Through Whose Eyes? Aboriginal and European Perspectives in Literature
English / History
Level 5Level 6Level 7
What is this sequence about?
This learning sequence aims to develop student understanding of perspective while examining how early contact between Australian Aboriginal and European people has been represented in primary sources, information texts and historical narratives. It aims to equip students with the skills to interpret literal and inferred meaning in text, to explain various viewpoints presented in different text types and to identify the possible ideas, values and beliefs of past peoples.
The sequence provides opportunities for students to explore these concepts by engaging with a range of written and visual texts and creating texts of their own.
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Big understandings Exploring multiple perspectives extends our thinking. Exploring stories from the past helps us to understand ourselves and to make connections to others and the world. |
The sequence has been written by teachers for teachers. It has been designed to provide students with rich, engaging learning experiences that address the Victorian Curriculum. The sequence consists of seven flexible stages, including suggested learning intentions.
Before using this sequence, review the teacher guidance: docx PDF. This provides advice and protocols for teaching this content respectfully and inclusively.
It is strongly recommended that teachers review all suggested stimulus texts prior to their use to ensure their appropriateness and to enable rich, respectful discussion. For guidance on text selection refer to the Teaching and Learning Resources — Selecting Appropriate Materials policy.
Overview of stages
1. Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Traditional Tales
Suggested Learning Intentions
- To understand the difference between what is explicitly stated in a text and what is inferred
3. Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View
Suggested Learning Intentions
- To use inference to identify and discuss different perspectives in a text
5. Analysing and Interpreting a Historical Account
Suggested Learning Intentions
- To analyse perspectives presented in artworks, oral and written texts
7. Personal Inquiry: Researching and Writing a Historical Narrative
Suggested Learning Intentions
- To research a historical period
- To write a realistic historical narrative
2. Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Texts
Suggested Learning Intentions
- To demonstrate the difference between what is explicitly stated in a text and what is inferred in modern allegory
4. Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives
Suggested Learning Intentions
- To use inference to identify and discuss different perspectives in a text
6. Identifying and Comparing the Purpose and Features of Texts
Suggested Learning Intentions
- To use comprehension strategies to understand and evaluate a text
- To investigate purpose, structure and features of a historical text
Prior knowledge
Before you commence this sequence, it is suggested that you ensure your students are familiar with the following understandings and knowledge from the Level 3 and 4 History Curriculum:
- The concept of perspective. The History Curriculum introduces the concept of perspective in Foundation and develops the concept throughout the learning levels. At Levels 3 and 4, students describe perspectives of people from the past.
- Aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures appropriate for their level.
- The causes and effects of European settlement and the experiences and perspectives of people from the First Fleet.
Refer to the History Curriculum scope and sequence for more detail.
Students should also be familiar with:
- The purpose and features of fables and traditional tales. If students have a limited familiarity with traditional tales, you may wish to spend more time on the stage, interpreting literal and inferred meaning in traditional tales.
- The text structures and language features of narrative and informative texts.
- The terms, literal and inferred meaning when referring to comprehension of a text.
Teaching strategies
Before using this sequence, review the teacher guidance: docx PDF. This provides advice and protocols for teaching this content respectfully and inclusively.
It is strongly recommended that teachers review all suggested stimulus texts prior to their use to ensure their appropriateness and to enable rich, respectful discussion. For guidance on text selection refer to the Teaching and Learning Resources — Selecting Appropriate Materials policy.
The Literacy Teaching Toolkit provides advice on the teaching strategies that you could use in this sequence. These strategies include:
- The teaching learning cycle: reading and writing connections
- Modelled reading
- Guided reading
- Independent reading
- Close reading
- Reading conferences
- The writing workshop
- Independent writing
The sequence highlights opportunities to apply the High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS), which are a component of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model.
Vocabulary
Students should be able to understand and use the following concepts and terms by the end of the sequence:
| Allegory | Personification |
| Fable | Perspective |
| Figurative language | Simile |
| Imagery | Indigenous |
| Metaphor | Colonisation |
| Literal | Invasion |
| Inferred |
You can find definitions of some of these terms in the Victorian Curriculum F – 10 English Glossary, the Literacy Teaching Toolkit, the Victorian Aboriginal Languages Glossary and the Intercultural Capability Glossary. It is recommended that the explicit teaching of vocabulary occur throughout this learning sequence. The toolkit provides resources and sample activities to support this practice.
Assessment
Opportunities for formative and summative assessment are identified at different stages of the learning sequence. Look for the 'Assessment Opportunity' icon.
You may want to develop a rubric to assess students’ progress. A range of Formative Assessment resources are available from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. This includes a Guide to Formative Assessment Rubrics, a series of modules to support you to develop your own formative assessment rubrics, and sample rubrics across six curriculum areas that demonstrate how you can put formative assessment rubrics into practice in the classroom.
In developing a rubric, you may wish to co-construct assessment criteria with your students. Each stage of the sequence provides sample success criteria for students working at Level 6.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority has published annotated student work samples that provide teachers with examples of student learning achievement in each mode of the English curriculum: Reading and Viewing, Writing, Speaking and Listening.
Victorian Curriculum connections
Level 5
This sequence addresses content from the Victorian Curriculum in English, History and Intercultural Capability. It is primarily designed for Level 6, but also addresses the following content descriptions from Level 5:
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Content description |
Stage |
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English: Reading and Viewing |
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Recognise that ideas in literary texts can be conveyed from different viewpoints, which can lead to different kinds of interpretations and responses (VCELT315) |
Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Traditional Tales Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Texts Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Identifying and Comparing the Purpose and Features of Texts |
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Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (VCELY319) |
Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Traditional Tales Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Texts Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives Analysing and Interpreting a Historical Account Identifying and Comparing the Purpose and Features of Texts |
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English: Writing |
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Create literary texts using realistic and fantasy settings and characters that draw on the worlds represented in texts students have experienced (VCELT328) |
Personal Inquiry: Researching and Writing a Historical Narrative |
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History |
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Describe perspectives and identify ideas, beliefs and values of people and groups in the past (VCHHC084) |
Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives Personal Inquiry: Researching and Writing a Historical Narrative |
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Intercultural Capability |
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Identify barriers to and means of reaching understandings within and between culturally diverse groups (VCICCD011) |
Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives |
The learning sequence can be used to assess student achievement in relation to the following Achievement Standards from the Victorian Curriculum: English Level 5:
- Students understand how language features, images and vocabulary influence interpretations of characters, settings and events.
- Students analyse and explain literal and implied information from a variety of texts.
- Students explain how events in texts are depicted and explain their own responses to them.
- Students use language features to show how ideas can be extended.
Level 6
This sequence addresses content from the Victorian Curriculum in English, History and Intercultural Capability. It is primarily designed for Level 6, and addresses the following content descriptions:
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Content description |
Stage |
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English: Reading and Viewing |
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Identify and explain how choices in language, including modality, emphasis, repetition and metaphor, influence personal response to different texts (VCELT342) |
Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Traditional Tales Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Texts Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View |
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Identify, describe, and discuss similarities and differences between texts, including those by the same author or illustrator, and evaluate characteristics that define an author’s individual style (VCELT343) |
Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Traditional Tales Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Texts Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Identifying and Comparing the Purpose and Features of Texts |
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Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (VCELY347) |
Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Traditional Tales Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Texts Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives Analysing and Interpreting a Historical Account Identifying and Comparing the Purpose and Features of Texts |
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English: Writing |
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Create literary texts that adapt or combine aspects of texts students have experienced in innovative ways (VCELT356) |
Personal Inquiry: Researching and Writing a Historical Narrative |
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English: Speaking and Listening |
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Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (VCELA364) |
Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives Analysing and Interpreting a Historical Account Identifying and Comparing the Purpose and Features of Texts Personal Inquiry: Researching and Writing a Historical Narrative |
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Make connections between own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (VCELT365) |
Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Traditional Tales Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Texts Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives |
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History |
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Describe perspectives and identify ideas, beliefs and values of people and groups in the past (VCHHC084) |
Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives Personal Inquiry: Researching and Writing a Historical Narrative |
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Intercultural Capability |
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Identify barriers to and means of reaching understandings within and between culturally diverse groups (VCICCD011) |
Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives |
The learning sequence can be used to assess student achievement in relation to the following Achievement Standards from the Victorian Curriculum: English Level 6:
- Students understand how the use of text structures can achieve particular effects and can analyse and explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used by different authors to represent ideas, characters and events.
- Students compare and analyse information in different texts, explaining literal and implied meaning.
- Students select and use evidence from a text to explain their response to it.
- Students understand how language features and language patterns can be used for emphasis.
Level 7
This sequence addresses content from the Victorian Curriculum in English, History and Intercultural Capability. It is primarily designed for Level 6, but also addresses the following content descriptions from Level 7:
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Content description |
Stage |
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English: Reading and Viewing |
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Compare the ways that language and images are used to create character, and to influence emotions and opinions in different types of texts (VCELT372) |
Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Traditional Tales Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Texts Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View |
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Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources (VCELY378) |
Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Traditional Tales Interpreting Literal and Inferred Meanings in Texts Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives Analysing and Interpreting a Historical Account Identifying and Comparing the Purpose and Features of Texts |
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English: Writing |
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Create literary texts that adapt stylistic features encountered in other texts (VCELT386) |
Personal Inquiry: Researching and Writing a Historical Narrative |
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History |
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Analyse the different perspectives of people in the past (VCHHC100) |
Analysing Different Perspectives or Points of View Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives Personal Inquiry: Researching and Writing a Historical Narrative |
The learning sequence can be used to assess student achievement in relation to the following Achievement Standards from the Victorian Curriculum: English Level 7:
- Students understand how text structures can influence the complexity of a text and are dependent on audience, purpose and context.
- Students demonstrate understanding of how the choice of language features, images and vocabulary affects meaning.
- Students explain issues and ideas from a variety of sources, analysing supporting evidence and implied meaning.
- Students understand how the selection of a variety of language features can influence an audience.
Learning Progressions
The Literacy Learning Progressions support teachers to develop a comprehensive view of how literacy develops over time. You can use the Literacy Learning Progressions to:
- identify the literacy capability of your students
- plan targeted teaching strategies, especially for students achieving above or below the age-equivalent expected level in the Victorian Curriculum: English
- provide targeted feedback to students about their learning within and across the progressions.
The Literacy Learning Progressions have been mapped against the Victorian Curriculum F – 10: English. Teachers are advised to familiarise themselves with this map to understand how particular progressions relate to the Reading and Viewing, Writing and Speaking and Listening modes and particular curriculum levels in English.