Self study English Adv Yr 11 Term 1 (1 Viewer)

[sophialimelight]

Hello everyone, I’m trying to get into self-studying English well because my teacher is so useless and all she does is complain about us not being up to par with her old private school she taught at that did Rebecca in Yr 9.
I’m in yr 11 and am very keen on self studying for English by myself and working hard. I have started the reading to write module with no prescribed text. The teacher has told us to start wide reading. While I understand I need to read a lot, I want to go further a step and actually have a structured system to prepare myself well for HSC next year. What system do you guys think should begin implementing to lock in and learn? Like PEEL tables? Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[beaver194]

I got a low band 6 in English advanced (91/100) last year with an unsupportive teacher too.

For reading to write, I believe it’s the module where you do creative writing, right? This module’s skills will be assessed in the HSC as Module C (last section of paper 2). Essentially, the examiners would want to see you learning from great authors’ work by adopting some of their techniques. Off the top of my head, these would include micro level techniques such as anaphora / zoomorphism etc and macro level devices like flashbacks. When you do a “wide range of reading”, I’d suggest that you have a little Google Doc where you write down observations. Ask yourself questions like “how did the author make this concept engaging?” “How could I use X technique in my own writing?”

Keep in mind that you should preferably read “widely”; that is, reading non fiction discursive stuff. Search up English Teacher Association Discursive Guide and you’ll find plenty of stuff to read.

After you jot down a good amount of notes and get a grasp of writing creatively, I’d suggest start brainstorming a few characters/ plots for imaginative, and some “themes” for discursive. What I mean by this is that whilst you have to adapt to the stimulus in the exam, it boosts your confidence greatly by having some solid stuff planned (not fully memorised though!)

So, for me, after reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I created a character who kind of fit Boo Radley (a reserved character with not a lot of interactions with neighbours; rumoured to be “crazy”). Drawing inspiration from the novel, my character was based in another culture, with a different kind of isolation, written in the first person and ended with a wholesome resolution. So do you see what I did there taking inspiration from “reading” to produce intelligent yet original “writing”? Discursives followed the same structure for me.

Finally, I think you might be worried about having a “useless” teacher. Please don’t. The whole Year 12 English thing largely depends on one’s own motivations and abilities which, by the sounds of your post, are not lacking on your part. One thing I’d mention though is to ask your teacher to mark stuff. There’s no harm in seeking a second opinion!

Oh one more thing: allow yourself to practice a lot, write boldly and don’t be afraid of your initial drafts being unremarkable / visibly “bad”. Remember the more you allow yourself to experiment with implementing language techniques, the better your writing quality becomes. This applies to all of your subjects as well!

 

[sophialimelight]

I got a low band 6 in English advanced (91/100) last year with an unsupportive teacher too.

For reading to write, I believe it’s the module where you do creative writing, right? This module’s skills will be assessed in the HSC as Module C (last section of paper 2). Essentially, the examiners would want to see you learning from great authors’ work by adopting some of their techniques. Off the top of my head, these would include micro level techniques such as anaphora / zoomorphism etc and macro level devices like flashbacks. When you do a “wide range of reading”, I’d suggest that you have a little Google Doc where you write down observations. Ask yourself questions like “how did the author make this concept engaging?” “How could I use X technique in my own writing?”

Keep in mind that you should preferably read “widely”; that is, reading non fiction discursive stuff. Search up English Teacher Association Discursive Guide and you’ll find plenty of stuff to read.

After you jot down a good amount of notes and get a grasp of writing creatively, I’d suggest start brainstorming a few characters/ plots for imaginative, and some “themes” for discursive. What I mean by this is that whilst you have to adapt to the stimulus in the exam, it boosts your confidence greatly by having some solid stuff planned (not fully memorised though!)

So, for me, after reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I created a character who kind of fit Boo Radley (a reserved character with not a lot of interactions with neighbours; rumoured to be “crazy”). Drawing inspiration from the novel, my character was based in another culture, with a different kind of isolation, written in the first person and ended with a wholesome resolution. So do you see what I did there taking inspiration from “reading” to produce intelligent yet original “writing”? Discursives followed the same structure for me.

Finally, I think you might be worried about having a “useless” teacher. Please don’t. The whole Year 12 English thing largely depends on one’s own motivations and abilities which, by the sounds of your post, are not lacking on your part. One thing I’d mention though is to ask your teacher to mark stuff. There’s no harm in seeking a second opinion!

Oh one more thing: allow yourself to practice a lot, write boldly and don’t be afraid of your initial drafts being unremarkable / visibly “bad”. Remember the more you allow yourself to experiment with implementing language techniques, the better your writing quality becomes. This applies to all of your subjects as well!

Wow thank you so much for the reply! You literally read my mind with the fear of “visibly bad” drafts, which has made me constantly avoid practicing English in comparison to Maths. Just a question, I’m just wondering where does the discursive come into this? I don’t really have context so to my understanding there is a discursive in mod C? What would you be doing with the discursive in relation with the creative writing? Thanks again

 

[beaver194]

Wow thank you so much for the reply! You literally read my mind with the fear of “visibly bad” drafts, which has made me constantly avoid practicing English in comparison to Maths. Just a question, I’m just wondering where does the discursive come into this? I don’t really have context so to my understanding there is a discursive in mod C? What would you be doing with the discursive in relation with the creative writing? Thanks again

Haha no worries. It’s a very common fear especially for high achievers like you, as you have shown initiative to do well in English.

Yes, there MAY be a discursive in Mod C. Module C is about the “craft of writing”. In this module, there are three assessable text types: imaginative (commonly referred to as narrative or broadly “creative writing” though this is inaccurate in the strictest sense), discursive and persuasive.

The way NESA does it in the HSC is that Mod C is always unpredictable. This means that they may give a question with text/image stimulus that requires you to write a discursive/imaginative/persuasive response and may specify a reflection (NOTE: this may no longer be required along with prescribed texts due to your year’s new syllabus; fact check me.) but as far as I know, discursives aren’t going anywhere.

The question in your exam may look like (these are examples I’m making up on the spot):

—

Question 1

(Image of an ocean; a plastic bottle floats on the water)

Craft a discursive piece of writing that uses the stimulus image as the central idea

Question 2
(A poem translated from Chinese; about a waterfall that’s 3000 ft down the cliff “like the galaxy…”)

Craft an imaginative or discursive or persuasive piece of writing that explores the power of nature


—

Point being these questions can be quite literally anything. But don’t let this scare you - you should use this to your advantage. I got near full marks in this section by using my prepared character and plot. You’ll get to a point with practice, that you can literally use your prepared concepts with ANY question in Mod C.

Regarding discursive practice, personally I found the process of understanding what the text types wanted was the biggest challenge. Read the English Teacher association PDF; they’ve got some fantastic explanations and tips. I would also read the New Yorker Contrary to our hockey star’s opinion (if you get my reference), it’s not boring. Apply the ETA PDF’s principles to your reading and you’ll be confident with discursive. Get some high quality exemplars as well. If you struggle to find any, let me know and I can send you a couple.

 

[sophialimelight]

Haha no worries. It’s a very common fear especially for high achievers like you, as you have shown initiative to do well in English.

Yes, there MAY be a discursive in Mod C. Module C is about the “craft of writing”. In this module, there are three assessable text types: imaginative (commonly referred to as narrative or broadly “creative writing” though this is inaccurate in the strictest sense), discursive and persuasive.

The way NESA does it in the HSC is that Mod C is always unpredictable. This means that they may give a question with text/image stimulus that requires you to write a discursive/imaginative/persuasive response and may specify a reflection (NOTE: this may no longer be required along with prescribed texts due to your year’s new syllabus; fact check me.) but as far as I know, discursives aren’t going anywhere.

The question in your exam may look like (these are examples I’m making up on the spot):

—

Question 1

(Image of an ocean; a plastic bottle floats on the water)

Craft a discursive piece of writing that uses the stimulus image as the central idea

Question 2
(A poem translated from Chinese; about a waterfall that’s 3000 ft down the cliff “like the galaxy…”)

Craft an imaginative or discursive or persuasive piece of writing that explores the power of nature


—

Point being these questions can be quite literally anything. But don’t let this scare you - you should use this to your advantage. I got near full marks in this section by using my prepared character and plot. You’ll get to a point with practice, that you can literally use your prepared concepts with ANY question in Mod C.

Regarding discursive practice, personally I found the process of understanding what the text types wanted was the biggest challenge. Read the English Teacher association PDF; they’ve got some fantastic explanations and tips. I would also read the New Yorker Contrary to our hockey star’s opinion (if you get my reference), it’s not boring. Apply the ETA PDF’s principles to your reading and you’ll be confident with discursive. Get some high quality exemplars as well. If you struggle to find any, let me know and I can send you a couple.

I'm sorry to sound annoying but could you provide an example how you would integrate creative writing into persuasive and discursive? I just haven't been exposed to that much texts so can't really picture it Also, where could I find the ETA PDF'S is this like any of theirs? I tried searching it up but it says I need a membership...

Okay, so from your messages I will try to this weekend/onwards:

1. I'll try finding some texts/short texts to analyse ( would really appreciate if you recommend some that teachers LOVE)
2. Also do you recommend me practicing with short texts/extracts more because I find it'll take a while to contextualise books deeply?
3. I'll try creating an analysis table (I've heard of IQTVE? Thoughts?)
4. I really want to start planning out a skeleton creative text but I haven't written narratives in so long so would appreciate on some guidance on how to even start planning )
5. I would really appreciate some exemplar responses!
6. I'll try asking my teacher for feedback, just a bit scared because she literally doesn't care and her feedback is so dry...

THANKS ALOT AGAINNN

 

[beaver194]

I'm sorry to sound annoying but could you provide an example how you would integrate creative writing into persuasive and discursive? I just haven't been exposed to that much texts so can't really picture it Also, where could I find the ETA PDF'S is this like any of theirs? I tried searching it up but it says I need a membership...

Okay, so from your messages I will try to this weekend/onwards:

1. I'll try finding some texts/short texts to analyse ( would really appreciate if you recommend some that teachers LOVE)
2. Also do you recommend me practicing with short texts/extracts more because I find it'll take a while to contextualise books deeply?
3. I'll try creating an analysis table (I've heard of IQTVE? Thoughts?)
4. I really want to start planning out a skeleton creative text but I haven't written narratives in so long so would appreciate on some guidance on how to even start planning )
5. I would really appreciate some exemplar responses!
6. I'll try asking my teacher for feedback, just a bit scared because she literally doesn't care and her feedback is so dry...

THANKS ALOT AGAINNN

discursive_writing_metaphor_2018_issue_4-2.pdf
Here's the direct link.

The concept is adaptable but you can't quite literally change an imaginative into a discursive.

I personally can't think of a 'text' that teachers 'love'. I mainly anchored my writing style in modernism (aka controlled trauma dumping of the modern man's hollowness from declining genuine human interactions). Basically I studied T.S. Eliot's Prufrock in Year 10 and decided to take on that descriptive and almost stream-of-consciousness tone. My school disabled my educational Gmail so I can't go and find my texts & notes anymore...

Analysis table should only be extensively done for analytical modules (ie the ones that require you to write essays) and not Mod C. You won't be asked to analyse stuff in HSC Mod C, per a NESA Q&A (unless this has changed in your syllabus but I highly doubt it). IQTVE sounds like a great structure and I think North Sydney Boys use it. However I can't comment on this structure as I didn't use it.

In response to your fourth point, what are you really passionate about? Specific themes? Be sure to pick a topic that shows stuff about a human moment of change/growth. Your character MUST undergo some sort of transformation otherwise the markers wouldn't be too happy. It doesn't have to be a really big moment and in fact I would advise a small but meaningful / wholesome change. Did you watch Disney's film Coco in your childhood? Note how the composer didn't end the movie with some outlandish sci-fi concept but zoomed in on how death isn't scary as long as one is remembered by their loved ones. Develop a plot line / a section of your imagined world, where you tackle one specific human feeling that has 'shifted' from the start to the end.

Re exemplars. 2020-EA-Module-C-Creative-Writing-Exemplar-InspirED.pdf --> take a look at this one. Don't think it's the best exemplar for an exam response, but it's a great way of visualising what I said above.

Finally looking back my biggest regret in high school was my tendency to be a people-pleaser type to some (mean) teachers. Teachers are a resource to be utilised as opposed to some figure to be feared. Sure they need to be respected but you are well within your rights to ask for help and feedback.

I hope I have addressed the above. If you have any further questions feel free to ask away while HSC English is still fresh on my mind. I'm sure when I begin my first semester of uni, these English stuff will be replaced by my uni stuff.

 

[Successful Entrepreneur]

Hey,

I need help adapting my imaginative piece to different stimuli, I have a pre memorised piece + reflection

have 45 minutes in test + 5 minutes reading time
I currently write my piece in 38 minutes and it is roughly 1100 words

Thanks

 

[liis]

discursive_writing_metaphor_2018_issue_4-2.pdf
Here's the direct link.

hello, the pdf link doesnt seem to work for me (my tab just closes immediately after i open it) so i'm wondering if there's a different way to access it?

 

[beaver194]

I just tried the link and it worked for me.

Try searching Discursive Writing for the HSC
Mel Dixon and Kate Murphy pdf


If that doesn’t work I can dm you the file

 

[tigerian]

I’m a member of English teachers association. I have that actual article print out