Quick notes on ‘What I will.’
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The poem suggests resistance to what other
people (society) want her to do: participate in the
Middle East conflict (symbolized as the ‘war
drum).
She makes her own decisions and refuses to
dance to the beat of others’ drums. This is where
the extended metaphor (similar to Mila’s) comes
in. Hammad suggests that people should make
their own decisions and be their own people.
T.A.K.O. & S.E.X.Y
Essay writing.
Year 10 extension.
Step One - the writing purpose
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What is a response to text essay?
“A response to text essay is an essay where
you write about a particular aspect of a text
that you have studied and show your
knowledge and understanding of this aspect
and why it is important or interesting.”
A good response to text essay has:
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a clear introduction that lets the reader know what text
you are writing about and how you are going to address
the topic/question in your essay.
focuses on the one aspect that the question/topic is
asking you to write about
makes three points about this aspect
contains specific details, quotes or references from the
text to support each point
makes clear statements explaining how each
point/example links back to the topic and addresses the
question
T.A.K.O. (Take out)
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T.A.K.O. – This acronym instructs you to
provide this information in the introduction:
Title (MUST be underlined), Author, Key
words from question, Outline of points/ideas
If you can think of a better (easier to
remember) mnemonic for yourself then use
it.
Step Two - TAKO
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Example of a response to text essay
introduction
“In Krystyna’s Story by Halina OgonowskaCoates, an important character is Krystyna.
Krystyna is important because she develops
the themes in the book of courage and
determination.”
Highlight the TAKO information you
notice is given in this paragraph
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“An interesting character in Gary Paulsen’s
novel, Hatchet, is Brian. Brian is interesting
because of the ways in which he changes
from the beginning of the novel to the end.
By the end of the book he has changed from
an average city boy with no outdoors skills
into someone who has learned how to
survive in the woods.”
S.E.X.Y … what does each letter stand for?
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This is a mnemonic for the parts that make up a
good paragraph in a response to text essay.
S: the Statement at the start of the paragraph that
says what point/idea this paragraph is making,
focusing on. THIS IS THE TOPIC SENTENCE!
E: the Explanation that explains how this statement
is relevant to the text and/or question.
X: the eXample(s) from the text that support(s) your
statement and develop(s) your point.
Y: explain whY this example/point is relevant to the
question/topic.
Underline SEXY in different colours to
show its use in this example paragraph.
One reason why Brian is important is because he shows
us the key idea of perseverance. Brian had to learn
many new things that took him many attempts to get
right. An example of when he had to show perseverance
was when he tried to start a fire and it took him many
attempts to get it to work. To begin with he didn’t know
what to do but when he realised a rock he found
produced sparks when it was struck he tried and tried
again until he got a fire going. This was important
because if Brian had not persevered in trying to light a
fire then he would not have been able to keep warm at
night or to cook the meat he needed to eat to survive.
TAKO
Good statements- topic sentences.
Another reason the extended metaphor of
movement is important is because it clearly
shows how people change…
The personification used in this short story helps
us understand the theme of shame.
Another way that Joe’s diary is important is that
is shows the reader the theme of
determination.
Conclusions.
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Conclude the essay by writing about why you care about
the topic (even if you don’t you have to pretend you do! )
Use this sentence as a starter in your conclusion if you
are stuck. “An examination of these …(name what your
essay has examined) is important because ….(state why
you think it is important).
The conclusion refers to key words used in the body of
the essay. In my example essay, key words were
‘rhythm’ and ‘rhyme’, so the conclusion sentences remind
the reader of the discussion that you presented. DO
NOT INTRODUCE ANY NEW INFORMATION INTO THE
CONCLUSION.
Getting started – a 5 paragraph
response to text essay
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Introduction – Paragraph 1
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TAKO say what your essay is about.
Using ……….
You should use some of the wording used in
the question, and outline three
points/techniques/ideas (in your planning,
identify the examples of each of these that
you will use).
Paragraph 2
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SEXY Mnemonic.
Use the ………..
Take the first of the points in the introduction
(paragraph 1). State it again, explain it more
fully and give examples/quotes (Ideally 2
examples/quotes).
There should be 3 to 5 sentences.
This could be on your first text if you are
looking at one more than one.
Paragraph 3
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SEXY Mnemonic.
Use the ………..
Take the second of the points in the introduction
(paragraph 1). State it again, explain it more fully
and give examples/quotes (Ideally 2
examples/quotes).
There should be 3 to 5 sentences.
This could be on your second text if you are
looking at more than one text.
Paragraph 4
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SEXY Mnemonic.
Use the ………..
Take the third of the points in the introduction
(paragraph 1). State it again, explain it more
fully and give examples/quotes (Ideally 2
examples/quotes).
There should be 3 to 5 sentences.
This could be on your third text, OR showing
differences between texts one and two.
Conclusion - Paragraph 5
How is the conclusion written?
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Look back at the question, read your first paragraph
again and refer to the same three ideas – NOTHING
NEW!
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State again the question or topic, wording it
differently, but similar in content to the introduction.
More than one text?
• You could look at an interesting theme or
idea over three texts, and give a
paragraph to each text.
• You could look at an interesting idea over
two texts. You could talk about each text in
paragraphs 1 and 2, and talk about how
they are different in paragraph 3.
• You could choose one text and look at it in
depth.
Describe an important
idea in the text. Explain
Important idea: You can’t escape who are- culture is why the idea was
an integral part of identity.
interesting.
Texts: Karlo Mila ‘On Joining Pasifika’ and Amy Tan
ALWAYS REFER TO
‘Fish Cheeks.’
POETIC LANGUAGE
AND THEME.
S: Pasifika rhythm
was always inside
Mila.
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.
E: In this poem….
X: ‘siva/in to our truest
selves.’
Mila uses extended
metaphor of
movement/identity.
E: This quote means that
her culture identity is who
she is. Even after a long
absence, she ‘reclaims’
the ‘earlier beat.’
Y: This is important
because it shows us as
teenagers that we should
embrace our culture/
S: Foods Tan was
ashamed of were
her favourite foods.
.
.
.
.
.
Language features:
negative connotations of
words, personification to
make food seem
unappetizing.
Irony that her favourite
foods were described so
negatively.
Older narrator realized
what her mum and dad
were trying to do.
Comparison.
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.
Similarities- both
narrators are
getting to know
their identity.
Differences- Mila
was proud of who
she was and
embraced her
identity. Tan was
ashamed.
• Essay Titles – 250 words
• Explain an important idea in the text(s) and why
this idea is important for the text(s).
• Describe at least one language feature that
helped you understand a key idea in the text(s).
Explain why the language feature helped you
understand this key idea.
• Describe at least one important conflict in the
text(s). Explain why the conflict(s) helped you
understand an important idea.
Planning.
• Once you have picked your essay topic,
come up with three points that you could
relate to your question. For each point, fill
in the SEXY chart.
• Linking. Your 3 paragraphs must link.
This means that the reader understands
the connections. You can use connectives
like ‘A similar idea is…’ ‘Another text that
uses a simile is…’ ‘A similar extended
metaphor is developed in…’