poor memory, a disability or deliberately lying/omitting information/misinforming. n/a      
An objective narrator describes what's happening but doesn't know what anyone is thinking and does not give opinions about what's happening. The objective narrator uses third person. Neighbours      
Point of View in Narratives

Comment: Think about one of the narrators in the stories you have studied and consider how the narrative would change if the point of view was changed. For example, what if "The Bike'' was told by an omniscient narrator or "Back Seat" was told by an unreliable narrator or "Caught in the Crowd" was told by a limited narrator or the focaliser changed. After adding your comments, comment on 1-2 comments of other students.

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Understanding

Purpose: This update focuses on the main conceptual understanding that is developed through "Caught in the Crowd":

  • narrators may be omniscient or limited or objective
  • point of view may be through a focaliser

Teaching Tips

Students can work independently to teach other about point of view. This could allow the teacher to work with selected students in a mini lesson, using the videos on point of view.

Point of View in Narratives

When completed, this can be submitted through "Submissions" in the class Community in Scholar. 

10. Constructing Point of View

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how film makers construct point of view.

Success Criteria:

  • Look at a model of an analysis.
  • Select 4-6 lines of the song lyrics and analyse the visuals.
  • Write 3-4 sentences in a comment about your analysis.
  • Comment on 1-2 comments of other students.

Analysing scenes in the video for techniques used to construct point of view: 

Let's look at the beginning scene of the videoclip.

Technique Evidence - what you see and hear Effects
Sound/Audio No music at first; then some sounds of water dripping and some instrumental music before the singer starts singing

Emphasises setting

Sound/Audio Tools: When the performer sings her tone is soft, gentle, harmonious (chorus) and lyrical  as it expresses emotions and is reflective; it creates a personal social distance while loud discordant sounds create a more public social distance).
Setting A school lab Suggests a discovery is going to be made just as scientific discoveries are made in labs.
Symbolism Flashlight Shining a spotlight on a certain event that has been shrouded in darkness.
Symbolism Butterflies A metamorphosis is going to take place; a self-discovery; pulling a sheet off the lab equipment is symbolic of pulling off a veil over this painful memory that the singer has buried.
Characters  One main character is introduced - the singer She is the narrator remembering events as a student. 
Gaze Singer looks around the room Looking around the room establishes the setting. She doesn't look directly at the viewer with a direct gaze yet (she does this in the chorus). She is gently inviting us to enter her world and see it through her eyes. This establishes her as the Focaliser. At this stage there is a public distance between the narrator (singer) and the viewer.
Shots (panning, close up, mid shot, long shot)

Panning shots

Mid shots of singer

Close up of singer

Establish the setting.

Mid shots introduce the main character

The close up just before the singer starts singing establishes her as the narrator and focaliser. The close up also begins to create a close social relationship between the singer and the viewer.
Camera angles (high, low, level) At level Viewer is invited into the singer's world to understand her point of view.
Lyrics n/a Language Tools: Note the first point of view and the close personal distance.
Cartoon/ Animations n/a  Animations create a close personal relationship between the singer and the target audience of young people.
     
Template for Analysing Caught in the Crowd
Caught in the Crowd Lyrics

 Analysis

After the film maker establishes the setting through visuals of a science lab and sound effects of dripping water, he uses symbols of a butterfly and a science experiment to suggest a new understanding or self discovery. He then focuses on the singer, using a direct gaze, mid shots and a close up to establish that the narrative will be told from her point of view. She is the narrator and the focaliser, telling the story through her eyes. The direct gaze and close up also begin to create a personal social relationship between the singer and the viewer so that the viewer can respond emotionally as she reflects on experiences in her youth.

With a partner, choose 4-6 lines from the lyrics to analyse together. View the music video again and analyse the visuals and audio that accompany the lyrics. Your main focus is to see how point of view is constructed. Use the Visual Tools and Social Distance definitions to help you (in Update 6). Then individually write a short paragraph based on your analysis.

Comment: How was point of view constructed in the section of the video that you analysed? Share your paragraphs.Then read other students' paragraphs and comment on 1-2, sharing more ideas and commenting on similarities and differences.

Fig. 10: Direct gaze and close ups are used to create a close distance between the singer and the viewer and evoke an emotional response from the viewer.

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Engaging critically

Purpose: In this update students develop their understanding of how visuals, audio and language construct point of view and affect the social distance (personal or public).

Teaching Tips

Allocate 4-6 lines or allow students to select 4-6 lines to analyse. Once students select their lines, they view the videoclip and analyse the visuals and audio that accompany those lyrics. 

The model should support some students to work independently. Others could work with the teacher to go through the analysis in a structured mini lesson.

Sharing paragraphs in the discussion forum will provide accountability and also provide a scaffold for students who are less confident about writing their own paragraphs. Alternatively, students who are not confident about sharing in the discussion forum can share their completed paragraphs with a partner/small group and provide feedback to each other.

11. Writing Jigsaw

For the Student

Learning Intention: To apply your understanding of the focaliser in a narrative.

Success Criteria:

  • Brainstorm ideas about characters in the music clip.
  • Retell what happens in the song from the point of view of another character who becomes the focaliser.
  • Give feedback to peers.
  • Review your writing.
  • Comment and comment on 1-2 comments of other students.

Firstly, do some brainstorming based on the character you have been allocated: 

1.Girl in high school at time of story

2.Girl with hindsight (this is the same as the song but in prose)

3.The boy in high school

4. A student who is in the crowd

What did you see? What did you do? What were you thinking at the time? How did you feel
       

Work in a jigsaw group.

Use the brainstorm to write 3-4 paragraphs retelling the subject matter from your focaliser's point of view.

 

Comment: What did you learn from reading other students' stories? What was some useful feedback you received? Read other students' comments and comment on 1-2 .

Fig. 11: Bullied

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Experimenting

Purpose: Students apply their knowledge and skills creatively and critically in order to develop deep understanding of how the point of view may be through the focaliser.

Teaching Tips

Peer review of students' retellings can be based on the jigsaw groups. All 1s swap their stories and give constructive feedback on them, etc. Then students revise.

The peer review process could be set up through a project in Scholar or through an informal review process based on the jigsaw groups. In Scholar, start the project, set up dates in Publisher (just follow the wizard) and finalise. Students will then receive Notifications to start their work in Creator and can use the rubric to guide them.

Point of View and Focaliser Rubric

12. The Mask You Live In

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand that multiple authors offer different points of view.

Success Criteria:

  • Watch the documentary.
  • Record dot points.
  • Write a reflection.
  • Comment on 1-2 comments of other students.

As you watch the documentary record ideas in the retrieval part. 

  What do they think? What is their point of view? Did you agree/disagree? Explain why.
Expert    
Youth advocate    
Male (Adult, Teenager, Child)    
Family (Mother/Father)    

​

Comment:  Whose point of view did you identify with the most? If you disagree with any of the statements, why did you disagree? 

Fig. 12: The Mask You Live In

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Connecting

Purpose: This update focuses on the main conceptual understanding that is developed through the documentary "The mask you live in" that multiple authors may offer different points of view

Teaching Tips

"The Mask You Live In" is rated by Common Sense Media for students aged 15 and over. There is no Australian Classification of the documentary. We recommend viewing and discussing with your school leaders about whether you watch the whole documentary or excerpts. 

Please note there is a trigger warning, at the 1 hour and 5 minute mark when the documentary moves to a prison. The prisoners talk about molestation, sexual assault and murder. At the 1 hour and 15 minute mark, there is another warning about a video that was posted on youtube prior to killing 6 people and injuring 13 others. 

The following is a list of narrators that the students can use. The teacher may wish to divide these up and give students different people to observe. 

Narrators:

Please note that many of the experts appear throughout the documentary; however, the other narrators only appear once or a twice. 

Experts

  • Dr Michael Kimmel (Sociologist & Educator)
  • Dr Caroline Heldmen (Political Scientist & Educator)
  • Dr Madeline Levine (Psychologist)
  • Dr Lise Eliot (Neuroscientist)
  • Dr Michael Thompson (Psychologist)
  • Dr William Pollack (Psychologist & Educator)
  • Dr Judy Chy (Psychologist & Educator)
  • Dr Terry Kupers (Psychiatrist & Educator)
  • Dr Niobe Way (Psychologist & Educator)
  • Dr Carol Gilligan (Psychologist & Educator)
  • Dr Pedro Noguera (Sociologist & Educator)
  • Dr Philip Zimbardo (Psychologist & Educator)
  • Dr Jackson Katz (Educator & Advocate)
  • Dr James Gilligan ( Psychiatrist & Educator)
  • Byron Hurt (Filmmaker)
  • Ashley Burch (Actor & Writer)

Youth Advocate

  • Ashanti Branch (Educator & Youth Advocate)
  • Keith Grant (Youth Advocate & Community Activist)
  • Dr Joseph Marshall (Educator & Youth Advocate)
  • Jim Steyer (Educator & Youth Advocate)
  • Tony Ports (Educator & Activist)
  • Joe Ehrmann (Coach & Former NRL Player)
  • Carlos Hagedorn (Educator & Youth Advocate)

Boys/Men

  • Roman (Child)
  • Jason (Teenager)
  • Ian (Teenager)
  • Bryce (Teenager)
  • D'Shane (Teenager)
  • Willie (Teenager)
  • Luis (Teenager)
  • Bryce (Teenage)
  • Cody (Adult)
  • Moly (Adult)
  • Don (Adult)
  • Michael (Adult - Prisoner)
  • Tommy (Adult - Prisoner)
  • Cleo (Adult - Prisoner)

Mothers

  • Gaby (Roman's mother)
  • Luis's mother 

Fathers

  • Steven (Father)

Teachers may also like to use the text "Miss Representation" which looks at what the media values in girls and women. 

13. Masks

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand that point of view may be resisted.

Success Criteria:

  • Complete mask.
  • Write a reflection.
  • Comment on 1-2 comments from other students.

On one side write down what society expects of boys and males. On the other side record the ideas that society doesn't expect. 

Fig 13: Masks cover the face, hiding emotion and personality and creating a distant social relationship between the character and the viewer.

In a circle time explore the idea of the mask. What did people in the movie hide behind their mask? What does the documentary say is the reason why? 

Comment: If they did show the other side, how would the meaning of the text change? Read and respond to 2 - 3 other students. 

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Understanding

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to identify what is shown and what is hidden by narrators. 

Teaching tips:

Refocus the discussion to the English Textual Concepts that point of view controls the meaning of a text and may be resisted.

Also masks create a distant or impersonal social distance; a barrier that  prohibits a close personal relationship between the character and the viewer.

14. Point of View in Documentaries

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand that point of view controls the meaning of the text.

Success Criteria:

  • Write 3 - 4 paragraphs retelling the documentary from another point of view
  • Comment on 1 - 2 other students' work.

Imagine you are one of the following characters:

  • Teacher
  • Parent
  • Friend
  • Sister
  • Brother
  • Social Worker

After watching the documentary retell it from that point of view. 

Things to think about:

  • What would their point of view be?
  • What area would they focus on?
  • What facts would they include?

Create an update and share your story with the class. Read and respond to at least 2 other students. 

Fig. 14: Masks keep people at a distance

For the Teacher

​English Textual Concepts: Engaging critically

Purpose: This update encourages students to think from a different point of view. What areas of gender do they think are important and how they relate to coming of age.

Teaching Tips:

This task could be set up as an assessment task and formally assessed using a rubric. 

15. Creative Task

For the Student

Learning Intention: To apply what you have learnt about point of view in a creative response.

Success Criteria:

  • Write a narrative or retell a text.
  • Include a rationale.
  • Present your text to your peers.
  • Comment on effective narratives.

Option 1

Write a narrative on any topic. 

Include a rationale that explains:

  • what is it about
  • the main point of view - omniscient, limited or objective
  • other points of view (if any) that you have included
  • what language elements you included to present point of view

Share your narrative with your peers.

Option 2

Consider a favourite or existing text that you know of. It could be a novel, poem, film/documentary, play, youtube/videoclip or picture book. It could be about coming of age or any other theme. Retell it from a different point/s of view.

In your creative response, consider what form you will use. Will it be the same or different to the existing text?

Include a rationale that explains:

  • what is it about
  • how you have changed the point/s of view
  • other points of view (if any) that you have included
  • what language, visual, audio and gestural elements you included to present point of view

Present you new text to your peers.

Comment: What narratives and presentations stood out or you? Why? Read other students' comments and comment on 1-2, explaining why you found them interesting or agree/disagree with them.

Fig. 15: How will you create different points of view in your creative response?

For the Teacher

English Textual Concepts: Engaging personally and Experimenting

Purpose: This is the culminating project for the learning module where students choose their topic and the form of their creative response.​ The rationale is included to enable students to clearly articulate the choices they have made in their narrative projects.

Teaching Tips

This task could be assigned earlier, such as after update 11 so that the final lessons are divided between the planned activities and students having some class time to work on their projects.

Deciding on what text to focus on may challenge some students. Prompt them to consider texts they studied in previous years for option 2 and working to their strengths.

This work may go through peer review in Scholar before students present it. It can also be published to students' portfolios. In this way students can be presenting their works to their peers or they work in groups to present them to each other.

Final Task Scholar Rubric

 

Acknowledgements

Title: Freedom (Source); Fig. 1: Timeline created by Rita van Haren; Fig. 2: Boy (Source); Fig. 3: Reader (Source); Fig. 4: Freedom (Source); Fig. 5: Back Seat (Source); Fig. 10: Screenshot from music video (Source); Fig. 11: Bullied (Source); Fig. 12: The Mask You Live In (Source); Fig. 13: Mask (Source); Fig. 14: Girl - Hands (Source); Fig. 15: Owls (Source).