1. Research skills 2
Comparing texts
Independent study

2. emagazine article on narrative viewpoint:
For future reference:
Check on article and extracts from last time – do they have them? NB students should have first article and the novel openings (Kite Runner and Thousand Splendid Suns) but likely to need spares

3. Links to article on narrative viewpoint
Can you connect the ideas about narrative viewpoint to the openings of both novels?
Is it a useful perspective by which to consider the novels?
Does it apply to one more than the other?
Are the openings similar in the ways they use narrative viewpoints and narrators?
Do you agree with the article?
5 minutes
Briefly discuss independent work done last lesson
This article:

4. Second article
In his book How Novels Work, critic John Mullan says: The novel, that most accessible, democratic of literary forms, must establish its contract with its reader. It may be helped or hindered by all sorts of extraneous influences, cover design, encrustrations of quotation from admiring reviewers, and the like. But it must also make its own way in the world. The idea of the writer establishing a contract with the reader is an interesting one. It suggests that the opening is a promise of something - 'I hereby promise that in this novel you will find the following...' The promise is not only one about genre, subject matter or type of character but also an expectation of narrative voice, structure and style. Of course, some modern novels, in a deliberate flouting of conventions, consciously unsettle and confuse the reader, with false expectations and surprises. But even then, there is a contract, albeit of a different kind, a signal to the reader of what's in store - 'Don't expect a conventional read - I'm expecting a bit more from you than that!'
10 minutes
Hand out copies of second article (on opening of Kite Runner:
Read through article, highlighting/annotating key points – use slide to model evaluating the points (Is a novel the most accessible form? Does an opening have to establish all of the main themes? Why are ‘modern novels’ different? How do openings set up ‘narrative voice, structure and style’ – do we not expect these to change over a novel to some extent?)
Repeat task from last lesson: discuss and annotate both article and extract to make links between them

5. Discussion points Is this article useful?
How would it work with the first article?
What points of comparison are there between both the articles and the novel openings?
3 minutes
Whole class discussion on these issues

6. Important information
Next two sessions:
A selection of critical perspectives including examples of how to apply them based on your exam texts
What is a critical or theoretical perspective?
A point of view which you can use to deepen your interpretations of a text; you may or may not agree
Around 10 minutes: information on subsequent slides is vital to set up next two sessions and following week’s task – allow for questions

7. Important information
Why am I telling you this now?
You must bear in mind the work we have done in these first two sessions, and the openings of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, over those sessions
Next week, you will complete a task which will require you to compare those novel openings in the light of everything we have done this week
The teachers for sessions 3 and 4 will not guide you very much in your interpretation of these novel openings – that’s entirely up to you – but they will help you with…

8. Help you will receive
…understanding a range of critical/theoretical perspectives which you can apply to the novel openings
Selecting your area of focus for next week’s task
Writing your own coursework-style question for this task

9. Why are we doing this/FAQ
Reminder of comparison skills
Practice identifying useful perspectives and applying them to texts
Setting your own questions and creating your own arguments
Evaluating viewpoints on texts
…all VITAL coursework skills which differ from AS English

10. “But I don’t want to compare these two novels – I’ve already chosen my coursework texts!”
Don’t make that choice too soon; wait for guidance
This is irrelevant as you are practising exam and coursework skills
You will be able to support each other with the texts
You must learn the skills before ploughing into your coursework

11. Homework
Your homework for next week will be to do some independent research (following on from session 1 this week) to support your writing about the two novel openings
Begin this now: use the resources outlined in session 1 and other research skills to gather useful critical material which you could apply to The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns
Over the next two sessions, begin considering how the theories and perspectives you learn about could be applied to the novels; take notes and continue your research at home
(This week’s hwk: read ppts on intranet)

12. Deadline/admin
You will have plenty of lesson time to write up your comparison next week
The deadline is the end of session 4 next week, whenever that falls for you, handed in to the teacher of that session
The task must be handwritten; you may bring laptops/phones to sessions next week, but you will handwrite the essay itself

13. “Evaluate” What does this word mean?
To assess the value of an idea; weighing up the positives and negatives of something; considering how useful something might be

14. Independent work for today
Continue your annotations of the novel openings in light of the articles
Begin to make notes considering which aspects of the articles might be useful if you were comparing the two openings
Begin to evaluate these ideas
Make note of similarities and differences between the openings
Remainder of session
Could work in small groups if useful/appropriate