These were generally sound and good responses to the tasks set. I was disappointed not to receive homework from the whole class. Those that handed work in showed a good understanding of the poems. I was impressed by the perceptive observations made, the sensitivity especially to Heaney's language and a sound grasp of the genre of poetry. Students identified core themes, generally selected appropriate quotations and wrote two or three relevant comments on the quotes.
Students had a good grasp of the paragraph structure. They understood how it worked and mostly wrote fluently and coherently.
Where comparisons with a second text were required I thought students did remarkably well. Bridge sentences and phrases were used with confidence.
Students generally used terminology accurately and with confidence. A range of terms were used and I was especially pleased to read comments that referred to syntax, lexis and grammar as well as the literary analytical frameworks such as phonetc techniques and some references to the form of the poems analysed.
Anyway here are ten comments I picked up from indvidual work that I thought it was worth sharing with you
1 Always use topic sentences that link to the theme of the essay.
2 Write about language / literary terms embedded within a paragraph.
3 Be highly selective in choosing the right quotation.
4 Choose a quotation you can write a lot about and can link to a second text.
5 Avoid repeating ideas. Say things once and then move on to the next point.
6 Make your sentences clear, simple, concise.
7 Always refer to the effect on a generalised reader of a language feature.
8 Use the widest range - a variety - of of langauge and literary terms.
9 Always use formal lexis and an academic register in your writing.
10 Avoid descriptive or purely narrative statements about poems.
