VCE English

Units 1 and 2, Area of Study 2

Creating and presenting

Young people and road safety: a study in conflict

Introduction

For this task, your writing is informed by the reading of a range of texts. You are encouraged to read widely and to study at least one set text or a collection of shorter set texts in order to examine the effects of form, purpose, audience and context on the authors’ choice of structure and language. You will draw on the knowledge gained from this study to create your own written and/or multimodal texts in a process, which includes planning, reviewing and editing.

Chosen context: Exploring and presenting themes or ideas

In this context, you will explore the ways in which particular themes or ideas on youth risk-taking and road safety are presented in print, non-print and multimodal texts. You will draw on this exploration to create and present your own written and/or multimodal texts on the same theme or idea for a specific audience, purpose and context.

Texts

Examples of texts that could be used to support your exploration of this theme include:

  • Documentary film (copies of the film are available from the TAC and on the TAC’s YouTube account (

Connecting the Dots

  • Short film (

Make a Film, Make a Difference. (MAFMAD)

  • Website

Road safety campaigns (

You should view a range of campaigns created by the Transport Accident Commission and reflect on the themes and ideas being presented

  • Print text: Play

CARnAGE by Neil Coulson

  • Print text: letter and notes

In my Little Town – Australian Story ABC TV, which was the basis for Connecting the Dots. Read the letter from Vicki Charter and the producer’s notes.

Unpacking the themes and ideas

Young people and road safety: a study in conflict

Young people are faced with many dilemmas and challenges as they approach adulthood. This includes completing secondary education, learning to drive, dealing with shifting relationships and coping with the many pressures and choices around driving, alcohol and drugs. This all gives rise to conflict, which is an essential part of the journey to adulthood.

It is important to remember that there is a difference between experiencing conflict and being involved in an argument. We can have an argument with someone and not be in conflict with that person on a deeper level. Conflict involves more long-standing motivations, values and beliefs. The outcome of conflict is crucial in determining how much we learn from the experience. Such an outcome should always be positive if people are to be move forward.

Example text as stimulus: Connecting the Dots

The links between teenage inexperience on the roads, trauma and peer relationships arehighlighted in the documentary, Connecting the Dots, which is centred on the death of Leigh Charter Jnr while driving with his friends in regional Victoria. The film chronicles the events leading up to the collision, the circumstances of the death of Leigh Charter Jnr and the impact on the people of Harcourt.

After watching Connecting the Dots, consider the following questions. This will assist you in developing ideas for writing on the area of peer relationships, road laws and dealing with the consequences of criminal conduct. Here is a reminder of the key people featured in the film:

•Jaeram Richards, Brenton Chaplin’s friend

•Terry Davies, Former Police Officer

•Andrea McLean, Brenton Chaplin’s aunt

•Trevor Chaplin, Brenton Chaplin’s father

•Cameron Chaplin, Brenton Chaplin’s brother

•Paul Chaplin, Brenton Chaplin’s cousin

•Brendan Wilkinson, Brenton Chaplin’s lawyer

  • Sheila Robins, Brenton Chaplin’s girlfriend
  1. How would you describe the following relationshipsthat are depicted in this film:

-Brenton Chaplin and Leigh Charter Jnr

-The Chaplin and Charter families prior to the collision

-Terry Davies and the Chaplin family.

  1. What was the response of the people of Harcourt to this collision?
  2. To what extent does Connecting the Dots highlight the conflict between the values that underpin road laws and peer relationships that may lead young people to take part in risky behaviour?

Types of conflict

There are different types of conflict:

  • Major conflict, which occurs between groups of people and/or institutions;
  • Interpersonal conflict, which occurs between individuals;
  • Inner conflict, which occurs within the individual person and other people may not even be aware that it is occurring. This conflict ofconscienceis often the most interesting for you as a writer because it can be the most challenging, involving a battle of competing forces and demands within the individual.

The conflicts that occur as you approach adulthood

As individuals, we draw upon a range of values that help us to understand the difference between right and wrong. These moral positions are usually taught to us by family members, friends, our schools and perhaps religious traditions.

We know that assault and theft are wrong. We also know that speeding and drink driving are regarded as being anti-social, dangerous behaviour. However, in spite of being aware of our values, they can become vulnerable when we are exposed to external stimuli such as peer behaviour and alcohol use. These themes and ideas are highlighted in documentaries such as Connecting the dots and MAFMAD films (especially The Price of Friendship, Swing, Anything? and Death Blooms).

Before you begin this piece of writing, reflect on a time when you (or someone you know) did something that he or she knew to be wrong. Consider the following:

  • What factors motivated the person to perform that act?
  • In what ways did this action go against the person’s values or beliefs?
  • Did the conflict involve an issue that is ongoing or was it just an isolated incident?
  • What were the consequences of this behaviour?
  • How was it resolved? Would you regard this as a positive outcome to the conflict? Explain in 200 words.

The Writing Process

  • Your teacher will instruct whether you write in personal reflective, imaginative, expository or persuasive form. Make sure you understand the particular characteristics of each forms of writing.
  • You may be asked to write to a prompt. This is a statement that you need to address in your writing. For example, if you were asked to write on the prompt, ‘Conflict is always destructive for those involved’, you would explore the ways in which conflict is destructive, while also addressing the many benefits that are possible when those involved act in a spirit of goodwill to settle their differences.
  • To support your arguments on the prompt, you will be expected to make reference to the themes and ideas in a range of given visual and print texts. Your teacher will direct you as to how many of the texts below will need to be referenced in your text and your explanation of decisions (reflective commentary), which is explained below. These texts include:

-Documentary film: Connecting the Dots

-Short films from the MAFMAD competition

-Newspaper text: Mentally teens drive best alone by Steve Biddulph

-Novel: Six by Karen Tayleur

-Play: CARnAGE by Neil Coulson

-Websites: TAC’s YouTube site

  • You will be required to complete an Explanation of decisions (reflective commentary) in which you explain the choices you have made in your writing. Before you start writing the actual piece, ask yourself the following questions:

-Purpose: what themes and issues do I wish to explore regarding the elements of the prompt?

-Audience: for whom am I writing this piece? How has my choice of audience affected the language that I have used?

-Language devices and structure: how have I used language devices such as symbols, tone and motifs to communicate my ideas? Also, in what ways does the structure of the piece provide for fluent and logical expression of ideas.

-Selection of ideas from texts: which texts did I draw upon for my discussion of the key themes and ideas that underpin the prompt? In what ways have these texts informed my response to the prompt?

-The prompt: what do I think about the prompt? Do I agree with its central proposition?

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