A Beginners Guide to English Studies Rose Hampel

Aim of this workshop A brief overview of course requirements. Advice for task design in Text Study section and Text Production Study components of course. Brief advice on selecting texts for Individual Study. Advice on preparing students for the Examination. Advice on preparing material for moderation.

About me English coordinator at Clare High School About 12 years’ experience teaching English Studies. Contact: rose@hampel.com.au

First things First… Essential Documents: Subject Outline for 2015 Subject operational material for 2015 Other SACE Board documents available: 2014 (and previous) Assessment Reports Exemplar learning and assessment plans Assessment task exemplars and student responses Past exam papers Other support from the SACE Board: Clarifying forum (Week 8?) Jim Freeman, Responsible Officer for English Studies Phone: (08) 8372 7491 Email: jimf@saceboard.sa.gov.au

Choosing Texts Single texts must come from the list of prescribed texts Paired texts study should consist of one text from the list of prescribed texts. The second text need not come from the list but may do so. Poetry must be based on the study of at least three poets. Two poets must come from the prescribed list. You must include: One film text At least one prose text At least one written drama text At least 1000 lines of poetry A range of short texts (Critical Reading)

My Texts for 2012 Single text 1: Never Let Me Go Kazuo Ishiguro Single text 2: Cloudstreet Enright and Monjo (adaptation of the novel) Paired texts: The Kite Runner Kahled Hosseini and Atonement directed by Joe Wright Poets: John Keats, Seamus Heaney and Bruce Dawe

Looking for ideas for pairings? The SAETA Facebook page is proving very helpful for sharing ideas about possible pairings. Past Refresher Course notes are very helpful – available on SAETA website with members’ login.

Designing your tasks Task design is a vital part of student success. Know and understand the assessment design criteria. Choose the best criteria to focus on for each task (no need to cover all criteria in all tasks) Be aware of the constraints of the word count and work around it.

Shared Studies 4-6 responses Word count 1000 words, time limit 6 minutes. Not necessary to only do essays for each response. Consider other ways of allowing students to respond. See recent past Refresher Course notes for some great ideas. For example: Melanie Smith’s ideas on “Analysis without essays” from 2011 (?) refresher course on the members’ section of the SAETA website. Timed essays can be a good starting point, but you are advised in the 2014 Assessor’s Report (p. 3) to allow students to then draft and revise their work before assessment.

Some ideas Provide students with a list of questions. Students choose two or three to be answered in carefully structured paragraphs. Comparative paragraphs focused on two poems. Oral presentation where students teach the class the features of one of the poems being studied.

Avoid Only doing essays given the word count restraints. Essay tests as this might disadvantage students at moderation. Formative essay tests modelled on past exam papers at the end of each text study is more helpful.

Critical Reading Expose students to a wide range of text types to teach them the structures and techniques typically used. Include a critical reading exercise as a part of the Shared Studies assessment (not necessarily under test conditions) Ask students to collect examples of different text types and create posters where they deconstruct them, considering form, audience, purpose, context and language features. Provide students with as many examples from past exam papers as possible. Use the Assessment Reports to support you when marking them. See Alison Robertson’s notes and ideas from the 2011 Refresher Course, especially the “Handy Guide” diagram. Available in the members section of the SAETA website.

Other tips for Shared Studies section Explicitly teach essay and paragraph structure Simple five paragraph structure will work in most cases Introduction Three paragraphs addressing three main points Conclusion TEEL Paragraph structure Topic sentence Examples Explanation Link to question Comparative paragraph structure (check out Alison Robertson’s session today!) Explicitly teach how to quote from texts effectively. Short quotations used frequently. Embedded into the line of discussion in the paragraph. No need to include page numbers. Focus on technique, technique, technique!

Text production Two written texts and two oral texts. Useful to find connections between this component and the text study or critical reading section of the exam. Students learn and experiment with the structures and language features of different text types. Focus of assessment is on Knowledge and understanding Application Communication See list of suggested texts in Subject Outline.

Some ideas Narrative Avoid: Focus on specific narrative structures and points of view Using flashbacks Dual narratives Focus on specific language techniques Figurative language Descriptive language Try using a photo or painting as a prompt for the narrative Avoid: Using models on which student must base their writing. Can limit weaker students Can lead to writing that lacks originality

Some ideas Recount Focus on structure of recount Focus on language techniques: Descriptive language Sensory language Emotive language Figurative language Hyperbole Humour

Some ideas Expository Avoid: Choose topics that allow students to base their writing on personal opinions rather than research Insist that students incorporate a range of persuasive techniques Avoid the need for footnoting (not necessary in the English Studies course) Avoid: Topics requiring research. Too hard for students’ own voice to dominate.

Some ideas Other text types worth considering: Radio play recording Screenplay Poems Speech for specific audience and/or purpose See some of Alison Robertson’s ideas from the 2012 Refresher Course (members section of SAETA website)

Individual Study Introduce as soon as possible. I use the paired texts study to model how to go about comparing to texts. Discourage students from settling on both texts now. Choose first text. Complete supporting study. Choose second text on basis of key themes/techniques that strike the student. Choose texts (novels, plays, films, etc) with literary merit. No techniques = unsuccessful study. Avoid texts that are largely character or plot driven. Use the SAETA Facebook page as a way of seeking assistance with possible pairings.

Examination 3 hour exam plus 10 minutes reading time This year: 2 November, 9am Three sections must be completed: Section A: Shared Studies (compulsory section) Section B: Shared Studies (choose one question from Part 1 OR Part 2) Critical Reading Exercise

Suggestions for preparing students for the examination Explicitly teach exam technique Time management Tackling essays in exam conditions Memorising quotations etc Do at least one formative (not for assessment) essay test per text. Have students complete at least one full 3 hour exam. Try lessons where students write an introduction only for an exam question. Give the students every exam paper you can find at the end of Term 3 and encourage students to complete as many essay tests as they can in the revision period leading up to the final exam.

Preparing materials for moderation Read the operational information carefully. Suggestions for presenting moderation material: Ensure task sheet with student’s name is on each piece of work. Organise each student’s work into three sections: Assessment Type 1: Shared Studies Assessment Type 2: Individual Study Assessment Type 3: Text Production No need for plastic sleeves (unless CD-ROMs included). No folders to be sent. Just paperclip/staple each section together! Including a cover sheet that summarises the grade for each component and the overall grade is helpful. Don’t overdo the sticky tape!

Preparing materials for moderation Include a copy of your assessment plan with the “Addendum to Learning and Assessment Plan” attached if needed. Include a “Variations – Moderation Materials” form if needed. Don’t allow the students to keep their own work for assessment – store in safe place at school for them!

How to improve for next time Read your moderation feedback – it’s vague, but you can glean some information from it. Get your results breakdown from your principal or SACE coordinator, and reflect on areas for improvement. We all make mistakes – reflecting and making changes is worth the effort!