Year 10:

FIRST DRAFT DUE MONDAY 9th

Task -Compare the ways John Steinbeck and Arthur Miller present the idea of the American Dream in 'Of Mice and Men' and 'Death of a Salesman'.

This is worth 40% of your overall Literature GCSE grade.

Sentence starters for Coursework

 

Introduction

‘Death of a Salesman’ is a play by Arthur Miler which..

John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ also...

 

Paragraph 1 – Social, Historical and Cultural contexts

The books share social, historical and cultural contexts. Firstly both are set during a time in American history when...

The social settings are similar in that everyone in society is attempting to

Both are realist texts as Steinbeck said “...

The geographical setting of Miller and Steinbeck’s texts are different as...

Despite the different geographical settings both present the idea of...

When the books were published, the reaction was...

Joseph McCarthy’s...

 

Paragraphs 2: Willy Loman

In ‘Death of a Salesman’ we follow the last few days of Willy Loman. Willy is...

Miller further hints at Willy’s low status by his choice of surname for his character:“Willy Loman”. This suggests

Wily eventually comes to the realisation that he will never...

 

Paragraph 3: Lennie Small

In ‘Of Mice and Men’ we meet Lennie Small as he...

Lennie is attempting to achieve the American Dream as he believes...

Interestingly‘Of Mice and Men’s main character’s surname has similar connotations to that of Willy Loman as he is called: “Lennie Small”. This suggests

Although the vulnerable Lennie does not realise, the reader does quickly realise that he will never achieve...

 

Paragraph 4 –The dark side of the American Dream (themes: failure/ isolation)

Both Miller and Steinbeck’s texts show the dark side of...

The books do not show success, but instead show...

The ideas contained within both texts are failure and isolation. We see this when...

 

Paragraph 5 – The endings of both texts and what they say about the future (hope)

Despite the furore surrounding the publication of both books...

Despite the accusations that both authors faced from aspects of American society at the time, they are not a completely damning portrayal of the American Dream. In ‘Of Mice and Men’ George is left to...

Also there are glimmers of hope at the end of ‘Death of a Salesman’ as Biff...

The reader realises that, despite the harsh conditions the characters lived in, they were partly to blame for not...

Biff and George represent the possibility that...

 

Conclusion – Critiques of the American Dream. Downfalls of complex characters.

In conclusion Miller’s ‘Death of a Saleman’ and Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ present the idea of the American Dream as...

We follow the sad endings of the characters...

Through the stories of Lennie and Willy we see that the pursuit of the American Dream can be...

The reader feels...

 

 

Phrase bank

depicts	presents the idea of the American Dream as	deluded	leaves the reader disillusioned with
portrays	low status in society	A harsh climate	Abandoned by society who cares only for status and wealth
Desperation	Furthermore	Not only this but	Firstly
Secondly	This suggests	This shows	Both texts

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramajourneysend/

A brilliant revision tool for 'Journey's End'

Unseen Poetry preparation.

use the link below to revise all literary terms. You will need to be able to identify these and analyse them in the unseen poem:
http://www2.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/general/glossary.htm

Post for Y10:

A great link to help you better understand 'Of Mice and Men':

http://as.sjsu.edu/sits/content.jsp?val=works_of-mice-and-men_home

Post for Year 10:

Third draft of Descriptive Writing courseowrk piece is due Monday 19th May. this must be word processed and e-mailed to igcseenglish@st-ignatius.enfield.sch.uk.

Remember to include lots of language that impacts on the reader e.g. word choice, similes etc.

 

Use the time you still have!!!

Mrs Graham's recipe for success, and how to use this evening to help you get an even better grade in your English Language GCSE:

Step 1: Have dinner and relax with a clear 'starting time' when you will get up and go and study. I recommend starting to study around 6 so you are not too tired. This means you will be well fed, relaxed and ready to begin and more likely to take in what you study. You must ensure you get to work at the promised time though, and don't leave it too late to start! Or start at 5, have a dinner break, and then return to studying.

Step 2: Begin to work through the links published this evening and note down everything you learn from it but not exactly as it is on the webpage. You must MAKE NOTES, this means create a mind-map or bulletpoints to esnure you are taking in what you are reading. Also take advantage of the tests online also.

Step 3:  In timed conditions, attempt one of the practice papers using the link given. If possible, print out the paper. Use highlighters etc, and all other exam strategies we have spoken about.

Step 4: Use the marking scheme in the link to mark the practice paper you have attempted. If possible, ask someone else to do this for you.

Step 5: Identify where you have gone wrong and then use the link and other resources you have to try to address these mistakes.

Finally, once you have used all of the other websites, here is a link to more practice papers:

http://www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-igcse-english-first-language-uk-0522/past-papers/

To help you achieve maximum points for your writing skills in Q2 of Core and Qs 1 and 3 in Extended, brush up on your grammar and punctuation:

http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/topic/reading-and-understanding

Another great resource for reading skills. Use this learning link in particular:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/topic/reading-and-understanding/resources/l1

A Brilliant starting point for revision tonight for the Language paper, both Core and Extended:

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/

Some more help on word choice:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/english/close_reading/word_choice/revision/1/

E-mail addresses

Could all pupils please e-mail the igcse address ( igcseenglish@st-ignatius.enfield.sch.uk) so that I have your addresses. I am doing a final review of all Language coursework and will e-mail you if you need to make final improvements on your pieces to ensure you achieve the best grade possible. Your language coursework is worth 40% of your overall Language GCSE award.

Speaking and Listening Update:

The Speaking and Listening exam is worth 20% of your overall English Language grade.

If you received less than 20/30 for your recent Speaking and Listening exam, we will re-do this at the very beginning of the new term in the first week back.

Remember - you must speak for 3-4 minutes about your topic to engage the listener and use language to create effect (e.g. similes/ metaphors etc.) and then have a discussion for 6-7 minutes where I will ask you several questions related to your topic.

Below is a link to some great advice and help:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/speaking/

A brilliant tool to revise/ brush up on your grammar:

http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/

Literature Exam (Journey's End):

When we return to school we will review Journey's End and write several critical essays on the text. To help you prepare for this and the exam essay question, here is a great link to help with your revision:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramajourneysend/ 

FAO Rabby,

please e-mail Mrs Graham urgently at the IGCSE address so she can then send you your coursework first draft with feedback.

Easter Revision Task 1: Word Choice

e-mail answers to igcseenglish@st-ignatius.enfield.sch.uk by Thursday 12 noon

 

What is word choice?   Writers choose every word, space and piece of punctuation very carefully to ensure that they communicate their meaning clearly to the reader.   Word choice is when a word is specifically chosen for its connotations, not necessarily its denotation.   In our vocabulary we have neutral verbs, these are words which simply have a denotation (=a literal meaning), but they do not have connotations (suggestions). For example ‘I walked to the park’. The word walked does not give any suggestions as to how I walked to the park, nor does it suggest anything about me as a person.   Whereas if I wrote ‘I staggered to the park’. The denotation of staggered is walked, however the connotations/ suggestions are that I walked unsteadily, was not graceful, it also suggests I may be drunk or unwell.   RECAP:   Words have a DENOTAION (= literal meaning/neutral verb) and some words have CONNOTATIONS (= suggestions). Writers use word choice in order to include the suggestions of a word to give their writing more meaning. It is your job to identify these examples of word choice and to then identify the connotations of the word.

 

When analysing Unseen Poetry in the exam, you will need to identify examples of word choice and then you can create PQCs on this for your essay.

 

TASK – Read through the poem below and:

a)    Identify 8 examples of word choice

b)   For each example identify the word’s denotation and connotations

 

EXTENSION/ AIMING HIGH: For each example write a PQC e.g. The writer uses word choice to show_________: “QUOTE”. The connotations of the word_____ being ______. This furthers our understanding of _______

IN MRS TILSCHER’S CLASS  (Carol Anne Duffy)  

 

You could travel up the Blue Nile

with your finger, tracing the route

while MrsTilscher chanted the scenery

Tana. Ethiopia. Khartoum. Aswan.

That for an hour, then a skittle of milk                              

and the chalky Pyramids rubbed into dust.

A window opened with a long pole.

The laugh of a bell swung by a running child.

 

This was better than home. Enthralling books.

The classroom glowed like a sweetshop.

Sugar paper. Coloured shapes. Brady and Hindley

faded, like a faint uneasy smudge of a mistake.

Mrs Tilscher loved you. Some mornings, you found

she’d left a good gold star by your name.

The scent of a pencil, slowly, carefully, shaved.

A xylophone’s nonsense heard from another form.

 

Over the Easter term, the inky tadpoles changed

from commas into exclamation marks. Three frogs

hopped in the playground, freed by a dunce,

followed by a line of kids, jumping and croaking

away from the lunch queue. A rough boy

told you how you were born. You kicked him, but stared

at your parents, appalled, when you got back home .

 

That feverish July, the air tasted of electricity.

A tangible alarm made you always untidy, hot,

fractious under the heavy sexy sky. You asked her

how you were born and Mrs Tilscher smiled,

then turned away. Reports were handed out.

You ran through the gates, impatient to be grown,

As the sky split open into a thunderstorm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reminder:

Final draft of Literature coursework is due Wednesday 9th April by 8pm. Your coursework must be typed on a Microsoft Word Document, with your name clearly at the top. Please e-mail final drafts to:

igcseenglish@st-ignatius.enfield.sch.uk

Compare the ways John Steinbeck and Arthur Miller present the idea of the American Dream in ‘Of Mice and Men’ and ‘Death of A Salesman’.

Update and reminder:
Exemplar literature coursework essay will be published at 8pm tonight. This will remain on the blog until Monday 11am to help you see what a successful piece of coursework looks like.

Final draft of coursework is due Wednesday by 8pm. This is 40% of your literature gcse grade.

Mrs Graham will also be in school additionally on Monday 9-1 if you need further help.

Sentence starters for Coursework

Introduction

‘Death of a Salesman’ is a play by Arthur Miler which..

John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ also...

Paragraph 1 – Social, Historical and Cultural contexts

The books share social, historical and cultural contexts. Firstly both are set during a time in American history when...

The social settings are similar in that everyone in society is attempting to

Both are realist texts as Steinbeck said “...

The geographical setting of Miller and Steinbeck’s texts are different as...

Despite the different geographical settings both present the idea of...

When the books were published, the reaction was...

Joseph McCarthy’s...

Paragraphs 2: Willy Loman

In ‘Death of a Salesman’ we follow the last few days of Willy Loman. Willy is...

Miller further hints at Willy’s low status by his choice of surname for his character: “Willy Loman”. This suggests

Wily eventually comes to the realisation that he will never...

Paragraph 3: Lennie Small

In ‘Of Mice and Men’ we meet Lennie Small as he...

Lennie is attempting to achieve the American Dream as he believes...

Interestingly ‘Of Mice and Men’s main character’s surname has similar connotations to that of Willy Loman as he is called: “Lennie Small”. This suggests

Although the vulnerable Lennie does not realise, the reader does quickly realise that he will never achieve...

Paragraph 4 –The dark side of the American Dream (themes: failure/ isolation)

Both Miller and Steinbeck’s texts show the dark side of...

The books do not show success, but instead show...

The ideas contained within both texts are failure and isolation. We see this when...

Paragraph 5 – The endings of both texts and what they say about the future (hope)

Despite the furore surrounding the publication of both books...

Despite the accusations that both authors faced from aspects of American society at the time, they are not a completely damning portrayal of the American Dream. In ‘Of Mice and Men’ George is left to...

Also there are glimmers of hope at the end of ‘Death of a Salesman’ as Biff...

The reader realises that, despite the harsh conditions the characters lived in, they were partly to blame for not...

Biff and George represent the possibility that...

Conclusion – Critiques of the American Dream. Downfalls of complex characters.

In conclusion Miller’s ‘Death of a Saleman’ and Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ present the idea of the American Dream as...

We follow the sad endings of the characters...

Through the stories of Lennie and Willy we see that the pursuit of the American Dream can be...

The reader feels...

Phrase bank

depicts	presents the idea of the American Dream as	deluded	leaves the reader disillusioned with
portrays	low status in society	A harsh climate	Abandoned by society who cares only for status and wealth
Desperation	Furthermore	Not only this but	Firstly
Secondly	This suggests	This shows	Both texts

Coursework Deadline!

Monday 31st March
1st draft due.

Task -Compare the ways John Steinbeck and Arthur Miller present the idea of the American Dream in 'Of Mice and Men' and 'Death of a Salesman'.

This is worth 40% of your overall Literature GCSE grade.

To help use the following resources you have been issued with:

- booklet with paragraph plan and quote bank
- 'Of Mice and Men' text
- 'Death of a Salesman' text
- booklet with further information about 'Of Mice and Men'
- sentence starter handout and word banks

FAILURE TO COMPLETE FIRST DRAFT WILL RESULT IN DETENTION

Another revision test on reading skills, this time: summarising skills.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/english/reading/summarising/quiz/q90744486/ 

This is a great way to revise for the reading paper, both core and extended. The final question in extended asks you to summarise the texts and there are several questions in the core where you must use summarising skills.

Remember: summarising requires you to put text into your own words.

Formality vs. Informality

In today's lesson we learned about the differences between formal and informal language.

Take the test below to help you consolidate your learning:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/english/writing/tone_style/quiz/q78708998/

Homework help harvest success!

Reminder: IGCSE Language Past Paper due this Friday. Answers on A4 paper please.

Reminders:

Study Support Class tonight 3.30-4.30 in 310 for the Language Paper

Tomorow: Speaking and Listening exams in Mrs Graham's Roselands Office (Media and Law Office) periods 4-6.

Please arrive promptly to your exam and wait outside to make sure you don't disturb and exam taking place.

Another lunchtime session where practice Speaking and Listening slots were on offer and no-one has turned up!

It is important to use all of the help/advice and support that is being offered to esnure you get the best GCSE English grades possible.

Reminder: Speaking and Listening exams are this Thursday.

Important!

Updated Information.

Speaking and Listening exams will take place Thursday 13th March periods 4-6 with Mrs Graham.

You can hand in an updated speech script tomorrow and then you can attend at 12.40 on Monday lunchtime for a practice exam.

Speaking and Listening Exams

These will take place this Thursday periods 4-6. Mrs Graham will give you a time tomorrow in class. 

Be prepared! 3-4 minutes on your topic followed by 6-7 minutes of discussion where I will ask you questions related to your talk/topic. Ensure you have thorough knowledge of your topic and can give detailed answers. 

Paragraph plan

Introduction – Introduce your favourite sport, and briefly explain what the sport involves.

Paragraph 1 – Where is it played?

Paragraph 2 – The rules of the sport

Paragraph 3 – The fans (who/where/why)

Paragraph 4 – The history of the sport (when was it introduced/first played)

Paragraph 5 – The future of the sport (e.g. is there a big event coming up/ is it being played more/less/ does it need investment)

Conclusion - Conclude your essay by summing up the main points about your favourite sport.

Remember: the essay is not about you, it's about the sport!

Informative Essays Redrafting

Your essays will be returned to you tomorrow with feedback on what you need to do to improve. The redrafted version is due in Friday 7th March in class time.

Please use the following checklist to ensure your redraft is of a high standard:

1. Do not refer to yourself in the essay, it is an informative essay not a personal essay
2. Ensure that you have proof read your work and that expression and meaning are clear
3. Ensure your essay has a clear introduction and conclusion
4. Ensure that if you have researched and wish to include some of what you have found, you re-write it in your own words or use quotation marks 
5. At the bottom of your essay include a bibliography, which is a list of all books/ web addresses that you used to research. All essays must have this.
6. Your essay must be between 500-800 words
7. Try to engage your reader and avoid writing a large paragraph on the rules of your sport.
8. Ensure you use the paragraph plan and include a paragraph on all sections of the plan