YEAR12 LESSON TWENTY-SEVEN [30th April 12]: Homweork.

Students were expected to answer a series of Gatsby related questions with the focus of the discussion being the difference between Nick Carraway and F.Scott Fitzgerald. Students were asked to consider how Fitzgerald uses Carraway to shape meaning.

The second section of this FINAL session was the Section B exam task: Write about the significance of places in three of the texts that you have studied.

Notes were captured and two thirds of a response was modelled using Gatsby/Auden's 'Miss.Gee'/ and a reference to TROTAM. The key consideration with the section B response is the 'detailed and perceptive understanding of issues raised through CONNECTIONS between texts.' This section of the lesson was an attempt to illustrate how students should present textual connections when constructing a written response.

HOMEWORK: Keep sending me essays. I will be offering a session on the Monday before the exam. KEEP CHECKING THE BLOG AS I WILL BE POSTING RESOURCES. Keep reading the set texts.

GATSBY PODCASTS.

In the last lesson I referred to some podcasts that have been created by The University of Leeds English Faculty. HERE THEY ARE....Click on links below:

Narrative in The Great Gatsby: http://www.theenglishfaculty.org/a-levels/item/212-narrative-in-the-great-gatsby

The Great Gatsby and the roaring twenties [part one and two]: http://www.theenglishfaculty.org/a-levels/item/213-the-great-gatsby-and-the-roaring-twenties-pt1

http://www.theenglishfaculty.org/a-levels/item/214-the-great-gatsby-and-the-roaring-twenties-pt2

YEAR 12 LESSON TWENTY-SIX [23rd April 12]: Homework.

Students discussed THE GREAT GATSBY and considered Fitzgerald's aim and the nature of Nick Carraway's narrative. The aim of this session was to encourage students to develop their own readings of the text and make students aware of how the novel has been interpreted since its initial publication in 1925.

The second session was a consideration of the question: How does Fitzgerald tell the story in Chapter 8?

Homework: Read the texts. Read Auden's 'Miss.Gee' as we shall be looking at a Section B question in the next [and last] session! As we are so close to the exam, I encourage students to attempt any past exam question. I encourage all students to attempt a few timed essays and fire them along the digital pipe.

YEAR 12 LESSON TWENTY-FIVE [16th April 12]: Homework.

Students returned from the Spring Festivities and smashed straight into preparation for the examination. The class were asked to consider the question: How does Coleridge tell the story in the final section of TROTAM? Class discussion created a potential essay structure. The aim of this task was to develop student awareness of the different assessment objectives that link to the examination. This question expects students to consider how language structure and form shapes meaning. Reference was made to:

• The significance of the ballad form. Specifically the distorted nature of the traditional ballad that occurs in the final section and the nature of the final verse. The final verse has a traditional ballad rhyme scheme but not a traditional rhythm as the syllable length of each line does not conform to the traditional 8686 syllable structure. Why? How does this irregular rhythm shape meaning?
• How different characters are introduced to allow Coleridge to emphasise the strange physical appearance of the Mariner and the ship. Reference was made to this being similar to the use of The Wedding Guest earlier in the poem.
• The use of simile such as ' I pass like night' and 'the ship went down like lead'.
• Students might also want to consider why Coleridge chooses to explain why the Mariner HAS to tell his tale in this final section. Why not offer this information earlier in the poem?

The second session involved the class considering three 'even number' exam questions from Section A of previous examination papers:

1. How do you respond to the view that TROTAM is 'so mystifying it simply befuddles and confuses the reader'?
2. 'TROTAM is simply a tale of crime and punishment'. How do you respond to this view?
3. How far do you agree with Nick's view that Gatsby is 'worth the whole damn bunch put together'?

HOMEWORK: Complete the Coleridge 'How does...final section of TROTAM' and the even number question 'so mystifying it befuddles..'. This should be a timed response. In the exam you will have one hour to answer these two questions so students should plan the response carefully before attempting a ONE HOUR response.

Students should be reading all the set texts.

Next week is a THREE HOUR SESSION. Bring your texts. Your Patience. And your wisdom.

YEAR 13 LESSON TWENTY-FIVE [30th March 12]: Homework.

The last session before the Spring break considered THREE questions:

1. 'In the gothic text the reader is encouraged to sympathise with the isolated anti-hero'. How do you respond to this comment?
2. To what extent do you agree with the view that the humans in Frankenstein are more monstrous than the monster?
3. To what extent do you think that Faustus's greatest sin is his misuse of the supernatural powers given to him by Mephistophilis?

The whole session consisted of class discussion that considered possible content for these essays. Class response was OUTSTANDING. I can offer only praise to you lot for the quality of the written and oral work that has been produced this term. You are a very impressive group of Literature freaks.

HOMEWORK: Our worlds will not collide for three weeks as we miss the Friday of the week when we return as this is a staff training day. Therefore I expect students to produce three essays in this three week period. The essays that were discussed in today's session should be attempted by ALL students. Obviously, students need to be reading the texts and the essays will allow you to read the text with a very specific focus. I think that students need to use this break as an opportunity to indulge in some serious ACTIVE reading. READ.READ.READ.READ.

Completed essays should be forced down the digital pipe so I can mark them and return all written work when next we meet.

When we return we are going to tear this gothic lark to pieces. BE PREPARED.

YEAR 12 LESSON TWENTY-FOUR [26th March 12]: Homework.

Students discussed issues relating to the Othello coursework before the session moved into a consideration of Coleridge's TROTAM. Students were blasted through Sections 5/6/7 and asked to consider:

• THEMES BEING EXPLORED
• THE AIM OF THE AUTHOR
• USE OF FORM.

Class discussion considered why the Wedding Guest is a 'sadder wiser man' before exploring the possible content that could be used to shape a response to the exam question:

'TROTAM is simply a tale of crime and punishment'. How do you respond to this view?

We will be attempting this essay when we return after the Pagan chocolate celebrations.

HOMEWORK: Create wonderful OTHELLO coursework. I will be in school on Wednesday to discuss drafts and provide essay guidance.

READ.READ.READ. The more you read, the greater your understanding of the texts. I expect all students to be devouring Gatsby and TROTAM. Any issues that you have with these texts needs to be discussed when we return after the break.