Ireland · NCCA Curriculum Specifications
6th Year Voices and Visions: Advanced Literacy and Communication
This course prepares students for the transition to post primary education by deepening their engagement with complex texts and diverse writing styles. Students refine their ability to analyze authorial intent while developing a sophisticated personal voice across digital and print media.
01The Art of Narrative and Characterization
Students explore how authors build immersive worlds and complex characters through specific linguistic choices and structural techniques.
Investigating how a story changes based on who is telling it and whether the narrator can be trusted by the reader.
Analyzing how writers use the five senses and figurative language to create a specific mood or setting.
Students analyze how authors reveal character traits through dialogue, actions, and internal thoughts.
Examining the elements of plot, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, and types of conflict.
Exploring how authors create believable and immersive settings that influence character and plot.
Identifying the central message or insight about life conveyed through a narrative.
Investigating how authors build anticipation and hint at future events to engage the reader.
02Persuasion, Power, and Propaganda
An examination of how language is used to influence opinions, sell products, and shape public discourse in various media.
Identifying and using techniques such as the rule of three, emotive language, and rhetorical questions to build an argument.
Deconstructing the visual and textual strategies used in modern marketing to target specific demographics.
Students learn to identify common propaganda techniques like bandwagon, testimonial, and glittering generalities.
Students practice constructing their own persuasive arguments using evidence and rhetorical strategies.
Investigating how media outlets can present information with a particular slant or perspective.
03Poetic Forms and Emotional Resonance
Students engage with poetry as a tool for self expression and social commentary, focusing on rhythm, meter, and metaphor.
Exploring how poets use symbolic language to describe complex feelings or abstract concepts.
Analyzing the impact of alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia on the oral performance of poetry.
Students identify and create similes and personification to add vividness and depth to their writing.
Examining different poetic forms like haiku, limerick, and free verse, and how structure influences meaning.
Focusing on how poets use descriptive language to create mental pictures and evoke sensory experiences.
Exploring how poets use their craft to address social issues, express dissent, or advocate for change.
04Information Architecture and Research
Developing the skills to synthesize information from multiple sources and present findings in a structured, objective manner.
Learning to combine facts from different texts to create a comprehensive report on a complex topic.
Examining how headings, glossaries, and diagrams support the reader's navigation of informational texts.
Students learn to assess the reliability and bias of various information sources, both print and digital.
Developing strategies for note-taking, outlining, and categorizing information for research projects.
Focusing on techniques for presenting complex information in an accessible and engaging manner, including visual aids.
Learning the importance of giving credit to sources and how to properly cite information.
05Dramatic Inquiry and Performance
Using drama and oral language to explore character motivation and the nuances of spoken communication.
Investigating what is left unsaid in a script and how body language conveys hidden meaning.
Working in groups to draft and refine dialogue that sounds natural and drives a plot forward.
Focusing on vocal techniques such as projection, articulation, and pacing to enhance dramatic delivery.
Developing skills in spontaneous speaking and reacting in character to unexpected situations.
Students explore how to transform a narrative text into a dramatic script, considering dialogue, stage directions, and character blocking.
06The Mechanics of Style and Grammar
Refining the technical aspects of writing to ensure clarity, precision, and sophisticated expression.
Mastering the use of simple, compound, and complex sentences to create engaging prose.
Moving beyond basic synonyms to select words that carry the exact connotation required for the context.
Focusing on the correct use of commas, semicolons, colons, and apostrophes to enhance sentence clarity and meaning.
Reinforcing the rules for subject-verb agreement and correct pronoun-antecedent agreement.
Understanding when to use active versus passive voice for impact and clarity in writing.
Exploring how to appropriately and effectively incorporate figurative language (e.g., metaphors, similes) into non-fiction and persuasive texts.
07Creative Writing Workshop
A hands-on unit focused on developing original narratives, poetry, and descriptive prose through guided practice and peer feedback.
Students explore various techniques for brainstorming and developing original plot concepts and character sketches.
Focusing on techniques to hook the reader from the first sentence, including action, dialogue, and intriguing descriptions.
Learning to convey emotions, actions, and settings through vivid descriptions and sensory details rather than direct statements.
Students experiment with different writing styles and tones to find their individual authorial voice.
Learning to give and receive constructive criticism to improve written work through multiple drafts.
08Media and Digital Storytelling
Exploring how stories are told across various digital platforms and developing skills in creating multimedia narratives.
Investigating how text, images, audio, and video combine to create compelling narratives in digital formats.
Students learn the basics of audio recording, scriptwriting for audio, and editing to produce a short podcast.
Exploring how sequences of images, with or without text, can convey a narrative or message.
Investigating how choices and branching storylines create unique experiences in interactive fiction and video games.
09Public Speaking and Presentation Skills
Developing confidence and competence in delivering clear, engaging, and persuasive oral presentations.
Learning to organize ideas logically with an introduction, main points, and a strong conclusion.
Practicing vocal projection, body language, and eye contact to enhance presentation delivery.
Exploring techniques such as storytelling, rhetorical questions, and audience interaction to maintain engagement.
Developing strategies for answering questions clearly, concisely, and respectfully during and after a presentation.