Tutoring is a million-dollar industry in Australia and continues to grow, particularly in the aftermath of Covid. In the past, tutoring companies and private tutors mainly worked with students who needed academic help or extension work in English, maths and science (chemistry, physics and biology). These days, however, while most tutoring lessons still centre around those areas, tutors provide lessons in almost any subject you can think of, from foreign language studies to the arts, as well as study skills and exam techniques.
Many students in high school, particularly Year 11 and Year 12, need help as they approach the exam period at the end of Year 12. In NSW, this is the Higher School Certificate (HSC) and you will find the equivalent assessment formats in every other state and territory of Australia. The HSC exam results contribute to a student's Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), which is essential for determining whether or not a student can enter their chosen university and study for their preferred bachelor's degree.
This article is part of a series of posts providing a guide to HSC English. Here, we are focusing on the different English course levels available for students to study in Year 11 and Year 12 — particularly Standard English HSC and Advanced English HSC — with a guide to accessing help from a tutor and what to expect from HSC English tutoring.
You can find out about private English tutors in Australia here.
What Are the Different Levels of HSC English?
There are five English modules available to students in Years 11 and 12, three of which are approved by the NSW Education Standard Authority (NESA) for HSC English:
- English Studies
- English Standard
- English Advanced.
The other two modules are English EAL/D (for students with less than five years of native English-speaking experience) and English Extension (self-directed study in addition to another course). Both can be taken in conjunction with a NESA-approved HSC English course.
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English Studies
This course is for students who wish to consolidate their language and literacy skills through reading and writing a range of text types, focusing on ideas, language forms, and structures in the social, cultural, and academic context.
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In Year 11, students complete the compulsory module Achieving through English: English in education, work, and community and a selection of elective modules from the school syllabus.
Year 12 students study Texts and Human Experience, an HSC Common Content module (also undertaken by Standard and Advanced English HSC students). In addition, students must study up to four elective modules from the school syllabus.
Not every student enrolled in English Studies intends to sit the HSC exam, however, if they do, they must complete the two units at Year 12 level.
English Standard
The four modules in the English Standard course of study aim to help students extend their text analysis skills and ability to create critical and creative responses to text in context and through reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing and representing.
The common core unit in Year 11 is Reading to Write: Transition to Senior English. Two additional modules are Close Study of Literature and Contemporary Possibilities.
The module Texts and Human Experience is prescribed in Year 12, and students also select three additional modules based on their interests and experiences. When selecting modules for study, students are required to include a range of text types (poetry, fiction, drama, media, non-fiction, digital) that include different perspectives, such as cultural, social, and gender.
English Advanced
The advanced English HSC course provides opportunities to engage with more challenging and complex texts through critical study and the creative use of language forms, structure and context.
Year 11 students complete three modules: Reading to Write: Transition to Senior English, Critical Study of Literature and Narratives that Shape our World.
Discover some of the best tips and guides for English tutoring in Sydney here.
The Year 12 content is the same as the English Standard course, emphasising the independent application of skills across genres and the expectation that students question textual integrity and explore how texts are valued.
Will I Need Advanced English, or is Standard Okay?
English at HSC level might be prescribed, but the level you choose to take is often not. When deciding between Standard and Advanced English, a student should consider several factors, including:
- prior learning and experience in the subject
- need for more advanced and sophisticated English skills for future university studies
- whether or not you want to take Extension English as well
- the level of challenge wanted.
The latter point is important to consider. Although there is a lot of common content between the two courses, the level of complexity is quite different. In Standard English, the texts studied are simpler and include one each of poetry, drama, fiction novel and non-fiction. Advanced English courses include more textual comparison work and use a wider range of more complex texts.
Advanced English has a greater workload, the ideas and tasks are more complex and require more of a time commitment, however, there are benefits to taking the higher level modules. One of these benefits is that the advanced and extension courses attract a higher scaling when it comes to calculating ATAR because of the greater complexity. This, however, should not be the sole reason for taking the advanced option.
Whichever of the courses a student enrols in, given the intense focus on performing well to achieve the required ATAR, both throughout each module and in the final exams, it may be a good idea to hire a private tutor or attend a tutoring group for additional lessons.
What is HSC Standard English?
HSC Standard English includes reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities designed to help students analyse texts and build on their capacity to express ideas clearly and confidently in personal and academic contexts.
The Key Features of Standard English
- Text Complexity: The texts that students study in Standard English are more straightforward than those in advanced English. They deal with common everyday themes like identity, relationships, and society. They're easier to understand and are specifically chosen so students can analyse and write about them without needing a deep, theoretical understanding.
- Workload: Standard English has a lighter workload than Advanced English, with students focusing on practical tasks like essay writing and text analysis. The workload is typically more manageable for students with multiple subjects, especially if they aren't specialised in English-heavy subjects.
- Assessments: Standard English assessments include essays, creative writing, and examinations, which are similar to Advanced English. As the name implies, Standard English includes assessments that are usually less demanding in terms of depth and critical thinking than Advanced English.
Who Should Choose Standard English?
Standard English is a suitable choice for students who:
- Prefer straightforward tasks focusing on communication and practical skills.
- Have a heavy subject load and are looking to balance their studies.
- Won't require intensive English skills for their future studies, courses, or careers.
What is HSC Advanced English?
As the name suggests, HSC Advanced English is a higher and more challenging level than Standard English, and it includes greater literary analysis and critical thinking.
This course is designed for students who are passionate about literature, enjoy analysing complex texts, and want to engage with challenging ideas and language forms.
The Key Features of Advanced English
- Text Complexity: The texts that are chosen for Advanced English will be more challenging than those found in Standard English. They often include sophisticated narratives, poetry, and plays, including Shakespeare. Students must think critically and evaluate texts from multiple perspectives, demanding a deeper understanding of context, themes, and literary techniques.
- Workload: Expect a heavier workload from Advanced English. With more challenging materials and longer, more complex essays, students will have more to read and more to do. Students are expected to engage deeply with the texts, discuss ideas and themes like power, identity, and societal change, and consider historical context, form, and authorial intent.
- Assessments: Advanced English assessments should challenge students' ability to make sophisticated arguments. Students often have to compare texts and evaluate their themes through a critical lens, which is more in-depth than in Standard English.
Who Should Choose Advanced English?
Advanced English is a great choice for students who:
- Excel and have excelled in English throughout their academic career and enjoy literary analysis.
- Are looking to pursue university degrees in English or academic fields that require strong writing, analytics, or communication skills, such as law, humanities, or journalism.
- Are comfortable with the heavier workload that Advanced English requires.
Standard English and Advanced English Compared
Here, you can see the main aspects of Standard and Advanced English compared.
| Aspect | Standard English | Advanced English |
|---|---|---|
| Text Complexity | Straightforward texts with clear themes | Complex texts with deeper, layered meaning |
| Analytical Depth | Basic analysis of themes and ideas | In-depth critical analysis and evaluation |
| Workload | Moderate workload, less time-consuming | Heavy workload, requiring deep engagement |
| Assessments | Essays, creative writing, exams | Critical essays, comparative analysis, deep responses |
| Best Suited For | Students seeking balanced study loads | Students pursuing advanced academic or writing-based careers |
| ATAR Scaling | Lower scaling due to course difficulty | Higher scaling due to advanced content |
How to Choose Between Standard English and Advanced English
There are several factors to consider when choosing either Standard English or Advanced English, and it's not a decision that should be taken lightly.
However, to start the process, we recommend that you ask yourself the following questions:
1. What are your academic strengths?
- If you've always been good at English and have enjoyed analysing texts, Advanced English is likely the right choice for you.
- If you find practical communication and general analysis more than enough, consider choosing Standard English.
2. What are your career or university goals?
- Some university courses, such as law, media, or humanities, may require Advanced English, effectively making your choice for you if you want to study these areas.
- Science, technology, and certain trades don't require Advanced English, but Standard English will provide you with the communication skills needed.
3. What is your study workload like?
- How many subjects are you taking, and how demanding are they? Advanced English comes with a higher workload and more reading. If you're already doing challenging subjects with a high workload, like chemistry and mathematics, and are struggling, opting for Standard English could balance your workload.
4. Do you enjoy literary analysis?
- This is a key question when choosing either Advanced English or Standard English. Advanced English is definitely for students who enjoy diving deep into texts, exploring themes, and debating different interpretations. It will offer a rewarding experience for these kinds of students. However, those who don't enjoy it may prefer Standard English.
What to Expect from HSC English Tutoring
The student controls the tutoring content, mainly if working with a private tutor.
For this reason, the student must know exactly where they need help with their learning. Essay writing? Critical responses or textual comparisons? Generating creative ideas for responses? Analysis of context? Interpretation of questions? Revision techniques? Exam strategies?
As a student, know what you need and ensure you communicate this to your tutor. Additionally, if you find your tutor is not teaching you what you need to learn, have a conversation about this — or find another tutor.
You can search for effective English tutors in Newcastle here.
Depending on your needs, your private tutor may or may not need specialist knowledge of the HSC English exams, their structure and the types of questions asked.
Suppose you are specifically preparing for the exams. In that case, you will want a tutor who has knowledge of the process and access to resources, such as trial exams and practice question resources.
You may find that some tutors are retired high school teachers or current teachers who work part-time. Alternatively, tutors who are university students themselves can also be fabulous as they will have recent experience with the HSC exam and may be better equipped to help you with tips, strategies and confidence.
A general English tutor will be fine for a student who requires more help with specific module content or skills—such as essay or creative writing, critical responses, or understanding how to conduct text analysis.
Similarly, a student who is fine with the module content but freezes in exam situations can probably be helped by any tutor who specialises in study skills or exam techniques.
You may even be perfectly fine with your English course modules but have difficulty applying language techniques and understanding other HSC subjects, such as chemistry, physics, biology or even maths. (Written questions can trip students up if they lack skills in question interpretation, even in maths.) In this way, your science tutor (physics, chemistry, biology, etc.) or your maths tutor should be able to help you.
Depending, again, on a student's individual needs, the type of tasks tutors may incorporate into their lessons include:
- trial exams or assessment pieces
- essay writing and revision
- reading and question interpretation tasks
- critical analysis of short texts
- analysis of past exam responses and answers.
Good tutors have access to a wide range of online and paper resources and can use these effectively to assist their students' learning. However, it is also important to remember that no matter how skilled or experienced your tutor is or how long you spend receiving tutoring, the results depend on you and the effort you put in. Tutors can be wonderful, but they are not magic.
The Benefits of Tutoring for HSC English
Whether you choose Standard English or Advanced English, tutoring can provide the support and guidance you need to improve your results and reduce anxiety about the course.
Here are just a few of the ways in each option that tutoring could help you:
How Tutoring Can Help with Standard English
Students working with a private tutor can focus specifically on the areas where they need to improve, maximising their potential results.
You can work through sample responses and past or sample papers with your private tutor, ensuring you're ready for anything on exam day.
Confident students with personalised feedback from their tutor can make better arguments in their exams and are less prone to exam stress.
How Tutoring Can Help with Advanced English
Deepening Analysis: Work with a tutor to engage more critically with the texts. Dive deeper into complex themes and language techniques valid for Advanced English.
- Essay Writing Skills: Hone your essay writing skills with a tutor and construct detailed, well-structured arguments in line with the marking guidelines.
- Comparative Analysis: In Module A, where you compare two texts, a tutor could help you work on the essential techniques for the task.
Either way, you can look for HSC English tutors on the Superprof website today. Many offer the first session for free, so try a few before choosing the perfect one, whether you choose Standard English or Advanced English.
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