INTERMEDIATE 2 ENGLISH What you need to do to pass

In May, you will sit two exam papers as your final exams  Critical Essay paper – 1 hour 30 mins (50% of your final grade.)  Close Reading paper – 1 hour (50% of your final grade.)  But before you sit these, you need to pass your NABs first.

What are NABs?  NABs (National Assessment Bank tasks) are exam tasks which test your competence and to check that you’re ready to sit the final exams.  These are pass/fail assessed – you will not get a grade for your NABs.  They do not contribute towards your final grade.  If you fail a NAB, you will get another chance to resit them.

How many and what types of NAB will I sit? 1. Close Reading - this is similar to the final Close Reading paper you will sit in May. 2. Textual Analysis – where you read an unseen poem or other form of fiction and answer questions on the techniques used. 3. Personal Study Unit – this is where you read a text of your choosing which has been accepted by your teacher, and then answer a task on it under exam conditions. (you are allowed to take notes and your text into the exam.) 4. Writing – you will write either an argumentative, creative or discursive essay on a topic of you choosing (you are allowed to take notes into the exam.)

Literature – what does this paper require me to do?  You will answer a task from two different sections of the paper (Drama/Prose/Poem/Media etc.)  Each essay will each be graded out of 25, before being added up and calculated out of 50.  Your grade will then fall into either of the following bandings:

The grade you will achieve will be either: Grade A (Band I) Grade B (Band II) Grade C (Band III) Grade D (Band IV) 8-11

Close Reading – What does this paper require me to do?  You will read an unseen passage – normally non- fiction such as a broadsheet newspaper article or travel writing.  You will then answer questions, which total 30 marks.  You will answer different types of questions, e.g Understanding (U), Analysis (A) and Evaluation (E).  You need to achieve at least 15 marks in order to pass the Close Reading paper.

What are the Performance Criteria for Critical Essays? Understanding  As appropriate to task, the response demonstrates secure understanding of key elements,central concerns and significant details of the text. Analysis  The response explains accurately and in detail ways in which relevant aspects of structure/style/ language contribute to meaning/effect/impact. Evaluation  The response reveals clear engagement with the text(s) or aspects of the text(s) and stated or implied evaluation of effectiveness, substantiated by detailed and relevant evidence from the text(s). Expression Structure, style and language, including use of appropriate critical terminology, are deployed to communicate meaning clearly and develop a line of thought which is sustainedly relevant to purpose; spelling, grammar and punctuation are sufficiently accurate.