QCAA English as an Additional Language study plan
QCAA English as an Additional Language · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Listening and speaking - comprehending and responding to spoken English in social and academic contexts & Language features and grammar - using vocabulary, syntax and conventions of English accurately and appropriately
Identify the main idea, supporting details and speaker attitude in three 3-4 minute academic audio clips by writing a one-sentence summary and two evidence quotes for each
Transcribe 10 short spoken utterances containing connected speech (elision, linking, weak forms) and mark where meaning changes if the feature is removed
Produce a personal vocabulary log of 40 academic words drawn from listening texts, recording part of speech, stress pattern and an original example sentence
Record a 90-second spoken summary of one lecture excerpt and self-assess against a fluency checklist covering pace, pausing and fillers
Your checkpoint
A listening portfolio containing three annotated summaries, one connected-speech transcript analysis and a 40-item vocabulary log
Listening and speaking - comprehending and responding to spoken English in social and academic contexts & Language features and grammar - using vocabulary, syntax and conventions of English accurately and appropriately
Distinguish fact from opinion and identify hedging language in two recorded panel discussions by colour-coding 15 examples
Formulate and record four follow-up questions in response to a spoken interview, using appropriate intonation for polite requests
Apply subject-verb agreement and article rules accurately when writing 10 sentences that report spoken ideas
Deliver a 2-minute unrehearsed spoken response to an academic prompt, then transcribe it and correct three grammatical errors
Your checkpoint
A recorded 2-minute spoken response plus a corrected transcript with a written reflection identifying three recurring grammatical errors
Reading and viewing - comprehending written and multimodal texts for meaning, purpose and audience & Language features and grammar - using vocabulary, syntax and conventions of English accurately and appropriately
Skim three unseen non-fiction texts of 500-700 words in under four minutes each and record the main idea, purpose and intended audience
Annotate one multimodal text (an infographic or website page) to explain how layout, headings and images direct reader attention
Construct 15 comprehension questions of your own across literal, inferential and evaluative levels, with answer keys citing textual evidence
Use cohesive devices (reference, substitution, conjunctions) to combine 12 short sentences into coherent paragraphs
Your checkpoint
A reading analysis pack containing three text profiles, one multimodal annotation and a 15-question self-made comprehension set with answer key
Reading and viewing - comprehending written and multimodal texts for meaning, purpose and audience & Writing - producing coherent written responses for a range of purposes and audiences
Compare how two texts on the same topic position their readers differently, citing at least six textual features
Plan and draft a 400-word analytical response that states a thesis and supports it with three integrated quotations
Edit a draft for paragraph unity, topic sentences and cohesion, producing a visible revision trail
Identify the register and tone of four short texts and rewrite one informal text into formal academic register
Your checkpoint
A 400-word analytical response on two texts, submitted with first draft, revision trail and a one-page register comparison
Writing - producing coherent written responses for a range of purposes and audiences & Language features and grammar - using vocabulary, syntax and conventions of English accurately and appropriately
Draft three introductions and three conclusions for different purposes (argue, explain, recount) and select the most effective for each purpose
Write a 500-word persuasive essay using accurate complex sentences, embedded clauses and varied sentence openers
Apply punctuation conventions (semicolons, colons, commas in subordinate clauses) correctly across a 300-word edited passage
Self-edit a written piece against a 10-point checklist covering tense consistency, nominalisation and word choice
Your checkpoint
A polished 500-word persuasive essay plus a completed editing checklist and a before-and-after sentence variety sample
Textual analysis and interpretation - analysing how meaning is shaped in literary and non-literary texts & Reading and viewing - comprehending written and multimodal texts for meaning, purpose and audience
Analyse how one literary text uses imagery, symbol and narrative voice to shape meaning, writing 300 words with embedded evidence
Explain how a non-literary text (an opinion column or advertisement) constructs a stance through word choice and modality
Compare the narrative perspective in two short texts and explain the effect of each choice on reader positioning
Build a quotation bank of 12 short extracts organised by technique, with a one-line analysis for each
Your checkpoint
A 300-word analytical commentary on one literary text, supported by an organised 12-entry quotation bank
Textual analysis and interpretation - analysing how meaning is shaped in literary and non-literary texts & Cultural and intercultural understanding - engaging with perspectives and contexts in English texts
Analyse how a text reflects the values, assumptions and social context of its setting, citing four specific textual details
Compare how two texts from different cultural contexts represent a shared theme such as family, education or migration
Identify and explain three examples of culturally specific language (idiom, allusion, register) and their effect on meaning
Draft a 350-word response that integrates context without letting it replace textual analysis
Your checkpoint
A 350-word comparative response on a shared theme across two culturally distinct texts, with a context-analysis balance self-check
Listening and speaking - comprehending and responding to spoken English in social and academic contexts & Writing - producing coherent written responses for a range of purposes and audiences & Cultural and intercultural understanding - engaging with perspectives and contexts in English texts
Deliver a 4-minute spoken presentation on an intercultural topic, integrating evidence from at least two texts
Respond to three unseen spoken questions about your presentation with extended, well-structured answers
Produce a 600-word written response under timed conditions that combines analysis with intercultural perspective
Review your week 1-7 deliverables and list five specific improvements you can now demonstrate
Your checkpoint
A 4-minute recorded presentation with Q&A plus a timed 600-word written response and a final self-audit of progress across all six domains
Milestones
Week 2: Can summarise a 4-minute academic audio clip in one sentence with two supporting details and correctly transcribe 8 of 10 connected-speech utterances
Week 4: Can skim an unseen 600-word text and state main idea, purpose and audience in under four minutes, and produce a 400-word analytical response with integrated quotations
Week 6: Can write 300 words of technique-focused analysis using at least six embedded quotations and explain how narrative voice positions a reader
Week 8: Can deliver a 4-minute presentation with evidence from two texts and answer unseen questions fluently, and complete a 600-word timed response combining analysis and intercultural perspective