Preparing for non-fiction Thursday, 04 April 2019

Reading skills You do not have time for repeated reading of the passage. Note the title and consider what it tell you about the passage. Read any introduction carefully Read through in full for sense and content – note any distinctive features at this stage. Read again and ring any really distinctive literary elements. ( you might consider reading Q1&2 prior to this and annotating the text when you reach the responses...)

To highlight: Features relating to S.L.A.P, with brief explanation if needed. Audience: look for clues as to the age of the intended audience – Age, prior knowledge, Opinions. There’s a short example on the next slide...

Consider this Get into IT Aimed at school leaver? Graduate? Adult? Consider this Assumes understanding of term IT. Get into IT If you want a career where you can be out in front of the rest and set the pace, step up for a career in IT. Information technology and systems are at the centre of modern business strategies. What’s more, jobs in IT aren’t just for the technology elite. The sector is open to graduates from all degree backgrounds. Sophisticated language

Purpose... 3 triplets examined here: Inform, explain, describe Argue, persuade, advise Explore, imagine, entertain Which one was the IT article, do you think?

...and writer’s techniques Word level response: Look for emotive language or technical language. Look at the formality of the writing. Look for figurative or simple expression. Sentence level response: Look for variety in length, interesting use of punctuation for effect, tenses altered for effect and use of person within the narrative. Text level: Elements such as use of images and text layout are important here – especially in a web page!

And to finish Look closely at the opening and closing of any passage. How is the reader engaged at the opening? Is there a strong message at the end of the passage?