English2A_Assessment1 Rebekah Donoghue [17195892]

A decade since it was first heard, J.K. Rowling’s Harvard commencement

speech has been included as a text suggestion by New South Wales Education

Standards Authority (NESA) for Module C The Craft of Writing in the Stage 6

English Standard syllabus (2017). In 2014, Harvard’s President Faust stated “I

have heard and read many commencement speeches, none more moving and

memorable than J.K. Rowling’s” (Faust, as cited in Shanahan & Goldstein, 2014),

this can be attributed to Rowling’s use of simple language and rhetoric which

have made the speech memorable, persuasive and accessible to all. What makes

Rowling’s speech a suitable text for The Craft of Writing is how Rowling takes the

context, that is a Harvard Graduation and all the connotations that come along

with it, and uses features of setting, theme, rhetorical devices and simple

language to subvert expectations and evoke emotion in the audience in order to

shape a perspective (NESA, 2017).

Whilst studying The Craft of Writing students are expected to “consider

purpose and audience to carefully shape meaning” (NESA, 2017). Rowling is able

to do this by carefully manipulating the audience of the speech to subvert

expectations. The theme of the speech “the benefits of failure and the power of

imagination” (Rowling, 2008) is outlined early in the text. This in itself is an

interesting feature in respect to the audience, considering Rowling is delivering a

Harvard commencement speech, where failure and imagination are not oft

associated with Harvard in popular culture. Instead of speaking about her Harry

Potter works, Rowling flips the concept of imagination to discuss her experiences

at Amnesty International and encourages the audience to use their privilege to

“imagine better” (Rowling, 2008). It would not have been possible for Rowling to

subvert the expectations of the audience had there been no consideration of the
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meaning associated with the term ‘imagination’, particularly considering the

audience is likely to have grown up reading her works. Nor would Rowling have

been able to persuade the audience to take risks had there been no established

stereotyping of who was in the audience and what they valued. The way in which

Rowling utilises audience to shape the meaning of the speech coincides with

outcome EN12-1 where students learn to “analyse and assess the ways language

features … shape points of view and influence audiences” (NESA, 2017, p.53). In

The Craft of Writing students are asked to “reflect on the complex and recursive

process of writing” (NESA, 2017) and this text provides students with an

accessible piece of work in which they can consider this process. Students will

engage with an example of how audience can be manipulated in order to create a

theme and carefully shape meaning. Students are asked to engage with texts that

can act “as models and stimulus for the development of their own ideas and

written expression” (NESA, 2017) and this text could act as a model when asking

students to create a piece of writing for a specific audience.

Another aim of The Craft of Writing module is for students to examine

how writers use “language creatively and imaginatively … to share a vision”

(NESA, 2017). Rowling’s speech is an example of how figurative and creative

language does not mean that language needs to be complicated. Despite the

context, the language used is uncomplicated, however, Rowling is still able to

“evoke emotion and shape a perspective to share a vision”. Consider Rowling’s

anecdote of her time at Amnesty International, Rowling recalls, “walking along

an empty corridor and suddenly hearing, from behind a closed door, a scream of

pain and horror such as I have never heard since”. This anecdote provides an

opportunity for students to investigate and evaluate how the addition of a few
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key words can create a powerful story, for example, by removing key descriptive

words from the sentence, relating to outcome EN12-3 (NESA, 2017).

Furthermore, The Craft of Writing for English Standard should lead students to

“strengthen and extend their knowledge, skills and confidence as writers” (NESA,

2017). This text is appropriate and would assist in students achieving this goal,

as it is not bursting with metalanguage, it is accessible and therefore would

minimise eliciting a fear of English for students who are developing their skills.

Another feature of the text that demonstrates writing craft to students is

the way in which Rowling leads into her second theme “the importance of

imagination” that is, the structure of the text. As mentioned previously, Rowling

subverts expectations of the audience regarding what imagination entails,

however, this is done so carefully that despite drastic change in trajectory the

audience does not feel ambushed. By examining how Rowling structures this

change, students engage with outcome EN12-3 and outcome EN12-7 and is

another example in which students are able to “reflect on the complex and

recursive process of writing” and provides an opportunity for students to “assess

the impact of language and structural choices on shaping … other’s perspectives”

(NESA, 2017, p.65).

The final feature that makes this text suitable for The Craft of Writing is

the rhetorical devices used by Rowling to sculpt the message of the text. Rowling

consistently uses anecdotes throughout the text resulting in not only an engaging

text, but a persuasive one. One particular anecdote about Rowling’s personal

failure after graduating university is poignant for the setting and assists in

relating the ultimate message. By using this particular anecdote, Rowling plays

on the emotions and likely fears of the graduating audience and in doing so,
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strengths her message that failure is not the end of life. Throughout her

anecdotes, Rowling uses the rhetorical device of juxtaposition to make for a

more persuasive argument. This is used when describing her experience with an

African torture victim. Rowling explains her encounter with the man at the

London Underground, then immediately describes the moment she was at work

and the man was delivered bad news regarding his mother. The use of

juxtaposition in this instance provides a stark contrast between the busy London

Underground and “the empty corridor” and evokes emotion in the audience,

compelling them to imagine better. The rhetorical devices outlined above link to

outcome EN12-6 where students “assess the effects of rhetorical devices … in the

construction of an argument” (NESA, 2017, p.61). In engaging with this text,

students will be provided with an opportunity to appreciate and examine how

rhetoric devices can be used to “shape a perspective” and could act as a stimulus

for experimenting with rhetorical devices (NESA, 2017).

In conclusion, J.K. Rowling’s Harvard commencement speech of 2008 is a

suitable text to teach students The Craft of Writing. Features of the text including

but not limited to the use of rhetoric, audience, simple language and structure

demonstrate to students how “writers of complex texts use language creatively

and imaginatively … to evoke emotion, shape a perspective or to share a vision”

(NESA, 2017, p. 74). This text offers students an opportunity to “reflect on the

complex and recursive process of writing” before students use the this text as a

model or stimulus to create their own text and experiment with a “range of

language forms and features” (NESA, 2017, p. 74).

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Reference List

New South Wales Education Standards Authority. (2017). English Stage 6 Module

C: The Craft of Writing Support Document. Retrieved from

https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/assets/global/files/english-

prescriptions-2019-2023-module-c-support-document.pdf

New South Wales Education Standards Authority. (2017). English Stage 6

Prescriptions: Modules, Electives and Texts Higher School Certificate 2019–

2023. Retrieved from

https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/assets/global/files/english-stage-6-

prescriptions-2019-2023.pdf

New South Wales Education Standards Authority. (2017). English Standard Stage

6 Syllabus. Retrieved from

https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/assets/english_standard/english-

standard-stage-6-syllabus-2017.pdf

Rowling, J.K. (2008, June 5). The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of

Imagination [Video File]. Retrieved from

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k-rowling-

speech/

Shanahan, M., & Goldstein, M. (2014, December 2). J.K. Rowling’s Harvard

commencement speech to become a book. Boston Globe. Retrieved from

https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2014/12/02/rowling-

harvard-commencement-speech-illustrated-

book/mIvzElYtypZUUoYnmLSDfM/story.html
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The Craft of Writing Lesson 1

Class: English Standard Time: 60 minutes

Teacher: Objectives for self
To… assist students in exploring and appreciating the relationship between composer and
audience
To… assist students in understanding how techniques such as stereotyping can assist
composers in shaping meaning for the audience

Syllabus Outcomes for students
HSC Objective: B Outcome: 3
EN12-1: student independently responds to and composes complex texts for understanding,
interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure
- Analyse and assess the ways language features, text structures and stylistic choices shape points of view and
influence audiences
- Explain how and why texts influence and position reads and viewers

Materials
Teacher
Access to Internet and link to J.K. Rowling Harvard Commencement Speech 2008
AV
Lesson 1 ppt
Students
Devices

Assumptions
Students are unfamiliar with the text

Procedures

Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities
Mark roll, settle class

Whole class Teacher displays learning outcomes on screen and guides class
5 min through lesson [Slide 1]
indiv
/(indiv/whol Teacher briefly explains context of speech [Slide 2]
e
Students form small groups and answer the following questions
class/groups displayed on screen [Slide 3]

Establish what students know about Harvard graduates
- Who goes there?
- What do they study?
5 min Small groups
- Who leaves there?

Teacher roams classroom and assists students with prompts
where necessary
- Where have they heard of Harvard before?


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Class comes together to share answers

5 min Whole class Teacher transcribes answers to create electronic mind-map on
board of perceived features of the audience [Slide 4]

Play first 12 minutes of speech (benefits of failure)

12 min Whole class - Students make note of what they think the message is on their
devices for discussion
Students share ideas on what they believe meaning of speech to
be
5 min Whole class
Teacher clarifies meaning
Teacher displays slide on what has been assumed about the
audience [Slide 5]

10 Teacher displays definition of stereotyping from syllabus [Slide
Whole class 6].
min

Teacher leads class discussion why composers stereotype,
creating link between stereotyping and creating meaning

Teacher displays slide [Slide 8]

Think: Students individually take out one characteristic of

audience and write brief ideas on effect on text
Think-Pair-
7 min - What are the implications for the text?
- Has the meaning changed?
Share

Pair: Students share ideas with partner

Share: Students share ideas in class discussion
Teacher displays writing task slide [Slide 8]
Teacher advises students to begin creating their writing piece
- Students are welcome to brainstorm with peers
11 Whole Class Teacher roaming classroom to assist students with
min (Individual) brainstorming and clarifying expectations

Homework Students work on their writing for next lesson

Evaluation/ Extension

In this lesson students encounter an opportunity to evaluate and examine how a composer can
utilise the feature of a prescribed audience to evoke emotion and shape a perspective and
assess the impact on the text of getting it wrong.
An opportunity exists for gifted and talented students in which the teacher could withhold the
definition of ‘stereotype’ and ask for student perspectives on how stereotyping occurs in texts
with GAT students identifying composers do so in order to emphasize a point of view or
feature.

English2A_Assessment1 Rebekah Donoghue [17195892]

The Craft of Writing Lesson 2

Class: English Standard Time: 60 minutes

Teacher: Objectives for self
To… assist students in exploring and appreciating the relationship between composer and
audience
To… assist students in understanding how feature of audience is crucial to maintaining
meaning in a text

Syllabus Outcomes for students
HSC Objective: B Outcome: 4
EN12-4: A student adapts and applies knowledge, skills and understanding of language
concepts and literary devices into new and different contexts
- Re-create texts by changing context, perspective or point of view and assess the effectiveness of these
changes
- Adapt texts for different purposes, contexts and audiences

Materials
Teacher
AV
Lesson 2 ppt
Students
Devices
Completed homework task

Assumptions
Students have completed set homework task

Procedures

Time Organisatio Teaching/ learning activities
n
Mark roll, settle class
5
Whole class
min Teacher displays learning outcomes on screen and guides class
through lesson [slide 1]

indiv Teacher displays slide of activity [slide 2]
20
/(indiv/whoIn groups of four, students provide feedback on each other’s work
Small group - What’s worked
min le - What they didn’t understand
class/group
s Students return to seats and make edits to work based on feedback
10 from peers where appropriate
Individual Teacher roaming classroom assisting students with interpreting
min
and applying feedback
Teacher displays activity [slide 3]

Students asked to recreate their text for a new audience
25 - Form does not change
Individual
min
Teacher wandering classroom, assisting students with
reconstructing
English2A_Assessment1 Rebekah Donoghue [17195892]

Finish recreating text

Homework Students write brief evaluation on how well they did this and share
final document with both writing pieces and evaluation with teacher
in one document

Evaluation/ Extension
In this lesson students are given opportunity to ‘reflect on the complex and recursive process of
writing’ by editing their own work after receiving and providing feedback. This provides all
students with an opportunity to improve their skills, however, students may need to be
grouped by teacher on some level of ability depending on students level of capability.
Students are then tasked with recreating their original text for an audience with significantly
different characteristics without losing meaning. This is set in order to strengthen the
connection between audience and meaning within the students mind.
English2A_Assessment1 Rebekah Donoghue [17195892]

Resources

LEARNING INTENTIONS
!  By the end of today you will develop skills in…
!  Understanding and appreciating how composers consider
audience to create meaning
!  Consider the implications if composers get it wrong
!  Begin to compose your own text for a particular audience
CONTEXT
!  J.K. Rowling
!  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows had been released
almost 1 year prior
!  Harvard commencement speech
WHAT DO WE THINK?
!  HARVARD
!  What is it?
!  Who goes there?
!  Who leaves there?
HARVARD cont.
AUDIENCE
DOCTOR
PRIVILEGE
INFLUENTIAL ELITE

SMART
PARENTS
POLITICAL
RICH
PROFESSIONAL

POSH
LAWYER
“IVY LEAGUE”
SUCCESSFUL
STEREOTYPE
!  A circumstance where a person or thing is judged to
be the same as all others of its type. Stereotypes are
usually formulaic and oversimplified. In literature, a
stereotype is a character representing generalised
racial or social traits, with no individualisation.

NESA, 2017. Glossary. http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/english-standard-stage6/glossary/#salience

AUDIENCE
DOCTOR
INFLUENTIAL
PRIVILEGE
ELITE

SMART
PARENTS
POLITICAL
RICH

PROFESSIONAL

POSH
LAWYER
“IVY LEAGUE”
SUCCESSFUL
TASK
Create a short address to your peers for graduation on
one thing you wish you knew when you started Year 7
!  Length: 250 - 350 words
!  Your writing can take any form you see fit e.g. letter,
poem, parable
LEARNING INTENTIONS
!  By the end of today you will develop skills in…
!  Adapting texts for different audiences
!  Providing feedback on texts
!  Applying feedback to edit your own text
FEEDBACK
!  Provide your peers with feedback on
!  What has worked in their text
!  What can be improved
TASK and HOMEWORK
1. Recreate your short address for graduation to instead
present it to faculty and parents
!  Length: 250 - 350 words
!  You are writing your text for a new audience, concept
and modality do not change
2. Once completed, write a brief evaluation what effect
the change in audience had on the meaning of your
text. Was it possible to adapt it without losing the
message?
!  Length: 200 words