‘Find your voice’ to succeed in HSC English
George Keledjian graduated from Tempe High School in 2022 as a Distinguished Achiever in three English courses. Those stellar results came down to two fundamental practices: constant reading and consistent writing, which helped Keledjian find “new forms of understanding and ways to express this understanding”.
“The key component in English, for me, was reading,” he said. “I made sure to always read my prescribed texts while trying to find further critical readings outside of them. However, what was most important was reading for pleasure, which allowed me to further hone in on my specific interests in the field of literature and enrich my critical and creative understandings.”
Reading and re-reading your texts will boost your confidence in English.Credit: Louise Kennerley
Keledjian said he took extensive notes for each text including quotes, which he would return to and analyse after reading the prescribed text.
“I would categorise each quote in terms of the techniques they used and the effect they had on the reader, allowing me to naturally filter through dense texts and find quotes that could best communicate what I wanted to say,” Keledjian said.
Finding his own voice through writing was also crucial. “I approached study through answering as many critical and creative practice questions as I could – eventually under timed conditions – to understand and refine my voice as liberated from other students or teachers,” he said.
This approach called for repetition, self-examination and a lot of patience, requiring him to “have faith” in what he initially sought to write about.
George Keledjian ranked second in the state in Extension 2 English in 2022.
“Oftentimes, rewriting the same concepts and moulding them to different questions would lead to me questioning my original concepts,” Keledjian said.
The same process became useful in other subjects that required him to understand and remember syllabus concepts, such as Economics – and even Mathematics.
“This is why, for me personally, English Extension 2 was the most enjoyable part of the HSC, as it required not necessarily a structured foundational knowledge but, rather, a fluid, constantly evolving frame of thought,” he said.
Keledjian is doing a double degree in Economics and Law at the University of Sydney but has not left his creative passions of literature and music behind.
“I chose the course out of curiosity and with the hope of applying my own ideas and interests to fields which I have either never been exposed to, or barely scratched the surface of,” he said.
“I hope I can find a way to blend my passion for literature and creativity from music with these disciplines, in order to further refine my knowledge and understanding of their respective places in the world.”
Keledjian’s tips for HSC English:
- Constantly read and write: These two regular practices, Keledjian said, were key to his success in the English courses, enriching his “critical and creative understandings” and supporting the development of his own voice as a writer.
- Nurture your own thoughts and ideas: ”I found the times I coped best was when I was talking about or applying ideas I had taken the time to nurture, or, at the very least, understood in my own unique way.”
- Become a sponge for knowledge: ”My main advice is to soak in as much knowledge as you can – from teachers, course content, your own research and, importantly, your own interests. Take ideas from wherever you can and keep thinking about them and refining them, until you have made them your own. This way, preparing for the HSC will not be a difficult and inauthentic experience, but a practice of thinking about and expressing ideas which are important to and resonate with you.”
How a love of English delivered a dream job
Herald science reporter Angus Dalton, who graduated from our trainee program in 2023, reflects on what he gained from his time in HSC English class.
My parents panicked when I decided to drop Mathematics on the eve of Year 12. I wanted to study science at university but I loved English, so my subject load was a Frankensteinian combination of biology, chemistry, mathematics, religion, drama and four units of English. Something had to give.
Prioritising English was the best decision I ever made – for my HSC results, my ability to study science at university and for my future career.
In English Advanced, I remember finding the opening pages of Michael Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion so beautiful that the pages soaked through with highlighter and stuck together in a fluorescent wad.
In English Extension, I argued so fiercely with my teacher, Mr Hardy, about some underlying theme of Catch-22 that I was convinced the backchat would land me in detention. But passionate debate was rewarded and, as a result, my confidence spiked.
We also watched a documentary starring journalists Caroline Overington and Malcolm Knox and their forensic exposé of Norma Khouri’s bestselling but fabricated memoir Forbidden Love. The thrilling film first demonstrated to me the value of scepticism, something that’s now critical to my job as a journalist (and indeed an essential attribute for any internet denizen navigating a post-truth world).
Herald science reporter Angus Dalton, also pictured in year 12, found there was much to be gained by specialising in English in his HSC.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
Then came university, where I started a science degree with a major focused on evolution, animal behaviour and genetics. I braced myself for hardcore statistics, data analysis and elaborate diagrams of spiralling DNA.
To my surprise, the first major assignment was a 2000-word report. We had to read stacks of other research papers, scan them for the most pertinent information and scrutinise their biases and weaknesses; techniques I’d learned over Shakespeare and Ondaatje. The English lovers in our cohort scored distinctions. Many others struggled.
The maths experts had their revenge once statistics struck, but the core skill of science – and, arguably, every other university discipline – was building an argument in a logical, compelling and accurate written text. It turned out writing essays about spy novels and post-war malaise wasn’t all that different to preparing reports about the flight behaviour of fruit bats.
Not only does English equip you with the most critical career skill there is – communication – and help guard you against propaganda, marketing spin and online untruths, it helps you live an extraordinary life. So much of how you bond as a young adult is based around shared interests of what you consume, whether that’s TV shows, movies, video games or books. If you can build the skills needed to share that passion, to discuss and dissect what you’re reading, viewing or playing, you’ll have spirited conversation fodder for years.
In my case, the skills I fostered during English also led me to my dream job as science reporter for the Herald; chief among those skills is a keen sense of curiosity.
Researchers at RMIT and the University of Melbourne recently analysed data drawn from surveys that followed 10,000 Australians for 10 years, between the ages of 15 and 25. Yes, curious people read more books. But their analysis found that reading can actively build curiosity too. And what’s the point of living, if not for wanting to know more?
Top tips from an HSC English teacher
Lucy Rose, Barrenjoey High School
English teacher Lucy Rose.
Preparing for the exams
Know your texts: Re-read and review them for nuance and detail to extend your understanding of key concepts. Assemble relevant quotes and examples from texts as evidence to support your ideas.
Master the technical terms used to describe language: Revise language, poetic and visual devices, and practise responding to unseen texts regularly to develop your confidence and familiarity with Section 1 of Paper 1.
Look at the criteria for an A-range response: In English, we look for conceptual and perceptive thinking. Be reflective and engage personally with what you read, justifying how and why you arrive at conclusions.
Complete past HSC papers under timed conditions: Then, annotate your responses for textual evidence, techniques and analysis. The marking guidelines indicate the criteria on which an answer will be assessed and should help you to draft your response. Is there anything you can improve on? Seek feedback and write some more.
Begin your preparation early and create a study group to keep you motivated: Discussing your ideas and sharing your knowledge is a fun and fruitful way to succeed. Why not become an expert on a particular module and then deliver a tutorial-style presentation to your peers?
Experiment with different study methods: Make flashcards, key quote tables, visual organisers, quizzes, timelines, games and acronyms to help you remember your evidence and analysis.
Extend yourself by reading widely:
This will help to build your vocabulary and increase your exposure to ideas that may enhance your own writing.
Discussing your ideas and sharing your knowledge is a fun and fruitful way to improve.
In the exam
Manage your time. Take two minutes to plan your extended responses before you begin writing, and after 40 minutes on each section, move on to the next.
Use verbs that help meaningfully demonstrate what you want to communicate in your text.
Know what each module is asking of you. Connect your discussion meaningfully to the main ideas of the module.
Craft a statement specific to the question and carry this argument throughout your essay. Avoid memorisation of pre-prepared responses by knowing your texts deeply and developing confidence to answer any question.