English: Telling

Welcome to our toolkit for using What's Your Story? in your Senior Phase English lessons. These resources are categorised into two sections: asking and listening and telling. We recommend you always begin with asking and listening to build a helpful foundation for your learners. View the content for asking and listening here.

In this section, there are five lesson plans that cover three topics. The lessons include presentations, keywords, handouts and audiovisual materials, which can be viewed and downloaded from the lesson module, or downloaded individually from our resources page.

In addition, we have two teacher training videos that can be downloaded or watched online:

We also have a PDF of all the lesson plans available, if you would prefer to use them that way.

Topic 1: Listening and speaking

Types of language texts used:

  • Conversations
  • Dialogues
  • Interviews
  • Prepared speeches
  • Storytelling
  • Informal discussion/conversations
  • Lesson 1: Our emotions
  • Lesson 2: Contracting
  • Lesson 3: Public and private telling
  • Lesson 4: Understanding my story
  • Lesson 5: My autobiographical poem

Topic 2: Reading and viewing

Types of language texts used:

  • Reading processes and strategies
  • Interpretation of visual texts
  • Lesson 1: Our emotions
  • Lesson 4: Understanding my story
  • Lesson 5: My autobiographical poem

Topic 3: Writing and presenting

Types of writing texts used:

Transactional texts

  • Diary entries
  • Posters
  • Contracts
  • Speeches
  • Interviews

Literary media texts

  • Personal recounts
  • Dialogues
  • Newspaper articles
  • Documentaries
  • Lesson 1: Our emotions
  • Lesson 2: Contracting
  • Lesson 3: Public and private telling
  • Lesson 4: Understanding my story
  • Lesson 5: My autobiographical poem