1. Easter School
Higher

2. Scottish Text ‘Spill Its’
You have now had 10 days of studying – so we need to see where we are at in terms of our knowledge before we push on.
Task
You should write a spill it on each of your texts.
You will get 5 minutes per poem/short story, to complete it briefly.
Tip: Make sure you note down key techniques + important pieces of analysis
We will be using your notes copies going forward!

3. Texts: Themes, key quotes, analysis, anything else!
The Red Door
The Telegram
Mother and Son
Home
Originally
Valentine
The Way My Mother Speaks
Mrs Midas
In Mrs Tilscher’s Class
War Photographer

4. Critical Reading Paper
This paper is comprised of two parts: Scottish Text and Critical Essay.
Each section is worth 20 marks, meaning you can get 40 marks in total from this.
You get 1 hour 30 mins to complete.
Recommend: 40 minutes on each – this will give you time to select an essay question, briefly plan it out, and read over/plan out difficult responses to Scottish Text questions.

5. Use your notes to complete question papers handed to you.
You can leave your papers with me, and I will endeavour to read over them today.
However, please write your address at the top of the paper – if I can’t mark them today, I will make time towards the end of this week and will you pictures of feedback.

6. Always follow this structure!
Critical Essay
Always follow this structure!
Introduction
4 main paragraphs (at least)
Conclusion (always have a conclusion)

7. Main Paragraph
SEAL/TEAL S – Statement / T - Topic Sentence E – Evidence (a quote) A – Analysis (identify a technique, and discuss it!) L – Link to the question

8. Exemplar Paragraph – How is the theme of time explored in Duffy’s Originally?
Duffy explores the theme of time through her use of a combination of elongated and short sentences, demonstrating the length of time that is passing. This first evident through the longer sentence, “Some are slow,/ leaving you standing, resigned, up an avenue/ where no one you know stays.” This reinforces the slowness mentioned in the first line, and enhances her feelings of isolation. She is, indeed, resigned to the fact that she cannot change the course of her life at this time and instead must work through this experience Contrastingly, Duffy goes on to use short sentences to emphasise her feelings of stagnancy – “Others are sudden./Your accent wrong.” Despite the fact that she is resigned to the experience, the short and stunted sentences convey the sense of confinement that she feels at this time. This negative connotations of “wrong” conveys the fact that she feels isolated from the community she now finds herself in – although she speaks the same language her development is stagnated by her dialectic differences. Thus, her use of elongated and short sentences emphasises her feelings of isolation and immobility – although she is moving through the motions within this new environment, she feels as though time is certainly standing still in regard to her integration within it.

9. Prose Fiction
Choose a novel/short story in which the fate of a main character is important in conveying the writer’s theme. Explain what you consider the theme to be and discuss how effectively the fate of the character conveys it.
Choose a novel or short story in which the narrator’s voice is an important feature in your appreciation of the text. Discuss how the writer uses this technique in an effective way.
Choose a novel or short story which reaches a climax that is dramatic, disturbing or moving. Briefly explain how the writer achieves this effect and how this enhances your appreciation of the text as a whole.

10. Prose Non-Fiction
Choose a non-fiction text which is set in a society that is different to the one in which we live. Briefly explain what is significantly different and discuss how the writer made you aware of this.
Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer’s ability to evoke a sense of place is very important to the success of the text. Show how the writer’s presentation of the location(s) enhanced your appreciation of the text.