English · Year 7

Active learning ideas

Dialect, Slang, and Jargon

Active learning helps Year 7 students grasp how dialect, slang, and jargon function in real life. When they map local terms or role-play professional speech, they see language as a living system tied to place and identity, not just rules in a textbook.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E7LA02
• AC9E7LA04

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Australian Dialect Maps

Small groups research and poster regional dialects or slang from two Australian states, including examples and meanings. Students rotate through the gallery, noting similarities and differences, then share one standout variation with the class. End with a class map on the board.

Analyze how the way we speak signals our belonging to a particular social group or region.

Facilitation Tip

During the Personal Slang Audit, have students fold the page into two columns—one for their own slang, one for classmates’—to compare patterns quickly.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are explaining a popular video game to your grandparents. What slang or jargon would you definitely avoid, and why? What kind of language would you use instead?' Facilitate a class discussion on register and audience awareness.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 35 min · Pairs

Role-Play: Jargon Switch

Pairs prepare two scenes: one using profession-specific jargon like medical terms, the other translating to plain English for a general audience. Perform for the class, who identify jargon and guess contexts. Debrief on when jargon fits.

Differentiate between formal and informal language contexts and their appropriate usage.

What to look for

Provide students with a list of 5-7 words or phrases (e.g., 'mate', 'sick', 'LOL', 'CPU', 'bonza', 'chuffed'). Ask them to label each as slang, jargon, or standard English, and briefly explain their reasoning for one example.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 40 min · Small Groups

Slang Debate Carousel

Divide class into small groups at stations with slang terms labeled 'cool', 'outdated', or 'inappropriate'. Groups debate and rotate to respond or build on prior arguments. Vote class-wide on shifts in opinion.

Explain why some slang is considered 'cool' while other slang is seen as outdated or inappropriate.

What to look for

Ask students to write down one example of slang they have heard or used recently. Then, have them explain what social group or context it belongs to and whether they think it is currently considered 'cool' or outdated, and why.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 25 min · Individual

Personal Slang Audit

Individually, students list five personal slang terms, note contexts of use, and rewrite in formal English. Share in pairs for feedback, then compile a class glossary.

Analyze how the way we speak signals our belonging to a particular social group or region.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are explaining a popular video game to your grandparents. What slang or jargon would you definitely avoid, and why? What kind of language would you use instead?' Facilitate a class discussion on register and audience awareness.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start by validating students’ own language before introducing new terms. Avoid framing slang or dialect as ‘wrong’—instead, ask students to judge effectiveness in context. Research shows that when students analyze their peers’ language first, they later accept broader language diversity more readily.

Students will move from noticing differences to explaining why variations exist and when to use them appropriately. Success looks like students confidently labeling terms, justifying their choices, and adapting language for different audiences.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Gallery Walk, watch for students who label terms like ‘heaps good’ or ‘chuffed’ as incorrect compared to ‘very good’ or ‘pleased’.

  Pause the walk and have students compare two maps: one labeled ‘Standard English’ and one ‘Victorian Slang’. Ask pairs to list five equivalent phrases and discuss why both versions meet communicative needs.

• During the Slang Debate Carousel, watch for comments that dismiss slang as meaningless trendiness.

  At each station, ask groups to add a counter-example from their own lives, such as how ‘LOL’ conveys tone quicker than ‘laughing out loud’. Have them vote on which version works better in a group chat versus a formal email.

• During the Role-Play, watch for students who call medical jargon ‘unnecessary’ because it sounds complicated.

  After the role-play, display two scripts side by side. Ask students to highlight where jargon shortens explanation and where it confuses. Discuss how audiences determine which to use.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Role Play