I'm taking a quick break from marking all of your papers, so I thought I'd write a quick post. First of all, the timings are a bit of an issue for some of you, so you can have the timings sheet that I've typed out here.
Secondly, don't worry about any mistakes that you might have made in the mock - I'm glad you've made them now, so I can point them out and you'll be well aware of what not to do come January (almost like the WHOLE REASON for having a mock...).
I'll have your marks for next Thursday, and (along with your CA marks), I'll be able to tell you not only your exam grade, but what you would have achieved over the whole course if your exam had been real.
Enjoy!
Thursday 1 December 2011
Friday 4 November 2011
Quick change of homework
The amazing idea I had for homework (where you each add examples of language devices to a document) sounded great when I planned it out, but is, unfortunately, rubbish in real life, or definitely need a fair amount of tweaking. So, your new homework is to look over the non-fiction and media pack I previously posted; you can find it here.
Enjoy!
Tuesday 25 October 2011
Non fiction glossary
GCSE English Language guidance
If the combined thrills/spills/chills of Youface and Mytube aren't taking up enough of your half term, than I humbly suggest you give up half an hour and check out this guide to non fiction and media texts, straight from the Englishbiz website (the link is on the right). Long story short - this Steve Campsall guy really knows his onions (any of you picking Language next year will see a lot more of him), and having a look over it now won't do you any harm at all before we start the non fiction unit. Get involved!
Coursework Info
Having recently collected in the film review, I'm now within spitting distance of having a completed marksheet for all your coursework. I've been aware for ages that parents like to know how their kids are going on, so I've been thinking of posting it up here. Before anyone freaks out, I'll replace your names with random numbers (which I'll give to you individually) so nobody can find out marks that aren't theirs. If anyone isn't happy about this (and that includes parents), let me know.
Questions, comments, Bell & Ross watches to the usual, please!
GCSE Exam
Just a quick note for you and your parents - the GCSE English Language is on the 10th January 2012, starting at 9am.
Thursday 6 October 2011
Reviews
Right then folks - your final bit of coursework will be to complete a film review of 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. In order for us to do this, you'll need to have a really good knowledge of how film reviews work.
So, to start with, you'll need to find a bunch of film reviews (round about three will be enough), ideally on the same film. So, you can go to dedicated film review sites like www.rottentomatoes.com, or general review sites like www.metacritic.com. These are blocked by school though, so look at other sites, such as www.empireonline.com, or even newspaper sites (although tabloid reviews will be a little short and simple for our purposes, although it won't hurt to look at them). Create a special folder in your English folder, and save a bunch of reviews there. When you come to me on Monday, I'll want you to have printed at least two - but feel free to work with your mate(s).
If you get fed up with this, and fancy something different, then I'd like the old favourite - a graph! Venn diagram, line graph, you name it - I need a load to redo the display in my room, and you pack of monkeys are going to help. If you find Excel a little rough going, then you might want to check out some of these sites you can find out here. Some sort of immunity badge will be the prize for the best one, although you don't have to do this for your homework; your homework is to bring me some reviews on Monday.
Any problems / questions / Patek Philippe watches - send them to the usual address
So, to start with, you'll need to find a bunch of film reviews (round about three will be enough), ideally on the same film. So, you can go to dedicated film review sites like www.rottentomatoes.com, or general review sites like www.metacritic.com. These are blocked by school though, so look at other sites, such as www.empireonline.com, or even newspaper sites (although tabloid reviews will be a little short and simple for our purposes, although it won't hurt to look at them). Create a special folder in your English folder, and save a bunch of reviews there. When you come to me on Monday, I'll want you to have printed at least two - but feel free to work with your mate(s).
If you get fed up with this, and fancy something different, then I'd like the old favourite - a graph! Venn diagram, line graph, you name it - I need a load to redo the display in my room, and you pack of monkeys are going to help. If you find Excel a little rough going, then you might want to check out some of these sites you can find out here. Some sort of immunity badge will be the prize for the best one, although you don't have to do this for your homework; your homework is to bring me some reviews on Monday.
Any problems / questions / Patek Philippe watches - send them to the usual address
Thursday 8 September 2011
Jobs / news / congratulations etc
Just a quick post to let you know how pleased I am with the reading effort you all put in over the break - special mentions also go to McEwen and Clamenza for scoring 1st and 2nd places in the test, respectively (particularly in the light of some fairly steep marking - I'm looking at you, Armstrong). As you've read the whole text, the next couple of weeks will be fairly straightforward.
I'll give you a photocopied work pack on Tuesday (13th), and I'll expect it in and complete by Thursday 22nd - it's really important that this is done well, as you'll need it for your revision at the end of the year. I certainly don't expect you to print out the whole pack (I'll have a mob of angry parents / Mrs Rogers chasing me if you do) - you can simply replace or stick in any pages that you might have completed previously. I'll give you a lesson and a homework to get it all done, which I reckon will be plenty.
Also helpful when studying the novel are various study guides that are floating about - the Sparknotes ones are pretty good, and so are the thebestnotes.com ones. You can also check out the Novelguide notes, too.
Whilst the above guides have the benefit of being free, I find reading off a monitor hurts the peepers after a while, so if you fancy busting out a few pounds (although do look at the used prices; you often only have to pay the postage), you might want to check out one of the many printed study guides that are available - Yorknotes, Letts and Cliffs notes are all worth a look - but remember, you only need one (ideally different from one that your mate might have got, so you can swap if needs be). I haven't seen this one (although it has fairly decent reviews), and this one might be worth a look if you are gunning for your A*. I'm going to be brutally honest here - kids who read study guides (either books or off t'interweb) get better marks than kids who don't. Simple as. In any case, I'm guessing the majority of you will be in higher education in a year from now, so it won't do you any harm to start getting used to the idea of reading around a subject to better understand it.
Any questions / comments / large cheques etc - send them to the usual address.
Parents - my email has now changed; you can contact me at d.nevin@southnottinghamshireacademy.org
Cheers!
I'll give you a photocopied work pack on Tuesday (13th), and I'll expect it in and complete by Thursday 22nd - it's really important that this is done well, as you'll need it for your revision at the end of the year. I certainly don't expect you to print out the whole pack (I'll have a mob of angry parents / Mrs Rogers chasing me if you do) - you can simply replace or stick in any pages that you might have completed previously. I'll give you a lesson and a homework to get it all done, which I reckon will be plenty.
Also helpful when studying the novel are various study guides that are floating about - the Sparknotes ones are pretty good, and so are the thebestnotes.com ones. You can also check out the Novelguide notes, too.
Whilst the above guides have the benefit of being free, I find reading off a monitor hurts the peepers after a while, so if you fancy busting out a few pounds (although do look at the used prices; you often only have to pay the postage), you might want to check out one of the many printed study guides that are available - Yorknotes, Letts and Cliffs notes are all worth a look - but remember, you only need one (ideally different from one that your mate might have got, so you can swap if needs be). I haven't seen this one (although it has fairly decent reviews), and this one might be worth a look if you are gunning for your A*. I'm going to be brutally honest here - kids who read study guides (either books or off t'interweb) get better marks than kids who don't. Simple as. In any case, I'm guessing the majority of you will be in higher education in a year from now, so it won't do you any harm to start getting used to the idea of reading around a subject to better understand it.
Any questions / comments / large cheques etc - send them to the usual address.
Parents - my email has now changed; you can contact me at d.nevin@southnottinghamshireacademy.org
Cheers!
Thursday 7 July 2011
Jobs for the Summer - get 'em while they're hot and fresh!
Here you go kids - a load of stuff for you to finish over the holidays; I know it's a bit of a hassle, but them As and Bs don't come for free... in any case, I reckon you'd only spend your hols on the YouFace or Mytube, and swapping Pokemon cards and Pogs and the like, so I'm probably doing you a favour.
First of all, read To Kill a Mockingbird. Start to finish, all 31 chapters. No moaning, no skipping chapters, no buying York notes and reading the summary. I'll have a trawl round the tinterweb and post a load of useful links, but in the meantime, get reading (especially in Maths).
Secondly, you'll need to complete the study pack as a group. You should have divided up the tasks between you in your groups, so you should have around 6 tasks each over the summer. It's worthwhile completing this properly, as you'll be letting your group down if you leave it till the last minute and rush it. Molly, Bonita, Jack, Connor and Lorna are all in a group (as you weren't in today), so come and see me and I'll give you the chapters that you have to complete.
In other jobs, I also want you to watch the videos about the social and historical context of the novel - you can find these here, here and here. You should do this sooner rather than later, so definitely by the time you come back from work experience.
I reckon that's enough for now, although I'll also be posting a few jobs to do with Tsotsi and the film review that you'll have to write for me soon enough, although we won't be writing it until September.
Any problems / queries / free tickets to Leicester Tigers, let me know, or get your folks to email.
Cheers!
First of all, read To Kill a Mockingbird. Start to finish, all 31 chapters. No moaning, no skipping chapters, no buying York notes and reading the summary. I'll have a trawl round the tinterweb and post a load of useful links, but in the meantime, get reading (especially in Maths).
Secondly, you'll need to complete the study pack as a group. You should have divided up the tasks between you in your groups, so you should have around 6 tasks each over the summer. It's worthwhile completing this properly, as you'll be letting your group down if you leave it till the last minute and rush it. Molly, Bonita, Jack, Connor and Lorna are all in a group (as you weren't in today), so come and see me and I'll give you the chapters that you have to complete.
In other jobs, I also want you to watch the videos about the social and historical context of the novel - you can find these here, here and here. You should do this sooner rather than later, so definitely by the time you come back from work experience.
I reckon that's enough for now, although I'll also be posting a few jobs to do with Tsotsi and the film review that you'll have to write for me soon enough, although we won't be writing it until September.
Any problems / queries / free tickets to Leicester Tigers, let me know, or get your folks to email.
Cheers!
Tuesday 14 June 2011
Just some more controlled assessment stuff, really
Right then - this post is so everyone and their parents know what is happening over the next couple of lessons. The controlled assessment lasts for four hours in total, and will be completed over the next six lessons:
Thursday 16th June periods 1&4
Monday 20th June period 2
Tuesday 21st June period 1
Thursday 23rd June periods 1&4
If you miss a couple of lessons and don't complete your essay in the time allowed, then there's no need to worry - simply arrange a time to complete it after school with me. I'll be keeping a record of everybody's minutes so I'll always know exactly how long you've got left.
Your homework over the weekend will be to continue to prepare for the controlled assessment. I know a lot of you are looking to complete sections one and two this week, so you should be looking at sections three and four in rough at home.
Finally, if you click here you can find the sheet that we completed in class that explores the structure of the chapter 'Beast from Water'.
If there are any problems, drop me a line and I'll sort it out.
Thursday 16th June periods 1&4
Monday 20th June period 2
Tuesday 21st June period 1
Thursday 23rd June periods 1&4
If you miss a couple of lessons and don't complete your essay in the time allowed, then there's no need to worry - simply arrange a time to complete it after school with me. I'll be keeping a record of everybody's minutes so I'll always know exactly how long you've got left.
Your homework over the weekend will be to continue to prepare for the controlled assessment. I know a lot of you are looking to complete sections one and two this week, so you should be looking at sections three and four in rough at home.
Finally, if you click here you can find the sheet that we completed in class that explores the structure of the chapter 'Beast from Water'.
If there are any problems, drop me a line and I'll sort it out.
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Historical context, essay guidance - it's all kicking off now...
Right then kids - now I've figured out this uploading documents business, it's time for work!
First of all, you can complete your homework, which you can find by clicking here. All the instructions are on it, and shouldn't cause too many problems. It'll be due in for Monday 13th June.
Secondly, I've finished the controlled assessment guidance that you can find by clicking here. At the top of each slide, it says the things that the exam board will be looking for, and then in the boxes I've written the things you will have to write about in order to get them done. You'll have seen this in class all day, but it's so easy to share with you I thought I'd post it.
Thirdly, you can find a blank copy of your planning sheet by clicking here. I'll give these out in class, but I know some people want to start again at home sometimes, so here it is.
Finally - George wins a year of not giving any books out, although the best prize of all is still unclaimed...
First of all, you can complete your homework, which you can find by clicking here. All the instructions are on it, and shouldn't cause too many problems. It'll be due in for Monday 13th June.
Secondly, I've finished the controlled assessment guidance that you can find by clicking here. At the top of each slide, it says the things that the exam board will be looking for, and then in the boxes I've written the things you will have to write about in order to get them done. You'll have seen this in class all day, but it's so easy to share with you I thought I'd post it.
Thirdly, you can find a blank copy of your planning sheet by clicking here. I'll give these out in class, but I know some people want to start again at home sometimes, so here it is.
Finally - George wins a year of not giving any books out, although the best prize of all is still unclaimed...
Tuesday 7 June 2011
A quick experiment, plus some useful videos
Right then - I'm interested to see if I can send Word documents, so that I can send out everything that we have done in class. So - I've uploaded a Word document to Googledocs, that you should be able to access here. If you manage to open it, view what is there, then email me (on my school account, not my Gmail one) to tell me what is there, then you win a prize. If you email me first, then I'm offering a whole academic year where you don't have to give anything out, or collect anything in. Honestly. If you somehow mange to get me confirmation that at least one of you folks has seen this, then you win an even better prize, which consists of nominating your mate to give stuff out, and collect it in, every lesson, until the end of year 11. Again, this is all true.
Hilarity aside, you should be able to view the three videos that we looked at in class, all about the social and historical context of Lord of the Flies.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
I recommend having a look at these at least once before your controlled assessment, as social and historical context will form a big part of this.
Any problems / queries / large cheques etc, then leave a comment, or email me direct.
Hilarity aside, you should be able to view the three videos that we looked at in class, all about the social and historical context of Lord of the Flies.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
I recommend having a look at these at least once before your controlled assessment, as social and historical context will form a big part of this.
Any problems / queries / large cheques etc, then leave a comment, or email me direct.
Monday 6 June 2011
Morning, kids
Morning kids - welcome to my first ever posting. I'm well aware that you have a mighty huge essay coming up soon, so I thought I'd help you out with a few useful links. So, to kick us off, here is the mighty useful novelguide site that has buckets of useful stuff in it, and it might be worthwhile checking out these other useful sites here and here. I know some of you found some other useful ones, so feel free to add them to the comments at the bottom.
Also, if you are desperate to revisit a badly recorded, poorly acted piece of nonsense that at best looks a bit like the novel, then you can start to here, although I'd really recommend reading the book instead.
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