AS Lang holiday homework

Below is the opening of a Guardian article. Read it then write an opinionated blog entry for a blog of your choice e.g. the Huffington Post, Guardian Comment is Free, Red's Talking Point section (e.g.), GQ's politics section (e.g.) or any other reputable blog-hosting site. State your audience before you start. Aim for a brief intro and four paragraphs and include as much gender theory as you can cram in to a blog about how our language is changing/has to change because of gender issues (you can use the idea in the article as well as anything from gender theory you can make currently relevant - use your imagination to work stuff in!). You are being tested on your ability to inform on gender theory while creating a lively and effective blog entry for your audience. Try and hook and keep your audience while communicating subtler aspects of ideas about language and gender. This is the same task you do on Paper 2, section B.

Also revise occupation theories/content and accent and dialect theories/content as we will be using all of these as soon as we come back to do articles and essays. Also keep working on terminology, little and often. Post the blog entry to your blog by Tue 12th April.

Have a good break but remember that this is the time to work hard, not take a full-blown holiday. There are 5 weeks of teaching left before you leave for the exams!

Is it time we agreed on a gender-neutral singular pronoun?

Gary Nunn

Some argue we need one for socially progressive reasons. Others simply want one to perfect their writing. But so far more than a hundred attempts have failed

One use for a gender neutral singular pronoun could be to refer to androgynous robots and androids. Photograph: Alamy

Friday 30 January 2015 09.00 GMT Last modified on Thursday 15 October 2015 16.17 BST

Language, like life, feels easier to deal with if we arrange it into binaries: Wrong/right; Gay/straight; Labour/Conservative. Terms lurking between the two poles are often unfairly maligned. We’re often wary of anything that is neither one nor the other: Justifiable homicide; Bisexual; The Liberal Democrats.

The same goes for him/her. We seem far more comfortable when people are either men or women. The reality is different. There are people who self­-define as neither, as gender-non­binary. To those who see gender as a construct, this makes perfect sense. But the English language fails to reflect it.
A universal gender­-neutral pronoun – something to capture everything between he and she – would resolve this, and other issues. For non-­atheist progressives, it would give them a gender-neutral God. It could describe androgynous robots. A third­ person pronoun would also help us hacks with our word counts and copy neatness; writing his/hers every time (for those of us who on principle refuse to default to ‘his’) feels untidy and inelegant.

For those now considering commenting to suggest that there’s a perfectly fine existing neutral pronoun – “they” – remember that pronouns must match both gender and number. So in the case of single individuals, it’s grammatically inaccurate.

Lang Lit Eggers interview

Heartbreakings,

Eggers is interviewed in the Telegraph here and reveals sad news about Beth Eggers. Her response to the memoir is particularly interesting but please note that her suicide happened soon after the publication of the memoir but that is not soon after the events of the memoir.

Poetry challenge

Creativenesses,

strut your poetic stuff in The St Brendan's Thirty Poems in Thirty Days Challenge. Can you write a poem a day every day in April? Log into Moodle and paste this link into the browser to find out more:

http://moodle.stbrn.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=327

A2 Language computer room lesson 21/3/16

Independents,

please wok through the next section of Elevate, pushing through quickly to the section on WHY language changes (16.4.3) and doing some additonal research on the internet on reasons for language change (that you can write about in the exam, whatever kind of text you get). Put some good notes onto your blog.

Post your analysis of Hefer's article in 16.4.4 to your blog too. You might want to read the 'ideas on activity 7' before you plan your analysis.

Language and gender and opinion articles - Deborah Cameron's blog

This blog is a great source of gender comment and for AS is very useful in terms of reading good writing about language issues in preparation for paper 2's directed writing task (write an opinion piece in a stated form e.g. blog, broadsheet article, magazine for an audience you choose about one of the key topics which you get given: it might be gender, occupation or accent/dialect).

The current article is about women's voices and wouldn't have quite enough content to get you great marks in AO2 but does inform and engage the reader in a sophisticated way.

Careers talk Tues 26 April - why study English?

Futuristics,

here is a talk you may be interested in:

Why study English or Languages at Uni?

Tuesday 26th April

12:10- 12:55

1:00 – 1:45
in D2/D3

There will be a way to sign up but I don't have that info yet.

Linguistic fatalism (particularly useful for Lang Lit 'Heartbreaking' Dave's fatalism)

Here's a great article on how our language can reflect the idea that things 'can't be helped' and how this may stop us from making the changes we need to make.

study skills talk for AS 17 March

Diligents,

Try and get to the study skills talk the Elevate are doing – it looks really engaging and useful. Remember, you are off-timetable that day.

Here are the details from the email I got:

• Do you want to know how to boost your grades?
• Looking for a different approach to study skills?

• Elevate Education are in college next Thursday, 17^th March, to deliver a workshop on their award winning study skills programme.
• Elevate Education are past winners of the Nescafé Big Break Awards in 2002 and publishers of “Science of Student Success”, a study guide that has sold over 10,000 copies and takes you into the minds of the top students.

• Attendance is compulsory for Advanced Graduate Programme students

• Attendance is open to all other 3Y1 students on a first come- first served basis – if you are not an AGP student and you would like to attend, please sign up here to book one of the remaining places: http://doodle.com/poll/e8p25e2xfkxgncku

A2 computer room lesson 14/3/16

Elevatednesses,

log on to Elevate and go to chapter 16. Skim through the first part and get quickly to Figure 16.2 - it is information about different 'periods' of English. Please make notes on your blog. Remember, although you will only get texts that are 'modern' English (from 1700 on), they will have some influences from earlier forms of English (as our English does) and there is nothing stopping you showing learned knowledge by referring back where you can make it relevant. Include from other sources (e.g this brilliant timeline on The British Library site) the dates of Caxton's printing press, Johnson's dictionary and Lowth's grammar, linking to standardisation.

Watch the video in 16.3 (or listen to it while you make notes and revise terminology from the section below - if you go to any other page, the video will stop). As you read through, particularly look at the page from Dr Johnson's dictionary - look at how the lexicographer's citations differ from the ones in the modern version we looked at. Also be sure you note down the idea of the inkhorn controversy, which is great to ention in the exam when you are discussing prescriptive attitudes.

Whip through the start of 16.4 and do a PEE analysis of 16.4.4 - Simon Heffer's article for The Daily Mail, linking to theories/concepts/learned knowledge that will help you get AO2 marks as well as exploring how the techniques suit the GRAPE.

Student Union elections

Leadershipsnesses,

I think you should carefully consider if you can expand your skillset and get some great experience by standing for one of our Student Union roles.

Check your email for the booklet from Mattia and get your applications done by the 24th.

Go on! You can do it!

Language and occupation and politeness - how not to sound rude in emails

This was pretty useful to remind me not to be so 'all about me' in my emails.

AS Lang Paper 1 tips for hitting the higher grades

Revisingnesses,


A summary: quality not quantity, use 'sophisticated' terminology, proofread and edit (leave time after the 20 mins for question 3 to re-read and improve everything - it can make the difference of a full grade), don't worry about repeating points in question 3 - it is expected and not penalised, be subtle not straightforward, link techniques and context every time you make a point, comment on both texts in each paragraph in Question 3.


You are sitting an example Paper 1 in the mock on Monday (the only one we've been given!) so that you have a chance to see what you can do at this stage, in the time and get appropriate feedback to make you more prepared (as much for next year as for this summer). It also gives us, as teachers, a chance to see how students get to grips with a question-type that is new on the Language syllabus, so we can improve the teaching of it by seeing where the gaps in students' understanding are, generally.

I have just been on a course run by the exam board, AQA, so I have some tips to share with you. I will keep it as straightforward as possible:

Questions 1&2

• You get two texts linked by theme but in different forms/genres to analyse separately (one in each question) - you need to show how the different contexts (form/genre, audiences, purposes, modes, means of reception i.e. how the readers access the texts, audience needs and expectations etc.) influence the techniques that the text producers use (identify these with as much terminology as possible). In other words, 'Why do the producers use the linguistic techniques you have identified?' In other words, 'How does language link to context?'
•  In questions one and two, you analyse each of the texts separately, looking at exactly how meanings and representations are communicated - you should try and explore a range of frameworks - comment about not just grammar and lexis but also ideas such as discourse (e.g. use of 1st/2nd/3rd person, structuring devices, discourse markers, level of formality, general tone); mode/multi-modality, and affordances and constraints of the genre, if they are technologically mediated; how graphology supports meanings made through language (e.g. the way the caption interprets the image in a particular way to guide the reader to intended meanings); the implied writer and reader, perhaps even exploring synthetic personalisation, building the consumer etc., the importance of phonological aspects if they are relevant etc.
• In Questions 1&2, you are given marks in AO1 accurate terminology and good PEE (10 marks for accurate terminology used to explore how meanings and representations are made, and SPAG, and coherent/cohesive analysis) and AO3 context (15 marks for the different aspects of the who, how, where and why - I identified some of these in the first bullet point)
• Higher marks are awarded if you comment on what is percieved to be the more 'sophisticated' terminology e.g. the grammar of sentence moods (also called clause types), sentence types (and the order of the clauses within them, including how they are linked e.g. with discourse markers, subordinating or co-ordinating conjunctions, fronting of adverbials etc.), text cohesion (structuring devices, register, tone etc.), affordances and constraints of technologically mediated texts etc.
• Use of even a couple of these 'sophisticated' aspects of analysis can boost even a lower-band marks and are necessary for top-band marks. Looking at the use of sentence moods (especially if you can identify and explore aspects like cloaked imperatives), modal auxiliary verbs, subordinating discourse markers etc. is going to improve your marks.
• Quality is more important than quantity so develop fewer points more deeply but ensure you cover a range of frameworks/levels (grammar, lexis, discourse, phonology etc.) - context is worth the most marks so ensure you comment on this in depth, perhaps exploring how purposes combine in particular quotes or how different sub-audiences might interpret or react to techniques differently.
• Proofread and edit to improve the amount of terminology used, the clarity and accuracy of your writing, the depth of your points, the amount/subtlety of contextual comment etc.

Question 3

• Question 3 is marked on a brand new assessment objective: AO4 - explore connections across texts - and is worth 20 marks.
• The trainer on the course said that quality is way more important than quantity and that you can pick just two aspects to connect/contrast but you must develop those paragraphs fully to show how techniques make meaning similarly/differently because of the contexts or how meaning is made similarly/differently because of the contexts.
• The trainer said you should spend only 20 minutes of the exam time on this question (perhaps because you know the texts so well at this stage) - my recommendation is to independently find texts that connect on a theme for yourself and practise this type of answer, as often as possible, to get your speed up - how much you can plan and write in the time is like muscles that need developing through exercise. Get mentally muscly!
• You can repeat ideas from questions 1 and 2 because you are now contrasting the texts and it is that aspect that you are being marked on.
• You do still need to use as much terminology and contextual comment as you can, as it is the sophistication of the connections and contrasts and how they are explained that is important. Comment on both texts in each paragraph, using connecting and contrasting discourse markers to guide the reader.
• Ensure that you explore the thematic links (essential!) and any contrasting aspects (beneficial!), especially if they are part of wider discourses on education, race, the environment, politics, the media etc. How are groups and ideas represented, as well as how is the implied reader  represented and how is the implied writer self-representing?
• Comment on the mode and reception, the register, the degree of interactivity, the degree of politeness or whatever seems significant, because evaluating the significance and ambiguities of the techniques is high-level
• 'Straightforward' is the enemy of high marks - by all means cover all the bases by including as much terminology and context as you can but it is the subtler points that show the complexities in the texts and the connections that you make between them that will win you the higher marks.

A2 computer room lesson 08/3/16

Descriptivenesses,

I found out we were timetabled in here - not sure why!

First, do the starter sheet and use a couple as examples to learn for 'borrowed' words.

Then, look back at the Sandi Toksvig article from Friday - analyse how her descritpive attitude is communicated and how it suits the GRAPE - post your analysis to the blog.

Next, find phrases in the prescriptive article that you found that communicate a prescriptive attitude to language change. How can you connect it to Aitchison's metaphors? How are prescriptive attitudes conveyed? Post this analysis to your blog (finish for homework for Friday if necessary).

On Friday, we will look at an exam question so you can see where you are going.

AS computer room lesson 8/3/16

Clevernessses,

please go to 13.5.5 of the Cambridge Elevate online textbook. Do the activity that I have added in the notes that you can click on next to this number in the textbook. It asks you to do a PEE analysis of one of the texts from the chapter and post to your blog (but read the notes). When you have done that, finish the bits before 13.5.5 if you haven't already and do 13.5.5...

... then find two texts in different forms (e.g. website and article, message board and review) that are on the same general topic. Analyse them seperately then compare them. Finish for h/w for Fri, posting the comparison part of the analysis to your blog.

Using quotation marks - all subjects (interesting for Lang A2 about the changes too)

This article from The Guardian explores how complicated it can be when your quotations contain quotations. It is worth brushing up on the rules. I would always use double quote marks generally; then you can distinguish between quotations and when you are distancing yourself from word choices by using inverted commas e.g. Some people use a 'quirky' approach to punctuation but, as the exam board says, "candidates should use coherent written expression in their response."

Make sure you use either a comma or, where appropriate, a colon to introduce your quotes, unless you are embedding single words into your sentence. If the quotation ends in punctuation, use that before you close the quote marks. If it doesn't, use it outside (in speech you must always use punctuation before you close the speech marks).

Fancy a deeper exploration? Extension reading: http://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2011/may/19/mind-your-language-punctuation-quotations

AS Lang Lit revision ideas

·         Revise terminology through making revision flash cards / making framework mind maps

·         Read through your notes and example analyses and jot down the language features focussed on.

·         Use Bristol University Grammar Pages – useful for developing the accuracy of your own expression and thinking about the grammar framework: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/index.htm

·         Refer to emagazine for wider reading - ID: stbren  Password: EMC2015 and make notes on any articles.

·         Collect examples of different types of texts and analyse for different features. Focus on a page in a novel; feature articles; leaflets; autobiography; scripts; speeches; news articles; letters to newspapers; diary entries etc. What features are used and why? 

·         Record a conversation from the TV or radio and analyse one minute. What features are used and why?

·         Use the padlet resources created by Nina’s class: http://padlet.com/nst/ahwosg http://padlet.com/nst/genrework   http://padlet.com/nst/keythemesthehistoryboys  http://padlet.com/nst/thehistoryboyswarreferences  http://padlet.com/nst/thehistoryboys 

·         Create flash / revision cards with all the different genre and stylistic features of the texts you could be asked to write for the creative writing tasks.

·         Create family trees / diagrams of relationships within the stories.

·         Draw key images from the poems.

·         Create thematic links between the poems e.g. love, relationships, nature, death, spirituality, carpe diem, place, fantasy….

·         Make sure you have a full framework analysis for each poem.

·         Find examples of articles, extracts from novels, letters that could be linked to the poems.

·         Summarise key characters presented in each text and have a set of key quotations for each one.

·         Make sure you have a summary of each scene / chapter / poem. Create a flow chart of events and dates if relevant.

·         Create a mind map of contextual details for each text. Think about the context of production and the context of reception as well as the references made in each text.

Look at the discussion questions on Teenreads for AHWOSG http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/a-heartbreaking-work-of-staggering-genius/guide

·         For some basics on THB, look at the Bitesize (GCSE level but helpful) http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramahistoryboys/

·         Refer back to any work on the blogs (yours or mine or Nina's)