HOW TO SUMMARISE A TEXT IN ENGLISH… The smart way…

WHERE TO START?? Don’t waste your time on aspects of the text that are not relevant to the “topic” or module you’re doing You should look for evidence from each of your texts which fit with the ideas and focus of your “topic” or module. Your summary / research / analysis of a text is as simple as 1, 2, 3!  1 = locate  2 = select  3 = organise

FOR EXAMPLE – YOUR TOPIC IN ENGLISH THIS TERM IS CALLED “CLOSE STUDY OF A NOVEL – AND OF NARRATIVE STRUCTURE” You will “explore” (not just read) Paul Zindel’s THE PIGMAN As you explore the novel, you will figure-out how language techniques and structures show all the “IDEAS / BELIEFS / ATTITUDES / VALUES / INDIVIDUALS / SOCIETY / CULTURE AND HISTORY” - which are shown in:  THE CHARACTERS  THE EVENTS  THE SETTING  THE OPINIONS OF THE COMPOSER  THE RESPONSES FROM THE RESPONDER *Perception = insight – view – opinion – attitude – awareness

LOCATE 1.Get some post-it notes 2.Copy the most “obvious” and main ideas in ZINDEL’S’s novel onto separate post-it notes The characters – who is powerful? Who is powerless? Who has dignity? Who has integrity? Who wants to change characters’ attitudes? The events – which show the class and race divisions? Which events shoe success? Failure? Prejudice? The setting – how does the setting(s) cause the different groups in the novel to stay “divided? The opinions of the composer - about those who have integrity and those who don’t? The responses from the responder – how do you feel about the ideas of “prejudice and acceptance” shown in the set text?... Etc…

1.As you study / explore your text… locate the best-matched quotation (in your text) to fit your different post-its 2.“post” each post-it note on the evidence you have located – in the text itself. LOCATE Your English novels, poetry, non- fiction and even your visual texts should be filled with post it notes!

SELECT How are the character’s perceptions about prejudice and tolerance shown? Pg ____ “………………………………… ………………………………… ………” How is your perception of certain groups of people, in the novel, manipulated by the composer How do language features show people in power? Pg # __

You will look for… Personal context – identity / being / individuality / appearance / hobbies Cultural context – customs / leisure activities / work ethic Historical context – time and place / political era / war:peace / pre:post colonial Social context – rich : poor / educated : uneducated / social status / manners / language style / leisure activities / appearance THE PIGMAN HOW ARE PERCEPTIONS ABOUT DIGNITY AND INTEGRITY SHOWN IN THE PAUL ZINDEL’S THE PIGMAN?

The Pigman HOW DOES Paul Zindel’s The Pigman EXPLORE THE OPPORTUNITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO CHALLENGE (AND OPPOSE) “POPULAR OPINION? 1 = locate - IDEA 2 = select – 3 QUOTES 3 = organise – COMPLETE ANALYSIS TABLE

THE PIGMAN HOW DO DIFFERENT NARRATIVE VOICES (CHARACTERS) REVEAL THE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS IN PAUL ZINDEL’S THE PIGMAN 1 = locate - IDEA 2 = select – 3 QUOTES 3 = organise – COMPLETE ANALYSIS TABLE

THE PIGMAN HOW DOES PAUL ZINDEL’S THE PIGMAN SHOW: AN INDIVIDUAL’S CHOICE NOT TO BE IN A POSITION OF POWER AND PREJUDICE? BARRIERS WHICH PREVENT AN INDIVIDUAL’S ABILITY TO BE TOLERANT AND INFORMED? 1 = locate - IDEA 2 = select – 3 QUOTES 3 = organise – COMPLETE ANALYSIS TABLE