Six Word Memoirs

Hello,

Here's Y10's Six Minute Memoirs. 

The song is 'Autumnsong' by the Manic Street Preachers - it seemed to match the tone of your writing.

Enjoy!

Mr M

 

That's it... you did it!

Hi folks,

Well that's English done. Congratulations!

The paper looked good to me. I'm sure you all showed it who's boss!

Good luck in your remaining exams and whatever's next. Keep up the hard work and enjoy a well deserved long summer!

I hope to see some of you next year for more Lit in the 6th form.


Mr M

Final reminder: Question 4

Hi,

Just one final word about the language paper tomorrow.

The document below outlines my advice on how to structure your response to question 4. But please remember, although this approach involves starting with effects, you still have to compare the ways in which the two writers use language.

So...

Make sure that you do the following (at least):

• compare how the writers use words/phrases for effect (analyse)
• compare how the writers use simile/metaphor/comparisons
• compare examples of short/long/list-like sentences + comment on effect
• try to find an example of how sound contributes to effect (eg. alliteration, assonance etc)

You should find and highlight interesting language features as you read so that you can concentrate on structuring your comparative response. Don't start writing until you know what you're going to compare in terms of language and effects.

Best of luck.

If you have any further questions, comment or tweet.


Mr M

English Language: The final (and biggest) hurdle...

Hi all,

The blog's gone quiet since the end of English Lit - mainly because everything I've got to say about English Language is already on here. 
Click EngLang here -------------->

For updates and advice in the lead up to the exam - or if you've got any questions - follow us on Twitter.

Remember, there's loads of other advice and revision material out there. Try Mr Bruff's YouTube clips: foundation tier (C) here; higher tier (A*) here.

Most of you know that this exam is hard - and it's the qualification that everyone wants to know about. Look at the graph. If you can nail Q4, you set yourself apart from the majority and massively boost your chances of success. Practice is vital. Don't kid yourself that you can't revise for it.


Please comment or tweet if you have any concerns or questions.


Get revising!



Mr M



 

Thursday's exam: Poetry

Hi Y11,

Just a quick post to remind you about what you have to do on Thursday, and how best to revise. 

First of all, here's the exam guide for this paper:

Past papers are available on the AQA website. I tweeted links to every past paper yesterday. Search our timeline: @BeverleyHighEng

Apart from your annotated anthology and other notes from class, the best place to go to make sure you know the poems is BBC GCSE Bitesize.

The good news is that Section A usually allows you to write about one of your favourite poems. There's usually one question which is quite open (eg. how is a character presented through language?) which will give you options. 

Check out each of the past papers and decide what you would have done for each one. This will tell you exactly how ready you are for the exam. 

My advice is to revise the poems in thematic clusters and to think about how they compare. The docs below give you some ideas about how to compare and contrast two poems:

You can also find more blog posts about the poems by browsing by topic on the right hand side of this blog's homepage. My most popular blog post is this model answer to a question on Ozymandias and The River God.

As for Section B (Unseen Poetry), please look here for my thoughts about how to approach an unseen poem. Don't fear it. They don't pick anything too difficult - but do expect a simple poem with a central metaphor. Ask yourself: what is this poem really about? Again, check out the past papers and see how you react when faced with an unseen poem.

Finally, make sure you know all your poetic terms by taking a look here.


Good luck everyone!

Please feel free to comment or tweet your last minute, panicky questions!


Mr M

One final OMAM hunch...

Hi,

I've just tweeted links to all the past Lit Unit 1 papers, and one thing that struck me was that there's never been a part b question about...

... the American Dream!

Now how can that be? It seems so obvious. Well, it's still yet to come up.

So, if the exam board decided on a part b question on this topic, what might it look like? And what extract would they pick?

How about this:

Or this...

Revise your Of Mice and Men themes here and here. The second link has quotes to connect with each theme.

Finally, if you need some last minute context revision, check these out:

BBC - Of Mice and Men Historical Context Part 1
BBC - Of Mice and Men Historical Context Part 2
BBC - Of Mice and Men Historical Context Part 3
BBC - Of Mice and Men Historical Context Part 4

Or this, a powerpoint that's nearly as old as my teaching career:

Good luck everyone!


Mr M 

Priestley's methods and message

Hi all,

One last blog before the Lit Unit 1 exam.

Well done to those of you who have been firing practice exam questions at me over the last week or so. Some of you can rest assured that you are going to do very well in this exam. It's not too late to do some serious, high impact revision - and trying exam questions is as high impact as it gets. You don't want to experience writing a 45 minute An Inspector Calls essay for the first time in your final exam, do you? That'd be like arriving at your driving text without first having any experience of driving a car. That's a slightly rubbish simile, but you get the idea.

One last thing I wanted to re-inforce is the assessment objectives you have to hit in Section A (An Inspector Calls). Unlike the part b OMAM question, you don't have to write about context (though it'd be hard not to mention it). You are only being assessed on:

AO1: respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations

and 

AO2: explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings

So, a big part of what you need to do in this question is to write about Priestley's methods and how they get across his ideas.

Here's a few reminders:

• It's a well-made play. That means it's set in real time, in a realistic setting, a tightly focused storyline. The effect is that it feels like you are watching real life unfold in real time. That is, until Priestley breaks the conventions of the well-made play at the end. But more of that later.
• The initial stage directions are worth exploring. It is through these that Priestley sets up our initial impressions of the Birlings. For instance, the phrase 'comfortable, but not cosy and homelike' is the first suggestion we get that we are seeing an awkward, unnatural facade of perfect family life. The reference to the lighting, which goes from 'pink and intimate' to harsh and bright symbolises the light of truth. There will be nowhere for the Birlings to hide.
• Priestley's stage directions are revealing once the dialogue kicks in too. Sheila, for instance, is always 'half-serious, half-playful' or showing 'mock aggressiveness' in the opening stages. This shows that she's a little giddy and immature; she's never had to grow up as she's lived a sheltered, privileged life so far.
• Dramatic irony is used heavily, especially to undermine Mr Birling. The effect is easily achieved as the play is set in 1912, but the audience are watching in 1946 or after. So the Titanic reference and war references have a great impact in revealing Birling's complacency. This makes it quick and easy to position his audience against Mr and Mrs Birling from the early stages of the play.
• Characterisation: Priestley sets up his characters to show contrasts. The younger Birlings are dynamic characters who experience change. They're believable humans with faults and redeeming features. Eric and Sheila are like us in many ways - too concerned with our own problems to see the big picture, but basically good. They just need a wake-up call, which is what Priestley is trying to give us. Sheila in particular acts as our representative on the stage. She reacts with horror as we should, and she realises what's really going on as we do. Her words make sure that we keep up (eg. when she tells Mrs B to stop blaming the father of the child for everything.)
• The older Birlings are static characters. They're less believable as human beings; in fact, they seem to be used by Priestley to encapsulate ideas (Mr B = Capitalism; Mrs B = inherited wealth + status). They're almost caricatures. Priestley uses dramatic irony to undermine them, and he makes sure we dislike them from the start.
• The two generations create a dichotomy between the selfish attitudes of Edwardian Britain and the social conscience of the post-war generation. Capitalism vs socialism. In this way, Priestley's play contains hope for the future - beyond the 'fire and blood and anguish'.
• The Inspector is an unusual character. He is moralistic and seems to be more focused on teaching the Birlings a lesson than uncovering the truth about Eva Smith. For instance, he says they can 'divide the responsibility between them after' he's gone. He represents socialism in the play. Perhaps Priestley uses him as his own mouthpiece - it certainly seems that way at the end - allowing him to go back in time to point the finger of blame at those he saw as being responsible for everything that went wrong.
• The play makes use of dramatic, cliffhanger endings at the end of each act. These pauses give the audience time to reflect on their own actions. This is also what happens at the end - Priestley delivers his final message, then leaves everything open for us to interpret for ourselves. It's not really about Eva at all, or the Birlings; it's about the 'millions and millions' of Evas, and us.
• Priestley builds lots of tension. From whether Birling knows about port or not, to the Croft's absence, to Eric's behaviour and to the talk of what happened last summer - there's clearly more to these relationships than initially meets the eye. The general feeling is that appearances and reality are very different things. This is highlighted by the Alderman Meggarty conversation later. 
• The sounds of doors knocking and slamming, as well as ringing telephones also help to create tension. Each time, they mark a change in direction or emphasis. When Eric goes out, we know he is involved too. When the phone rings at the end, we only hear half a conversation, but it is clear from Birling's face that something is wrong. This final phone call is a great way of stalling the narrative and maximising the tension.
• The Inspector's final lines have the feel of a rhetorical speech. It has repetition, use of 'we', and the metaphor of 'fire and blood and anguish'. Is he referring to war, or hell? Priestley is being intentionally ambiguous because he wants us to think. This speech feels like it is directed at us.
• Afterwards, Priestley's play comes full circle. The older Birlings return to their old, self-satisfied and complacent ways. They drink and feel confident about the future. Then... an Inspector calls! This circular structure (like in OMAM), leaves us wondering and forces us to ponder our own behaviour. We have to accept that the message is not about the Birlings - Priestley wants us to write our own ending. The circular structure suggests that if we don't change our ways, we're doomed to make the same mistakes as the Birlings.
• The twist at the end is made all the more effective because of Priestley's use of the conventions of the well-made play. We expect a neat ending, but we don't get it. We expect realism, but we are left pondering whether Goole really was a ghoul.

Before I sign off, I just wanted to throw a few docs your way. First up is a model answer about the initial impressions of Mr B that I wrote years ago:




And this is a study guide packed with useful information and things to think about:



The last one is an Of Mice and Men related task. Comment on examples of light/dark imagery and symbolism:



Okay, I think I'm out of Unit 1 chat. But I'll be back soon to re-focus you on Lit 2: Poetry.


Good luck (it's not about luck)!



Mr M 

Curley attacks! Analysing Steinbeck's methods...

Hi,

For the first part of your Of Mice and Men question, you have to analyse Steinbeck's methods in a short passage. Some of you will have had a go at annotating this extract, which I posted a week or so ago. 

Here's what I made of it. There's more here than you could possibly write about in the time you have in the exam, but hopefully it shows how much there is to say about Steinbeck's methods if you look closely.

To see the comments, you'll have to download a copy of the doc below by clicking the menu tab and then view in Word.

How much did you notice? Did I miss anything?




Make sure you practise this kind of close-reading with the other extracts I've posted.


Mr M

High Impact Revision!

Hi,

I hope exam season is going well for you so far.

The Lit exams are next week, so by now you're probably thinking: 'What should I do to revise in the little time I have left? What revision tasks will have the greatest effect on my exam performance?'

So here is a list of high-impact revision activities for the final few days of revision:

1) Read the texts! Certainly re-read the poems over and over and over again. If you don't feel you have time to re-read Of Mice and Men...

2) Download the audiobooks and listen to them on the way to school etc. Have a look here and here.

3) Know your exams and understand the questions. For example, did you know that for part b of Of Mice and Men, it's vital that you write about context? Also, you have to 'zoom in' on Steinbeck's methods for part A and 'zoom out' to discuss wider issues and context for part B.

4) Practise exam questions in timed conditions. Know your time limits for each question. For instance, for English Language Section A you should try to limit yourself to: 

1. 12 mins
2. 12 mins
3. 12 mins
4. 24 mins

4) Use the mark schemes on the AQA website. For both Lang and Lit, they give you indicative content (ie. ideas about what to write.) Why not try using the indicative content to help you answer a question - this will help you focus on exam technique and not just on what to write.

5) Use the comparison grid below to practise comparing poems:

6) Use the following essential resources:

• BBC GCSE Bitesize for the Literature set texts, especially the poems.
• Follow us on Twitter (@BeverleyHighEng) for last minute advice, links and messages from the English Department and other English Departments around the country. Trawl through our timeline for loads of useful revision ideas.
• Use online study guides like Sparknotes for Of Mice and Men, or this for An Inspector Calls
• Use this blog! Browse by topic on the right of the screen. You can find past papers, mark schemes, model answers and links to other resources.

Finally, if you are unsure about anything, please ask! We can be found in our classrooms during Y11 lesson times, or in the English office. Alternatively, comment here or send an email.

The clock is ticking. Get revising!

Good luck,

The English Department

Analyse this: another Curley extract (plus free Whit!)

Hi,

When it comes to preparing for the Of Mice and Men part a question, perhaps the best bits to re-read and revise and the character introductions. When each character first appears, there is a cinematic physical description followed by some dialogue. By cinematic, I mean Steinbeck shows us the character visually in the same way you'd meet a character in a film. With the notable exception of Slim (who appeared in last year's paper), he doesn't tell us what to think of the characters; he shows us.

I've already said that I fancy a Curley question this year - and we've had a go at annotating the initial description of Curley. But perhaps this extract would be even better. It's the bit where Curley attacks Lennie.

Why not have a go at annotating it, then have a go at the questions that follow:


 

Another feeling that's nagging me is how obvious this Curley question might be. YouTube sensation Mr Bruff is spreading the word online that he expects a Curley question, and I fear that the exam board might want to throw a spanner in the works. So how about this one. It's Whit!

This might feel like a tricky extract to pick, but in reality it's pretty do-able. Just use the mindmap below (which you should be committing to memory) to pick out Steinbeck's methods.

 
If I see any of you this week, I might get you to help me analyse these extracts so that we can post the results here for all to see.

One last doc. With the Whit extract, the inevitable question would be about loneliness. Here's a one page summary of this theme courtesy of Teachit:

 

As always, leave a comment, email or find me in school if you need anything. And follow the English Department on Twitter for regular exam tips and links (@BeverleyHighEng). Don't worry, we won't follow you and have no interest in your online alter-egos! 

You wouldn't want to miss anything! 


Mr M

Lit Unit 1: Mr Birling in 'An Inspector Calls'

Hi,

For Section A of Lit Unit 1, you have to answer one essay question on An Inspector Calls (from a choice of two). Here are the question focuses from the past papers:

June 13:

• the ending
• Eric

Jan 13:

• Mrs Birling
• the significance of social class

June 12:

• Inspector Goole
• the opening stage directions

Jan 12:

• responsibility (you've done this for your CA!)
• Gerald

June 11:

• contrasts
• Sheila

Jan 11:

• tensions in the family
• selfishness 

So what could come up in your exam? The answer is... almost anything. You need to be prepared for a range of questions.

However, it's likely that your question will either be something that has not been covered before - or something that hasn't been covered for a while. Could Sheila be back? Could we hit the jackpot and write about responsibility again? I also like the 'contrasts' question: think young/old, rich/poor, capitalist/socialist, realism/the unreal ending. Dichotomies.

But I think there's a very good chance that it could be Mr Birling. So what might a Mr B question look like? How about these?

• How does Priestley undermine Mr Birling in An Inspector Calls?
• Mr Birling is a static character and is nothing more than a personification of capitalism. How does Priestley use Mr Birling to criticise capitalism?

Here's some thoughts about how to structure an answer to one of these questions:


Intro - first impressions:
stage directions and early dialogue - 'provincial speech' and manner hints at modest roots, but he's very quickly forgotten where he came from. Selfish and business obsessed - even at daughter's engagement: 'lower costs and higher prices' - Priestley hinting at his attitude towards his workers. Desperate to impress Gerald and possibly insecure. Hints that he's not as 'comfortable' as he tries to make out. Worries about the Crofts not being there and whether the celebration is lavish enough.

Dramatic irony:
Titanic - obvious reference which makes him sound buffoon-like. Repetition and categorical assertions ('unsinkable... absolutely unsinkable) highlight his over-confidence. War - more emotive. The references to 1940, Russia and H.G Wells/G.B Shaw would resonate with a 1940s audience in particular, and highlight the capitalist/socialist dichotomy.

Interrogation:
His attempts to intimidate Goole show that he's self-important and feels like he should be above the law. He is set up for a fall. Defensive quotes: 'If everyone was responsible...awkward.' etc. Euphemisms: 'horrid business'.

Comments on the interrogation of others:
Initially seems glad to not be the only one involved. Criticises others. Defends Gerald's adultery etc.

Realisation:
'Inspector, I'd give thousands' etc.

Ending:
Ends up laughing at the 'famous younger generation'. Circular structure mirrors his return to complacency. Somewhat lighthearted, silly language shows his growing excitement at getting away with it. 'By jingo, a fake.'

Conclusion:
Birling = capitalism. Static character intended to personify all the faults and complacency of Edwardian England - which led us, in Priestley's view, to war. Characterisation is not subtle - we are meant to see him as a buffoon from the very start. Whatever he says after the Titanic reference is not to be trusted - neither are his capitalist views. Titanic as metaphor for Birlings with their confidence, wealth and ultimately, their downfall.



I hope that makes sense and seems like a sensible approach. Your next step should be to find the quotes to go with this plan. Why not have a go at writing it? It could be your exam question! In addition, I've found this helpful revision powerpoint. Take a look.

  

Keep revising - and let me know if you need anything.




Mr M 

'Of Mice and Men' - Survival of the Fittest

Hi folks,

As you already know, my tip for the Of Mice and Men question is... Curley.

In a recent lesson, we tried to predict a part b question (remember, a related discursive essay that requires you to refer to context) to follow up a possible Curley extract question. 

Here's what we came up with:

In the rest of the novel, how does Steinbeck show that life on a ranch in 1930s America is all about survival of the fittest? 

And here's the plan we came up with (coutesy of Lindsey's exercise book). 

I'd recommend starting with an intro which discusses how Steinbeck first introduces this theme in chapter 1 (eg. nature distrubed by humans, heron & water snake, George comparing Lennie to a coyote etc). 

Here's the rest of the plan:

Now for a useful revision task, fill out this plan with key quotes from the text. And why not write it up? You bring it - I'll mark it.

I'll be blogging later about an 'An Inspector Calls' question.


Happy revising!



Mr M

Updated: GCSE English Language and English Literature Exam Guides

Hi,

Here are my updated guides to your three exam papers in the order that you will sit them:

 

I hope these help. You can find past papers here (just click the qualification you want and then 'past papers and mark schemes' from the menu on the left of the screen) or elsewhere on this blog.


Mr M

Another practice paper

Hi,

A couple of you asked for another English Language Paper to have a bash at. I quite like this one:







Feel free to give me more marking to do!

Remember, the resources and advice from the carousel lessons can be found here and here.

Coming soon: new exam guides.


Get to work!


Mr M

BeverleyHighEnglish on Twitter!

Hi all,

Just a reminder that the English Department are now on Twitter.

Year 11: don't be the chump that forgets her copy of Of Mice and Men on exam day. Follow us for short, timely reminders, updates, tips and links!

Click the icon to go to our feed.


Mr M

Revision materials on YouTube

Hi all,

I keep finding lots of useful resources in all sorts of places.

This guy (Mr Bruff) has a channel on YouTube where he posts advice and model answers for the AQA English Lit exams.

Here is just one example - a full mark answer on Of Mice and Men:

Check his other videos on Unseen Poetry, An Inspector Calls etc. by clicking the YouTube icon in the player above.


Mr M

Steinbeck's style

My little mindmappy thing...

Now try analysing an extract like this:

The deep green pool of the Salinas River was still in the late afternoon. Already the sun had left the valley to go climbing up the slopes of the Gabilan mountains, and the hilltops were rosy in the sun. But by the pool among the mottled sycamores, a pleasant shade had fallen.

A water snake glided smoothly up the pool, twisting its periscope head from side to side; and it swam the length of the pool and came to the legs of a motionless heron that stood in the shallows. A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically.

A far rush of wind sounded and a gust drove through the tops of the trees like a wave. The sycamore leaves turned up their silver sides, the brown, dry leaves on the ground scudded a few feet. And row on row of tiny wind waves flowed up the pool’s green surface.

As quickly as it had come, the wind died, and the clearing was quiet again. The heron stood in the shallows, motionless and waiting. Another little water snake swam up the pool, turning its periscope head from side to side.

Suddenly Lennie appeared out of the brush, and he came as silently as a creeping bear moves. The heron pounded the air with its wings, jacked itself clear of the water, and flew off down-river. The little snake slid in among the reeds at the pool's side.

Other good passages might be the introduction of Curley's wife, Slim or Crooks.

Mr M

Unseen Poetry - The Three Tick Method

Hello all,

On Monday, we discussed the best way of approaching the unseen poetry question.

To sum up this question (section B of the Lit Unit 2 - Poetry), you can expect:

• A fairly straight forward poem
• An extended metaphor or pattern of imagery to interpret
• A question which requires you to discuss a) ideas, attitudes, feelings; and b) the writer's methods (language and structure)

So, how should you approach a new poem in exam conditions?

By using the Three Tick Method! I nicked this idea from a well known American edublogger and writer. Here's how it works:

1) Create three tick boxes in the top corner of the paper like this: 

2) Read the poem. Make a few notes about the mood/tone. (Perhaps at the beginning and end?) Tick the first box.

3) Re-read the poem. Make a few notes about techniques (Go for the most obvious ones - eg. metaphor, rhyme, structure). Tick the second box.

4) Re-read the poem. Make a note about the 'main idea' (perhaps the theme or meaning of the poem). Tick the final box.

Now you are ready to write. This process takes 4-5 minutes and gives you a way into the poem. You'll find more to say as you go. Feel free to add further notes as you go.

I was really pleased with how this seemed to work on Monday. A single reading is not always enough to 'get' a poem. This way, you'll hit the ground running when you do start to write. Don't be afraid to spend this time thinking and annotating first. 25 minutes is plenty of time for this answer.

Why not give it a go? You have some past questions and a model answer. Or you can look at this. Alternatively, have another look at these belters:

Love After Love

The time will come
when, with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the other's welcome,

And say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was yourself.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.


Derek Walcott

Remember, after school on Thursday we'll be looking at the OMAM part b question - and in Friday's lesson we'll move on to An Inspector Calls.

Mr M

PS. The English Department now has a Twitter account. Just search for BeverleyHighEng and get following. I'll tweet links to all future blog posts.

PPS. Several of you still owe me Easter homework. Friday please, or I'll be on your case.

Easter Revision

Hi all,

Last quick post before I hop on a plane. I was hoping to re-release my exam guides as well; perhaps I can fire one or two blogs out from the other side of the world. No promises.

Here are some Easter revision tips:

Easter Revision Advice

1)     Know the three exam papers and audit your knowledge – if there’s a poem or a part of the exam you’re not sure about, it’s up to you to sort it out. There’s loads of help out there. And you can still email me if you’re desperate for help. You can find my exam guides on the blog here (soon to be updated).

2)    Read the news – any article could be the basis for Section A of the English Language paper. Think about how your article gets across its key points using  language and presentational devices. This will help you get used to noticing a writer’s techniques in a previously unseen text.

3)    Re-read Of Mice and Men and/or An Inspector Calls. This is vital – you’ll pick up much more the second time around. Reading Of Mice and Men will take around three hours.

4)    Read 2/3 poems a night. Knowing the poems inside out is much more valuable than revising your notes. The more you’ve thought about the poems, the more you’ll be able to respond to the question rather than awkwardly trotting out ideas and techniques you jotted down in your anthology. We can tell! Try using the ‘comparing poems’ sheet. You could also test out your ‘unseen poetry’ skills by reading poems from sections outside of Character and Voice.

5)    Revise the Lit poems in thematic clusters. Eg: power, identity, male and female relationships, outsiders  etc. These themes allow you to predict questions. Use the comparing poems sheet to show how you’d compare them. Try a practice question!

6)    Use the blog!

mrmuraleeenglish.blogspot.co.uk

7)    Use your exercise books – you have your own revision guide!

8)    Don’t forget about writing – plenty of advice on the blog. Revise persuasive techniques and practice. If you have a particular weakness (eg. paragraphing/ apostrophes), work on it.

Useful sites:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/
• http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/drama/inspectorcalls.htm
• http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/prose/ofmiceandmen.htm
• http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/micemen/
• http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/Of-Mice-and-Men.id-101.html

Have fun (but not too much!)

Mr M