1. NCEA Level One – What do I have to do?
Goal: To understand the different components of the NCEA level one course in English.
Introducing …
The world famous, incredibly exciting English handbook!

2. Organisation!!
Folder set up activity – set up your refill, exercise book, subject dividers and Toolbox, 1 per A.S.
Organisation – NCEA is about being organised and sharing information to show what you’re made of.
You NEED to REVISE. The exams are a year away so you need to keep checking back through your folder. What are you doing well? Not so well?
So, you need to know how to file your work in sequence. You balance work between your exercise book and folder.

3. The Course Internal Assessments External Assessments
1.4 Creative Writing
1.5 Formal Writing
1.6 Public Speaking
1.1 Novel
1.2 Film
1.3 Unfamiliar Text (Reading Comprehension)

4. The Year What do I have to do and when?
What is expected of me? The assessment policy
How do you know it’s fair? The nature of NCEA Assessment
How will I succeed? What do you think you will need to do to do well?

5. Your turn …
So … what is it going to be like for you in a year’s time, when you open up the envelope and read your results for English? Do you think you’ll be happy? Will your parents/carer be pleased? Will you have any regrets?
Write yourself a letter to open the morning before you get your exam results. What will your hopes, fears and expectations be? How do you think you’ll have changed during the course for the year? What do you hope you will have achieved? Aside from school, what other hopes do you have for the year? What do you hope you will have done differently from other years?
This letter will be read by two people only – you and me. It will be sealed and kept until before your exams, when I will return it to you.
Aim to impress – make this an articulate and intelligent letter – show off your skills as a writer:
Variety of sentence lengths, beginnings and types
Wide vocabulary
Technical accuracy including a range of punctuation
Careful structure including accurate paragraphing and intro / body / conclusion
Optional Opening
Dear Me!
Well this is it, the moment we’ve been waiting – results day. I really hope ..

6. Here is a passage from a novel.
What is your group’s most and least favourite sentence of this description? (Give reasons)
Individual written response how does the writer use language to create impact? – Write as much as you can. Use quotations to support your comments – paragraphs, punctuation, spelling!
It could have been the darkest place on Earth. No moon lit the night and all below was grey. Mist moved across the landscape. The spire of a church stuck up in the gloom, a needle against blackness.
A light shone in the cloud. The leaves moved as a rabbit ran for its burrow. The cry of a bird rose and fell before quiet.
A streak cut across the sky. It was followed by another. And another. Dozens of gashes sliced the heavens, faded and vanished.
Something began to fill the air. It grew to a whistle, and became a howl until an impact smothered it.
Colour Imagery
Use of sounds
Metaphor
Sense of mystery
Repetition for effect

7. Your Thoughts How does the writer use language to create impact?
Metaphor: (1st language feature)
Definition of:
Example of: e.g. Quote from text
Explain: how this language feature creates impact for the reader.

8. What’re you made of?
Goal: To show your skills as a student of English: how well you read, write and think.
Re-read the preceding passage
Your turn – an amazing description of the journey to school the first day back after the holiday – try to imitate the techniques used in the passage.
Possible starters –
The steady drumming of rain could mean only one
thing …
A cry seemed to take over my whole body as I reached for…
Your aim is to complete your best ever paragraph of writing: Varied, striking, original, accurate