Writer's techniques Prose

Assessment Objective 1
Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations.
This will be conveyed by the candidate’s ability to:

•   demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the text;
  
•   understand and communicate explicit and implicit meanings;
  
•   substantiate point of view by relevant reference, inference and deduction, using
  appropriate and effective quotation as required;
  
•   express convincing and supported personal responses, opinions and preferences;
  
•   provide insights into characters, relationships, attitudes and values.
  Quality of written communication is also being assessed through AO1. This requires that candidates: ensure that text is legible and that spelling, punctuation and grammar are accurate so that meaning is clear; select and use a form and style of writing appropriate to purpose; and organise information clearly and coherently, using appropriate vocabulary. All mark grids include a descriptor under AO1 assessing QWC through reference to the structure/organisation of responses and accuracy in expression.
  Assessment Objective 2
  Explore how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.
  This will be conveyed by the candidate’s ability to:
  

•   consider and comment upon different views and interpretations of texts;
  
•   comment meaningfully on the texts studied referring to the appropriateness of the form
  and structure adopted by the writer;
  
•   describe and appreciate the effectiveness of general and specific uses of language and
  stylistic devices;
  
•   appreciate changing mood, atmosphere and tone and comment upon how they are
  achieved. 
  
  
  
  • –  structure of the text: chapters, climax, sequential/chronological ordering, conclusion; circular structure used in OMAM (ends where it begins); use of 6 sections, not chapters, almost like a play
    
  • –  descriptive techniques (e.g. use of imagery and the senses, simile, metaphor);
    
  • –  creation of setting (e.g. time, place, atmosphere);
    
  • –  creation of character (e.g. through narrator’s descriptions, use of dialogue, actions, characterisation);
    
  • –  narration (e.g. omniscient 3 rd person narrator)
    
  • –  cohesive elements (e.g. repetition of words or ideas, climax, suspense, sequential ordering);
    
  • –  use of punctuation and other typographical effects (e.g. italics, capitalisation, suspension points, ellipsis, dashes, pauses). 
    -  vocabulary choices; verb, adverb, adjective
    
  
  

Examiner's report advice Prose

Many candidates flourished in the freedom allowed by the new question structure imposing their own parameters on questions selected. As with last year one of the main concerns arising from this unit was the candidates focus on quantity rather than quality. Perhaps the longer time provided for this unit and the longer booklets compelled some candidates to write until their time was up even when they had nothing new to say but even the best candidates were guilty of repetition: some repeated the same argument and evidence not just once but two or three times thus lessening the impact of their original argument. Weaker candidates had an over-reliance on narrative in their responses. Additional time would be better spent on planning, organising and reviewing responses. This was most clearly evident in 4(a) where it was clear that candidates knew the material but the differentiator was in their ability to plan and sequence this material, developing links and continuity of argument.

Improving analysis of language and writers’ methods by candidates was evident with some excellent comments on setting and structure in particular. Other positives included evidence of clear engagement with, and enjoyment of, texts studied which came through the personal response elements of the questions. Candidates demonstrated sound knowledge of texts and all were most comfortable when writing about ‘characters’; less so when dealing with ‘themes’.

Higher achieving candidates demonstrated their capacity to be analytical in their responses whilst others lapsed into explanation, description or narrative and paraphrasing. This was particularly true for candidates who answered the extract-based question and many examiners found that candidates did not make the most of the extract provided. A lack of language analysis was noted as well as candidates’ inability to take characterisation, setting, structure, etc. in the extract and explore how these were developed ‘elsewhere in the novel’.

Finally, the main factor in determining success for candidates is evidenced in their ability to exploit the key terms of the question as set out in the question stem. 

Of Mice and Men Useful links

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/prosemicemen/

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/micemen/themes.html

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/o/of-mice-and-men/summary-and-analysis/chapter-1
check the panel on the left of this site for links to more detailed analysis etc

Examiner's report advice Poetry

As with previous years, examiners noted that there was evidence of strong preparation with focused arguments that led to good responses. There was continuing evidence, too, of pupils attempting a range of approaches to the compare/contrast element with many opting to discuss the anchor poem in depth and then comparing/contrasting their second poem against this. This proved to be very successful for candidates. Candidates used an effective variety of poems to compare/contrast with the anchor poem where appropriate. In the main candidates’ selection of a second poem were appropriate with a minority incorrectly choosing from the same list as the anchor poem or, simply, making a poor choice that restricted their response.

Some candidates, still, are prone to paraphrase each poem or offer a narrative account without the comment or explanation that is required. Others compare/contrast verse-about ignoring the actual length/structure/understanding of the individual poems. Incorporation of appropriately selected quotation into argument remains a differentiator between higher and lower achieving candidates too.
Examiners noted the increasing and appropriate use of poetry-specific vocabulary which was impressive though not always necessary. However, application of poetic technique still remains a difficulty; as with previous years many candidates are identifying a range of techniques they know but are struggling to discuss the effects of these in relation to the question set. There is some evidence too of candidates focusing more on content and structure rather than on language analysis and a great deal of loose and unfounded speculation on the meaning and effect of rhythm and rhyme.

Candidates seemed most confident and comfortable when choosing to write about poems with more concrete themes, e.g. 10(b) but struggled more with poems whose meaning was elusive and more reliant on symbolism e.g. 9(a) and 10(a). Candidates responded well, also, to the poetry of Thomas Hardy both in 9(b) and 11(a) and (b).

Examiners did note that this section allows candidates the opportunity to reveal their awareness and insights into the human condition and that these comments often continue to surprise and bring renewed appreciation of the poems to even the most experienced examiners.

Finally, AO4, awareness of context, was assessed this year for the first time. Higher achieving candidates were able to make this relevant and incorporate these comments skilfully into the thread of their argument. Others, however, chose to ignore this AO completely or continued to state everything they knew about the poet without relating the material to the key terms of the question. 

Poetic Techniques

In this section we are assessing four assessment objectives:
AO1
Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations;
AO2
Explore how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings;
AO3
Make comparisons and explain links between texts, evaluating writers’ differing ways of expressing meaning and achieving effects; and
AO4
Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how texts have been influential and significant to self and other readers in different contexts and at different times.

• –  versification and structure (use of some terms, e.g. quatrain,couplet, octave, metre, iambic rhythm);
  
• –  specific forms (e.g. ode, sonnet, monologue, lyric);
  
• –  similes and metaphors;
  
• –  imagery and use of the senses (especially visual imagery and auditory imagery); simile, metaphor, hyperbole
  
• –  alliteration and other “sound” features (e.g. assonance, consonance, repetition, rhyme and rhythm);
  -   onomatopoeia 
  -   tone/mood/atmosphere
  
• –  vocabulary choices;
  
• –  repetition of words or ideas;
  
• –  use of punctuation;
  
• –  visual impact of the poem on the page. 
  

Examiner's report advice Drama

Candidates were most comfortable when writing about ‘characters’, less so when dealing with ‘themes’ apart from 1(b) and 5(b). In these cases where candidates really got to grips with the key terms of the question and produced many excellent responses in which they explored Friel’s and Russell’s dramatic techniques in depth. Theme questions were answered better at (f) tier where candidates followed the bullet format successfully. In general, examiners found that dramatic techniques were still a differentiator between higher and lower achieving candidates with the former providing a sustained focus on these that moved far beyond a reliance on stage directions, though they noted, also, that there was an increase in the appropriate usage of drama specific vocabulary.

Higher achieving candidates demonstrated their capacity to be analytical in their responses whilst others lapsed into explanation, description or narrative and paraphrasing, particularly with 4(a) and 5(a) which produced too many character profiles with insufficient focus on ‘changes for the better’ and ‘pitied’. Though many examiners did note that there were fewer narrative responses this year and an increase in candidates’ ability to assimilate material successfully from ‘elsewhere in the play’ into their arguments, apart from 4(b) which produced a narrow focus on Birling and Mrs Birling.

Finally, many candidates are still determined to incorporate AO4 into this section when it is not asked for or examined. Whilst I would not wish to discourage students from making meaningful contextual comments that enhance an argument in relation to the stem of the question, too many are wasting a considerable effort and time providing unnecessary information on Priestley’s political leanings or a history of Thatcherite Britain as seen in Blood Brothers. 

Dramatic techniques

In this section we are assessing two assessment objectives:
AO1
Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations; and
AO2
Explore how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes, characters and settings.

Guidelines to assessing AO2 in candidates’ responses to Drama (Higher Tier)
Assessment Objective 2 requires candidates to “explore how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes, characters and settings.”
Key terms in the question:
“With reference to the ways the named dramatist presents ...”

• –  division into acts and scenes; even though An Inspector Calls is divided into Acts, notice how there is no break in the action, scene change etc
  
• –  stage directions; use these carefully and ensure that you don't substitute these for dramatic techniques/technical language!
  
• –  use of some technical terms (e.g. exposition- revealing background information about past events through dialogue, AIC uses this technique extensively 
• denouement  the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel/
  the place in the plot at which this occurs/ the outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.
•  (In An Inspector Calls, the denouement consists of Mr. Birling receiving a phone call saying that a police inspector is on his way to ask some questions. This comes as a shock to the audience as well as the characters because they had just found out that the police inspector Goole which just left was a fraud. This is considered a denouement because it occurs at the end of the story and serves to tie up any loose ends that might otherwise interfere with the audience's feeling of completion to the story.
• –  cohesive elements e.g. repetition of words or ideas, climax (at the end of acts, especially as Eric is revealed as father), anti-climax (revelation of Goole as a suspected fraud) , sequential ordering (look at how all the exposition has happened chronologically in terms of how they happened in Eva's life, with the exception of Eric's revelation as father of the child in order to heighten Mrs Birling's hypocrisy 
• –  tonal features (e.g. emphasis, exclamation);
  
• –  interaction through dialogue and movement;
  
• –  use of punctuation to indicate delivery of lines (e.g. interruption, hesitation, turn-taking, listening);  
• –  vocabulary choices;
  
• -accent
• –  staging (setting, lighting, use of props, eg furniture etc);
  
• –  costume and music effects. 
  -Sound effects
  -Entrances and exits
  -Imagery (eg. the "fire and blood and anguish" suggesting Hell, two World Wars and the uprising of the peasantry against the aristocracy, such as in the Russian Revolution