Ms. Polly Teaches English

Exam season is here once again, and my advice is above all to keep a good balance between rest and revision.

AQA English Literature is up first on Monday 13th for Paper 1 (Shakespeare and the 19th century novel) and Monday 20th for Paper 2 (Modern text/drama and Poetry).

For English Lit – if you’re someone who finds memorising quotes difficult, focus on 10-15 ‘broad’ quotes, which can be adapted to any essay. Which ones? Think about which quotes represent the writer’s purpose and message. The main point is to hit those AOs, so constantly explain, comment, analyse and evaluate. If you forget a quote, you can always make a reference to that specific part of the play/novel anyway and link with relevant context points.

One question I get asked about often is how to deepen an analysis. We know about generally interpreting the quote and explaining its meaning as a whole, as well as deep-diving into a specific word/words and analysing its connotations.

However, for a fully developed analysis, don’t forget about the structure of the quote itself (sentence level) and how this also could meet the writer’s purpose. To do this, look at the way the writer has organised the words to create a certain effect.

If you’ve been studying A Christmas Carol, what is the significance of the long quote about Scrooge ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, …’? Notice the long list structure can be quite overwhelming to read, highlighting how greedy and self-centred Scrooge is, as all these words reference taking something with force by hand.

You could also consider the quote’s placement in the scene/chapter/whole text.

For example, if you’re studying Animal Farm, notice how Orwell ends each chapter by leaving the reader to question the pigs’ leadership on the farm.
By the end, we can see the significance of the circular structure of the novel as a whole, demonstrating Orwell’s beliefs about true equality as an ideal, rather than a reality.

In Macbeth, why does Shakespeare place the Porter’s scene straight after the murder of Duncan? He is clearly telling us how Macbeth is the devil and showing us how he sins - he lies, he is greedy and he steals – but why here? He is foreshadowing Macbeth is destined for hell because of what he has done. However, the scene is comical; his audience would need this comic relief after the intense drama of the murder, as well as before the gruesome discovery of Duncan’s body, which is more suspense for the audience as we watch Macbeth feigning shock and grief. What is the literary technique called when the audience know more than the characters? D__________ irony!

In The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, why does Stevenson leave it until the very last chapters to reveal the true identity of Hyde? Relate this to its form – a mystery story, where few clues are dropped in the form of motifs: letters, documents, but Stevenson keeps the secret till the end. This structure leaves the Victorian reader (who we know is fascinated by stories of the supernatural and mysteries to be solved) guessing from start to finish about the strange Mr Hyde and his hold over Dr Jekyll.

So don’t forget about structure to gain higher marks for AO2. Always relate your analysis back to the question and the writer’s themes and ‘big ideas’.🙂

Mock GCSEs have started for some students in Y11. Most important is to keep a clear head and a balanced approach to devoting time to each of your subjects.

For English Lit, focus on characters and themes for your set texts – essay plans are a great way to revise and build confidence. Looking at past paper questions, create a thesis statement for your introduction, and focus on creating clear, analytical topic sentences for the main body paragraphs. Focus on the writer’s ‘big ideas’: how does the writer use language and structure to deliver their message? Are their ideas easy to interpret or subject to different reader responses? If it’s a question that awards marks for contextual analysis, relate this to the writer’s purpose and include relevant references throughout your piece. Using postcards for quotes and a mind-mapped analysis might also help.
For Poetry, revise your poems according to the themes they reflect, revising how the writer uses examples of language, structure, form, as well as the context they wrote in to deliver their message. What other poems from the cluster share similar themes? How do they compare in terms of methods used?
For English Language, focus on the higher mark reading analysis questions – evaluation/comparison – practising past paper questions. Keep the question focus in mind and make sure you include comparative conjunctions and evaluative language. For both Writing sections, as well as using powerful techniques to describe/narrate/argue/persuade, think about how to structure your responses to create the greatest impact.
Be clear about your timing for each question, counting in extra time if you have it.

Above all, keep calm and do your best! 🙂😍

11+ exams have started. If you are sitting an 11+ exam this year, please make sure you are well-rested - a good night's sleep is essential - and stay hydrated, especially if the hot weather continues. Listen to instructions, keep an eye on the clock to manage your time, and check answers at the end if you have time remaining. If you are stuck on a question and you have applied strategies to answer it, move on rather than spending more time on it - you can always return to it at the end. Of course you might feel a little nervous and that's just natural, so don't worry as all the other children will be feeling the same way, even if they don't look as if they do! Above all, stay positive, happy and determined to do your best🙂

Summer work for students in Year 10 - re-read your 3 set texts for English Literature. You do not have to read every page in detail if you have already studied them in school or with me, but ask yourself how familiar are you with what comes where, and the sequence of significant events. It'll be reassuring for you to start Year 11, whether home-educated or in school, feeling you have a knowledge of the whole structure of each text. What impact does the writer make by organising the play/drama/novella in that way? Often revisiting the text again, can give you ideas and insights about characters and themes that you may have missed first time around.
Don't forget to relax and have fun too though - enjoy the sunshine!🤩

GCSE/IGCSE Results Days...
GCSEs are out on Thursday 24th August and IGCSE (Cambridge) on Wednesday 16th August @ 6:00 BST 🙂

I am currently taking enrolments for home-educated students in the UK, as well as school and home-ed students who live abroad.
I am not looking forward to saying my goodbyes to my after-school students here in the UK in a few weeks’ time! I have been teaching most of them for a number of years and I am immensely proud of them all.
So for now, regretfully, I will not be taking on any new school students (UK evening hours).
If you were on my waiting list, you will have already been informed.
👋

11+ exams are starting! Parents are asking for last minute tips. First of all, please don't give your child endless test papers to practice. At this stage, it is more important that your child is well-rested, as calm as possible and carrying some positive words of encouragement. They can continue to practice when they have a few days' break. Secondly, children should make sure they read the question carefully. In reading comprehensions, they should look at the type of question that is asked: retrieval, deduction, inference or vocab meaning. Take note of the number of marks allocated and use that as a guide as to how much you are expected to write. In multiple-choice questions, make sure you read all of the possible options before you decide on your answer. Always check back in the text and don't rely on your memory. Lastly, manage your time well. If you are really stuck on a question, move on and then come back to it at the end. If you are still stuck, try and deduce from any possible clues and give it your best shot - it's better to try and guess rather than just make no attempt and not answer the question. Remember, go in with a positive mindset and know that your life does not depend on these exams - just do the very best that you can, knowing you have already put in the hard work. Best of luck to you all!

Best of luck to all my GCSE English Literature and Language students.
Whatever your results, be proud of your achievements. Your schools will enrol you for the next stage if you're staying on for A levels.
I'll be thinking of you all today x

How can we help those in Year 9 and Year 10 to improve their English skills?
By convincing them that English is truly a life skill that can help them make sense of the world around them! This takes time – time to discuss and time to really listen to young people. Once they grasp that English does not start and finish in a classroom, but is a subject that is living, breathing and relevant to us all, it can change the way students engage with and approach the subject, with What, How and Why becoming more meaningful and something they can apply to their own lives. I’m always amazed about how insightful children and young people can be when discussing what drives and motivates characters in their set texts. Young people can be great psychologists and their different opinions all add to the depth of their analysis when essay writing. Relating the characters to the writer’s purpose and ‘big ideas’ then becomes more interesting as the ideas are often timeless and universal. It starts with what is already inside them.

Hi everyone. Thank you for your patience while my page is still under construction! I'm afraid my UK after-school places are all filled, but I will have a few spaces for group tutoring UK home-educated children and students abroad.
Please do get in touch either via FB messenger or email.