Analysis of Inserts and Questions on AQA (Legacy) Language Paper

I've found myself having to do an analysis of what has come up in the AQA language paper in terms of inserts and questions for an Academy in East London. Here are the results from the Catford judge.

Analysis of Past Papers – June 2012 – November 2014

What has been covered in both the Higher and Foundation Tier over the last few years?


Higher Tier Inserts

Source 1 - Magazine article, on-line article (Big Issue), on-line article (The Times), On-line article (Guardian), on-line article (The Times), on-line article (Guardian)
Source 2 - Newspaper article (Guardian un-attributed), Newspaper article (Guardian un-attributed), Newspaper article (The Times), Newspaper article (Mail un-attributed), Newspaper article (Metro), Newspaper article (The Times)
Source 3 - 3rd person biog, 1st person celebrity autobiography, 1st person travel writing, 1st person travel writing, 1st person travel writing, 1st person travel writing

Conclusions
1. The first source will be an attributed on-line article from a national newspaper. Teaching suggestions:
a) Higher Tier Students should have some broad cognisance of the distinctions between the editorial positions of the newspapers.
b) They should understand the difference, if any, between conventions in an on-line newspaper article and one for print. (There aren’t really any though a ‘comment is free’ piece for the Guardian will be less well edited).

2. The second source will be a newspaper article form print (though this will not always be attributed). Teaching suggestions:
a) As they are often un-attributed students should not spend any time on this question looking at the editorial policy of the newspaper (unless it is obvious and they are geniuses).

3. Source 3 will be biographical writing. Increasingly, this is celebrity autobiography and also increasingly will be travel writing. Teaching ideas:
a) Spend some time analyzing travel writing
b) Spend some time analyzing celebrity autobiography.



Foundation Tier Inserts

Source 1 - On Line article (Mail), On Line article (Guardian), On line article (Guardian), On Line article (Telegraph), On line article (Mail), on-line article (Guardian)
Source 2 - Charity Website, Charity Website, Excerpt from celebrity autobiography, Excerpt from celebrity biography, Excerpt from celebrity autobiography, Extract from child’s non fiction book
Source 3 - First person travel writing, First person food writing, leaflet, charity leaflet, 1st person travel writing.


Conclusions
1. The first source will be an attributed on-line article from a national newspaper. Teaching suggestions:
a) Foundation Students should also have some broad cognisance of the distinctions between the editorial positions of the newspapers
b) They should understand the difference, if any, between conventions in an on-line newspaper article and one for print. (There aren’t really any though a ‘comment is free’ piece for the Guardian will be less well edited).

2. The second source will come from a variety of sources. Teaching suggestions:
a) Foundation students should spend some time analyzing charity websites.
b) They should spend some time on celebrity biography and autobiography.
c) They should study a range of non-fiction texts and websites written for children (of the horrible history type).

3. Source 3 might, again, come from a range of sources. Teaching ideas:
a) Foundation students should spend some time analyzing first person travel writing.
b) They should spend some time analyzing food writing.
c) They should spend some time analyzing leaflets, specifically those of charities.


Higher Tier Questions

1 What do you learn? What do you understand about? Basic comprehension.
2 Explain how the headline and picture are effective and how they link to the text (may mention caption)
3 Explain the writer’s thoughts and feelings
4 Compare how language is used for effect
5 Describe (blog), describe (local paper), explain (blog), explain (website), describe (local paper article), describe (letter)
6 Argue (Newspaper article), Persuade (school paper), Persuade (magazine article), Persuade (magazine article) Argue (article website), Argue (article)



Conclusions
Question 2. Students need to be able to relate headlines and picture to text.
Question 3. This answer needs two sections: thoughts and feelings. This could be the subject of a simple writing or thinking frame. The first source will be an attributed on-line article from a national newspaper.
Question 4. Students need to be taught how to compare under headings.
Question 5. Students need to see the following text forms and to assimilate the conventions of these when they are describing or explaining:
a) Blog
b) Local newspaper
c) Website
d) Letter
Question 5. Students need to be taught conventions of writing to explain and describe and practice at doing these.

Question 6. Students need to see the following text forms and to assimilate the conventions of these when they are persuading or arguing:
a) Newspaper article (persuade and argue)
b) School Newspaper article (persuade and argue) – difficult to get hold of and probably useless.
c) Magazine article (persuade and argue)
Question 6. Students need to be taught conventions of writing to argue and persuade.



Foundation Tier Questions

1a Open goal. Four locations of detail.
1b Short language analysis: what was interesting and unusual? What are the writer’s feelings? What do you understand by/about?
2 Less short language analysis: comprehension question about what do you learn/understand about the subject? Explain what you learn. What do you understand?
3 Longer, generally, non-specific language analysis that may specifically ask for features of language to inform or language to describe.
4 Compare presentation features for effect. Generally hints at a structure of: a) write about the way the sources are presented
b) Explain the effect of the presentational features
c) Compare the way they look.
5 Inform (script), Explain (local newspaper article), Describe (article website), Explain (letter), Describe (article/blog), Explain (travel writing)
6 Persuade (letter), Argue (speech), Persuade (Leaflet), Argue (magazine article). Persuade (letter), Persuade (article)



Conclusions
Question 1a) Students should score these points at the read and annotate section. This changes the amount of time for the rest of Section a).
Question 1b) Students should get find four quotes, briefly analyse, and then get out.
Question 3 will be looking for taught language features
Question 4 has an implied structure ‘write-explain-compare’. What do they look like? What is the effect? Compare the two. Would be useful to have a writing frame here. Students need to be able to relate headlines and picture to text.
Question 5 Students need to see the following text forms and to assimilate the conventions of these when they are informing, describing or explaining:
a) Script
b) Local newspaper article
c) Website
d) Letter
e) Blog
f) Travel Writing

Question 5. Students need to be taught conventions of writing to inform, explain and describe and practice at doing these.

Question 6. Students need to see the following text forms and to assimilate the conventions of these when they are persuading or arguing:
Letter (persuade)
Speech (persuade and argue)
Leaflet (persuade)
Magazine article (argue)
Newspaper article (argue and persuade)
Question 6. Students need to be taught conventions of writing to argue and persuade and practice at doing these.

Added Mon, 8 Feb 2016 22:19

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