National 5 English – Portfolio

2 pieces of Writing 1000 word limit SQA requirements 2 pieces of Writing 1000 word limit 15 marks each + 30 marks in total from the 100 marks that will make up your National 5 Grade

SQA requirements Group A: broadly creative ♦ a personal essay/reflective essay ♦ a piece of prose fiction (eg short story, episode from a novel) ♦ a poem or set of thematically linked poems ♦ a dramatic script (eg scene, monologue, sketch) Group B: broadly discursive ♦ a persuasive essay ♦ an argumentative essay ♦ a report for a specified purpose ♦ a piece of transactional writing

Do you research for you or give you articles SQA requirements REASONABLE ASSISTANCE Teachers can’t: give you a topic give you a plan Do you research for you or give you articles Teachers can: discuss your ideas give you general feedback on one draft

Help you find ideas for both types of writing Scholar HOW CAN SCHOLAR HELP Help you find ideas for both types of writing Give you help with every stage of the process Show you examples of good work Help you understand how to write effectively

Scholar

Scholar

Scholar

Creative Writing Really well made characters are perhaps the most important part of story writing. The reader engages with the people in the story far more readily than they do with the setting or the themes. To get the characters right, it is worth taking the time to plan properly. Make characters - Real - Realistic - Individual NO MORE than two main characters

Creative Writing Stephen King I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose.

Creative Writing

Characters in Portfolio activity: A Yellow Ribbon Creative Writing Characters in Portfolio activity: A Yellow Ribbon Read this extract from the short story 'A Yellow Ribbon'. It had been hours since he last stirred. A dark shape perched on a high window ledge, completely still. He started as a plate of sloppy stew clattered onto a small table by the door, and turned to glare down at what had disturbed him. A young woman stood there, dressed in white, frozen to the spot, (or so it seemed) her expression horrified. She did not turn as she retreated from the room, backing slowly out of the door. As she closed it slowly with a creak, he continued to glare until he was glaring only at the cracked, stained wood of the door itself. He made quite sure her hurried footsteps had faded before sliding off his ledge to land on the hard floor with a muffled thud. He padded over to the low table, where the plate now rested. The lumpy brown sludge that covered the little plate bore a startling resemblance to what could have been sewage. He would skip lunch.

Creative Writing Structure

establish the main character; set up the situation in terms of plot; Creative Writing A set-up of a short story or personal essay has to do more than just be an introduction. You need to: establish the main character; set up the situation in terms of plot; hint at where the conflict might be; set some narrative 'hooks' - leave some details out that keep the reader wanting to read on. A good set up tells the reader a lot but not everything. Create a strong sense of the writer in a personal essay

Creative Writing

Creative Writing

The conflict phase moves the story on. In this phase you can: Creative Writing CONFLICT The conflict phase moves the story on. In this phase you can: develop the main character; develop the plot; develop the sense of tension; perhaps hint at different outcomes. A good conflict moves the story on and keeps the reader interested.

Creative Writing

Creative Writing

The climax of a short story: where the high point of the action is; Creative Writing The climax of a short story: where the high point of the action is; it will usually be tense; will tend to involve lots of action rather than description; could use speech to reveal the dramatic moment.

Creative Writing

Creative Writing

'show' how your character has changed. (Don't tell.); Creative Writing The resolution finishes the story. The climax may be dramatic and full of action so there is little time for the character to reflect. Some hints regarding resolutions are: 'show' how your character has changed. (Don't tell.); tie off any loose ends; don't create 'hanging endings'. They can often look like you could not be bothered to think of a decent ending; first person narrators can really reflect in this part of the story; don't make time jumps or use it to condense what could easily be the plot of another story.

Creative Writing

Creative Writing

Creative Writing

Group B: broadly discursive ♦ a persuasive essay Discursive Writing Group B: broadly discursive ♦ a persuasive essay ♦ an argumentative essay ♦ a report for a specified purpose ♦ a piece of transactional writing

Discursive essay stages Topic selection Planning and Research Discursive Writing Discursive essay stages Topic selection Planning and Research Draft and redraft

Narrow enough to cover in 1000 words Discursive Writing TOPIC SELECTION Originality Personal interest Narrow enough to cover in 1000 words Own knowledge from other school subjects

RESEARCH Vary research Quality of sources Break topic up Facts Finance Discursive Writing RESEARCH Vary research Quality of sources Break topic up Facts Finance Legal issues Attitudes Solutions

Discursive Writing

Discursive Writing

Discursive Writing

Discursive Writing

Discursive Writing

Discursive Writing

After you have written something or after teacher feedback stage Discursive Writing Next steps Scholar - read before you begin - planning grids After you have written something or after teacher feedback stage - checklists - Sections where your teacher has indicated that some work is needed

The scariest moment is just before you start writing. TEXT Stephen King The scariest moment is just before you start writing.

Thank you Next steps Scholar read Scholar notes Make your own notes Plan and Draft