Lesson Aims

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Lesson Aims

• To recognise how setting is used
• To structure a critical essay

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Talking in WhispersPlanning a critical Essay
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Lesson Objectives

• Learn to write about texts
• Learn how to structure critical essays

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Success Criteria

• To write a suitable introduction
• To write three main points about setting used in
  the novel with the correct structure.
• To write a suitable conclusion

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Lesson Aims

• To identify key words from the essay question
• To learn how to use the essay question to plan
  your response.

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Essay Question

• Choose a novel and show how the writer uses
  setting to highlight the key concepts and aspects
  of character in the opening chapters of that
  novel.
• Task Copy out the essay question above in
  full in your jotter and underline the words which
  you consider to be the most important in the
  question.

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Understanding and Using the Essay Question

• Choose a novel that you have read the beginning
  of in which the setting is an important aspect.
• show how the writer uses setting to highlight key
  themes and aspects of character in the opening
  chapters of that novel.

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Understanding and Using the Essay Question
Continued.

• Choose a novel that you have read the
  beginning of in which the setting is an important
  aspect.
• show how the writer uses setting to highlight key
  themes and aspects of character in the opening
  chapters of that novel.

• Talking in Whispers
• Opening three chapters
• Country of Chile in 1980s
• The setting is used to show the dangerous and
  volatile situation, the fear that the people live
  under
• The setting is used to highlight the theme of
  totalitarianism, oppression and fear
• The weather is used to reflect the mood and
  situation of Andres

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Lesson Aims

• To learn how to structure a critical essay
• To write an introduction for a critical essay

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Critical Essay Structure

• Critical essays always have the same structure.
  (Essentially a beginning, a middle and an end).
• Introduction
• 3-5 Key points
• Conclusion

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Essay Plan and Structure

• Paragraph 1 Introduction
• Paragraph 2 - Plot Summary
• Paragraph 3 Key Point 1
• Paragraph 4 Key Point 2
• Paragraph 5 Key Point 3
• Paragraph 6 - Conclusion

Main body of essay
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Main body of essay
Look at the work we did using the essay
question. What aspects of setting in relation to
the novel could we consider that will make up
each of our key points?
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Key Point

• Point 1 will be about how the setting highlights
  the dangerous and volatile situation in Chile.
• Point 2 will be about how setting is used to show
  the fear/oppression in Chile
• Point 3 will be about how the weather reflects
  the mood and situation of the main character.

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Writing an Introduction
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Starter Activity Solo Work 5mins

• Work alone to answer the following questions and
  write your answers down
• 1. What is the purpose of an introduction?
• What do you think you should include in an
  introduction of a critical essay?
• Why is it important to write a good introduction?

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INTRODUCTION - In the introduction, include the
key information about your text Start with Tarts

•  
• Title,
• Author
• Reference to the essay question,
• Techniques that you will be writing about.
• Summary of the plot
•  

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Introduction T.A.R.T.S

• Title Talking in Whispers
• Author James Watson

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Refer to Question

• Use the key words from the question to help you
  say what your essay will do
• Try to avoid saying I will... or I am going
  to...
• Use formal language - no slang!

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Techniques

• Tell the reader which techniques your essay will
  examine.
• Dont mention techniques you dont write about.
• We are studying a novel Techniques will
  include characterisation and setting used to
  highlight theme.

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Introduction Exemplar 1

• I am going to tell you about a novel called
  Talking in Whispers by James Watson. In it
  Andres is on the run from the security forces and
  he meets two puppeteers that he joins forces
  with. James uses characterisation to show the
  reader the theme of oppression.
• Task What has this candidate done well and how
  could they improve on this attempt?

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Introduction Exemplar 1

• I am going to tell you about a novel called
  Talking in Whispers by James Watson. In it
  Andres is on the run from the security forces and
  he meets two puppeteers that he joins forces
  with. James uses characterisation to show the
  reader the theme of oppression.

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Introduction Exemplar 1

• I am going to tell you about a novel called
  Talking in Whispers by James Watson. In it
  Andres is on the run from the security forces and
  he meets two puppeteers that he joins forces
  with. James uses characterisation to show the
  reader the theme of oppression.

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Why the introduction isnt very good!

• Doesnt refer to the question!!!
• Plot Summary is poor and irrelevant to the
  question
• Doesnt mention the technique of setting
• There is no contextual information about the
  setting.
• There is no mention of the fact that it is just
  the opening three chapters that will be
  considered.
• It has little or no style!

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Exemplar 2

• Talking in Whispers by James Watson is a
  powerful and claustrophobic novel set in Chile in
  the 1980s. In Chile at this time the people live
  in constant fear of the totalitarian government
  with little freedom. In the opening chapters
  Watson uses the setting of Chile under this
  regime to convey the theme of the dangers of
  totalitarianism. In addition, Watsons skilful
  use of setting assists the reader in
  understanding the climate of fear and oppression
  that the people live under daily. Also, his
  detailed use of setting allied with sensitive
  characterisation reveals important aspects of the
  central character of Andres

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Introduction

• Task
• Write a good introduction for your essay
  remembering to use T.A.R.T.S. (Leave the plot
  summary for now, we will come to that later.
• Use the sentence below to help you start.
• The Truman Show by Peter Weir is a powerful and
  moving comedy drama in which there is an
  interesting character.

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Summary of Plot

• This should be very brief (No more than 12 jotter
  lines) and should take an overview of the films
  themes, plot and characters.
• Task
• Try writing a short summary of The Truman Show
  now in your jotter.

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Key Point P.E.A.R Structure

• Each key point will have the same structure
• Point Topic sentence that introduces the point
  you are making
• Evidence Quotation from text to support the
  point you are making
  introduced properly
• Analysis Explanation of how quotation helps
  your point
• Response Your personal opinion What is the
  writer encouraging you to feel about the
  character at this point

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Introduction to Quotation

• Remember you have to introduce the quotation
  properly by giving the context of the quotation.
  DONT simply write, for example . . . or Here
  is a quote . . . because this is tedious for the
  marker to read and boring for you to write.
• Instead you should give the context what is
  happening at the time and who is speaking.

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Activity 5 Work in Pairs (5 mins)

• Look at the example of a Key point written about
  the poem The Identification by Roger McGough
  and try to identify the Point, Evidence Analysis
  and Response in this Key Point.
• Highlight or underline each section using a
  different colour.
• D\English Teaching\S3 and S4\S3?4\Int
  1\Resources\poetry\The Identification\Key Point 1
  - teacher's copy simplified.doc

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Activity 6 (Paired activity 10 mins)

• Often there will be more than one quotation for
  each key point, as in this example.
• Do the same as before (highlight or underline
  each section Point, Evidence, Analysis and
  Response for this key point written about The
  Prize of Peril.
• Also choose a different colour and highlight the
  introduction to the quotation this time.
• D\English Teaching\S3 and S4\S3?4\Int
  1\Resources\prose\short stories\The Prize of
  Peril\prize of peril essay pupil copy.doc

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Point (Topic Sentences)

• To write a good topic sentence you should
  include
• An opener
• Words from the essay question
• An introduction to the point you want to make