Close Reading – Nat 5/Higher

1. Close Reading – Nat 5/Higher

2. Close Reading • We often hear from parents that pupils report back to them that “ye cannae revise fir Close Reading!” You can.

3. Close Reading • Close Reading has been the part of the exam which pupils find the most challenging. • What I want to do tonight is give you as parents an idea of what we expect them to understand so you can help and support at home with this aspect of the course.

4. Newspapers • The close reading papers for all SQA exams are culled from newspapers like The Scotsman, The Times, The Herald etc. • A key way to make close reading a little easier is for your son/daughter to be familiar with reading a reasonable lengthy text.

5. Newspapers • This does not mean it has to be a physical paper; on-line reading is absolutely fine but it should be a article of at least 300 words or so. • The one benefit that a physical paper has is that you can cut articles out (looks less intimidating for the unwilling) and you can highlight/underline etc.

6. Close Reading • Close reading in the exam is made up of three different types of questions: • Understanding questions • Analysis questions • Evaluation questions

7. But first…Tone • One thing they should think about is the tone used by the writer. • Initially, decide whether the tone used is formal or informal and use evidence to explain how this conclusion was reached. • Once they grasp this, they can start to be more specific in the identification of tone: • Humourous, persuasive, informative, fearful, curious, sceptical, cynical, mocking, naïve, serious, reserved, ironic, sarcastic, enthusiastic etc. • An important point for them to grasp is that tone is not a technique; technique creates tone.

8. Understanding • These questions are designed to test candidates understanding of the basic meaning of the passage. • Questions like these will normally contain phrases like:   • In your own words… • Explain what the writer… • Answer inyour own words.

9. Understanding • To construct an Understanding answer you should: • underline the relevant part of the passage you wish to paraphrase; • being careful to use your own words as far as possible, summarise what the writer is saying in that part of the passage. Remember, you cannot change every word (like proper nouns) but key words, ideasor descriptions should be expressed in a different way.

10. Understanding - Example • President Barack Obama didn’t mince his words in a tweet on June 21st, the day after the Senate failed to pass four proposals to tighten gun control. “Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action. In failing that test, the government failed the American people.” • Question: • In your own words, explain what President Obama felt was required of the government. 2 marks

11. Understanding - Example • President Barack Obama didn’t mince his words in a tweet on June 21st, the day after the Senate failed to pass four proposals to tighten gun control. “Gun violence requires more than moments of silence (1). It requires action. In failing that test, the government failed the American people.” (1) • Question: • In your own words, explain what President Obama felt was required of the government. 2 marks

12. Analysis • The analysis questions will be phrased in one of two ways: you will be asked to analyse the language generallyor the question will ask you to analyse particular techniques. For example: • “Look at how the writer uses language to… • Or • “By referring to both word choice and sentence structure, look at how…”

13. Structure - What is being looked for? Example Frieda Kahlo has come to dinner And the carnival never stops. Her long hands are two kites Trailing coloured tails of laughter, When answering questions on the effectiveness of metaphors, simile or personification or any kind of comparison you need to ask to explain:

14. Analysis - Structure Her long hands are two kites Trailing coloured tails of laughter, • 1) The technique and what two things are being compared? • 2) Explain the connotation (what the actual subject is being compared to) and the denotation (what is actually there, the subject) of the comparison. (Just like…so…) • 3) What does the comparison help you to understand about the denotation?

15. Example Answer • 1) In this metaphor Frieda Kahlo’s hands are being compared to “two kites”. • 2) Just like a kite is very graceful in flight(Connotation) so we understand Kahlo’s hands to be full of graceful movement as she talks to the party guests (Denotation). • 3) This makes it easier to imagine just how animated Kahlo is when she talks, and adds to the charisma of her personality. • Nat 5 - quotation + analysis = 2 marks • Higher – quotation + analysis = 1 mark

16. Analysis - Example • Against the Brexit tide that swept Britain, a convincing 62% of Scots voted to stay in the European Union on June 23rd, presenting the first minister of Scotland’s devolved government, Nicola Sturgeon, with a difficult question: whether to push for a second independence referendum. • Question • Examine how the writer uses language to emphasise the scale of those who voted to leave the European Union. 2 marks

17. Analysis - Example • Against the Brexit tide that swept Britain, a convincing 62% of Scots voted to stay in the European Union on June 23rd, presenting the first minister of Scotland’s devolved government, Nicola Sturgeon, with a difficult question: whether to push for a second independence referendum. • Question • Examine how the writer uses language to emphasise the scale of those who voted to leave the European Union. 2 marks • Again, Nat 5 - quotation + analysis = 2 marks • Higher – quotation + analysis = 1 mark

18. Evaluation • This type of question can ask you to consider: • • How well a paragraph or line acts as an introduction or conclusion or summary of the writer’s views. • • How a title relates to the passage. • • How an anecdote, image, illustration or other technique helps convey the writer’s overall argument or attitude.