Revision is hard - try to smile!

Small 30 minute chunks of work - always making notes and writing what you read in summary or bullet point form. You have worked for a year and half towards this point. Stop panicking and take a deep breath. Show off in your exams - you know so much - show them!

See you in the Canteen on Monday morning - pens, highlighter, water, banana and watch in hand!

Bring your old copies of An Inspector Calls and Of Mice and Men.

GCSE Literature Unit 1 Modern Texts

Monday at 9am - we come face-to-face with the first of our GCSE Literature exams - Unit 1 Exploring Modern Texts - An Inspector Calls and Of Mice and Men - two essays, two texts, 40% of your GCSE.

It's worth spending 30 min chunks of your time to revise.

Make notes - memorise quotes - save time in the exam. Use all the resources I have already sent through, and use a few more:

Unit 1 Exploring Modern Texts - Link 1

BBC Bitesize Literature

Mr Bruff - because you're all big fans

Good luck - see you in the Canteen on Monday.

Mr Draper

One week until CA Deadline

Thursday 30th April - the last chance to lock and load your weapons for the exams in May and June.

Walk into the exam hall on the 18th, 22nd and 2nd with 40% and 30% in your back pocket for Language and Literature respectively.

Your revision will have more impact if you know nothing you do in those high pressure moments in the Hall is diluted or weakened by a poor Controlled Assessment folder.

Good luck and make sure you take advantage of this opportunity.

Mr Draper

p.s. some of your lovely student colleagues have started to come after school to English 1 to practice exam questions - I bet they didn't tell you that!

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

GCSE Literature Mock - Unit 1 Modern Texts

Currently,  you should be preparing for the final Mock for your GCSE Literature course - the Unit 1 Modern Texts. You have completed the Romeo & Juliet CA (30%). You have completed the Unit 2 Poetry in Time Mock Exam (30%). All that is left is this exam (40%).

Of Mice and Men - 1 essay question based on an extract. (approx 45 mins)

An Inspector Calls - 1 essay question - usually based on a character or theme. (approx 45 mins)

Ask your teachers for resources.

Re-read the texts. Make notes on character, theme, language, plot.

You will then have completed 100% of GCSE Language and 100% of GCSE Literature. All that is left is to improve the grade you have and secure something better. Good luck. Mr Draper.

Welcome to the Next Generation

Hello Year 11s. If you've found your way here, you know that you're the new futuristic Year 11 students in Ark Elvin Academy. I'll be publishing a whole range of things for you on here that may or may not help you towards success in your GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature studies. Watch this space. Mr Draper