Aiming for Excellence - Level One and Two Film Essays
Teaching and Learning to prepare students for 90377, 90378 and 90379
To prepare your students for (90056) and (90379) Visual/Oral Text Level One and Two response you will
need to ensure you:
 complete a close study of the text(s) that cover the use of techniques, analysis of plot, events,
conflict, character(s), themes and setting
 explicitly teach students how to identify and explain the effect of a broad range of verbal and visual
language techniques
 provide historical and contextual information to broaden their understanding of issues
 explore how the reader/viewer is “positioned” by the writer or director
 explicitly teach students to plan, structure and write essays
 show the student a range of past questions
 explicitly teach students how to structure each type of paragraph
 teach students how to weave quotations in their sentences
 take students through a range of exemplars
 provide a number of formative assessments opportunities (such as timed essays, rewriting essays)
 provide specific feedback that give the students “next steps” for raising their level of achievement
A suggested process for teaching essay writing (the order and activities should be reworked to suit your
students readiness, interests and learning style)
1) Start by giving students a range of exemplars (without grades). Simply get students to read a range
of essays.
2) From their reading, get students to collaborate on an essay structure on the whiteboard or wiki.
3) Get students to guess grades of the exemplars. Get them to write the actual grades on the
exemplars and in groups come up with success criteria for Achieved, Merit, Excellence in their own
language.
4) Give students a copy of the actual criteria and get them to record their success criteria next to each
grade
5) Take students through assessment reports and get students to rewrite report comments in their
own words.
6) For their first essay, write a detail structure collaboratively.
7) Model an effective introduction for collaborative essay.
8) Work with them on paragraph 2, taking them through effective paragraph structures, sentences
starters and showing how you would weave a quote into the paragraph.
9) Start building an “Excellence” vocabulary and phrasing tool box e.g. protagonist, antagonist,
positioning of reader, mis-en--scene etc…
10) Get them to complete paragraph by paragraph in timed pockets of time.
11) After they have handed in first essay. Get them to select a second topic. This time they can work on
plan independently or in pairs. Teacher checks plans (give verbal feedback) and then students have
two in class periods to complete it.
12) Essay is marked and returned. Teacher gives brief ”next step” feedback.
13) After second one as been marked and returned I would get students to complete at least two more
as timed essays. If one of first two didn’t gain “Achieved” then this will be one of the timed essays.
14) Consider getting students to have an essay journal or blog, so they can build up a portfolio of
writing and feedback. Feedback should always be used as a springboard for next essay.
Essay Resource created by Claire Amos c.amos@auckland.ac.nz
Secondary English Facilitator, Team Solutions
Useful Online Resources
Resources for English (NZQA) - http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualificationsstandards/qualifications/ncea/ncea-subject-resources/english/level-1/
From this page, you can access:
Assessment Specifications
Exam Documents – for past papers
and questions
Assessment Reports – for
assessor’s comments from the last
5 years
Exemplars – 2008 ones are good!
Study It – lots of great advice for
teachers and students
Avoiding 'death by a thousand timed essays'...
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TKI English Online – useful
resources for teachers
Marshalling evidence - give students blank grids (along the
lines of the SEXY structure) to work in pairs on essay topics, gathering the evidence they would need to
construct an essay response.
Essay modelling - break down exemplar essays (e.g. NZATE resources) in groups to explore what is
expected at the different levels and at achieved, merit and excellence. Discuss parts of essays which are
successful, considering why they are successful, such as introductions, conclusions, linking of
ideas...Look at an essay which needs lots of improvement so they can make suggestions themselves
and 'be the teacher'.
Explicit teaching around the exam - clarify the instructional vocabulary which they will have to know at
the level they are at (e.g. 'Explain', 'describe', 'visual/verbal features' etc.). Clarify word count, what the
paper actually looks like and so on. Share with theme extracts from the Assessment Report. Nothing
about the process should be a secret from the students at this stage.
Essay planning - provide them with a range of essays to plan in pairs for discussion, without actually
writing the essay itself. Or, to write the introduction only.
Mix and match structure - once you have looked at the way to structure an essay (using exemplars,
SEXY grids etc.), provide them with a cut-up selection of paragraphs to arrange in the most logical and
coherent structure, then share with others.
Trash or treasure - similar to above. Provide them with a range of points, quotations, examples and an
essay question. They must decide what points they would include (treasure) and which are not relevant
(trash).
Co-construction of essays - working with the teacher on the board, look at exemplars then construct
parts of a different essay together, modelling the process, the style etc as you go. Then have a go in
pairs.
Once students are familiar with how questions for Formal Writing 1.2 are phrased (and the general
range of topics), encourage the sharing of current, news articles and ask students to pose statements
around them for class debate
Article taken from English Secondary School Newsletter Term Four, 2006 Update for Wellington Secondary
Essay Resource created by Claire Amos c.amos@auckland.ac.nz
Secondary English Facilitator, Team Solutions
90056 Analyse a visual or oral text
Sample Essay Structure
Question:
Describe an important idea in the text.
Explain how verbal and or visual features of the text help you
understand.
Paragraph One: Intro
“An important idea in the film Mean Creek directed by Jacob Aaron Estes is (insert
theme / idea). This idea is conveyed through the verbal features (insert verbal
technique/s) and the visual features (insert visual feature). Through the use of these
techniques we are able to understand the ideas much more clearly.”
Paragraph Two: Description of idea
(Give a brief definition of the idea / theme in your own words)
Paragraph Three: Discussion of Technique 1
e.g. The first technique that helps the viewer to understand the theme of (insert
theme) is….
Statement: Which technique shows what idea
Example: Specific example from film when this technique is used to show idea
Explanation: How this technique makes it easier to understand.
Paragraph Four: Discussion of Technique 2
Another technique that helps the viewer to understand the theme of (insert theme)
is….
Statement: Which technique shows what idea
Example: Specific example from film when this technique is used to show idea
Explanation: How this technique makes it easier to understand.
Paragraph Five: Discussion of Technique 3
Statement: Which technique shows what idea
Example: Specific example from film when this technique is used to show idea
Explanation: How this technique makes it easier to understand.
Paragraph Six: Conclusion
Briefly state which techniques were used to convey specific and why they helped
you understand. Similar to intro.
NB.
Verbal features (such as music, sound effects, dialogue, etc), and
Visual features (such as camera techniques, lighting, props, costumes, colour,
etc)
Essay Resource created by Claire Amos c.amos@auckland.ac.nz
Secondary English Facilitator, Team Solutions
90379 Analyse a visual or oral text
Sample Essay Structure
Discuss TWO ways in which a text you have studied effectively
presented its ideas, opinions or information.
P1
In my studied text Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott,
cinematography and characterisation effectively presented the
ideas of self-preservation and devastation.
P2
The film Blade Runner uses specific camera angles to emphasise the
devastation of Los Angeles in 2019.
(Discuss specific examples and how they represent / emphasise the
specific idea i.e. why and how is this technique effective).
P3
Lighting is also used to add to the sense of devastation.
(Discuss specific examples and how they represent / emphasise the
specific idea i.e. why and how is this technique effective).
P4
Characterisation, like cinematography is used to further explore the
idea of self-preservation in Blade Runner.
(Describe a character conveys a specific idea, use quotes and
specific examples of actions to support your discussion i.e. why and
how is this technique effective).
P5
Another way characterisation conveys the idea of self-preservation
is…
(Describe another character conveys a specific idea, use quotes and
specific examples of actions to support your discussion i.e. why and
how is this technique effective).
P6
Brief summary of main points (don’t add any new points).
Essay Resource created by Claire Amos c.amos@auckland.ac.nz
Secondary English Facilitator, Team Solutions
Unpacking the Assessment Criteria and the 2009 Assessment Report
90379 Analyse a visual or oral text
Official Criteria
Your Criteria
Achieved
Analyse specified aspect(s) of a
visual or oral text, using supporting
evidence.
Merit
Analyse specified aspect(s) of a
visual or oral text convincingly, using
supporting evidence.
Excellence
Analyse specified aspect(s) of a
visual or oral text convincingly and
with insight, using supporting
evidence.
Essay Resource created by Claire Amos c.amos@auckland.ac.nz
Secondary English Facilitator, Team Solutions
Assessment Report
What this means to you
ACHIEVEMENT WITH MERIT
In addition to the skills and knowledge required for
the award of Achievement, candidates
who were awarded Achievement with Merit
commonly:
• unpacked the question successfully and understood
what was required of them
• used appropriate filmic/technical language in their
essays
• had a thorough understanding and knowledge of their
film
• showed that they could analyse in depth
• structured their responses fluently
• wrote fluently
• demonstrated a wide vocabulary
• applied their learning to the chosen topic (did not
express pre-conceived ideas)
• showed flexibility in their thinking.
8
ACHIEVEMENT WITH EXCELLENCE
In addition to the skills and knowledge required for
the award of Achievement with Merit,
candidates who were awarded Achievement with
Excellence commonly:
• wrote considerably more than the word limit
• included perceptive insights that showed original
thought
• demonstrated the ability to present their ideas clearly
and succinctly
• addressed all aspects of the question appropriately to
produce responses that showed a clear
development, from introduction through the
presentation of arguments to well-considered
conclusions
• demonstrated originality in their interpretation of the
question
• analysed the relationship between the director and
the audience
• linked relevant material from beyond the texts
appropriately
• interwove filmic or technical language and quotations
effectively within the body of their
essays.
Essay Resource created by Claire Amos c.amos@auckland.ac.nz
Secondary English Facilitator, Team Solutions
Essay Resource created by Claire Amos c.amos@auckland.ac.nz
Secondary English Facilitator, Team Solutions