1. Clarifying the mark scheme
LO: To gain a better understanding of the mark-scheme by identifying and categorising key
features and skills
Hand out the assessment criteria for the coursework (HO).
Read the assessment criteria W1-5, bands 1-8.
Summarise, in 1-3 of your own words, what W1-5 actually assess – in the empty boxes (pairs)
Share and answer questions that arise from your reading of the mark-scheme (pairs)
Share W1-5 labels
Hand out the mixed-up A* skills that represent success for each of the W assessment objectives
Read the mixed-up skills
Decide and classify each skill as W1, W2, W3, W4 or W5
Cut out and stick the skill under the appropriate column
Self-assess your skill proficiency by traffic lighting the A* assessment objective skills.
Using a red, yellow and green coloured pencil, rate and colour in your perceived ability in each skill.
:-) = Green
:-/ = Yellow
:-( = Red
features and skills
Hand out the assessment criteria for the coursework (HO).
Read the assessment criteria W1-5, bands 1-8.
Summarise, in 1-3 of your own words, what W1-5 actually assess – in the empty boxes (pairs)
Share and answer questions that arise from your reading of the mark-scheme (pairs)
Share W1-5 labels
Hand out the mixed-up A* skills that represent success for each of the W assessment objectives
Read the mixed-up skills
Decide and classify each skill as W1, W2, W3, W4 or W5
Cut out and stick the skill under the appropriate column
Self-assess your skill proficiency by traffic lighting the A* assessment objective skills.
Using a red, yellow and green coloured pencil, rate and colour in your perceived ability in each skill.
:-) = Green
:-/ = Yellow
:-( = Red
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2. Technical SPAG focus - Independent Learning
LO: To establish strategies and plans to improve your technical weaknesses in writing
Students to identify their weaker (red) technical areas in writing and note on handout
Exploring the resources available (not available online - please go to the English Department section of Pupil Resources on the School Network), students construct a learning plan for the remainder of the week that develops their skills, and evidences their improvements, in a particular technical area.
Students then enact this plan, submitting this plan together with evidence of success
Students to identify their weaker (red) technical areas in writing and note on handout
Exploring the resources available (not available online - please go to the English Department section of Pupil Resources on the School Network), students construct a learning plan for the remainder of the week that develops their skills, and evidences their improvements, in a particular technical area.
Students then enact this plan, submitting this plan together with evidence of success
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3. Identifying the open letter
LO: To identify the characteristics of “The Open Letter” form
Students to read and examine the various different examples of the Open Letter Form stationed around the room, and from their reading, deduce the key characteristics of the Open Letter (as noted on the handout). Students discussed findings on completion.
Students then devised their own examples of an Open Letter, following the title formula of previous examples.
Students to read and examine the various different examples of the Open Letter Form stationed around the room, and from their reading, deduce the key characteristics of the Open Letter (as noted on the handout). Students discussed findings on completion.
Students then devised their own examples of an Open Letter, following the title formula of previous examples.
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![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/rtf.png)
an_open_letter_should_have_the_following_characteristics.docx |
4. Models of excellence - fry and sowter
LO: To examine models of excellent open letters in order to identify what you have to do to
write excellent letters that argue and persuade.
Students examined an open letter written by Stephen Fry, advocating the boycott of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, in 2014. This is an excellent model of writing to argue and
persuade.
Students identified what made it such an excellent piece of work.
Whole-class feedback: The aim of this discussion is to:
• Identify attributes for excellent work.
• Label these attributes: by naming them, understand them
• Gain a set of strategies to improve existing work
AB to collate ideas and include them into formal markscheme
Having completed this task, students now read a student example of excellence of Writing to Argue and Persuade: Jacob Sowter wrote an open letter to Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, arguing that zoos should be abolished. He achieved full marks in his formal assessment for this piece of work. Their task is to use the criteria of excellence we have written to identify, highlight and label all examples of excellence that you can find in his piece, in preparation for whole-class feedback
Students have now seen:
• Examples of the open letter form
• Real life models of excellence (Stephen Fry)
• Student models of excellence (Jacob Sowter)
Students' task is to now write a tribute piece, to practise what you have learned.
write excellent letters that argue and persuade.
Students examined an open letter written by Stephen Fry, advocating the boycott of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, in 2014. This is an excellent model of writing to argue and
persuade.
Students identified what made it such an excellent piece of work.
Whole-class feedback: The aim of this discussion is to:
• Identify attributes for excellent work.
• Label these attributes: by naming them, understand them
• Gain a set of strategies to improve existing work
AB to collate ideas and include them into formal markscheme
Having completed this task, students now read a student example of excellence of Writing to Argue and Persuade: Jacob Sowter wrote an open letter to Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, arguing that zoos should be abolished. He achieved full marks in his formal assessment for this piece of work. Their task is to use the criteria of excellence we have written to identify, highlight and label all examples of excellence that you can find in his piece, in preparation for whole-class feedback
Students have now seen:
• Examples of the open letter form
• Real life models of excellence (Stephen Fry)
• Student models of excellence (Jacob Sowter)
Students' task is to now write a tribute piece, to practise what you have learned.
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![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/rtf.png)
tribute_work_instructions.doc |
Model exemplar tribute pieces
Students generally created some outstanding tribute pieces, illustrating their secure grasp of the argue/persuade approach and the necessity of lifting their writing with rhetorical and technical flair - pre-empting, indeed, the focus of the following lessons. Some effective examples of introductions etc are below:
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/pdf.png)
an_open_letter_to_activision_studios_regarding_the_issues_strong_violent_gaming.pdf |
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/pdf.png)
tribute_piece_-_chickens.pdf |
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/pdf.png)
bm_intro_tribute.pdf |
5. Preparing Drafts 1 and 2 - rhetorical Devices
One of the key elements of this lesson was the outline of action in anticipation of my paternity leave. This was as follows:
Having explained the sequence and answered any student questions on it, the main aims of this lesson were to develop our understanding of the crucial rhetorical devices and figurative language needed to make your writing more sophisticated and powerful.
Learning aims
1.To learn the mnemonics AFOREST and SIASAMOP
2.To identify and apply rhetorical and figurative devices in your work
WHY SHOULD I?
Using rhetorical devices lifts your writing and makes it much more effective. I also look for these specifically in assessment.
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/xls.png)
preparing_drafts_1_and_2.ppt |
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aforest_table_extra_examples.doc |
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/rtf.png)
siasamop_table_extra_examples.doc |
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/rtf.png)
extension_of_rhetorical_devices.doc |
6. Using the right structure
Learning Objectives:
1.Understand how to structure writing to argue and writing to persuade
2.Apprecia te the advantages and disadvantages to both writing models
WHY SHOULD I?
Using the right structure gives direction and logic to your overall response. It also sets out your tone and relationship with your reader effectively.
After clarifying core definitions of argue and persuade, students examined how each different mode has a slightly different paragraph structure and planning need. We reflected on this in more detail by executing and evaluating an argue and a persuade plan.
1.Understand how to structure writing to argue and writing to persuade
2.Apprecia te the advantages and disadvantages to both writing models
WHY SHOULD I?
Using the right structure gives direction and logic to your overall response. It also sets out your tone and relationship with your reader effectively.
After clarifying core definitions of argue and persuade, students examined how each different mode has a slightly different paragraph structure and planning need. We reflected on this in more detail by executing and evaluating an argue and a persuade plan.
7. introductions and attention-grabbing tactics
Learning Objectives:
1.Investigate which rhetorical devices work powerfully, focusing specifically in the introduction
2.Use slow writing to construct powerful introductions of your own.
WHY SHOULD I?
If you don’t write excitingly straightaway, your reader will rapidly lose interest. You can’t persuade someone that you’re right if they’re bored or they don’t care.
Students read three exemplar student introductions. Why are these introductions so effective? Highlight and label what devices are used, evaluating effect.
1.Investigate which rhetorical devices work powerfully, focusing specifically in the introduction
2.Use slow writing to construct powerful introductions of your own.
WHY SHOULD I?
If you don’t write excitingly straightaway, your reader will rapidly lose interest. You can’t persuade someone that you’re right if they’re bored or they don’t care.
Students read three exemplar student introductions. Why are these introductions so effective? Highlight and label what devices are used, evaluating effect.
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Students slow write their own introduction according to rules on the board.
What is slow writing? “The idea is to get students to slow down and approach each word, sentence and paragraph with love and attention. Obviously they’ll write less but what they do write will be
beautifully wrought and finely honed.” (Didau)
Students re-draft own paragraph, releasing grasp of rules. Question every single word and consider
whether there might be a better word. Look at every sentence and ask, could it begin differently? Should it be longer or shorter? Are they absolutely sure it makes sense?
What is slow writing? “The idea is to get students to slow down and approach each word, sentence and paragraph with love and attention. Obviously they’ll write less but what they do write will be
beautifully wrought and finely honed.” (Didau)
Students re-draft own paragraph, releasing grasp of rules. Question every single word and consider
whether there might be a better word. Look at every sentence and ask, could it begin differently? Should it be longer or shorter? Are they absolutely sure it makes sense?
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/xls.png)
introductions_and_slow_writing.ppt |
8. Planning
Lesson Objectives:
1. To understand how to plan effectively and why doing so is helpful
2. To consider a model for planning and to begin planning your response yourself.
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/rtf.png)
skeleton_outline_exemplar.doc |
9. PEER-ASSESSMENT
Lesson Objectives:
1. To come to understand the mark scheme and the peer-assessment sheets that you must complete over your essay-writing period
2. To apply the mark scheme to unseen exemplars of student work, assessing the essay according to the 5 Writing Assessment Criteria (W1, W2, etc; band 1, band 2, etc) and using the bandings to come to a best-fit mark out of 40
3. To reflect on where you were generous or harsh, and to standardise yourselves according to my final mark.
1. To come to understand the mark scheme and the peer-assessment sheets that you must complete over your essay-writing period
2. To apply the mark scheme to unseen exemplars of student work, assessing the essay according to the 5 Writing Assessment Criteria (W1, W2, etc; band 1, band 2, etc) and using the bandings to come to a best-fit mark out of 40
3. To reflect on where you were generous or harsh, and to standardise yourselves according to my final mark.
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