NCEA Level 2 English
Making Connections (4 Credits)
Activity Outline
This assessment requires you to select an aspect of text and analyse the similarities and
differences, in terms of the chosen aspect, across at least four texts using supporting
evidence from each text.
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Students will select at least four texts.
At least one texts must be independently selected by the student.
Texts can be any combination of short or extended written, visual or oral.
Findings will be presented in written format (and can used for the Writing Portfolio).
Choosing a Theme
It is important to choose a theme that has two ways of being looked at. Your theme could
explore ideas of:
 Rebellion
 Freedom
 Adversity
 Hope
Whatever theme you choose you need to unpack it so that you can see how it is
developed in the texts you are analysing. For example:
Rebellion:
- Children against their parents (teenager rebellion)
- People against their government (political rebellion)
- People against their peers (social rebellion)
- Poor against the rich (economic rebellion)
- Minority culture against a dominant culture (cultural rebellion)
- Between sexes (gender rebellion)
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People generally rebel to gain equality and freedom
Key Questions
This will help you analyse aspects of the text and aid in structuring your essay (only three
key questions are needed).
THEME:
Rebellion of the oppressed
Questions:
 Why are the people being oppressed? (characteristics / stereotypes / setting)
 What event makes them willing to rebel? (incident)
 Why do they rebel? (incident)
 What type of person leads the rebellion? (characteristics / stereotypes)
 What are the oppressed willing to sacrifice to rebel? (characteristics)
 What are the consequences of rebelling? (incident / ideas)
Choosing Texts
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Fiction or non-fiction
Short or extended
Modern or historical
Written, visual or oral
OR any combination of above
Text suggestions
Written
Visual
Oral
Essay Planner
Theme:
Title:
Title:
Author :
Author :
Type of text:
Type of text:
Title:
Title:
Author :
Author :
Type of text:
Type of text:
Question 1:
Text
Connecting
aspect:
Connection 1:
Connection 2:
Connection 3:
Question 2:
Text
Connecting
aspect:
Connection 1:
Connection 2:
Connection 3:
Question 3:
Text
Connecting
aspect:
Connection 1:
Connection 2:
Connection 3:
Writing a Conclusion
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Summarise how all the texts showed the theme through the aspects you have
chosen.
Explain how this impacted on the audience (made them thing / feel/ act)
Discuss why this theme is so often used by writers / director
Link the impact of these types of texts on society.
Introduction
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Define the theme you have chosen
Why is it an important theme
What does the theme teach us
What are some current real life examples of the theme
What texts are you using to explore the theme
What aspects are you using to explore the similarities and differences between the
texts
Body
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Use questions to define each paragraph (2 – 4)
Use P.E.E.L.
P – point (what point are you making)
E – example (at least one from each texts as evidence for your point)
E – explanation (explain each example and how it shows the point you are making)
L – link (link your point / examples / explanation to beyond the texts – society)
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Analyse significant
connections across texts,
supported by evidence.
Analyse significant
connections across texts
convincingly, supported by
evidence.
Achievement with
Excellence
Analyse significant
connections across texts
perceptively, supported by
evidence.