1. Close Reading Strategies

2. Reading: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from the text.
Procedure
Why it would have been unpleasant for them
The newcomers had numbered tags pinned to their clothes.
Just known as numbers and not people.
Those who were not healthy were weeded out from the others
They would be separated from their family.

3. Reading: Highlight key words to focus on.
Procedure
Why it would have been unpleasant for them
The newcomers had numbered tags pinned to their clothes.
Those who were not healthy were weeded out from the others

4. Tip 2 Icebergs Icebergs Weeds Unwanted plants Ripped out Removed
Thrown away
Clutter up garden
Ruin garden
Get in the way
Sickly and week.

5. Tip 2 Icebergs
* The big trees are described as Kings? What does this suggest about the trees? 1 mark
Kings
Noble and Majestic
Powerful
Rich and Royal
Splendid
Powerful and important
Intimidating
Rule over others and dominating

6. Strategy 3: Visualisation
Make the words live – imagine or picture them and see the image as on a tv screen.
Simile: She snored like a pig
Metaphor: She is a pig

7. Reading: Now draw in the images from the words
Procedure
Why it would have been unpleasant for them
The newcomers had numbered tags pinned to their clothes.
Draw a numbered tag, a pin and pinned to clothes
Those who were not healthy were weeded out from the others
Weed, sick person, weed pulled out.

8. Reading: Interpret Information
Procedure
Why it would have been unpleasant for them
The newcomers had numbered tags pinned to their clothes.
Make them feel inferior, dehumanised, degraded
Those who were not healthy were weeded out from the others
Uncertain about future, inferior, cut off from others.

9. Explain and comment on writer’s uses of language, including grammatical and presentational features at text level.
The city skyline loomed over them like a great
Mountain range. What does the choice of language suggest
About the skyline and its effect on the passengers. (2 marks)

10. The city skyline loomed over them like a great
Explain and comment on writer’s uses of language, including grammatical and presentational features at text level.
The city skyline loomed over them like a great
Mountain range. What does the choice of language suggest
About the skyline and its effect on the passengers. (2 marks)
1 mark for comment on physical appearance – size, position shape of the buildings
The buildings were enormous
Buildings one behind the other
Outline of the sky was jaggered.
1 mark for comment on emotional
Effect that recognises fear and wonder
The skyline was frightening
They were in awe of the buildings.

11. Identify and comment on writer’s purposes & viewpoints and the overall effect of the text on the reader
Question 12 (2 marks) Towards the end of the conversation, Fatima says: “The world is becoming my home
Explain how this suggests to the reader that Fatima has a positive view of her experiences.

12. Strategy 4: One line and brainstorm
Think of questions, ideas, links, memories pictures
The world is becoming my home:
World: Lots of countries all over the globe and everywhere not just one country.
Becoming: getting there gradually
My: Feels like she owns it – it’s hers
Home: comfortable, happy, safe.

13. Strategy 5: ‘Translation’
Imagine someone can’t understand you have to translate it into different words:
“The world is becoming my home”
Translate it to:
The globe is starting to be where I live
The planet is beginning to be where I live; it is “my place”
This Earth is changing to be where I belong.

14. Strategy 6: Viewpoint (stand or attitude)
Consider the writer’s strand on “home”
Literally where would he or she stand in relation to it? Far off? Against? Negative?
Close for positive. And Far off for Against.
Where do you stand on mobile phone being banned in schools

15. Strategy 6: Viewpoint Continued
What is the writer’s stand on this: Literally where would the writer stand in relation to it? What is her attitude?
Writer – Far Off? Against?
Writer – Close? For?
The ability to speak different languages

16. Strategy 7: Give me Five!
The newcomers had numbered tags pinned to their clothes: Explain:
Who? New people, immigrants
What? Were sorted, numbered like convicts
When? In the past, just after they arrived
How? Without feeling, treated like objects
Why? To identify quickly, so many to process

17. Strategy 8: Ask 3!
Ask the same question to three writers (in Tempest 3 Shakespeares)
Compare their reasons or attitudes. Or ask 3 readers their reactions to the text:
2. I did that because…
3. I did that because…
1. I did that because…