w
w
ap
eP
m
e
tr
.X
w
om
.c
s
er
Teacher Guide
Cambridge IGCSE®
World Literature
0408
Cambridge Secondary 2
Cambridge International Examinations retains the copyright on all its publications. Registered Centres
are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use. However, we cannot give
permission to Centres to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use
within a Centre.
® IGCSE is the registered trademark of Cambridge International Examinations.
© Cambridge International Examinations 2013
Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3
The purpose of this teacher guide
What do I need to get started?
Section 1: Syllabus Overview .............................................................................................. 5
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
Aims
Assessment objectives
The assessment structure
Description of components
Section 2: Planning the course ............................................................................................ 9
2.1 Key factors to consider when planning your course
2.2 Long-term planning
2.3 Medium-term planning
Section 3: Planning lessons ............................................................................................... 13
3.1 Definition and key ingredients
3.2 Lesson plans
3.3 Reflection and evaluation of learning
Section 4: Classroom practice ........................................................................................... 15
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
The role of the teacher
The role of learners and learner involvement
Sustaining interest and motivation
Strategies for managing learning
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance ....................................................................... 19
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
General guidance
Teacher supervision of drafting and re-drafting written assignments
Marking and annotation of written assignments
How to conduct the oral response
Marking and moderating the portfolio
Plagiarism
Sources / bibliographies
Section 6: Preparing learners for final assessment ............................................................ 29
6.1 Use of past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports
6.2 Revision tips for learners
Section 7: Resources ......................................................................................................... 33
7.1 Finding and evaluating resources
7.2 Creating and sharing resources
7. 3 Adapting resources
Section 8: Teacher support .............................................................................................. 35
8.1 Teacher Support website – key features:
8.2 Endorsed and recommended textbooks
8.3 Training
Appendices ...................................................................................................................... 37
Appendix 1: Sample long-term plan
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
Appendix 3: Sample lesson plan
Appendix 4: Lesson plan template
Introduction
Introduction
The purpose of this teacher guide
This Teacher Guide is designed to introduce you to the syllabus and support materials available from
Cambridge and to help you organise and plan your teaching. It also offers advice and guidance on delivery,
classroom practice and preparing your learners for their final assessment.
What do I need to get started?
When planning a course, you need to become thoroughly familiar with the syllabus (both the curriculum
content and the assessment structure), the scheme of work and the support materials available.
The syllabus covers the overall aims, assessment objectives, descriptions of the examination components
and grade descriptors for the subject. Each area or skill within a subject is defined to help you organise the
overall scope of what needs to be learnt.
The sample schemes of work and lesson plans in the appendices provide examples of how we can break
down the curriculum into learning outcomes by applying the defined skill-set from the syllabus to the
different literary genres. These documents also serve to illustrate the planning principles outlined in sections
2 and 3 of this guide. These schemes of work and lesson plans can be adapted to suit individual needs and
for this reason they have been made available on Teacher Support our secure online support for Cambridge
teachers.
http://teachers.cie.org.uk
On Teacher Support you will find a range of support materials for teachers; these include question papers,
mark schemes and Examiner Reports. Making appropriate use of these resources can:
•
help you understand how the teaching relates to the assessment objectives
•
help you prepare your learners for their final assessment
•
help you understand the standard
•
save you time.
Here is a checklist to help you get started:
Checklist
† Have you read the syllabus (check it is for the year of the examination)?
† Have you looked at the teaching materials on the Cambridge website www.cie.org.uk and on
Teacher Support? http://teachers.cie.org.uk
† Have you thought about what support materials and resources you are going to use?
† Have you thought about what local/school resources are available to use?
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
3
Introduction
4
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 1: Syllabus Overview
Section 1: Syllabus Overview
1.1 Aims
The syllabus aims, which are not listed in order of priority, are to encourage and develop candidates’ ability
to:
•
enjoy the experience of reading world literature
•
understand and respond to literary texts in different forms and from different countries and cultures
•
communicate an informed personal response appropriately and effectively
•
appreciate different ways in which writers achieve their effects
•
experience literature’s contribution to aesthetic, imaginative and intellectual growth
•
explore the contribution of literature to an understanding of areas of human concern.
1.2 Assessment objectives
There are four Assessment Objectives (AOs). Candidates are assessed on their ability to demonstrate:
AO1: detailed knowledge of the content and form of literary texts drawn from different countries and
cultures
AO2: engagement with writers’ ideas and treatment of themes, and appreciation of how texts relate to
wider contexts
AO3: recognition and appreciation of how writers create and shape meanings and effects
AO4: empathy, through re-creation of a character’s voice and thoughts.
Component 1
Portfolio
Component 2
Unseen
Component 3
Set Texts
AO1
9
9
AO2
9
9
9
AO3
9
9
9
AO4
9
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
5
Section 1: Syllabus Overview
1.3 The assessment structure
All candidates must take:
Component
1. Portfolio
Assessment type
Duration
Weighting
—
50%
Assessment type
Duration
Weighting
Written examination
1 hour 15 minutes
Assessment type
Duration
Written examination
1 hour 30 minutes
Internally-assessed, and internally
moderated by teacher(s) at Centre.
Externally moderated by Cambridge.
AND
Component
2. Unseen
25%
AND
Component
3. Set Text
Weighting
25%
Assessment: The full range of grades (A*–G) is available. The papers are not tiered.
Timetabling: Papers 2 and 3 are timetabled in separate examination sittings.
1.4 Description of components
1.4.1 Paper 1: Portfolio (coursework)
This component carries 50% of the assessment of the syllabus as a whole.
Learners will submit a portfolio of two written assignments and one oral assignment.
This component as a whole requires study of at least two different forms (poetry/prose/drama), with texts
drawn from at least two countries/cultures.
The portfolio as a whole is marked out of 65: learners will gain a mark out of 25 for each written
assignment, and a mark out of 15 for the oral assignment.
The assignments are set and marked by the teacher(s), and internally moderated where several teachers are
involved in the marking. The school must make sure that all candidates are assessed to a common standard
in order to produce a reliable order of rank. School assessments will then be moderated by Cambridge
examiners.
Assignments should follow a programme of study undertaken by a teaching group and may be completed at
any stage during the course. It is advised that each learner undertakes more than two written assignments
during the course to provide a choice of work towards her/his portfolio, and that both teacher and learner
discuss which are the best assignments to submit. Learners do not have to produce written assignments
under examination-type conditions. The Cambridge Handbook for Centres contains guidance and general
regulations about internal (school-based) assessment of coursework.
6
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 1: Syllabus Overview
1.4.2 Paper 2: Unseen
This component carries 25% of the assessment of the syllabus as a whole. Learners answer one question
from a choice of two.
Each question asks for a critical commentary on (and appreciation of) previously unseen writing which is
printed on the question paper.
One question is based on a passage of literary prose fiction (e.g. an extract from a novel or a short story)
or non-fiction (e.g. extract from travel writing or autobiography). The other question is based on a poem,
or extract from a poem. The material will be taken from writing either originally in English or in English
translation.
There are no set texts for this paper.
Learners are advised to spend around 20 minutes reading their selected question and planning their answer
before starting to write.
1.4.3 Paper 3: Set Text
This component carries 25% of the assessment of the syllabus as a whole.
Questions will be set on a range of prose and drama texts in English translation, or originally written in
English. On each set text there will be two questions: one extract-based question and one general essay
question. Each question carries the same number of marks.
The paper is divided into:
•
Section A: extract-based questions
•
Section B: essay questions.
Learners answer two questions: one question from each section. They may answer both of their questions
on the same set text or on two different texts.
This is a ‘closed books’ paper: set texts may not be taken into the examination room.
Extract-based questions focus on one section of the text, asking learners to re-read a specific passage from
the set text before answering. The extract/poem will be printed on the question paper.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
7
Section 1: Syllabus Overview
8
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 2: Planning the course
Section 2: Planning the course
This section considers planning over a number of time frames: planning for the long-term, the medium-term
and for individual lessons. Examples of planning and customisable planning grids are provided in the
Appendix.
2.1 Key factors to consider when planning your course
Each school will need to consider the following factors in the light of its particular circumstances:
•
the amount of teaching time available for the whole duration of the course
•
the number of lessons required to cover the syllabus (IGCSE syllabuses are designed on the
assumption that learners have about 130 guided learning hours* over the duration of the course)
•
learning outcomes for the course
•
previous learning
•
local and recommended resources
•
ways of checking learners’ understanding of key concepts and common errors to look out for
•
suggested homework and extension activities
•
cross-curricular links
•
ICT activities
•
preparation for future learning.
* Guided learning hours are the number of hours of directed study required to support learner achievement
of the qualification. Guided learning hours do not include time spent by tutors preparing teaching sessions or
materials or marking assessments; study undertaken by the learner in their own time or learner support that
is not specific to the content of the programme, e.g. study skills.
2.2 Long-term planning
Long-term planning usually takes place on an annual basis. It should be used as a guide and does not have
to be adhered to rigidly. If you are teaching the syllabus for the first time, it is likely that the long-term plan
is going to be amended over time in the light of actual teaching and learning within your school. Planning
needs to take into account the particular framework within which the syllabus will be taught. The following
factors will have some effect on the way the syllabus is planned and delivered in your centre:
•
length of the course – one or two years
•
number and length of lessons per week
•
number of learners within the cohort
•
number of learners per teaching group
•
whether groups are mixed ability or streamed by ability
•
scheduling of school-wide internal examinations.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
9
Section 2: Planning the course
The long-term plan should provide an overview of the range of learning opportunities that will be offered
and is usually designed with a whole teaching group in mind. Where there is more than one class, a number
of planning options exist:
•
a long-term plan which all teaching groups will follow, usually determined by the department after
consultation
•
a long-term plan which allows a degree of flexibility, for example, with regard to each teacher’s
choice of set examination or coursework texts
•
long-term plans for each group determined by individual teachers, with considerable flexibility about
choice of texts and structure of the course.
Careful consideration needs to be given to the scheduling of coursework assignments within the overall
course. Setting them near the beginning of the course may not lead to learners producing their best work.
For example, learners are likely to perform better in the Critical Essay assignment of the Portfolio if they
have developed suitable skills of textual analysis before they embark on this assignment. Similarly, it would
be prudent to offer opportunities for learners to practise empathic writing before working on the Empathic
Response assignment they are to submit. And performance in the Oral Response: Recorded Conversation is
also likely to benefit from opportunities to practise the necessary skills. These factors need to be taken into
account when drawing up the long-term plan. Many centres might conclude that coursework assignments
are best not completed during the first term. On the other hand, it is important to get all three coursework
components completed in sufficient time to allow for the revision of the set text/s and practice exercises
for the Unseen Paper. Schools also need to allocate time for coursework administration so that relevant
materials for external moderation are despatched to Cambridge by or before the deadline for coursework
submission.
The specimen long-term plan, in the Appendix, is based on a two-year course and is for guidance only.
There is of course no officially correct plan to suit all schools. Each school draws up its own long-term
plan based on its own circumstances. This can be a rewarding process that draws on the creativity and
experience of teachers within your department.
2.3 Medium-term planning
The long-term plan allows you to chart a way through the syllabus so that you can cover all components
in the most efficient and timely manner. Medium-term plans enable you to cover the necessary detail and
consider how and when to develop key skills to the best advantage, given the order of learning. Together
long- and medium-term plans help you to acquire an authoritative command of the syllabus detail.
How long is a medium-term plan? There is of course no definitive answer. Some teachers may prefer
to plan for half a term (however many weeks there are). Others may prefer to divide the academic year
into equal parts (regardless of the length of terms): e.g. an academic year of 36 weeks might require six
medium-term plans, each covering six weeks.
What should a medium-term plan include? In Literature, it might focus on one text or one particular course
component at a time. Medium-term planning needs to identify the concepts and skills needed to support
the learners to reach the intended learning outcomes for particular texts or components. Teachers need
to think carefully at this stage about how they will make the links between areas of learning explicit. For
example, the skills of close reading and critical analysis used in preparing learners for the extract questions
on Set Text Paper 3 are very similar to the skills required for the questions on the Unseen Paper 2.
Although learning outcomes are identified in the medium-term plan, it is better if specific lesson activities
are not allocated at this stage; instead a pool of potential teaching activities creates the flexibility to meet the
10
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 2: Planning the course
changing needs of both individuals and groups of learners. Fine-tuning of activities can then take place when
you devise plans for individual lessons.
Extracts from the Cambridge Scheme of Work can be found in the Appendix and these illustrate one
method of creating a medium-term plan. These extracts are from the following units:
Unit 3 Poetry
Unit 6 Empathic Response
The scheme of work includes three columns: learning outcomes, suggested teaching activities and learning
resources. Your medium-term plans will reflect the particular circumstances of your own school. For
example, the scheduling of school-wide internal examinations will need to be taken into account when
planning. The medium-term plan should indicate the week(s) when the exams and also the feedback
lessons (and perhaps revision lessons) take place. You would need to determine which components of the
syllabus would complement these lessons most effectively within that particular medium-term plan.
The activities recommended in the scheme of work are designed to help learners meet the syllabus’s
assessment objectives and learning outcomes. These activities seek to promote the enjoyment of reading
World Literature and to encourage active learning. The skills of independent study and close analysis will be
of use to learners not only in their IGCSE World Literature course but also in other areas of the curriculum
and in their future studies.
You can find the full published Cambridge Scheme of Work on Teacher Support: http://teachers.cie.org.uk
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
11
Section 2: Planning the course
12
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 3: Planning lessons
Section 3: Planning lessons
3.1 Definition and key ingredients
Lesson plans help you to focus on a number of areas which:
•
link assessment objectives to specific activities
•
pinpoint opportunities for active learning and extension activities
•
establish the timings of activities to be completed during the lesson and also for homework (where
relevant)
•
indicate explicitly cross-curricular links
•
make reference to aspects of classroom management, including use of ICT (e.g. use of the internet
for research)
•
set out when and how formative or summative assessment will take place.
What is formative assessment?
Formative assessment entails intervening during the learning process to gather feedback which is then used
to guide subsequent teaching and learning. Such feedback enables you to modify your teaching plans and
adjust the curriculum in the interests of both the learning and the learners. In this way formative assessment
aims to help learners know and recognise the standards that they are working towards, so helping to raise
achievement.
What is summative assessment?
Summative assessment establishes the general level of ability that a learner has attained in terms of
understanding, selecting and applying the knowledge and skills they have been taught. This kind of
assessment is used as a means of reporting to other establishments as well as to parents.
3.2 Lesson plans
As each class and learner has their own particular needs, and each teacher their own style, you will need to
plan individual lessons to fit your own circumstances.
In order to plan a particular lesson, you can use the lesson plan template in the Appendix, a sample lesson
plan is also provided. It should be emphasised that not all lessons can be planned in great detail, but it is
worthwhile taking time to plan in some detail, lessons that are particularly important (e.g. when starting a
new topic or when introducing key skills).
You might plan your initial lessons for a six-week period using a lesson plan template. Then you can check
across the lessons that the sequence is logical and all previous learning will have been covered at the
appropriate time.
At the start of each lesson, it is worth giving learners (perhaps on the board) those objectives and learning
outcomes to be targeted during that lesson. Learners like to know how particular activities fit into the
wider scheme of things. You should also draw explicit attention to those skills relevant to other parts of the
course.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
13
Section 3: Planning lessons
3.3 Reflection and evaluation of learning
An important part of any lesson plan is the section for self-evaluation or reflection. What were the strengths
of the lesson in advancing learning? What might you do differently next time? Brief notes on how the
lesson went for you and for the learners can help you refine the planning of subsequent lessons. Other
ways of gauging the effectiveness of teaching and learning include peer evaluation (by lesson observation)
and ‘team-teaching’ an aspect of the syllabus with a colleague.
14
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 4: Classroom practice
Section 4: Classroom practice
4.1 The role of the teacher
The assessment objectives should underpin all activities, and you should reflect on specific learning
outcomes so that teaching remains focused and purposeful. You should have a clear idea of the specific
ways in which different components of the course will be assessed. It is, for example, important that
learners know they have to tackle an extract-based question and a more general discursive essay in the Set
Text examination paper. This knowledge will inform the way in which you teach set texts and enable you to
set practice questions of the kind learners will face in the examination.
Similarly, questions on unseen prose and poetry texts selected by teachers should be modelled on the
types of question set in the Unseen exam paper. The bare imperative to write a critical commentary would
not, for example, be a helpful preparation for the Unseen written paper.
Three important documents that contribute positively to teaching and learning can be found on Teacher
Support. They are:
•
specimen and past question papers
•
mark schemes
•
Principal Examiner reports.
If there is more than one teacher, it is worth allocating time in departmental meetings or longer training
sessions to review these materials as a team. The Principal Examiner reports include comments on how
candidates perform in both examination papers and in coursework components, giving clear indications of
what constitutes successful and less successful work. This easily accessible information enables you to
teach in a purposeful and confident manner.
4.2 The role of learners and learner involvement
The syllabus stresses the importance of communicating an informed personal response to the texts studied.
The scheme of work suggests many activities that are designed to promote an active learning approach.
Learners should, for example, be asked to note their own initial thoughts about the texts they read. Open
questions should encourage them to reflect on their own impressions. What do they find striking, shocking,
poignant, funny, ironic, dramatic etc. about the text or extract they are reading?
Subsequent activities should help learners to develop and refine their responses by encouraging them
individually or in pairs/groups to reflect on key issues relating to the writing, for example, how writers use
form, structure and language to achieve their effects. They should be encouraged to take responsibility
for their own learning: e.g. by looking up unfamiliar words and by using the library or internet for research.
Most of the syllabus content will be assessed in written examination and coursework responses. Activities
in the scheme of work show how writing skills can be developed over time, for example, starting with
focused paragraphs justifying a point of view, leading eventually to sustained critical analysis. Learners
can be supported through this process by regular opportunities to evaluate their own and others’ written
responses. You can helpfully provide anonymous examples of student writing (not necessarily complete
essays) to be judged against the relevant assessment criteria.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
15
Section 4: Classroom practice
The activities recommended in the scheme of work will help learners to ‘think on their feet’, whether for
the oral assessment or any of the written responses in either the coursework portfolio or the examination
papers.
Personal response is paramount. For a subject which prizes independent judgement there is no place for
rehearsed character sketches in the Set Text paper or coursework Critical Essay. Learners should be taught
that there is no such thing as a correct answer. In critical essays, for example, the question will be framed in
such a way as to encourage a personal response which needs to be supported by pertinent detail from the
text. The points made and quotations used in support are matters for individual learners.
4.3 Sustaining interest and motivation
If learners are to receive clear messages about your expectations of them, they need to be ‘on task’ each
lesson. World Literature is not a subject where any student can take a back seat and let others do all the
thinking and talking. To this end a lesson should have some means of involving all learners. Sometimes
this might take the form of asking questions (requiring short answers) to all those in the group. On other
occasions, all learners might be required to contribute their views, in pair or small group work – so that they
all have opportunities to reflect and to contribute their ideas at some length within an individual lesson.
A clear structure to the lesson should provide a framework in which learners can feel that they have
progressed during it. For example, a lesson which sets out to teach effective ways of embedding quotations
in learners’ own writing should have within it discrete stages that allow them to reflect on the progress they
have made by the end of the lesson.
Variety is an important ingredient of all successful lessons. This can take the form of speaking, debating
or drama-focused activities (such as hot-seating*). A poem might be read in silence with a dictionary to
hand or as part of a rhythmic class chant designed to accentuate the sounds. Writing can take the form of
mind maps** or annotation for jotting down ideas or, more formally, a sustained piece of writing under test
conditions. There should be variety, too, in the pace of the activities. Not all can be brisk – space should also
be provided for thoughtful and unhurried personal reflection. Sometimes, too, it can be positively a good
thing to depart from the ‘script’ or lesson plan in the interests of sustaining the interest and motivation of
learners.
* Hot seating is where a person takes on the role of a character from a story and others ask them questions.
** A mind map is a diagram of ideas and thoughts created around a single word or text placed in the centre,
to which associated ideas, words and concepts are added. Major categories form longer branches and
minor categories are sub-branches.
4.4 Strategies for managing learning
The following is a list of some questions you might find useful:
1.
Do you need to use particular editions of texts, and where will they be stored?
2. Which extracts of key parts of texts should be copied to facilitate close textual study and allow student
annotation?
3. What access is there to dictionaries, the library and the internet?
4. How might pair/small group activities help learners to engage with the detail of texts?
5. How might students contribute to research about texts (e.g. ICT-based presentations or wall displays)?
16
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 4: Classroom practice
6. Which aspects of a text can be tested orally or in writing?
7.
Should exercise books or file paper be used for written work outside the Coursework portfolio?
8. What notes will you provide? And what notes will the learners generate?
9. Which work will be marked by you, and which will be self- or peer-assessed?
10. Will you mark in grades, or bands? Does marking have to take place within the framework of a schoolwide policy on marking?
11. How will you communicate the requirements for each coursework assignment?
12. Where will you store final assignments and record coursework marks?
13. How will you facilitate and carry out the recording of the Oral response?
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
17
Section 4: Classroom practice
18
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
Coursework allows you greater flexibility and a degree of creativity in the way you design and deliver your
courses. Texts and tasks can be chosen which complement the study of the examination text(s) and which
take into account the interests and abilities of learners, as well as the literary enthusiasm of teachers.
Coursework allows learners to re-draft their written responses, developing skills such as critical thinking,
editing and proof-reading, which will benefit them in other areas of the syllabus, in other subjects and in
future stages of their education.
The Portfolio (coursework) component carries 50% of the assessment weighting in the Cambridge IGCSE
World Literature syllabus. The Portfolio comprises three distinct assignments, which are discussed below.
5.1 General guidance
5.1.1 Portfolio content
Assignment
Total
marks
Requirements
1. Critical essay
25
•
800–1200 words (including quotations but not
references/bibliography).
• Based on one text*.
• The text must not be on the examination (Paper 3) or
the same text as for Assignment 2.
[*In cases where a text is a selection of poems/short
stories, the essay must cover at least two poems/stories.]
2. Empathic
response
25
•
•
•
•
3. Oral response:
recorded
conversation
15
•
•
•
•
•
•
600–1000 words.
Assumes the voice of one character in one prose or
drama text.
The task prescribes a particular moment in the text
(which may be the end of the text).
The text must not be on the examination (Paper 3) or
the same text as for Assignment 1.
4–7 minutes.
A conversation with the teacher on an aspect of the
candidate’s chosen text:
EITHER the way a novelist or playwright presents a
particular character
OR the way their chosen writer (from prose, drama or
poetry) presents a particular theme.
Text may be an examination (Paper 3) set text or a text
studied for one of the other coursework assignments.
The conversation must be recorded.
Across the Portfolio, the following two requirements must be met:
•
there should be work on at least two different forms
•
the texts should be from at least two different countries/cultures.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
19
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
5.1.2 Critical essay
When framing coursework tasks, it is important to refer to the relevant assessment criteria. It can be seen
that for learners to attain the highest marks there must be an ability to probe texts critically. Successful
essays are those which explore the ways in which writers make their characters, themes or settings
memorable and vivid. These essays examine how the writer uses form, structure and language to create
and shape meanings. Characters are seen as fictional or dramatic ‘constructs’ rather than real-life people,
and there is a clear focus on the role of the writer in presenting characters. The strongest responses
combine succinct, pertinent textual reference with precise critical comment; quotations are used to
crystallise a point about how a writer uses a particular word or phrase to create certain effects. By contrast,
copious quotation without pausing to comment does not contribute to the development of critical analysis;
such inert quotation cannot lead to high reward.
Critical vocabulary, properly deployed, can enhance an argument, but it is not very helpful if merely
used to log literary devices. The observation that the phrase ‘ “Time’s winged chariot” is an example
of personification’ is an accurate description but should not be confused with analysis, which involves a
consideration of the effects created by using these words. Learners should be taught that generalised
comments such as the following may be true but do not constitute analysis: ‘the writer’s use of language
draws you in’; ‘the description makes you feel as if you are there’.
In order that learners have the opportunity to realise their potential, they need to respond to tasks which
have a precise and manageable focus and which invite a detailed engagement with the literary aspects
of texts. Unhelpful tasks are those which encourage the production of mere plot summaries or character
sketches.
Essays should not be used as a vehicle for unloading extraneous background material about the author’s
life or times. The assessment criteria do not reward this, and learners should be discouraged from offering
paragraphs of background before they proceed to answer the question.
•
Examples of suitable tasks
The following tasks explicitly target the writing. It is important to include the writer’s name in the task. Clear
command or question words are used at the beginning of each task: e.g. ‘How?’, ‘In what ways?’, ‘Explore’.
The focus of each task is specific and manageable for an 800-1200 word essay.
1.
In what ways does Kafka memorably convey the isolation of Gregor Samsa in Metamorphosis?
2. Explore the ways in which Ibsen presents the character of Nora at two different moments in A Doll’s
House.
3. To what extent does Shakespeare make you sympathise with the Nurse and her actions in Romeo and
Juilet?
4. How does Hansberry vividly capture the dreams of two of the characters in A Raisin in the Sun?
5. How does [your chosen poet] strikingly convey the loss of childhood innocence in two of the poems you
have studied?
6. Explore the ways in which two short story writers strikingly present conflict between a man and a
woman.
Note that in the last two examples there is no requirement to compare. The learner can deal with one short
story, and then the second.
20
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
•
Examples of unsuitable tasks
The first three tasks in the following list invite learners to write little more than plot synopses or unfocused
character sketches.
1.
The House of Bernarda Alba
2. Write about what happens in Purple Hibiscus
3. Nora in A Doll’s House
4. What does Orwell’s Animal Farm tell us about the Russian Revolution?
5. How do five of Neruda’s poems deal with nature?
6. Compare the ways in which two of the short story writers you have studied use first person narrators.
7.
Explore the ways in which Ibsen presents the character of Nora throughout A Doll’s House.
Task 4 does not have a literary focus. Task 5 invites consideration of too many poems and the topic is
somewhat vague; this would lead to a superficial approach. Task 6 asks for comparison, something which
is not required, or rewarded, by the assessment criteria. Task 7 has an engaging focus but could become
unwieldy if the learner tries to cram too much into the assignment, and in so doing produces a superficial
commentary rather than a probing analysis.
It is certainly permissible for learners in the same teaching group to study the same text for their critical
essay. It is often worthwhile offering a number of tasks from which learners can choose. They may, if they
wish, propose their own assignments, though you should check the wording of tasks in order to ensure that
they meet the assessment criteria.
Because the subject seeks to promote the importance of an informed personal response, it would be
disconcerting for an external moderator to see from any teaching group, essays which make the same
points and deploy the same quotations in the same order. Learners should be encouraged to think for
themselves rather than regurgitate what they have been told.
Learners should keep an eye on the word count as they draft and re-draft their essay. Very short essays
tend to be self-penalising as they fail to sustain critical analysis. The text of an essay that exceeds 1200
words will not be marked, so please keep within the limit.
Characteristics of successful critical essays
•
Mastery of detail demonstrated by a wide range of points and textual references
•
Points made clearly and developed into a coherent argument
•
Sustained critical analysis in which points are clearly substantiated by means of well-selected and
sometimes less obvious, though pertinent, references
•
Brief, apt quotations integrated with precise critical comment on the ways in which language, structure
and form shape meanings and effects
•
A critical vocabulary used economically and effectively
•
A convincing and informed personal response which engages with the task directly and confidently
Characteristics of weak critical essays
•
A few scattered, unconnected points
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
21
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
•
Time wasted on courtesy introductions (e.g. ‘In this essay, I am going to write…’)
•
Generalised points lacking development and clear focus, sometimes laboured
•
Prevalence of unsubstantiated assertions and tendency to narrate or summarise rather than explore
•
Critical vocabulary not used, or imperfectly understood, or used injudiciously
•
Reliance on second-hand opinions (from teachers or study guides) and/or irrelevant background material
5.1.3 Empathic response
For this assignment, learners must assume the voice of one character in a prose or drama text. Tasks should
be framed in such a way that the author’s created world is central to any response. Responses should
assume the voice of a character at a particular moment in a prose or drama text. The most successful
empathic responses integrate a compellingly authentic voice for the character and a wide range of detail
convincingly rooted in the text.
Tasks should not be set at moments well outside the text, nor should they invite learners to stray from
the recognisable world of the text. For example, it would be inappropriate to set alternative endings or the
‘voice’ of a character ten years into the future.
•
Suitable examples
The following examples indicate a precise moment for the learner to assume the voice of a particular
character in the prose or drama text. Each task ends with the instruction: ‘Write your thoughts’. This is a
formula that should be adopted by schools.
Ibsen, A Doll’s House
You are Torvald, just after Nora has left.
Write your thoughts.
Kafka, Metamorphosis
You are Grete at the end of the story, after Gregor’s death.
Write your thoughts.
Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
You are the Nurse after Tybalt’s death. Juliet has sent you to find Romeo at Friar Lawrence’s cell.
Write your thoughts.
Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun
You are Ruth. You are about to depart for the new family home in Clybourne Park.
Write your thoughts.
These are well-framed empathic tasks, and challenging ones. In each task, character and moment are
clearly specified. Even where learners cover the same text, the precise choice of character and moment in
the text should be left to the learner. Learners might be asked to submit their proposed choice of character
and moment to teachers so they can judge whether they are appropriate.
As with the critical essay, learners should keep an eye on the word count as they draft and re-draft their
essay. Any section of text that goes beyond the 1000 word limit will not be marked.
Characteristics of successful empathic responses
•
22
Detailed knowledge demonstrated by a wide range of indirect textual reference or ‘echoes’ of the text
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
•
A well-crafted and sustained insight into the character at the specified moment
•
The assumption of a compellingly authentic voice and viewpoint for the character
•
A convincing and informed personal response which engages with the task directly
Characteristics of weak empathic responses
•
Knowledge and development of points are sketchy
•
Response not rooted in the detail of the text – with perhaps too much unfounded creativity
•
Little or no appreciation of characterisation
•
A voice lacking in authenticity
•
Uncertainty about the moment specified
5.2 Teacher supervision of drafting and re-drafting written
assignments
Texts should be taught in such a manner that learners are encouraged to think for themselves rather than
merely reproduce what their teachers tell them. Teachers may suggest ways of approaching tasks and
planning assignments.
Sufficient work must be done under the supervision of the teacher so as to confirm the authenticity of a
learner’s work. The syllabus states that ‘if plans and first drafts are completed under teacher supervision,
then teachers can be reassured of the authenticity of the final assignment’ (Syllabus, section 4).
Teachers should give only general guidance about re-drafting. They might comment, for example, on the
need for a learner to:
•
develop points more fully and/or more clearly
•
substantiate assertions
•
integrate quotation more succinctly
•
structure an argument more effectively
•
adopt a suitably formal critical register
•
edit or extend the piece of writing.
The learner must then be able to make a further draft without any help. Teachers should not mark, correct
or edit draft assignment material. Learners should not produce an amended copy after the teacher’s detailed
marking.
Additionally, a clear line needs to be drawn between the teacher offering opportunities in lessons for
exploring the text and the teacher giving a tightly structured framework which simply requires learners to
regurgitate the same points, quotations and conclusions. Such an approach gives the mistaken impression
that there is such a thing as a correct answer, and this would not be in the spirit of the World Literature
syllabus.
If word processing work, discretion should be exercised in choice of font and font size. Arial, point 11 or
Times New Roman, point 12 are very good, whereas exotic fonts are not. Line spacing should be set at 1.5.
Whether word processed or handwritten, the assignment should have margins that are sufficiently wide to
enable teachers to make suitable annotations.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
23
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
5.3 Marking and annotation of written assignments
As well as providing comments on the overall quality of the Portfolio on the Individual Candidate Record
Card, teachers must mark each assignment, indicating strengths/weaknesses as appropriate, and providing
a final comment, making clear reference to the assessment criteria.
In the examination papers, examiners are instructed to tick points which are interesting, sensitive and
thoughtful. This is good practice, too, when marking written coursework assignments. The very occasional
tick with very little comment is not helpful to the moderation process. Indeed, such an approach betrays
a misunderstanding of the process. By contrast, the precise ticking of points and brief comments in the
margin (relating to the assessment criteria) allow both other teachers in the department and also external
moderators to see how the original teacher’s mark was arrived at. Unfocused ticking, at the end of every
page, paragraph or even sentence, does not contribute usefully to the dialogue between the original teacher
and others engaged in the moderation process. Likewise, unspecific comments such as ‘This work is very
good!’ do not assist the moderator.
You should note that learners may show a detailed appreciation of Literature in spite of technical
inaccuracies in their writing. Conversely, a learner with a fluent and accurate control of English may not
necessarily demonstrate a good understanding of the literary aspects of a text. Because you are assessing
Literature, there is no need to indicate errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar, though at the drafting
stage teachers are likely to want to remind learners of the need for accuracy and clarity of expression – in
order to practise those areas important for success in their language studies.
5.4 How to conduct the oral response
5.4.1 During the research and preparation stage
The conversation will be based on the way the learner’s chosen writer presents either a particular character
or a particular theme. There is flexibility here in the selection of text. Learners may select from the suitable
texts listed in the syllabus. Or you may decide that it would be more efficient for all learners to use the
same text. For this assignment they may use the text they are studying for the Set Texts examination or a
text studied for one of the written coursework assignments. Learners should of course choose their own
topics, in consultation with you.
Learners should be encouraged to use the library or internet for research, and teachers should design
activities which enable them to engage with the detail of their chosen text and task. Examples of possible
classroom activities include small group discussion or hot-seating (where a learner adopts the persona of a
character who is interviewed by others in the class).
5.4.2 Technical considerations for the recording
You will need to give careful consideration to when and where the Oral Responses will take place.
Recordings will need to be available electronically e.g. in an MP3 format, for moderation purposes.
Equipment for recording will need to be checked prior to the recordings. You should carry out a brief test run
to ensure that the external microphone is positioned appropriately and that volume is set at a level that will
lead to good quality recording. The recording should be free from background noise. Please keep a copy of
each recording.
The Oral Responses should be recorded as separate files for each candidate, and labelled as in the following
example:
24
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
0408_Centre number_Candidate number_Candidate surname
e.g. 0408_12345_1234_Walker
•
Before the recording
1. Make a note of potential questions well in advance of the recording but do not give them to the learner
in advance.
2. Welcome the learner and explain briefly and in general terms the way the conversation will be
conducted.
3. Put the learner at ease by asking a question or two about themselves (not assessed).
•
During the recording
1. Begin by stating clearly the Centre number, candidate number, candidate name and the chosen aspect.
2. Ask questions from the start of the conversation. Do not allow candidates to begin with a rehearsed
commentary.
3. Ask open questions as far as possible, as these enable the candidate to answer at reasonable length.
4. Ask follow-up questions which build on the points the candidate makes. Less confident speakers
are likely to need more prompt questions to help them to develop their points. Intervene when less
confident speakers are in need of positive encouragement.
5. Appear interested and supportive, doing nothing to distract. Do not make notes during the recording.
6. Do not:
7.
•
correct mistakes
•
give the impression there is a ‘right’ answer
•
interrupt with your own views
•
show surprise or impatience
•
extend the conversation beyond 4 minutes if there is no benefit for the candidate.
After 6 minutes 30 seconds, begin to draw the conversation to a close.
8. Stop the recording after seven minutes have elapsed, saying ‘That concludes the conversation.’
9. Do not give your opinion of the candidate’s performance e.g. ‘That was very good’ or ‘You made some
excellent points’.
•
Types of questions
This list of possible questions is by no means exhaustive. The main aim is to ask open questions which
allow candidates to demonstrate a personal engagement with the detail of their chosen aspect. It is
important, too, to ask follow-up questions in the spirit of a conversation. This will enable candidates to
demonstrate that they can ‘think on their feet’. The ways in which candidates respond to open questions
and follow-up questions will be discriminators in the oral assignment.
Some questions should focus explicitly on the role of the writer if the candidate is to meet the various
assessment criteria. A conversation that neglects the role of the writer and treats a character like a real-life
person cannot score highly.
Discussion with other teachers in your school and from other schools will help you to build a repertoire of
useful questions. The following list provides a starting-point:
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
25
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
1.
What were your initial impressions of your chosen character?
2. To what extent do you think it’s possible to admire or sympathise with your chosen character?
3. Do you think your chosen character is a hero or a villain? (With characters, opposing judgements (saintly
vs. corrupt, or hero vs. villain) can be used to provoke lively personal responses.)
4. What, in your opinion, does the character contribute to the overall text?
5. Why do you think the writer made this such an important theme?
6. What do you find striking, dramatic, moving, amusing about your chosen aspect?
7.
How effective do you find the opening or the ending in relation to your chosen theme?
8. What significance, in your view, does a particular chapter, scene or stanza have to the presentation of
the chosen theme?
9. What do you find powerful (or memorable/striking/vivid/ironic etc.) about the way the writer uses
language to present the chosen character or theme – with specific examples?
10. Why did you choose this topic?
Useful follow-up questions include:
1.
Why do you say that?
2. Is there any evidence to support that particular view?
3. What did you feel at that point in the play/story?
4. What effect does that have on you as a reader (or member of an audience)?
5. Is there another significant moment you could talk about?
5.5 Marking and moderating the portfolio
As well as commenting on the overall quality of the portfolio, recorded on the Individual Candidate Record
Card, teachers must mark each assignment, indicating strengths/weaknesses as appropriate, and providing
a final comment, making clear reference to the assessment criteria.
Each written assignment is to be marked out of a total of 25, and the Oral response is to be marked out of
15 in accordance with the assessment criteria stated in the syllabus. (The maximum mark possible for the
component is therefore 65.)
If a candidate submits no assignment, a mark of zero must be recorded for the relevant assignment(s).
Internal standardisation
Where several teachers are involved in internal assessment the centre must make sure that all candidates
are assessed to a common standard in order to produce a reliable order of rank. This means that all those
involved in marking must ensure that they are applying the mark scheme in the same way.
One suggested way of conducting an Internal Standardisation is for the appointed Internal Moderator
to select a number of unmarked essays/performances (for each one of the assignment types within
the portfolio in turn) that will represent the whole range of responses available. Two or more teachers
(depending on the overall number of markers involved) could then discuss the merit of these and agree
marks for each essay. Any discrepancies in the marking of this ‘standardisation set’ can then be discussed
and any tendencies to place excessive or insufficient emphasis on a particular aspect of the assessment
26
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
criteria can be ironed out. This common set of marked essays should then act as a guide for all teachers
involved in the internal assessment as they set about their close marking. If entry numbers are high, a
second sample set could be selected and marked and compared to the first, to ensure consistency over a
bigger sample.
Internal Moderation
Once the marking has taken place, the appointed Internal Moderator will need to check that the standard of
marking across all teachers involved, has remained consistent throughout. The key to standardised marking
is consistency. If any adjustments need to be made to the marking of a particular teacher (i.e. they have
been too harsh or too lenient on a particular aspect), the consistency of their approach (established by the
standardisation process) will allow all the essays they have marked to be adjusted by the same amount
without extensive re-marking. If however there is no clear pattern in the harshness or leniency of a marker,
then more essays from that marker’s workload will need to be sampled until all doubt is removed to allow
for adjustment, or all the work re-marked if the marking is too random.
The Individual Candidate Record Cards should bear evidence of internal moderation (e.g. marks that have
been changed as a result of moderation).
Once all marking and moderation has been completed, the marks will need to be sent in to Cambridge
using the CIE Direct electronic method or by post using the printed Internal Assessment Mark Sheet (MS1)
sent in the pre-exam despatch. Please always check the latest Cambridge Administrative Guide for all
administrative deadlines as these may vary slightly from year to year. You will also find detailed instructions
on how to submit your marks here. Usually the deadline for submission is 30 April for the May/June series
and by the 31st October for the October/November series.
Centre assessments will then be subject to external moderation.
External Moderation
Cambridge will sample or moderate the marking of internal assessments or coursework from centres to
ensure the standard. Your appointed Internal Moderator will need to select and submit this sample together
with specific forms for the purpose in conjunction with the Examinations Officer. All information regarding
selection and submission of the sample can be found in the Cambridge Administrative Guide.
5.6 Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else’s work (whether published or unpublished) as your own.
This might happen in a number of different ways:
•
failing to acknowledge quotations
•
using particular phrases or sentences from another author without giving them credit via inverted
commas and a footnote
•
writing something that is only very slightly different (e.g. a few words altered to another author’s work,
i.e. paraphrasing it)
•
buying a project from an internet site and presenting it as your own
•
downloading and pasting text or images from an internet site without acknowledgement
•
getting somebody else to write all or part of the work for you.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
27
Section 5: Portfolio (coursework) guidance
This includes material from books, journals, the web or other candidates. Plagiarism is taken very seriously
and will be dealt with according to Cambridge procedures for malpractice. Universities and schools have
rightly been concerned by the relative ease with which learners can obtain material from the internet and
other sources which can be used illegitimately in the place of personal thought, response and expression.
It is the school’s responsibility to make sure all coursework is the original work of candidates. Teachers need
to make clear the consequences of plagiarism, both at the outset of the course and at intervals thereafter.
Teachers can generally detect writing which is not consistent in quality with a learner’s usual output. There
may, for example, be a lifted paragraph which sits oddly with the writing before and after it. Perhaps there is
some uncharacteristically ambitious phrasing; a simple enquiry about the meaning of the phrase will settle
doubts one way or the other.
The teacher’s role in detecting plagiarism is crucial. If you have doubts about the authenticity of an
assignment, it should not be submitted, even if this means an incomplete portfolio must be submitted.
•
What teachers can do
i)
Offer detailed guidance on a selection of appropriate material and further reading from a wide range
of sources, in print and online.
ii) Instruct your candidates about how to use websites critically. To that end, you may find any of the
following free interactive tutorials to improve internet research skills useful: www.vts.intute.ac.uk/
The website was created by ‘The Intute: Virtual Training Suite’ which is run by the Institute for
Learning and Research Technology at the University of Bristol funded by the Higher and Further
Education Funding Councils of England, Scotland and Wales.
iii) Draw learners’ attention to the importance of the declaration they are required to make about the
work being their own. The teacher responsible will be required to countersign this declaration,
verifying that these regulations have been observed.
The following organisations provide guidance on using sources and avoiding plagiarism:
•
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulations (OFQUAL):
www.ofqual.gov.uk/files/2009-12-24-plagiarism-students.pdf
•
PlagiarismAdvice.org: www.plagiarismadvice.org
•
Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ): www.jcq.org.uk
5.7 Sources / bibliographies
Where appropriate, candidates should provide references to any secondary source material used, listing
these at the end of their coursework assignment. Appropriate conventions should be followed consistently.
For books, information required is the author, title, date of publication and publisher: e.g.
Ed. McFarlane, J., The Cambridge Companion to Ibsen, 1994 Cambridge University Press
When quoting from websites, candidates should copy and paste the URL of the relevant page and also
provide the date the page was accessed: e.g.
http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoet.do?poetId=1500 (19th July, 2012)
28
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 6: Preparing learners for final assessment
Section 6: Preparing learners for final assessment
6.1 Use of past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports
Learners should be familiar with the format and rubrics of both the Unseen and Set Text examination
papers. Mock examinations should be scheduled towards the end of the course; remember to allocate time
for feedback so as to allow learners to set targets for their own final stage of learning and revision. At this
late stage of the course, the format and style of questions should not come as a surprise. Regular practice
of Cambridge-style set text and unseen questions is essential throughout the course. Occasional self- and
peer-evaluation of essays using the marking criteria (the same for both examination papers) enables learners
to see what they must do to meet the criteria for the various bands.
A list of practice questions is a helpful revision aid that can help to focus learning during the later stages of
the course. For the set text(s) there should be extract-based and general essay questions – a few of each
to keep revision manageable. There should also be practice Poetry and Prose unseen questions. Learners
could be involved in the production of some of the questions, for example, the selection of extracts for the
extract-based questions.
Examiner reports contain information about how candidates perform in both examination papers and
coursework assignments for a particular examination series. The reports are useful, therefore, in informing
teaching and learning. Departments should devote some meeting time to discussing reports as soon as
they can after publication (on Teacher Support). This will ensure that all teaching is on the right track and
help to root out instances of unhelpful practice.
The guidance in sub-section 6.2 is addressed directly to learners as a resource that teachers can copy and
distribute to the class.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
29
Section 6: Preparing learners for final assessment
6.2 Revision tips for learners
6.2.1 Paper 2: Unseen
1.
There are no set books for this paper, but you can (and should) prepare for it. It carries 25% of the
overall marks for the syllabus.
2. Although there are no set books and there are no quotations to learn for this paper, the skills you use
in the Set Text paper and coursework critical essay are also tested in this Unseen paper. So you have
in fact been preparing for this paper throughout the course.
3. You must answer one of the two questions on this 1 hour 15 minute paper:
•
Either the poetry unseen (on a single poem or extract from a longer poem)
•
Or the prose unseen (e.g. on an extract from a novel or short story)
4. You should take 20 minutes’ reading time in which to:
a. select your question
b. read the question carefully and highlight the key words (which you should keep glancing at
throughout the exam)
c. read your chosen passage and annotate it, highlighting the words and phrases you intend to
comment on in your essay.
5. A brief outline of the structure and content (a few lines only) might be appropriate as a starting-point.
But you should not re-tell the story.
6. The question will direct you to an aspect of the writer’s techniques, so the main focus of the question
will be on how the writer presents her or his material.
7.
You must respond directly and personally to the question as there are no study guides to fall back
on. Remember there are no correct or definitive answers. You must make your points in a logical and
organised manner, supporting them by means of brief quotations from the passage.
8. Do not simply quote and leave it at that. Quotations are not for decoration. You should analyse the
key words in the quotations in a way that answers the question.
9. Do not include lists of literary terms. Such an approach does not lead to effective literary
appreciation. For example, do not simply identify imagery or sound devices; explore them by
considering carefully how and why they were useful to the writer in achieving a particular effect.
10. Make sure you set quotations out properly. If you are quoting a line or perhaps two lines of poetry,
you should indent one or both lines and follow the line arrangement of the original (so don’t re-write
the lines as prose). There is no merit in having a single quotation consisting of three or more lines;
this suggests to the examiner that you’re avoiding the real business of actually commenting on the
poet’s words. The very best essays on poetry smoothly integrate short quotations (a word or a
phrase) and analytical comment on them.
11. Leave five minutes for checking what you have written.
12. In the time available, you should not expect to be exhaustive. Really successful students are
selective. Remember you cannot write about everything in the time available, and Examiners will not
expect you to.
30
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 6: Preparing learners for final assessment
6.2.2 Paper 3: Set Text
For this paper you have to answer two questions: an extract-based question and a general essay
question. You should spend 45 minutes on each question. You may answer both questions on one
text OR one question on one text and the other question on a second text. You are not allowed to
take your text(s) into the examination with you.
You must know your texts in detail. In the weeks leading up to the examination, you should:
•
re-read the text/s – skim-reading more than once is better than a slow read once only
•
add to your existing notes on the ways in which the writer(s) present characters, themes and
key settings
•
learn brief, key quotations for the main characters, themes and settings
•
practise extract-based and general essay questions of the kind you will face in the exam.
The period leading up to the exam
Your teacher may have supplied you with a list of practice questions, and you will have other
questions you attempted over the course. You may not have time to write full answers for each
question, but you should devote time to making notes about how you would answer them.
In the case of extract-based questions, you should underline the words/phrases you might quote in
response to the question and add brief comments in the margin, noting points you might develop
more fully in an essay. You could even devise your own extract-based question by:
•
selecting a key page or so from your text(s)
•
adding a question of the type found in the exam paper.
For general essay questions, you could gather your ideas by using lists, or mind maps. You could list
brief quotations you might use to answer the question together with comments in note form about
the key words in the quotation, using a table such as the following:
Brief Quotation
Comment
‘liberal-minded, independent press’
[Act 4: p44]
Dr Stockman’s naivety can be seen in
his view of the press who are neither
‘liberal’ nor ‘independent’…
These are revision exercises which encourage active learning, and they will help you to remember the
detail of your text/s.
Before you go into each exam, you need to have a clear idea of the format and instructions in the
paper.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
31
Section 6: Preparing learners for final assessment
During the examination
DO
•
Remind yourself of the requirements of the paper by re-reading the instructions on the front
page.
•
Know your set text(s) in detail and have enough material to write about.
•
Read your questions carefully and highlight the key words. This will help you focus more
clearly on what is actually being asked in the question.
•
Answer the question set, and not one you would have preferred to answer.
•
Write a brief plan to help you gather ideas and organise your material.
•
Use brief quotations / references to support your argument.
•
Analyse the key words in your quotations, showing how the writer achieves her/his effects.
•
Make sure every sentence adds something to your argument.
DON’T
32
•
Don’t write out the question.
•
Don’t write a plan that is longer than the essay.
•
Don’t waste time on lengthy introductions or paragraphs of background material – such
material is not relevant to the question and no credit can be given.
•
Don’t simply tell the story.
•
Don’t repeat points – you won’t receive any more marks.
•
Don’t simply list the literary devices that writers use.
•
Don’t use overlong quotations. It’s better to use a series of shorter quotations with clear
analytical comment made about the key words and phrases in them.
•
Don’t paraphrase the questions. You should be analysing key words.
•
Don’t try to be exhaustive. It’s impossible to write about everything in the time available.
•
Don’t do more questions than you have to do for the paper. There are absolutely no marks for
doing so.
•
Don’t refer to writers by their first names; use their surnames.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 7: Resources
Section 7: Resources
7.1 Finding and evaluating resources
A comprehensive resources list can be found on our secure online support for Cambridge teachers called
Teacher Support (http://teachers.cie.org.uk).
An endorsed course book for IGCSE Literature (English) is published by Cambridge University Press (2011).
Although it is an English Literature resource, it nonetheless provides much relevant and useful general
advice to learners on how to respond to poetry, prose and drama texts, as well as guidance about preparing
for both Unseen and Set Text examination papers.
7.2 Creating and sharing resources
Teachers within a department will find it useful to store resources centrally, perhaps on a shared folder on
your Intranet if you have one. This might contain:
•
lists of questions on set texts
•
practice Unseen questions
•
an archive of written and oral coursework covering a range of mark bands
•
presentations on set texts or key skills (e.g. integrating quotation in critical essays)
•
video resources (e.g. clips from YouTube).
Items can be added to (and deleted from) the shared departmental folder over time.
7. 3 Adapting resources
Past Unseen papers for IGCSE 0486 Literature (English) can be found on Teacher Support. They provide a
useful guide for the format and types of question to be set on the 0408 World Literature Unseen paper. The
Unseen and critical writing marking criteria are common to both 0486 Literature and 0408 World Literature.
Past Set Texts examination papers for IGCSE 0486 Literature (English) up to 2014 are also on Teacher
Support. They contain useful examples of acceptable empathic tasks, which are set on 0486 Drama and
Prose texts. These can be used as a guide for learners’ own empathic coursework assignments for World
Literature.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
33
Section 7: Resources
34
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Section 8: Teacher support
Section 8: Teacher support
8.1 Teacher Support website – key features:
•
Access to Specimen Papers and, where available, past papers and examiner reports. A scheme of
work is also available here as a starting point for planning.
•
An Events and Training area that allows you to search for events and conferences by location and
exam
•
A Community area where you can share and exchange information about the syllabuses, swap ideas
about teaching strategies and best practice, share teaching materials, ask for help and suggestions
from other members of the community.
•
A searchable resource list (also available as a pdf)
Visit Teacher Support at http://teachers.cie.org.uk
Ask CIE
Ask CIE is a bank of answers to frequently asked questions from Cambridge principals, teachers, learners,
parents, examinations officers and other customers. You can enter your query into the search box (which
appears on every page) or navigate using the topic list menu on the left-hand side of the page. If at any point
you decide you would rather call or email, you may do so by visiting the Contact Us page.
Visit Ask CIE at: www.cie.org.uk
8.2 Endorsed and recommended textbooks
Endorsed and recommended textbooks are available in our resource lists. Cambridge endorses a title, which
means that it has been written to closely follow the qualification it relates to, and is therefore suitable to be
used as teaching material for those specific subjects. We also have recommended titles which are useful as
a reference resource when teaching or studying the subject, but which have not been written specifically for
the qualification they are linked to.
8.3 Training
8.3.1 Online training
Online training is occasionally available to Cambridge schools usually on a rolling schedule. Check the
‘Events’ area of the Cambridge website to see when courses are running and to register for them.
Online tutor-led
Where available these courses are led by a Cambridge expert. They focus on classroom practice.
Participants follow a three-unit programme over six weeks and can interact and share resources with
teachers from other Cambridge schools.
Online seminars
Where available these seminars are led over a short period by an expert and focus on specific issues such
as syllabus changes or the recent examination session.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
35
Section 8: Teacher support
8.3.2 Face to face training
We run an extensive programme of short professional development courses across the world for teachers
at Cambridge schools. Some workshops are run by a Cambridge trainer and others by experienced local
teachers. These courses offer teachers the chance to update their knowledge, learn new skills and network
with other teachers. Please check the Cambridge website events area to see when courses are running and
to register for them: www.cie.org.uk/events
8.3.3 Professional development for teachers
We also offer professional qualifications for teachers who want to develop their thinking and practice.
Learn more about the Cambridge International Certificate for Teachers and Trainers and the Cambridge
International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers at: www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/teacher
36
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Appendices
Appendices
Appendix 1:
Sample long-term plan
Appendix 2:
Sample schemes of work
Appendix 3:
Sample lesson plan
Appendix 4:
Lesson plan template
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
37
Appendix 1: Sample long-term plan
Appendix 1: Sample long-term plan
This plan is based on a two-year IGCSE course, with the two examination papers being taken in the sixth
and final term. The one examination text studied is Ibsen’s play An Enemy of the People. This is also the
chosen text for the Coursework oral response. Kafka’s novella Metamorphosis is the Coursework Critical
essay text, and Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun is the Empathic response text. This combination of
texts meets the coursework requirement that there should be at least two different literary forms, and that
the texts should be from at least two different countries/cultures (Ibsen = Norway; Hansberry = USA; Kafka
= Germany).
TERM 1
General introduction to World Literature:
• extracts from poetry, drama and prose
on the same topic (e.g. education,
growing up)
Developing skills of independent close reading
• leading to speaking & listening and short
writing activities
Begin reading Centre’s own anthology of
poems
• link with Unseen poetry appreciation
Wider reading initiative (for homework)
• learners to read one of the books on
the Paper 3 set texts list (not the text
selected for class study)
TERM 2
Class reading of Empathic response text: A
Raisin in the Sun
• leading to performance of key scenes
• viewing of film version
Learners choose character and moment from
the play for their empathic response
Write a practice empathic response on a
different character
• self- and peer-evaluation
Actual empathic response on chosen character
• 1st draft in class
• followed by general feedback
• then re-draft / type up / proof-read
TERM 3
Class reading of Metamorphosis
Learners select Critical essay task from a
choice of 4 tasks
Introduce Unseen prose appreciation
• using key extracts from
Metamorphosis
Practise critical writing skills
• self- and peer-evaluation
Actual critical essay
• 1st draft in class
• followed by general feedback
• then re-draft / type up / proof-read
38
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Appendix 1: Sample long-term plan
TERM 4
Class reading of An Enemy of the People
Detailed study – including
• extract-based questions
• general essay questions
Developing Unseen critical skills
• drawing on past papers – on Teacher
Support website
Department
Moderation of the two written coursework
assignments:
• Empathic response
• Critical essay.
Identify learners who need to do fresh
assignments next term
TERM 5
January: mock exam papers
• Unseen paper
• Set Texts paper
Recording of Oral responses
Review of performance in the mock exams &
learners’ target-setting
Practice Unseen poetry and prose tests
Preparation for Oral response: recorded
conversation
Revision of An Enemy of the People
Department
Moderation of the oral response
Admin prior to sending marks and requested
samples
Scheduling of additional written coursework
assignments for targeted learners (using
different tasks)
TERM 6
Revision of An Enemy of the People
• including hot-seating, drama-focused
activities
Department Review scheme of work for next
year
Tests on:
• extract-based set text question
• general essay set text question
• poetry unseen question
• prose unseen question
Learners take the two exam papers
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
39
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Unit 3: Poetry
Recommended prior knowledge
Students should have experience of reading poems prior to their Cambridge IGCSE studies, with perhaps the emphasis having been on post-1900
poetry.
Context
This unit relates to the teaching of Poetry, and can be read alongside the units on Drama and Prose texts. No particular order is specified. Students
may respond to Poetry in one or more of the following areas of the syllabus:
•
Coursework: critical essay
•
Coursework: oral response (recorded conversation)
•
Unseen (Paper 2)
No Poetry text is set for the Set Texts Paper 3, and poetry would not be appropriate for the coursework Empathic response.
Separate units are provided in this scheme of work on the Unseen paper (Unit 4), the coursework Critical essay (Unit 5) and the Oral response (Unit 7).
Outline
This unit guides teachers through the process of students’ responding to poetry, from an initial reading through to informed personal responses in
writing.
The learning objectives can be addressed right from the first reading of the text, though more explicitly during reading and writing activities designed
to develop a detailed knowledge of, and informed personal response to, the text and the writer’s use of language, structure and form.
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
40
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
1–3
a. enjoy poetry as a vehicle for:
• description
• narrative
• personal reflection
• expression of emotion
• exploration of ideas
• a mixture of the above
b. savour the sounds of poems
and enjoy reading poems
aloud
c. appreciate their contribution
to poetic effect:
• rhythm
• rhyme
• assonance
• alliteration
• onomatopoeia
• enjambment
d. explore the use of diction: e.g.
the connotations of words,
appeal to the senses
e. appreciate imagery and its
contribution to poetic effect:
• similes
• metaphors
• personification
f. respond to tone and changes
of tone
g. explore the contribution of a
poem’s structure to its overall
effect
h. explore different layers of
meaning
1. The first reading of a poem
Teachers need to prepare poems in such a way as
to develop their learners’ confidence in uncovering
meanings in poetry. Learners can be too readily put
off by archaic or unfamiliar words or by difficulties
created by contexts unfamiliar to them.
The more difficult words, concepts or contexts
need to be glossed and explained so that learners
can negotiate these particular hurdles.
With some of the poems to be studied, it is still
worthwhile to expect learners themselves to
consult the meanings of some of the words in
dictionaries (either in print or online) and perhaps
to research some contexts. This will enable them
to see how their own active learning can increase
their understanding of a poem and help to build
their confidence.
Learners should hear poems read aloud, in order
that they can appreciate the sounds as well as the
words, images and so on. Teachers could provide
an initial reading, and learners could practise their
own readings in pairs or small groups.
Much importance should then be addressed to
learners’ own initial impressions of the poems.
Teachers should ask such questions as:
•
Which words do you find most striking / vivid /
disturbing / moving [etc.]?
Learning resources
Syllabus: List of examples of
suitable texts for portfolio work
Songs of Ourselves, 2005 – for
possible use as a coursework
text and/or as preparation for the
Unseen paper.
Other useful poetry resources are
listed on the Cambridge website
www.cie.org.uk .
41
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
AO
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
i.
•
•
•
appreciate ambiguity and
ambivalence in poetry
j. understand that there are
alternative interpretations
k. build confidence in producing
informed personal responses
to the poems they read,
giving brief textual support
and precise analytical
comment on poetic effect
l. be aware of the historical,
social and cultural contexts as
illuminated by the text
m. communicate in extended
writing informed personal
responses to set text poems
and unseen poems
•
Learning resources
Which sounds are particularly memorable?
Which images are most powerful or striking?
Which senses does the poet particularly appeal
to?
What are your first impressions of the speaker
of the poem (if there is one)?
Learners could write down their initial answers
before proceeding to discussion in small groups.
The discussion should seek to build on initial
responses, with questioners asking why particular
aspects were memorable and striking, and so on.
In this way learners are encouraged to consider
how the poet’s writing creates particular effects.
The priority at this stage is to tease out the
learners’ own responses to the writing. They
should be reassured that all readers of poetry
sometimes find poems obscure or ambiguous.
They should be taught that there is no right answer,
and that there can be different interpretations so
long as there is valid evidence to support them.
They should not go armed with a checklist of poetic
terms. This can often lead to a descriptive rather
than a properly exploratory approach.
A particularly illuminating way of getting
learners to appreciate the poet at work is
to listen to poets reading their poems. The
www.poetryarchive.org.uk provides an excellent
resource, showcasing the work of contemporary
poets writing in English.
www.poetryarchive.org.uk
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
42
AO
AO
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
2. Detailed study of the poems
Before exploring the poems in detail with learners,
teachers’ preparation might usefully include
reviewing past 0486 papers for the types of poetry
questions set at Cambridge IGCSE.
Past papers (syallabus 0486)
questions – on Cambridge Teacher
Support website
Speaking and listening should be at the heart of
poetry study. Learners should be encouraged to
articulate their views individually, in pairs or in
small groups – preferably a mixture of all three
approaches. The teacher is then responsible for
directing feedback and keeping the discussion
focused primarily on the important business of how
poets achieve their effects.
Key words, phrases, sounds and rhymes could
be highlighted in the body of the poem, with brief
comments on their effect appended in the right
margin. Learners might find it useful at this stage to
colour-coordinate their highlighting of:
• imagery
• sound devices
• rhetorical devices
Copies of each poem – for
learners to annotate
Cambridge IGCSE Literature
in English, 2011 – Unit 3 on
Responding to Poetry texts
43
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
After various contexts for discussion and close
study of each poem, learners should be responsible
for producing a carefully annotated copy of the
poem. In the left margin learners might summarise
the content of each stanza (or stage) of the poem.
This will remind them of the structure and overview
of the poem.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
These annotated copies can be amended, or added
to, at later stages of their study.
Teachers should emphasise that a detailed
appreciation of the poems is the result of:
• re-readings of poems, especially aloud
• a detailed exploration of the precise effects
created by particular words and sounds
• consideration of the way the poem is
structured: how it begins, develops and ends
It should be stressed that listing poetic terms is not
at all the same as analysis. More creditworthy is
the sustained and detailed exploration of the ways
in which poets achieve their effects.
The learner who writes that ‘Marvell’s use of
“Time’s winged chariot” is personification’ has
barely begun to explore the poet’s language. It
conveys nothing of the way Marvell captures the
swift passage of time.
Link with the Unseen paper
Work on poetry for the coursework portfolio (if
that is an option taken) can provide very useful
preparation for the Unseen paper, since the same
skills of close analysis are assessed in that paper.
Recent 0486 Unseen papers – the
Poetry questions
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
44
AO
AO
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
3. Preparing learners for Cambridge IGCSEstyle Poetry questions
The purpose of Poetry questions is to enable
learners to show their detailed appreciation of the
poet at work. It is useful to look at the wording of
questions on past 0486 papers, as teachers can
apply similar wording to their own 0486 poetry
coursework tasks. Questions often use words
such as the following, designed to elicit personal
responses to the poetic writing:
• memorable
• vivid
• moving
• dramatic
• tense
• striking
• amusing
• ironic
Learning resources
Recent past papers (syllabus
0486) questions – on Cambridge
Teacher Support website
Teacher-devised questions
Cambridge IGCSE Literature
in English, 2011 Unit 3 – on
Responding to Poetry texts
Learners’ written responses to poetry
Practice exercises set during the early part of the
course will require a degree of scaffolding: the
question stem could, for example, be followed
by bullet points offering prompts which ensure
they cover important areas of enquiry. The level of
scaffolding can be gradually reduced as learners
become better versed at ‘interrogating’ the poem(s)
for themselves. Activities might focus on the
selection of relevant, as opposed to, peripheral
detail found in the poems. A line-by-line
Exemplar learner essays
Critical essay assessment criteria
– from the syllabus
45
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Teachers will note that empathic questions are not
set on Poetry texts.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
account can too readily descend into narration and
description. Teachers could compare exemplar
essays to reinforce the point: learners should work
out which of two responses is more analytical, and
give reasons why.
Learners could be asked to look for examples of
the following:
• generalisations about use of language
• unsupported assertions
• repetition of points
More positively they could tick points which are
thoughtful and sensitive, and quotations which are
relevant.
Teachers should provide opportunities for learners
to practise effective ways of planning their poetry
essay. This in turn will emphasise the importance
of selecting relevant evidence and steer learners
away from an exhaustive approach which can
affect adversely the quality of analysis.
Links:
Responses to Poetry in the Unseen paper and
Oral response
Refer to Units 4 and 7.
Unit 4: Unseen
Unit 7: Oral response (recorded
conversation)
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
46
AO
Unit 6: Empathic response
Recommended prior knowledge
Students should have experience of responding creatively to prose and drama texts prior to their Cambridge IGCSE studies.
Context
This unit relates to the compulsory Empathic Response element of the coursework portfolio. This gives students the opportunity to engage more
imaginatively with a text by assuming a suitable voice for a specific character from a play or prose fiction text. This unit should be read in conjunction
with relevant sections from the units on Prose and Drama.
Students must produce a response of between 600 and 1000 words. They are discouraged from writing longer empathic pieces, as these can become
rambling and the ‘voice’ not sustained.
Outline
Assessment Objective 4 (demonstrate empathy, through re-creation of a character’s voice and thoughts) is assessed uniquely in this element of the
syllabus. Responses are marked using the Empathic Response assessment criteria in the syllabus.
Specific learning objectives for the empathic response are listed below, and should be read in conjunction with the relevant learning objectives in the
Prose or Drama units.
47
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
1–3
The learning objectives below
should be read in conjunction
with relevant learning objectives
in the Prose or Drama units.
1. Introduction
and
4
a. build confidence in
developing an informed
personal response to a
character in a prose or drama
text
b. sustain an engagingly
convincing voice for the
character and prescribed
moment
c. root the response
recognisably in the world of
the text
d. plan, re-draft and refine an
extended piece of writing,
acting on advice after the first
draft
e. work within the discipline of
the word limits
f. use transferable Language
skills to produce polished
final drafts
Empathic tasks provide an enjoyable and creative
way of getting learners to engage with the detail
of their prose or drama texts. For a successful
empathic response, learners need to demonstrate
in their writing well-informed judgements about
characters and what motivates them. This requires
a detailed grasp of what characters do and say, and
what other characters say and think about them.
Tasks must be set which allow learners to meet the
assessment criteria. Examples of empathic tasks
can be found on past 0486 Literature (English)
questions on set prose and drama texts. [Note that
empathic questions are not set in the 0408 Set
Texts examination paper.]
Learning resources
Recent past papers (0486) and
mark schemes – Cambridge
Teacher Support website
Empathic Response assessment
criteria – in the syllabus
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
48
AO
AO
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
2. Initial creative responses to characters
Regular hot-seating activities can provide
immediate feedback to teachers about how well
the learners know their text and their chosen
character’s role in it. Hot-seating is really the
speaking equivalent of written empathic tasks. Both
require learners to get into the skin of a character
at a specified moment in the text. Hot-seating is
useful as a preliminary activity, as it provides the
opportunity to interrogate the mind-set and motives
of a character. Prior to the speaking activity, it is
helpful to provide some time for learners to write
down initial ideas that can then be built on or
challenged in the hot-seating itself.
Film versions of plays or novels can enhance an
understanding of character. Learners will need
to be aware of any differences between the film
version and original text.
DVD of texts (where available)
49
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Whilst more general role-play and other dramafocused activities can also lead to an enhanced
understanding of character, it is important that
the following is recognised. Empathic responses
must be rooted in the imagined world of the play;
questions never invite Language-style explorations
which go beyond the recognisable world of the
text.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
3. Early written exercises: developing a
suitable writing style
Hot-seating work leads naturally to written work.
Early exercises should perhaps require a couple of
paragraphs only, aiming above all else to capture
an authentic voice for a particular character and
moment in the play. At this stage, learners should
practise their skills on a character who will not
feature in their final assignment.
Learners can work in small groups. Each learner
reads out their response, and others note down
strengths, but also weaknesses such as:
• factual inaccuracies
• confusion about the moment prescribed in the
question
• false notes created by words or expression the
character would not use
Cambridge IGCSE Literature
in English, 2011 – Unit 6 on
‘Developing effective writing
skills’.
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
50
AO
AO
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
4. Framing learners’ empathic tasks
Whilst teachers may have taught a particular text
as the Empathic text, it is advisable to let learners
select the character whose voice they wish to
capture and also the particular moment in the
text. This encourages independence as well as
creativity. For Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the
Sun, for example, learners could choose a relevant
moment from the play for Mama, Walter, Ruth,
Beneatha, Lindner etc.
Learners might be encouraged to submit a proposal
which sets out:
• the character
• the moment
• a few bullet points indicating key thoughts for
the character at this moment
51
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
This would allow teachers to gauge whether
the proposal is viable and enable them to advise
learners accordingly.
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
5. Writing the first draft
Convincing and informed personal responses to
empathic tasks should demonstrate:
• detailed knowledge evident in a wide range of
echoes from the text
• sustained insight into the character and
viewpoint at the moment specified in the
question
• the assumption of a clearly recognisable voice.
Exemplar empathic responses on characters from
texts they are familiar with can help to focus on
key requirements, particularly if the responses are
judged against the relevant assessment criteria.
6. Teacher feedback
Teachers give ‘general guidance’ about first
drafts. This might, for example, point out the
need for more textual detail to root the response
convincingly in the world of the text. They might be
advised to remove false notes which detract from
the ‘voice’.
Teachers ‘should not mark, correct or edit draft
assignment material’.
Feedback could take two forms:
• individual feedback
• feedback to the group
Exemplar empathic responses
Empathic Response assessment
criteria
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
52
AO
AO
Learning objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
6. Re-drafting
Learners should seek to improve their first drafts by
checking that their understanding of the moment
is secure. They should look for any false notes
and amend the wording accordingly. They should
check that they have not infringed the word limits.
Assignments longer than 1000 words must not be
submitted.
In order to be sure of the authenticity of the final
piece of work, teachers may wish to have the redrafting and final presentation of the assignment
also done under their direct supervision. The
syllabus states: ‘It is the Centre’s responsibility to
make sure all Coursework is the candidate’s original
work.’
Each assignment should clearly indicate candidate
name and number, and also the full wording of
the coursework task (and not an abbreviation or
approximation of it).
Link with language
Whilst marks are not deducted for language errors,
it is in a learner’s interests to proof-read written
work carefully for accuracy and for clarity of
expression. This will allow learners to practise skills
that will be assessed in Language and that will be
important in post-Cambridge IGCSE study.
53
Appendix 2: Sample scheme of work
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Learners should avoid small fonts if wordprocessing or narrow-lined paper if writing by hand.
They should leave sufficiently wide margins in
which teachers can make their comments.
Appendix 3: Sample lesson plan
Appendix 3: Sample lesson plan
Preparation for the Empathic response: A Raisin in the Sun
Name
Date of lesson
Class level IGCSE 15-year-olds
Number of students 20
TEACHING AIMS
(list only 2–3, don’t be over-ambitious!)
•
•
•
enjoy and appreciate the study of drama
show the importance of personal response to literary texts
remind learners of requirements of the Coursework Empathic response
LEARNING OUTCOMES
(list only 3, don’t be over-ambitious!)
•
•
build confidence in sustaining a convincing voice for the character
root their response in the recognisable world of the play
SYLLABUS ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES
(these should be linked to your aims and objectives; you will need to refer to the Syllabus)
•
•
•
•
detailed knowledge
(implicit) engagement with play’s themes through chosen character
appreciation of Hansberry’s use of language
empathy
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE LEARNERS
(what do they need to know in order to benefit from the lesson?)
•
•
they are accustomed to writing creative responses to literary texts, but past work allowed
considerable creative latitude (e.g. straying from the world of the text)
they need to be clear that the character and moment chosen have to be firmly rooted in the
play
ANTICIPATED LEARNER PROBLEMS
(what might learners have problems with? Make sure this is linked to your aims and objectives)
•
•
forgetting to root the response in the detail of the play
sustaining a recognisable voice for their character
SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS
(specify how you plan to deal with the problems listed above)
•
•
54
select a character and moment from the play for all to practise on
use learners’ responses to draw attention to the need to a) sustain a convincing voice and b)
capture the thoughts the character would have at the chosen moment
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Appendix 3: Sample lesson plan
MATERIALS & RESOURCES
(list the things you need in order to teach the lesson)
•
•
•
Own copies of the play
A planning sheet with the task written at the top
The marking criteria projected onto the board
Content
Time
Content
5 minutes
Brief teacher-led discussion about the materials and resources to be used in the
lesson. Clear explanation of the requirements of the Empathic response and the
purpose of this lesson’s practice exercise using a common task.
5 minutes
Learners to brain-storm the thoughts the character is likely to have at this moment
in the play. They could lists ideas or use mind maps.
15 minutes
Learners write using the character’s voice at the moment specified in the task.
20 minutes
Learners to work in pairs. They take it in turns to read their responses to each other.
As one listens, the other notes down:
• good examples of the voice
• not so good examples of the voice
• points that are not appropriate for the moment (e.g. something hasn’t
happened yet)
• points that are not appropriate for the character (e.g. something they couldn’t
possibly know).
The learners then discuss these points.
This provides an opportunity for teachers to check knowledge and understanding of
character and task.
10 minutes
Teacher explanation of the mark scheme followed by learners marking their
partner’s response using the marking criteria.
5 minutes
Reminder of key ideas: empathy, sustaining a convincing voice, rooted in the world
of the play.
Link to next lesson: learners choose their own character and moment for the actual
assignment.
Evaluation
What aspects of the lesson worked well? And not so well?
How might you do things differently next time?
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
55
Appendix 4: Lesson plan template
Appendix 4: Lesson plan template
Name
Date of lesson
Class level
Number of students
TEACHING AIMS
(list only 2–3, don’t be over-ambitious!)
LEARNING OUTCOMES
(list only 3, don’t be over-ambitious!)
SYLLABUS ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES
(these should be linked to your aims and objectives; you will need to refer to the Syllabus)
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE LEARNERS
(what do they need to know in order to benefit from the lesson?)
ANTICIPATED LEARNER PROBLEMS
(what might learners have problems with? Make sure this is linked to your aims and objectives)
SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS
(specify how you plan to deal with the problems listed above)
56
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
Appendix 4: Lesson plan template
MATERIALS & RESOURCES
(list the things you need in order to teach the lesson)
Content
Time
Content
_ minutes
_ minutes
_ minutes
_ minutes
_ minutes
_ minutes
Evaluation
What aspects of the lesson worked well? And not so well?
How might you do things differently next time?
Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408
57
Cambridge International Examinations
1 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB1 2EU, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1223 553554 Fax: +44 (0)1223 553558
Email: info@cie.org.uk www.cie.org.uk
® IGCSE is the registered trademark of Cambridge International Examinations.
© Cambridge International Examinations 2013 v2 3Y04
*3454173169*