Lit_Happens Podcast

In this practical episode Bel unpacks the ‘Achieving Through English’ focus area for Year 11 English Studies. She breaks down the module and rubric in plain language, explores the key outcomes, suggests relevant everyday texts, and shares ready-to-use classroom activities. Designed specifically for English Studies teachers, this episode helps you build students’ functional literacy, real-world com...

In this practical episode Bel unpacks Elective C – On The Road for Year 11 English Studies. She breaks down the rubric and outcomes in plain language, suggests engaging texts, explores key ideas about travel and culture, and shares ready-to-use classroom activities. Designed specifically for English Studies teachers, this episode helps you teach representation, perspectives, and the consequences o...

Welcome to the launch of Teacher Tales – the heartfelt companion series to Lit Happens. In this warm and honest conversation, Adriel shares his personal teaching journey as a dedicated NSW educator. He opens up about his path into teaching, what a typical day looks like now, a memorable student whose breakthrough left a lasting impact, and one profound life lesson teaching has taught him beyond th...

In this episode we explore George Orwell’s 1984 as a powerful mentor text for Year 11 Module A – Narratives that Shape Our World. We break down how the Party weaponises storytelling to control truth, memory and thought, and why the novel remains urgently relevant in 2026. You’ll get clear context, key concepts, must-know techniques, strong thesis ideas, and practical teaching strategies to help yo...

In this episode we deliver a complete Band 6 framework for Shakespeare’s Othello in Module B. We explore how jealousy and racial prejudice destroy relationships, the power of Iago’s manipulation, dramatic irony, soliloquies, and the handkerchief motif. You’ll get clear context, key analysis points, must-know techniques, model thesis ideas, and a ready-to-use essay blueprint that builds sophisticat...

You open the essay question… and suddenly every quote you’ve memorised disappears. Sound familiar? In this practical episode we give Year 11 and Year 12 English students (and their teachers) a simple, repeatable 4-step system to break down any essay question with confidence. Learn how to identify question types, spot the real task, build a strong thesis, and scaffold a sharp introduction — so you...

In this honest 30-minute Teacher Talks episode we tackle two painfully relatable questions every English teacher and student faces. A student asks: “I study for English but my marks don’t improve. What am I doing wrong?” A teacher asks: “How do you teach a text you secretly hate?” We share real classroom stories, quick mindset shifts, and practical strategies that actually move the needle - withou...

HSC Advanced English teachers – ready to deliver Band 6 Module B mastery? This high-academic deep dive unlocks Kazuo Ishiguro’s An Artist of the Floating World through the composer’s own words on dignity, values in flux, the artist’s political role, and the terror of backing a shameful cause. We explore Ono’s selective unreliability, stilted prose, fragmentation, analepsis, key motifs (burning, bu...

In this episode we unpack Margaret Atwood’s Hag-Seed – the killer modern reimagining of The Tempest for English Extension 1 “Literary Worlds” (Shakespearean Worlds elective). Discover how Atwood layers literary worlds, flips power and revenge, and keeps Shakespeare alive in today’s context. Get sharp analysis points, killer quotes, module-style essay questions with thesis ideas, and classroom-read...

In this episode we reveal why most Year 11 teachers overlook the true power of The Great Gatsby as a mentor text for the NESA Preliminary Reading to Write module - and show you exactly how to fix it. We unpack the Jazz Age context, Fitzgerald’s life, core themes of illusion and the American Dream, must-know quotes and techniques, and practical ways to guide students from perceptive close analysis...

In this episode we reveal the single biggest mistake most teachers make when preparing Year 9 students for NAPLAN literacy – and exactly how to fix it. We break down the Reading, Writing and Language Conventions tests, the core skills students need locked in, key literary and stylistic techniques to master, and practical, low-stress strategies that actually work. Aligned to the Australian Curricul...

In this episode we unpack NAPLAN for Year 7 students – what it actually is, why it matters, and how English teachers and families can prepare students for the Reading, Conventions of Language, and Writing components without turning it into high-stakes stress. As NSW teachers support the transition from primary to secondary English under the Australian Curriculum and National Literacy Learning Prog...

In this episode we reveal the exact insights most Year 11 teachers miss when teaching Shakespeare’s The Tempest - and how getting them right can transform your Preliminary HSC lessons into Band 6 foundations. We unpack the Jacobean context of magic, colonisation and power, deliver close language analysis on the quotes that markers love, and show precisely how the play aligns with the new Stage 6 s...

Welcome to the launch of Teacher Tales, the relaxed companion series to Lit Happens. In this concise chat, we sit with Belinda, an experienced Australian educator, as she shares authentic stories from her classroom journey. Belinda opens up about  memorable students’ whose breakthrough’s left a lasting impression, reflects on her early teaching years with gentle advice for newcomers, and shares pr...

In this episode we tackle one of the biggest challenges facing senior English teachers and our Year 11/12 students: ATAR stress. We explore the real role of the ATAR, how intense pressure affects wellbeing, why so many young people tie their worth to a single rank, and practical classroom strategies that support mental health without sacrificing academic rigour. Framed as a “survival guide” for HS...

In this episode we dive into sourcing and organising high-quality resources to set your senior English teaching up for success in 2026. As NSW teachers implement the new Stage 6 syllabuses (first HSC exams 2027), we share reliable sources, efficient digital organisation systems, budget-friendly ideas, community resource hubs, and practical tips to save time and enhance student outcomes from Term 1...

Episode Overview In this episode we explore practical ways to craft structured, syllabus-aligned learning sequences and programs across English Years 7–12. With the refreshed K–10 English syllabus (2022) now in full swing and Stage 6 syllabuses rolling out from 2026 (first HSC exams 2027), we share clear strategies for mapping term plans, using collaborative tools, building in differentiation for...

In this episode we’re diving into how NSW senior English teachers can make the most of staff development days in 2026. As we navigate the implementation of the new English Stage 6 syllabuses (with the first HSC exams in 2027), these SDDs are a golden opportunity to refine our teaching approaches, address past HSC challenges, and strengthen our collaborative teams. We explore practical ways to turn...

Welcome back to Season 2 of Lit Happens! As we step into 2026, senior English teachers across NSW are gearing up for the exciting transition to the new English Stage 6 syllabuses (implemented from 2026, with first HSC exams in 2027). In this season opener, we revisit the essentials of classroom preparation – now with a fresh focus on aligning your physical and mental space to the renewed emphasis...

Tune in to Lit Happens, where we, two dedicated HSC English educators, guide English teachers through assessing the Reading to Write unit in Year 11 Advanced English under the 2026 syllabus.  This episode unpacks phases 4-6, focusing on critical connections, creative composition, and assessment preparation with practical activities and strategies to build sophisticated writers for the 2027 HSC. We...

Tune in to Lit Happens, where we, two dedicated HSC English educators, guide English teachers through our new Reading to Write resource for Year 11 Advanced English under the 2026 syllabus. This episode explores the first 4-5 weeks of this malleable tool, designed to alleviate time constraints for programming the new unit, with flexible activities, scaffolds, and strategies to build critical and c...

Tune in to Lit Happens, where we, two dedicated HSC English educators, guide English teachers through strategies to improve written expression in formal academic writing for Stage 6 students. This episode addresses common struggles, programming approaches, academic tone challenges, classroom strategies, and leveraging resources like Google Scholar and JSTOR to elevate student work for the 2027 HSC...

Tune in to Lit Happens, where we, two dedicated HSC English educators, guide English teachers through intentional programming for Stage 6, focusing on the phases of learning to build conceptual, critical, and creative thinkers.  This episode explores how to structure lessons for engagement, analysis, composition, and assessment readiness, aligning with the 2026 syllabus for the 2027 HSC. We contin...

Mastering HSC Descriptors for Band 6 Essay Writing (Refresher) - Lit Happens Ep 44! Tune in to Lit Happens, where we, two dedicated HSC English educators, demystify HSC English band descriptors for teachers and students.  This episode breaks down what separates Band 4 from Band 5 and Band 6 responses, exploring how descriptors guide marking, assessment design, lesson planning, and student growth f...

Tune in to Lit Happens, where we, two dedicated HSC English educators, guide Standard English teachers through the Reading to Write unit for Year 11, building essential skills for the 2027 HSC.  This episode unpacks the unit’s purpose, outcomes, content breakdown, text suggestions, classroom activities, and tips to bridge reading and writing effectively. We continue with our LIT OR QUIT segment in...