Close Reading Core Skills Higher

Learning Intention To introduce you to the kind of newspaper article you may face in a Close Reading examination. To read such an article (in this case, highlighting the difficulties many modern students experience with punctuation and grammar). To undertake the associated test of spelling, punctuation and grammar using a management consultant’s report. In reviewing this, to highlight the importance of knowing the basic rules of English before exploring understanding, analysis and evaluation of an article.

Success Criteria To gain some idea of the type of article they will encounter in Close Reading and recognise whether their basic skills in English require some improvement before they embark upon attempts to understand, analyse and evaluate this sort of material.

Close Reading Your Close Reading exam is worth 40% of your overall grade and you need to feel confident in understanding the passage and being able to use appropriate strategies in answering the questions. Your Close Reading will also be assessed as part of a NAB which you need to pass to gain the full award.

Close Reading The general importance of reading The best preparation for this part of the examination is extensive reading of the types of English from which the passages are usually selected. This should be done over a long period of time – you cannot expect to become familiar with this type of complicated writing by looking at a couple of past papers.

Close Reading The more comfortable you become with the type of writing, the less daunting the passages in the exam will seem. You may even begin to guess the types of questions the examiners will ask.

Close Reading Quality newspapers, quality magazines/periodicals, types of non-fiction book The simplest way to find appropriate writing is to read regularly one or more of the 'quality' UK newspapers (often referred to as 'broadsheet', although some of these are now printed in 'tabloid' – or 'compact' – form). The 'opinion' or 'comment' sections are the most valuable, but extended news coverage is also useful.

Close Reading Magazines and periodicals which deal with serious topics such as current affairs, politics, media issues, history, science, religious/ethical issues are also appropriate places to find suitable writing. Similarly, a non-fiction book (or collection of essays) dealing with any of these topics would be helpful. Material which is purely, or largely, factual is not helpful. You need to be reading about ideas, in writing where the writer is developing a line of thought.

Bad Education Listen to/read over the Bad Education article from ‘The Guardian’. This is the type of article that you should be reading and becoming accustomed to analysing. Highlight anything you find interesting/surprising/thought provoking.

Bad Education In groups, discuss the following questions: 1.Why do you think this article was chosen? 2.What impact does this information have on you? 3.What is your opinion on the article? Do you agree/disagree? Justify your response. 4.How do you rate your own technical accuracy?

Management Consultant’s Report In groups, read over an example of poor spelling and grammar in a management consultant’s report. Highlight any spelling, punctuation, grammar, technical accuracy… errors you can find. In the space underneath, try to rectify these errors.

Peer Assessment Swap around your work and check how many mistakes each group managed to pick up.

Management Consultant’s Report Management wants to introduce new measures to combat the noticable increase in sick leave. The average annual number of sick days has risen from five to 10 which is seen as a considerable embarassment to the new HR director. But I wonder if the responsibility should lay solely with her? And even if management does agree who’s responsibility the problem is they also have a seperate – and justified concern that any action taken should be carefully-considered.

Management Consultant’s Report Meanwhile, although the employees are hoping for a decent pay rise its likely that their going to be disappointed. The CEOs arguement is that they got one last year and there’s been no corresponding improvement in performance so he’s not prepared to consider another rise. He said “The pay rise has had the opposite affect. People have become more lethargic, since we started paying them more.” However other board directors might feel that higher pay will accelarate performance, although it will take time.

Management Consultant’s Report Whatever happens with regards to pay rises, the principle point here is that it’s time the Board announced it’s decision. The uncertainty is effecting staff morale, less people than expected are supporting company events, as theres a general feeling that the responsibility for making these events a success is not their’s.

Management Consultant’s Report