Two more weeks!

Only two more weeks to work on your Controlled Assessments for English Language and English Literature. Time to get the last few marks in your folder that can mean all the difference to your final grade.

What to do?

* Speak to your teacher

* Work out which CA can give you the quickest win: Creative Writing, Spoken Language Study, Extended Reading (either An Inspector Calls or Of Mice and Men) and Romeo & Juliet.

* Remind yourself of the question

* Organise a time to complete the CA

* Prepare beforehand

* Check if you have something unfinished that needs finishing.

Good luck. Some of you don't need to do any more, but you need to get focused on your exam preparations. Visit this revision video and see if it helps!

Easter the Second

Many thanks to those who attended the two Interventions this Easter break - shame on you to those who didn't. Final decisions have been made about tier entries for the exam, you now have to focus on what you must do to achieve the highest possible mark in all possible exams. 

It's Thursday - you have 30 minutes to do something that will help you pass your GCSE English Language or GCSE English Literature exams - GO!

Read the opening page of Chapter 1 and Chapter 6 of Of Mice and Men - in the Brush - compare how Steinbeck presents nature (light, animals, the natural world) does it change? What does it symbolise?


Or


Read Act 1 of An Inspector Calls - make notes - how are the characters introduced? comment on dialogue, action and description. It does change later. Look at the punctuation and stage directions.


Or


Read The Farmer's Bride by Charlotte Mew - what's different between the Farmer's Bride and Curley's Wife? Do you feel any sympathy with the Farmer (a simple working man who doesn't know what to do with a young wife)?

You have 30 minutes.


Tomorrow - another 30 minutes!!

Easter The First

Have you managed Mr Draper's 30 minute challenge?

It's Monday - you have 30 minutes to do something that will help you pass your GCSE English Language or GCSE English Literature exams - GO!

Read Chapter 4 of Of Mice and Men - Crook's Room - watch him bully Lennie, then crumble under the racist power of Curley's Wife.

Or

Read Act 3 of An Inspector Calls - make notes - who has power? Who is losing power? What language tells you this? Look at the punctuation and stage directions.

Or

Read Harmonium by Simon Armitage - why is a yellowing, broken musical instrument with broken keys and wheezing pipes a metaphor for his father's impending death?

You have 30 minutes.

Tomorrow - another 30 minutes!!

BBC News School Report

Check out some of our students who have contributed to the National BBC News School Report - http://arkelvinacademy.org/bbc-school-report-2

Did they make very good Source 1s or 2s from the Unit 1 GCSE Language Exam? Can you spot any persuasive or argumentative language devices being used? What are the effects?

What was your 30 minute English revision task today?

Make good choices!!

Two Weeks Until Easter

You've got the Maths Mock Exam after school on Monday.

In lessons, you'll be working towards the GCSE Language Unit 1 Mock Exam next week.

What else are you planning to do?

* Read a chapter of Of Mice and Men
* List and try to memorise 6 quotes from An Inspector Calls
* Make notes on another poem from the Poetry Anthology Relationship Cluster
* Watch a Mr Bruff video on Question 5 or 6
* Visit English 1 after school for CA or revision

REMEMBER: every little thing you do is moving you towards your desired grade.

Romeo & Juliet CA Catch-Up

A select bunch of you have been asked to turn-up on Saturday morning to prepare, plan and write an improved version of your Romeo & Juliet CA. Be there. Be in uniform. Do the right thing.

The question is this: In what ways does Shakespeare present the difficulties of love and lovers in Romeo and Juliet and a selection of poems?

We'll be focusing on some key scenes and the difficulties faced in 'The Farmer's Bride' and 'To His Coy Mistress' from the Poetry Anthology.

If you didn't get an invite, you'll get a chance on another day. Have a great weekend revising and studying. Mr Draper

3 Weeks Until Easter

Most of you will have just finished or be part way through the GCSE Literature Unit 1 Modern Texts Mock Exam (Of Mice and Men and An Inspector Calls - remember!!!). So what next? 

For a few of you it will be catch-ups to finish / complete those pesky last CAs - Romeo & Juliet etc. However, the majority will be focusing on exams, and exams alone. 

The next three weeks of English lessons for you lucky, lucky people will be focused solely on the GCSE Language Unit 1 Understanding and Producing Non-fiction Texts exam. 60% of your whole course. 2 hours and 15 minutes. 6 questions that you know so well. And the last chance to prove yourself a Higher or Foundation student.

3 weeks of learning that ends in a Mock Exam - take the opportunity - study hard - prove to yourself what you are capable of doing.

If you want specific revision help - please respond below and we'll do what we can.

Good luck. Mr Draper