GCSE Intervention

1. GCSE Intervention A focus on approaching the English Literature paper

2. Section A. You will be asked to respond to ONE question. You will either answer a question on the anthology short stories or �Of Mice and Men� depending on which you studied. You should spend 45 minutes on this section, of which a minimum of 5 minutes should be spent planning.

3. Answering exam questions. Using this powerpoint and the word file with the same name, you can look at the types of exam questions you could be asked. You should think about what the examiners are looking for in your answers. You can look at some example answers and consider what makes a piece of writing a grade �C� or above.

4. Reading questions. Select the question you are going to answer carefully. Decide which one you will be most able to give a detailed response to. Underline and identify the key points in the question. Consider what the question is really wanting you to discuss

5. Example questions Compare how people are shown growing up in Growing Up and one other story in the selection. Or�. How does Steinbeck present loneliness and isolation in the novel? Write about: Characters who are lonely and isolated Why they are lonely and isolated How Steinbeck�s settings are used to reflect the characters� loneliness and isolation

6. Looking at example responses Look at the example answers you have been given. Which parts of each candidates answers are good? What makes them good? Looking at your copy of the mark scheme, decide which grade best fits the candidate�s response.

7. Consolidation Reflecting on the best aspects of the sample answers you have read, you should now attempt the same question. Refer to the mark scheme to check that you are hitting the criteria for a grade �C� or above.

8. Section B You will answer ONE question from Duffy/Armitage and the pre-1914 bank of poems. You will be asked to make comparisons on aspects of language, themes, structure and effect. Whilst you only answer ONE question, it may have two parts to it which will require you to comment on several poems.

9. Linking themes. Death/violence= �Hitcher�, �Salome�, �Education for leisure�, �Anne Hathaway� �The Man he killed� and �Laboratory�, �On my first sonne� Growing up/changing relationships= �Mother any distance greater than a span�, �My father thought it bloody queer�, �Kid�, �Song of the old mother�, �On my first sonne� Attitudes towards men/broken relationships= �Salome�, �Havisham�, �Anne Hathaway�, �Laboratory� Social inequality/frustrations= �Stealing�, �Those bastards in their mansions�, �Education for leisure�, �The song of the old mother�

10. Comparing poems: Similarities Similarly Also Equally Likewise One similarity is In the same way Just as� A recurrent theme is The poems are alike in the following ways: We can easily link these poems in terms of� Differences Contrastingly Unlike� Alternatively One differences is.. The poems are dissimilar because Unlike the first poem, this� This is a complete contrast to� We can see the difference in the way that the poet�

11. Key poetic terms alliteration, rhyme, rhythm, simile,metaphor, enjambment, repetition, dramatic monologue, contrasts, poetic intention, purpose, effect, personification, imagery, tone, atmosphere, impression, create. E.g: The poet uses a half rhyme throughout the poem which suggests the narrator�s mental state is not entirely balanced. Similarly the enjambment creates a fast pace and makes Havisham sound panicky. The imagery in this poem is very powerful, and the contrasting images of love and hate are effective at giving an impression of an emotionally unbalanced character who is desperately unhappy. One particularly atmospheric image is the ��.

12. Sample exam question �Compare the way Armitage explores the theme of death in �Hitcher�, with one other poem from either Duffy or Armitage AND one poem from the pre-1914 bank�