How to Revise for GCSE English Literature and English Language

Mr. J Dunford

What Are Your Exams

Literature (75% of your Overall Grade) y A662: Contemporary Poetry PoetryA View From the Bridge (45 minutes) y A663: Prose from Different Cultures CulturesOf Mice and Men (45 minutes) y A664: Literary Heritage Prose and Contemporary Poetry PoetryDr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde and Carol Ann Duffy Poetry (90 minutes) Language (40% of your Overall Grade) y A653: Non-Fiction and NonMedia Paper /A680: Information and Ideas (120 minutes)

Assessment Objectives-Objectives-Literature
y AO1-Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations. (View) y AO2Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers presentation of ideas, themes and settings. (View, Duffy, Dr.J, Mice) y AO4-Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how texts have been influential and significant to self and other readers in different contexts and at different times. (Mice)

What should you all be doing to revise for you English Exams
y y y y y y y y Timed Writingdevelop confidence, experience and time management Writing Reading/Listening to the Text Looking at past questionsidentifying the key words in each questions questions questions mindmind-mapping how you would answer the question Doing Past Exam QuestionsPeer Assess Them/Assess them Yourself/ Questions Look at Mark Schemes Reviewing Notes from Lessons Attending Revision Sessions Revising Language, Structure and Form Techniquesknow WHY they Techniques are used and their EFFECTS Reading Sparknotes, cliffsnotes, york notes

Some Alternative Methods

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Character/Theme/Context Connecting Activity Drawing Actions Activity Poetry Graphic Organiser Identify the Technique Activity Story Plot Activity Make a Prezi, View a Prezi Make Visual Flash Cards of Language Techniques Make a Podcast of the Topic; download it to you Ipod. View Youtube videos on the Topic Peer/Self Assess Timed Writing Activities ReadRead in silenceincrease your reading fluency Read silence TIMED WRITINGTHIS is VITAL WRITING

Character/Theme/Context Connecting Activity

Task: Match characters to themes and context areas. On each line, explain their connection.

Drawing Actions Activity

Task: Listen to sections of the play and draw body movements, facial expressions. You could also comment on voice tones/expressions. For View you MUST comment as if you are in the audience

Poetry Graphic Organiser

Task: Read each poem and then make a table about each poem. You need to know all fourteen poems. Youll answer on only one in the exam, from a choice of six.

Story Plot Activity

Task: Read a short summary of the story and make bullet pointed list of ten major events in the plot. Reread these parts of the text, noting techniques.

Identify the Technique Activity

Task: Take quotes from a texts and annotate them for techniques. Perhaps then write your own and then annotate them.

Make a Prezi, View a Prezi

Task: Visit Prezi.com and make a visual graphic organiser. Or, use the explore option to search for the text your are studying. Making one is the best optionit helps you remember the text. http://prezi.com/aliccit_9nmp/wintering-by-carol-ann-duffy/

Make a Podcast
Task: Visit soundcloud.com, sign-up, record you podcast andn then download the podcast to your Ipod.

Watch Videos on Youtube

Task: Visit Youtube and watch videos on your topic. Here are some. There are many more. Take some notes.

Of Mice and Men http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5063FCAH8mM Viewhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVv_9jKRODI Dr. J-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRxC5ETN8Zc&feature=plcp& context=C336adffUDOEgsToPDskITpdjDpw_Ou4uk5HY8Ur_R

Make Visual Flash Cards of Language Techniques

Task: Take the language and structural techniques you know and make note cards. Put them up around your house. Review some before heading to bed.

Make Visual Flash Cards of Language Techniques

1. Peer/Self Assess Timed Writing Activities 2. ReadRead in silenceincrease your Read silence reading fluency 3. Look at the rest of this PowerPoint. 4. Find Additional Resources at www.mrjdu.wordpress.com

5.TIMED WRITING 5.TIMED WRITINGTHIS is VITAL

How to Revise for the A662: Modern Drama Paper (View)

y Know what you are being Assessed onAssessment on Objectives (AO1 and AO2) y Listen/View the Playyou need to answer as if you Play were an audience member; not a reader of the text y Know the Dos and Donts

A662: Contemporary PoetryA Poetry View From the Bridge (45 minutes)
Things To DO/Successful candidates:
y see the texts as plays in performance and themselves as members of an audience

y see the stage directions as part of the dramatic action of the scene and visualise this onstage action y pay explicit attention to the wording of the question and balance attention on each strand of the question y construct succinct and purposeful opening paragraphs, focusing specifically on the given question y select and integrate brief quotations to explore the dialogue and to support and amplify their ideas y avoid pre-conceived model answers and formulaic approaches and trust their own direct personal response.

How to Answer the Extract Based Question QuestionA View From the Bridge
Successful candidates:
y devote at least two-thirds of answers to discussing, quoting from and commenting on the extract itself, but still convey understanding of the whole play context y begin their response by locating the extract in the context of the whole play y succinctly establish the dramatic context for the characters and audience in the opening paragraph y ground their reflections on the whole play firmly in the detail of the extract y pay close attention to the build-up of dramatic detail throughout the extract.

A662: Contemporary PoetryA Poetry View From the Bridge (45 minutes)
Things NOT TO DO/Less successful candidates:
y y y see the texts as pieces of writing only and themselves as readers see the stage directions merely as pieces of bolted-on written communication and ignore their significance to the onstage action start with a pre-conceived introductory paragraph, which is unhelpfully generalised, biographical or list-like and says nothing specific about the play or question lose the focus of the question and use pre-prepared material which has little direct relevance to the question misread the question and write about the wrong character or moment become detached from the dramatic action and resort to listing features

y y y

How to Answer the Extract Based Question QuestionA View From the Bridge
Less successful candidates:
y produce generalised answers with limited attention to the given extract , or approach the extract as if it is an "unseen" exercise and give little sense of the rest of the play y produce a sweeping opening paragraph and largely ignore the question y rarely offer quoted material from the extract or, conversely, copy out large chunks without any attempt at commentary y miss the reference to the given moment in the question and, as a result, answer on the play as a whole with little or no reference to the printed extract. y distance yourself from the task by providing unhelpful biographical details or historical backgroundcontext is not assessed in this question.

How to revise for the A663: Prose A663: from Different CulturesOf Mice Cultures and Men (45 minutes)
y Know what you are being assessed on--AO2 and on--AO2 AO4 y AO4Context, Context, Context---Make links to AO4 Context---Make context contextAO4 is worth more than AO2 y Make sure you explain connections between context and the evidence in the extract

A663: Prose from Different Cultures CulturesOf Mice and Men (45 minutes) minutes)
Donts regarding lack of focus on the passage y give a introduction that generally focuses on the author y give a lengthy statement of intent in this essay I will y write extensively on the lead up to the passage, and the lead away, including the use of quotations from outside the extract y inclusion of detailed contextual material not directly or specifically linked to the passage y extensive focus on how characters behave similarly or differently at other points in the novel.

A663: Prose from Different Cultures CulturesOf Mice and Men (45 minutes) minutes)
Dont regarding lack of focus on the question y fail to refer to key words in the question at the start y have a pre-prepared list of points to make about this particular episode, not related to the question y have another prepared agenda, often relating to style and narrative technique foreshadowing, emotive language, sentence length, use of dialect and slang y include long quotations with inadequate linking to the question y include of long passages of contextual information with inadequate linking to the question

How to revise for A664: Literary Heritage A664: Prose and Contemporary PoetryDr. Jekyll & Poetry Mr. Hyde
y Know that you are being assessed on AO2 y Practise writing answers fro this questionmany question candidates have a difficult time managing their time in this exam and/or dont finish y Support all points with textual evidence y Dont comment on contextno marks given context y Dont retell the event in the extractweaker responses tend to paraphrase the extract set for extract-based questions, not making a personal response. y Higher responses consider the effects of literary devices.

How to revise for A664: Literary Heritage Prose and Contemporary PoetryCarol Ann Poetry Duffy Poetry
y Know that you are being assessed on AO2 y Practise writing answers fro this questionmany question candidates have a difficult time managing their time in this exam and/or dont finish y Support all points with textual evidence y Dont comment on contextno marks given context y Dont retell the event in the extractweaker responses tend to paraphrase the extract set for extract-based questions, not making a personal response. y Higher responses consider the effects of literary devices.

An Overview of the Language Paper PaperHigher Higher Tier

y There are TWO Reading Passages. Passages y..But THREE questions: questions 1 & 2 on the first passage and question 3 on the second passage. yQuestion 1 will ask you to respond to WHAT the passage is about: it carries (about) 10 marks out of 40. 40. yQuestions 2 & 3 will ask you to respond to HOW the passages have been written: each carry (about) 15 marks out of 40. 40. yDont forget this when you are planning your time management in the examination.

An Overview of the Language Paper PaperFoundation Tier

y There are two reading passages (which are shorter than the passages in the Higher Tier) and one question (split into sub sections) on each passage. y The first question on the first passage will ask you WHAT the passage is about y The second question on the second passage will ask you HOW the writer has presented the material. y Each question is worth 20 marks. y In both tiers you should not necessarily expect to spend the same amount of time on reading and writing.. writing..

Managing Your Time

y It is absolutely critical that you read each passage very thoroughly before you start to consider the questions and this may mean that you spend rather longer on the reading than the writing. f you do: DONT WORRY! DON WORRY! Most candidates can produce excellent written work in less than an hour: and most need more than an hour to read. DON DONT start the reading questions until you are confident that you have:have:Read the passage to the end Formed a view of what it is about Considered some of the ways the writer has tried to communicate his/her point of view.

y y

y y y y

Reading and Understanding the Questions: 1

y Outline concisely. You will need to LOCATE the material that is concisely relevant to the question and REORGANISE it into a coherent and concise answer. answer. y Own words: words y DONT copy or lift directly from the text. DON y DO use your own words : but dont worry if you are content that don you understand and are used to using the words in the passage: use them in you own prose style. y DONT spend too long or write too much on this question. DON

Reading and Understanding the Questions: 2 & 3.

y All you write must examine how the passage has been written and produced: make points about structure, information and language which are supported with examples from the text. text. y How does the PRESENTATION of the article.. This article means the headings and the pictures and anything else that isnt in the body of the text. y Comment on the ways they have affected your response to what you have read. y DONT mention features (e.g. its bold and therefore attention catching) without saying why your attention has been caught and what that says about the passage.

Reading and Understanding the Questions continued. continued.

y How does the writers use of language.. writer language.. y Again DO NOT use literary terms without saying exactly how words have contributed to your response to what you have read. y DO NOT spot metaphors/ similes etc. etc. for their own sake: keep referring back to the question to ensure what you saying is relevant and well supported. y DO feel free to talk about how the effects of the RELATIONSHIP between the words and the presentational features has contributed to your reaction to the text. y REMEMBER! You cannot talk about HOW a passage has been REMEMBER! written until you are confident that you understand WHAT it is about.

What the Examiners are looking for: Q1

Understanding of TASK and TEXT. An OVERVIEW of the material. A clear focus on each separate, relevant point you make without overlap into other points. Confident use of own words with NO copying/lifting from the text. A range of (but nor necessarily all of the) points.

What the Examiners are looking for: Qs 2 & 3

A range of relevant points (about information, language and structure as appropriate). appropriate). Effective supporting reference to the text with a clear attempt at analysis of what is referred to. A good understanding of the TASK and the TEXT. TEXT.

Over to you for some HT reading..

y Look at Wing and a Prayer and read it, right through to the end, however long it takes. y THEN: look at questions 1 & 2. THEN: 2. y THEN go back to the passage and underline the material that goes with question 1 and ring material that goes with question 2. 2. y NOW: listen up! How many did you get? NOW:

OR: Foundation Tier

y READ The Krakatoa Volcanic Eruption right to the end.

y THEN look at question 1 a, b, and c: and underline the material which gives you the right answers.

y THEN look at question 1, d and do the same.

Writing
y Important introductory points:points:y DO plan your work carefully! Take five minutes at least to work out WHAT you are going to say and HOW you are going to say it. y DONT write too much! If you are going onto more than three sides ask yourself why! why! y Remember that QUALITY is all important and that QUANTITY need only be enough to show what you can do at your best. y Accurate spelling, punctuation and sentence structure matter.

Planning your work

y You must have worked out a system: a drill for planning your work in the examination. examination. y Decide on the AUDIENCE which may be specified, or may simply be the examiner. y Decide on the TONE OF VOICE you are going to adopt. y Decide on the STRUCTURE and SHAPE of your essay. essay. y Remember that you need to use paragraphs which will develop different aspects of the piece and which are linked together coherently. coherently. y Always leave time to CHECK your work at the end.

The Assessment Objectives

Write to communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, using and adapting forms and selecting vocabulary appropriate to task and purpose in ways to engage the reader. Organise information and ideas into structured and sequenced sentences, paragraphs and whole texts, using a variety of linguistic and structural features to support cohesion and overall coherence. Use a range of sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate punctuation and spelling

What the Examiners are looking for:- (Grade A) for:-

Full control of the material: effective use of linguistic devices. Confident understanding of what you have set yourself to do and consistent relevance to it. Clear sense of audience where there is one. Use imaginative but appropriate vocabulary: show subtlety and ambition. Develop a clear structure to the work: it must have an opening, central development and a clear conclusion. Use of paragraphs and coherent links between them. them. Use of a range of sentence structures to create effects. Secure and generally accurate spelling. Use ambitious and mainly secure punctuation.

What the Examiners are looking for:- Grade C. for: General control of the material: but some ambition, too. A relevant understanding of what you have set yourself to do. Sense of the audience, where there is one. Some variety of vocabulary: fit the word to the idea not the idea to the word. word. A clear beginning, middle and end. Effectively linked paragraphs. Generally accurate sentence structures. Mainly accurate spelling: possibly some errors in ambitious vocabulary. Simple punctuation mostly accurate and secure.

Some Past PapersCandidate Answers, Ect. Ect.

y y y y y y y y y http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/pp_11_jan/ocr_61656_pp_11_jan_gcse_a66402.pdf http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/pp_11_jan/ocr_61654_pp_11_jan_gcse_a66302.pdf http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/pp_11_jan/ocr_61652_pp_11_jan_gcse_a66202.pdf http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/pp_11_jan/ocr_61651_pp_11_jan_gcse_a66201.pdf http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/pp_11_jan/ocr_61653_pp_11_jan_gcse_a66301.pdf http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/pp_11_jan/ocr_61655_pp_11_jan_gcse_a66401.pdf http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/sm/ocr_39678_sm_gcse_unit_a664_csa.pdf - http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/assess_mat/ocr_31048_sam_gcse_2010_sam_a664_h.pdf http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/pp_11_jan/ocr_61652_pp_11_jan_gcse_a66202.pdf

More
y http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/assess_mat/ocr http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/assess_mat/ocr _31040_sam_gcse_2010_sam_a680_h.pdf y http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/ms_11/ocr_622 20_ms_11_gcse_a680-02.pdf 20_ms_11_gcse_a680-02.pdf y http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/ms_11/ocr_622 http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/ms_11/ocr_622 19_ms_11_gcse_a680-01.pdf 19_ms_11_gcse_a680-01.pdf