English Higher Paper
24th April 2013
Unit 1 Mocks
• Overall a positive picture
• Students clearly demonstrated that they have
the skills to succeed on the paper
• Particularly strong on Q6
• Similar issues to last year – students aren’t
demonstrating the skills in the right places
Important things to remember
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80 marks
1.5 minutes per mark
Read the question carefully
Only look at the sources the question tells you
Spelling, punctuation and capital letters
important on Section B
• Don’t need to fill EVERY line
Anything outside of the box will not be marked
Reading section
• Read the sources & TAP them
• Read the questions & highlight the key words
• Re-read the sources annotating for the relevant
things (either language or presentation)
• 15 mins reading and annotating the texts – pick
out relevant features (read the questions first)
• 1 hour answering the questions
Q1, Q2, Q3
• AQA consider these questions to test the same
skills – INTERPRETATION.
• In their own words interpretation means:
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Inferring meaning from a text
Commenting on parts of a text
Explaining meaning and implications
Using words / ideas other than those in the text
‘Reading between the lines’
Making connections between parts of a text
BUT not moving beyond the text
Question 1
• What do you understand about Sophie
Haydock’s experience and the issues of
homelessness?
(8 marks)
Question 1
• 8 marks
• Point, Evidence & Explanation x 3/4
• Check of your understanding of the text
• “What do we learn about…?”
• “What does the text tell us about…?”
• “What do we find out about…?”
• You are turning the important points of the text
INTO your own words!
Penistone Feedback
• The answers were too general in the main.
Not focusing on Sophie or homelessness.
• A pattern emerging through all papers is the
student veering towards a language answer.
Trying to analyse language is not required for
this answer nor is their own opinion on
homelessness.
• Students just need to show understanding and
back up with quotes.
Question 1
Look at the Mark Scheme for Question 1
• For a mark in Band 3, it states that a candidate
‘begins to interpret the text and make comments about the issues
raised…’
• For a mark in Band 4, it states that a candidate
‘makes perceptive connections and comments about the issues raised…’
Here is an example:
Question 1
Geoffrey Lean’s article well explains the issues of rainfall and flooding in Britain.
In the second paragraph, he writes, ‘South East England has less water per
head than any of the places above (by this he means the Middle East and
Africa).
Lean continues writing that the North and West normally get plenty of rain,
often more than they want - but the south and East receive less than some
parts of the Mediterranean. Furthermore, this is worrying because the south
and east are the most populated part of the country, therefore the places that
need the most water.
Additionally, ‘global warming is expected to sharpen the dampness divide in
the next 70, increasing rainfall sharply in the wet part of the country and cutting it
by
as much as half in the south and east’. Therefore, the rainfall supplies will be
getting even smaller in the places that need it most.
Lean also writes that half of the housing built in Britain since the second world war
is prone to flooding. Furthermore, he writes that ‘flooding is twice as frequent as it
was
100 years ago’. This is worrying as the houses prone to flooding will undoubtedly
suffer this change.
Question 1
• The underlined parts of the candidate’s answer are interpreted
• They are not words taken from the text. They are her own words
which show ‘what she has learned from the text’ by making
inferences, connections, and reading between the lines
Question 1
• It is also important to note that the candidate has not included any new
Information
• All of her interpretations have been derived from the text and only from
the Text
• This answer shows clear understanding, clear interpretations are made
and there are relevant quotations. Band 3, 6 marks (S4)
Question 2
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8 marks
PEE x 3
Will name presentation techniques to explore
You MUST link those techniques to the text
(language techniques)
• Say why specified features are used – nothing
else!
The………is used to…
They are effective because…
Question 2
• Now read Source 2, the newspaper story and
the picture which goes with it called Homes
and crops wrecked, but relief sweeps
Queensland in Yasi’s wake by Adam Gabbatt.
• 2 Explain how the headline and picture are
effective and how they link to the text.
(8 marks)
Penistone Feedback
• Some of the answers were promising but in the main
did not link the headline to specific parts of the MAIN
text.
• Many linked the headline to the picture which was NOT
asked for.
• Some students identified good things in the headline
and the photograph, but did not link to text.
• Instead they said things like‘ the picture is one of
devastation and we see this in the text ‘ The better
answers chose textual evidence to back this up.
Question 2
Now look at the Mark Scheme for Question 2
• Question 2 asks candidates to ‘Explain’
Because this skill is part of the question, the requirement appears in all
of the mark bands
• To ‘explain’ how the headline is effective, a candidate would first
need to select some words and devices used, then interpret ways in
which these make an impression on the reader
• In Question 2, the picture is a focus of the question. It, too, requires
interpretation
Here are some examples:
Question 2
1. Litchfield begins the article with a short, punchy headline, ‘Four
amputations,13 hours, one swim’ to intrigue the reader. The way that we
read the headline almost feels like it is a countdown, a countdown
expressing how little time it took Croizon to finish the swim.
2. The colours used in the photograph contrast each other, the murky green
of the water creates a sombre feel, linking to the text in the sense that
Litchfield wants the reader to feel sincere empathy for Croizon. In contrast
to this, the yellow vest Croizon wears is a symbol of hope, this links to the
content of the text as it conveys a sense of achievement, ‘I did it. I’m so
happy’, Croizon states.
The first example interprets the effect of the headline on the reader.
The second interprets the meaning of elements of the picture and then
explains how these link to the text with a reference and a specific quotation.
Here is another example:
Question 2
The words ‘four amputations’ in the title amazes the reader
as we wonder how he did it with little muscle to propel
himself along. Later in the text it compares how long a
normal person would take, ‘8 hours’, then we are astounded
that Croizon did it in ‘13 hours and a half’ only five hours
slower than average. The word ‘extraordinary’ in the title relates
to this as well, as his success is an amazing thing.
The candidates are showing skill in a number of the ways we
designated to be ‘Interpretation’, here related to the effect
on the reader:
• Inferring meaning from a text
• Commenting on parts of a text
• Explaining meaning and implications
• Using words / ideas other than those in the text
• ‘Reading between the lines’
• Making connections between parts of a text
Question 3
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8 marks
PEE x4
Thoughts and feelings, effects of text
Tests exactly the same skills as Q1, Q2 and Q3
but requires quotation
The character thinks/feels…
The effect is…
This tells us…
Question 3
• Now read Source 3, War-time Homes which is
an extract from a non-fiction book by Michael
Caine.
• 3 Explain some of the thoughts and feelings
Michael Caine has about the places where he
lived during the war.
(8 marks)
Penistone Feedback
• Nationally this question was less successfully answered (worse than
previous years)
• Many Penistone students did not identify or pick up on Michael’s feelings
and specific thoughts.
• There was a lot of narrative copying.
• Many talked about effect on reader NOT asked for. Some only mentioned
the ‘cruel house ‘ and missed the Norfolk part of his feelings of happiness.
• Again MANY talked about language features such as ‘The simile of a
Sunflower’ Ironically they did NOT repeat this in Q4 where it would have
gained them marks.
• If the questions had been reversed then the grades would have been
higher. As an examiner you just mark what is there and cannot deviate.
This is why the papers frustrated me so much. I knew the students had
the knowledge and skills, but were applying it to the wrong questions.
Question 3
Look at the Mark Scheme for Question 3
• Mark Bands 4 and 3 require explanation and interpretation.
This means that candidates have to find thoughts and feelings,
say what they are and then say something about them
• For Mark Band 2 thoughts and feelings need to be found with
some comments or an attempt at interpreting made
• Mark Band 1 requires a limited response
Here are some examples:
Question 3
Ondaatje clearly loves the environment he is in, because
he uses lots of positive adjectives to describe it, such as
‘vibrant’. He seems amazed by what he can see and thinks
of it as moving and breathing, as he tells us the African city
‘seemed to grow even as we watched it’
A perceptive explanation and interpretation.
At the start it seemed that he was very happy and quite
cheerful and chirpy about his experience, ‘it was a
wonderful way to wake up.’ This shows he is pleased with
his experience so far.
Clearly interprets feelings.
He says ‘The fish eagles screeched their mocking cry. It was
a wonderful way to wake up.’ This shows he is feeling good.
Selection with ‘some’ comment to explain.
Question 3
• Often candidates use ‘language’ points. These are only
relevant when used to explain or interpret the writer’s thoughts
and feelings.
• Note also that this question is not about the effects on the
reader
• The reader does not come into this question
Question 4
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16 marks
PEE x 4 - 5
Similarities AND differences
Language devices
Text A uses…an example is…this tells us…
Text B also used…an example is…this tells us…
However, text A only uses an…an example
is…this tells us…
Question 4
• Now you need to refer to Source 3, War-time
Homes, and either Source 1 or Source 2. You
are going to compare two texts, one of which
you have chosen.
• 4 Compare the ways in which language is used
for effect in the two texts. Give some
examples and analyse the effects.
(16 marks)
Penistone Feedback
• Many students talked too generally about content,
audience and presentation.
• There was comparison but not many compared language
features. Many just compared the articles. There was little
expanding on effect of words and connotations. This was,
again, a national issue.
• The irony again is, that language features are clearly
taught, but the students need to know which question to
put this in. I had read so many language answers to Q1
and 3 I was disappointed they were not addressed on the
ACTUAL language answer.
• It is worth so many marks it would be worth having
master classes on this question alone.
Question 4
• Question 4 requires candidates to show two skills:
• analyse language
• compare
• Whilst some candidates respond successfully to this question, too
many do not
• Item analysis shows that only 23.1% of candidates in January
achieved 10 marks or better out of 16 for this question
Question 4
• Question 4 requires candidates to show evidence of two skills:
• analyse language
• compare
• The Mark Scheme shows that there are still four Mark Bands but the
available highest mark is 16
Question 4
• Many candidates find it difficult to achieve marks in the higher bands
for this question.
• Weaknesses include:
• not writing about language at all, rather commenting on, e.g.
audience, purpose, content or sentence structure
• making generalised comments about language, e.g. that it is
‘formal’ or ‘informal’
• selecting weak examples, e.g. dwelling on the use of pronouns
• noting, often erroneously, the ‘person’ or ‘voice’ of the writing
• simply identifying ‘fact’ and ‘opinion’
• offering no, or spurious, comparisons
Here is an example of a Question 4 response
Read it and use the Mark Scheme to put it in a Mark Band
Question 4
Both sources 1 and 3 are about water. Both sources use descriptive
language. In Source 1 ‘Soggy nation’ and in Source 3 ‘An idyllic spot’.
Both sources are informal because they use pronouns, ‘I, he, us, we’.
In contrast both sources are quite different. Source 1 is about the dangers
of water and flooding where as Source 3 is about the beauty of water and
going on a ferry.
Source 1 is full of facts and statistics but source 3 is more opinions and
descriptive.
Both sources have a sense of alarm about them. Source 1 ‘already
flooding is twice as frequent as it was 100 years ago’. And again similarly
in Source 3 ‘people were killed. How do they gauge the weight?’
Both the sources use emotive language to relate to the reader, by
portraying an image in their minds. Source 1, ‘Think of countries that don’t
have enough water and your mind might fly to arid, largely desert
nations…’ And Source 3 ‘Our tents were pitched right at the water’s edge.
Water hyacinths floated in front of us..’ both suggests imagery in your
mind.
Question 4
Good selection,
not developed
Aware of the need
to compare but
content, not language
Content
Default comment
about language
Not ‘emotive’
Both sources 1 and 3 are about water. Both sources use
descriptive language. In Source 1 ‘Soggy nation’ and in
Source 3 ‘An idyllic spot’. Both sources are informal because
they use pronouns, ‘I, he, us, we’.
In contrast both sources are quite different. Source 1 is
about the dangers of water and flooding where as Source 3
is about the beauty of water and going on a ferry.
Source 1 is full of facts and statistics but source 3 is more
opinions and descriptive.
Both sources have a sense of alarm about them. Source 1
‘already flooding is twice as frequent as it was 100 years
ago’. And again similarly in Source 3 ‘people were killed.
How do they gauge the weight?’
Both the sources use emotive language to relate to the
reader, by portraying an image in their minds. Source 1,
‘Think of countries that don’t have enough water and your
mind might fly to arid, largely desert nations…’ And Source 3
‘Our tents were pitched right at the water’s edge. Water
hyacinths floated in front of us..’ both suggests imagery in
your mind.
General comment
Mentions fact and
opinion but not as a
language point
Possibly ‘emotive’ but
there is no explanation
or interpretation as to
how or why.
Low level
interpretation
of effect
Question 4
• For her other Reading questions, this candidate achieved at least
half marks in each case (4 or 5 out of 8)
• This response is an attempt at the question; as such it would be
placed in Band 2
Discussion:
What could be done with this answer to improve it?
Question 4
Both sources 1 and 3 are about water. Both sources use
descriptive language. In Source 1 ‘Soggy nation’ and in Source 3
‘An idyllic spot’. Both sources are informal because they use
pronouns, ‘I, he, us, we’.
In contrast both sources are quite different. Source 1 is about
the dangers of water and flooding where as Source 3 is about
the beauty of water and going on a ferry.
Source 1 is full of facts and statistics but source 3 is more
opinions and descriptive.
As it stands, this paragraph
Both sources have a sense of alarm about them. Source 1
is ‘content’. The words,
‘flooding’, ‘frequent’, ‘killed’ ‘already flooding is twice as frequent as it was 100 years ago’.
need a focus, comment
And again similarly in Source 3 ‘people were killed. How do they
and interpretation. The
gauge the weight?’
idea of ‘alarm’ is good, but
wasted.
Both the sources use emotive language to relate to the reader,
by portraying an image in their minds. Source 1, ‘Think of
Much could be made of this countries that don’t have enough water and your mind might
phrase..
fly to arid, largely desert nations…’ And Source 3 ‘Our tents
and this word
were pitched right at the water’s edge. Water hyacinths floated
and this phrase
in front of us..’ both suggests imagery in your mind.
Explain what
‘soggy’ means
with an everyday
example.
Ditto ‘idyllic’.
Comment that
the effects of the
words are
different.
This is meaningless
Quote words from
the texts to exemplify
danger and beauty.
Then interpret the
effects
The point about
factual language
is valid, but not
without an example.
This is not an
interpretation.
Writing section
• Must TAP the QUESTION (not the text)
• Highlighting key parts of the question
• Punctuation and technical accuracy –commas, capital
letters and apostrophes
– Shorter writing – 4 marks for technical accuracy
– Longer writing – 8 marks for technical accuracy
• Shorter writing – 30 minutes
• Longer writing – 40 minutes
Do the longer writing task first
Shorter writing
• 16 marks – 4 marks for spelling, punctuation, capital
letters
• Know your TAP – purpose, audience and text type
• Aim to write 1 to 2 sides
• Explain, inform, describe
• BBC Skillswise:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/english
What AQA Say:
• The phrase shorter writing task means that Question 5 should be
succinct and focused.
• With a suggested length of about 2.5 sides of the answer booklet,
this should be shorter than the more sustained response to
Question 6.
• The phrase write to inform, explain, describe derives from the
triplet. Any combination of these purposes may be asked for.
• It is worth remembering that the title of this Specification is
Understanding and Producing Non-fiction Texts.
• Although it is sometimes necessary for candidates to invent
scenarios or characters to make their writing effective, flights of
narrative fancy are ill-advised.
Q5
• The travel section of your local newspaper is
inviting readers to write about their favourite
place.
• Write a letter to the editor describing a
favourite place you know and explaining why
others would like it.
(16 marks)
Penistone Feedback
• Shorter Writing. Hardly any students wrote to describe. Some did
explain but most answers were like persuade or inform.
• Some were like a travel brochure.
• The describe question can be problematic, but students need to
know the different types of writing and how it may present on the
shorter question.
• Some were longer than Q6.
• Some used a letter format which was good.
• Technical accuracy is an issue. At the higher end it was better, but
lower down sentence structure was poor. Lack of paragraphs and
apostrophes. Even capital letters on names were missing which is
not a good sign, even on a Foundation paper. (‘disneyland’ etc )
Longer writing
• 24 marks – 8 marks for spelling, punctuation and
capital letters
• Know your TAP – purpose, audience and text type
• Aim for 2 to 3 sides
• Persuade or argue
Q6
• A recent report states: ‘Homelessness in the
UK is a crisis that is destroying the lives of
people, especially young people.’
• Write an article for your school or college
newspaper persuading young people to
support charities which help the homeless.
(24 marks)
Penistone Feedback
• Much better and I enjoyed marking these.
Good tone and content and length in the
main.
• Still some technical errors but not as bad.
Foundation Feedback
• Question 1 and 2 were generally good.
• Q3 was the language and again, like the higher paper
students talked about writer’s purpose and did not explore
effects of language.
• Q4. This was the main problem area. The skills are simple.
Layout, colour and pictures and their effect. Hardly any
students did this. Worth 12 marks, it is simple to rectify and
would have meant many more C and above grades/UMS
marks. We had a real push at Thrybergh on this question
and the January results reflect this.
• Q5 and 6 were generally good but technical issues as per
Higher tier. Paragraphs and apostrophes as well as a variety
of sentences would help.
Foundation Feedback
• Some of the presentation/handwriting was hard to
read. Whilst students are not marked on this, it does
give an instant impression. Some seemed rushed and
lacked attention to detail. One student’s paper was so
difficult to read ( and I mark thousands a year ) I
suggest his work is scribed or transcribed. ( Oliver
English cand 8353 )
• Candidates sat the November entry paper. Most were
entered for the higher tier. It is only my opinion,
however I do not think some of the students are
Higher tier candidates and would find the foundation
more accessible. There are 83 UMS available on this
paper, and at our school
Plan?
• ‘Borrow’ 4 lessons for paper training.
• Staff focus on 1 question – spend 45 minutes
training the class. Class then move another
teacher and spend 10 minutes explaining
what they’ve learned (how?)
• Following lesson class move on to a different
teacher and are trained on another Q. Format
repeated for Section A.
Plan
• ‘Borrow’ 1 or 2 lessons for discrete technical
lessons.
• Quick tour through punctuation, capitalisation
of proper nouns etc.
• Who could create these?
Ideas?
• Suggestions?