Susansenglish



Unpicking the Eduqas Language Fiction Paper 1AMy ideas of an approach to what you need to do for each of the questions in the Language Fiction Reading Paper 1A for questions A1 to A5. I’m using the Y9 Roald Dahl Hitchhiker assessment for examples of what to do and what to avoid. Very simply the skills for A1 –?A5 are as follows:A1 – Listing ideas using implicit and explicit understanding (own words is acceptable)A2 –Exploring language use with quotationsA3 – Exploring language use with quotations and exploring effect of this tooA4 – Exploring the structure and way tension and drama is created in a text using quotations A5 – Giving a critical and persuasive evaluation of what the text is suggestingWhat I have learnt about A1.This seems to be the easiest question for students and eases them into more complicated skills in the paper.Students must be aware of where in the text to find the information – reiterate the fact that line numbers will be specified. (This advice transfers to A2, A3 & A4)Explore implicit meanings with students - remind them that less obvious meanings can be inferred or hidden under the surfaceExplore explicit meanings with students – remind them that if it seems obvious it probably is.Listing in a bullet point is acceptableEqually writing a short paragraph covering five different points is also an acceptable format for this questionTE QUESTION: A1 - ?List five positive things about the narrator’s new carExample answers which would be acceptable: The driver is excited to be driving his car as he describes it as a toy – implicit meaning, because he describes it as an “exciting toy” and it is suggested that he is excited about the experience as a whole.It was new – explicit meaning, because it is specifically stated as a positive that it is a “new car”.Both these answers would be acceptable as they both show positive things about the narrator’s new car.What I have learnt about A2 & A3 – Language Analysis skills.A wide range seems to suggest 4 – 5 quotes from the specified area of text (for A2)A wide range seems to suggest 7 – 8 quotes or more from the specified area of text (for A3)Short, snappy and specific quotes offer the best opportunities to analyseLanguage techniques should be used in relation to the quotes chosenSubject terminology might include – suggests/infers/impliesA tentative style for exploring meaning is useful – could/may/mightMaking a point which links to the question leads to more specific analysisGiving an example and then annotating with the students what the process is helps students to understand what to include in an answer and why (see example below of an unpicked answer for A2 & A3)Refer to language is specified in the question for A2Giving students a checklist of language techniques is useful in getting them to consistently identify techniques, as is talking about language every time a quote is discussed in class (Perhaps, this subliminal tactic will begin to show itself in their writing). Also, signposting what we are doing may help to embed this as an important consideration any time they are looking at a quote: A link to subject terminology list is here: subject-terminology-for-english-lang-and-litUsing a triplet in analysis can be effective for digging under the surface of a quotes meaningEqually, exploring connotations of words can also be valuable for exploring langaugeA concise style is important – encourage students to avoid phrases such as; In this quote it is clear that the driver feels… (too long and wordy without saying much)Avoid using?“I” when analysing try instead to?use we or usUse a connective to help move onto the next point for the same question (this seems like a slightly more sophisticated way of moving onto the next point and can help to avoid issues of repeating the same sentence starters).Timing is an issue in this paper and encouraging concise, specific answers will go a long way to helping students get the timing rightA2 and A3 are very similar. However, A3 explores the effect on the reader too.Example for A2THE QUESTION: For A2 – Read lines 8 – 15 A2. How does the writer express how the driver of the car feels in this sectiion. You must refer to the language used in the text to support your answer.The driver appears to be enjoying the summer’s day when the narrator says “a lovely June day” using the adjective to imply that there is nice summer weather outside of the car. This pathetic fallacy infers that nothing can go wrong, he is happy and relaxed. Furthermore…appears – tentative styleenjoying the summer's day – what we think of the character linked to the questionadjective/pathetic fallacy – terminologynice summer weather outside of the car – meaning/opinion linked to the questionnothing can go wrong, he is happy and relaxed ?– Triplet to further explore meaningFurthermore...– Connective to move onto the next pointOften, what I am trying to avoid is answers like this:The driver is happy “lovely June day” shows this. He is driving up to London in his car and it’s a nice sunny day so he is happy about this.This is very basic and simple, doesn’t focus on the language particularly well and is a bit repetitive. On the positive a quote has been embedded.Example for A3THE QUESTION: For A3 - Read lines 20-29. A3. What impressions do you get of the Hitchhiker’s character and personality from these lines???You must refer to the text to support your answer.????????? A3 – example which is similar to A2 but with the?effect specifiedThe impressions I get of the hitchhiker are that he seems to be a slightly unsavoury character. Using the metaphor “a small ratty-faced man” to compare him to a despicable and dirty creature suggests this. Most people think rats are shifty, disease-ridden and suspicious. Perhaps, we may feel suspicious of the Hitchhikers character.Seems/suggests/may – tentative styleslightly unsavoury character – what we think of the character linked to the questionmetaphor – terminologydespicable and dirty creature – meaning/opinion linked to the questionshifty, disease-ridden and suspicious – Triplet to further explore meaningWe – Using we not Ifeel suspicious– the effect on the readerOften, what I am trying to avoid is answers like this:The driver doesn’t like the look of the Hitchhiker because he is a ratty faced man who he has picked up on the side of the road. The writer has created an effect on the reader that he is like a rat which is suggesting he is not very nice and that the driver doesn’t really like him and that his face isn’t very good. Here we can see that the conciseness has been lost and the answer becomes repetitive and less focused on the effect of the language. No quotation marks have been used so it is difficult to tell whether the student has understood how to embed quotations or not. Or, another common problem is?for the language technique to be tagged on at the end of the analysis. The language technique used is a metaphor, meaning that it loses impact and is not really relevant to what is being said in the analysis.What I have learnt about A4.You will, perhaps find this difficult, maybe because it is about structure and it is difficult to unpick at times. Here are some things I would encourage you to do: Remember to focus on the specific lines asked forIdentify levels of tension/drama and signpost this in an answer - Low/Medium/High tension or dramaRefer to the structure by explaining the progress of tension/drama – it starts high and decreases to low etc.Refer to techniques used by the writer to show that they have thought about the structure: attached is some of the techniques or ways I ask students to think about structure (helpfully adapted from other Twitter users – if anybody knows who I’d love to recognise them): Use specific quotes which show the nuances of tense or dramatic events within the extract Try to link the different techniques used Explain how or why the writer has created the tension Explain what effect the tension or drama has on you as a readerUse we or us not I to explore what you think Then, using connectives move onto a similar or different example of tension or drama THE QUESTION: For A4 - Read lines 30-40. A4. How does the writer create tension and drama in these lines? You should write about: ??how the dialogue builds a sense of anticipation; ??the writer’s use of structure to create mystery and fascination; ??the effect of the passage on the reader.The extract starts with low tension or drama when the driver uses a question “Then why do you go?” which seems innocent and ordinary to open a dialogue with the Hitchhiker. We would also feel curious about why he was going to the races but not betting on horses. However, the response is interesting and shows some more drama with the use of adverbial phrase “absolutely blank” implying through his emotional response that he is angry with the driver, perhaps as the hitchhiker feels that the driver is being nosy and is too interested in what he is doing. This coupled with the short sentence “He didn’t seem to like that” implies that there is an atmosphere in the car now, which could suggest medium tension as the driver is aware of the emotional impact of his question. Now, we would expect the driver not to ask any more questions about the races or to change the subject as it is clearly an uncomfortable question. 1 – Referring to levels of tension/drama = low tension or drama/medium tension 2 – Referring to changing levels of tension/drama = low through to medium tension and some more drama3 – Explaining structure using techniques = question, dialogue, adverbial phrase, emotional response and short sentence 4 – Explain the reason it is tense/dramatic = innocent and ordinary, angry with the driver, nosy and is too interested in what he is doing 5 – Explain the reader response or effect = feel curious and we would expect the driver not to…6 – Use we or us not I = We 7 – Using a connective to move onto another example = However, 8 – Linking techniques = This coupledOften what I am trying to avoid is answers that look like this: The driver asks a question to the hitchhiker “Then why do you go” which isn’t tense. But then the hitchhikers face shows he isn’t happy which makes it a bit tense. Here the response doesn’t really explain how or why it is tense and although it does refer to tension in the example it is very brief and there is not enough reference to the way structure creates and effect. This does seem to offer you the opportunity to link, develop and explore the way structure creates tension and drama. What I have learnt about A5.Here are some of the things I would encourage you to do:Track through the whole extract. Start with the opening, go to the middle and then the endTry to avoid repeating the use of quotes that have been used already, which can be difficult to do and is only as a caution to you to help you avoid repetition of exactly what they have already said Focus on the question Use quotes to support your ideas Predicting the opposition briefly at the start of the answer and then persuading the opinion of one side of the argument appears to be a sophisticated way of exploring this question Offer opinions and explain why you think thatBuilding an argument is key so not recommending specific amount of quotes might help students to understand that the quality of what they are saying linked to specific amounts of quotes is importantTHE QUESTION: For A5 - Read all of the passage again. A5. “The writer deliberately creates a clear difference between the way the driver and the Hitchhiker are both described.” To what extent do you agree with this view? You should write about: ??your own impressions of the Hitchhiker and the driver are presented in the passage as a whole; ??how the writer has created these impressions. You must refer to the text to support your answer.Some might suggest that the driver and the Hitchhiker are similar due to both having experience of hitchhiking, however most people will agree that the two characters are different and Dahl has done this deliberately. In the statement “I hated the drivers for pretending” shows that the driver has in the past been a hitchhiker. However, this is where the similarities stop. The driver appears to be wealthy as he is driving alone in a “big BMW” which could be a symbol of wealth as BMW’s are considered as an expensive car that not everyone can afford. This is in direct contrast to the Hitchhiker who has no transport and is waiting to be picked up on the side of the road “a man thumbing a lift” which implies he is poor and unable to afford to get to his destination. Further into the story we continue to see contrasts in the way that the driver asks lots of questions and is extremely friendly towards the man “What part of London…” shows that the driver is willing to engage in small talk. Differently to the driver, the hitchhiker appears to find the questions from the driver irritating and make him seem less friendly than the driver and more suspicious “That’s a silly stupid business” suggests that he feels betting on horses is beneath him which is very negative considering the driver has just said “I love betting on horses”. Here he seems unaware that he could be considered rude unlike the driver who asks questions and responds in a kind and calm way…1 – Predict the opposition = some might suggest, are similar then moves onto answer and persuade of one point of view/opinion2 – Track through the extract = “I hated the drivers for pretending” start of the extract and “That’s a silly stupid business” from the middle/last section of the extract3 – Try to avoid repeating the quotes = not sure I’ve managed to show this as this would only be obvious with a full A1 – A5 example worked out4 – Focus on the question = This is in direct contrast and continue to see contrasts and differently to the driver 5 – Use quotes = see embedded quotations 6 – Offer opinions and explain why you think them = poor and unable to afford to get to his destination and he feels betting on horses is beneath him which is very negative 7 – Building an argument = throughout the example this is done (I think and hope) Often, what I am trying to avoid is answers like this: The driver and the hitchhiker are different because one is rich and the other is poor. They are also different because one has a car and the other doesn't and they both are different with the way they talk, one of them sounds posh and the other doesn't.Here no quotes have been used and the answer does link to the question but in a list like response that doesn't explore why or how they have thought this about the two characters. ................
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