STUDENT DEVELOPMENT CLUB #04: FORM FOUR EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES: SECTION D: Response to Reading Techniques

‘O’ LEVEL EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES

FORM FOUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE

SECTION D. RESPONSE TO READING

INTRODUCTION

This Section requires students to be equipped with the skills on tackling composition/essay questions. These are particularly literature questions from literary genres like novels, short stories, plays and poems.. The students will be tested how to use English language correctly as they discuss the contents of various literary genres.
For Other Sections, Check out:
Section A: Comprehension and Summary
Section B: Patterns and Vocabulary
Section C: Language Use
In this Section D, students are concerned with the skills in two parts of English grammar:

(Also: For Literature in English Subject, Check out my Literature in English Blog. Also check out My Diary for Diary Writing Inspiration and More! )

PART 1: REQUIREMENTS FOR ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS

When answering Essay questions, students are required to be critical because these questions ask students to think critically about material they have learned and to express their understanding in one paragraph or more.

Thus, when attempting essay questions, students have taken the following into considerations.

1.      Scan the questions quickly. If you have a choice, decide which questions you can answer best. See how much time you have to spend on each.

2.      Find the key verb in each question. See the chart of Important Essay Terms below for explanations of what to do in response to different directives.

3.      Make notes or a simple outline on scratch paper, organise your ideas logically, and write a thesis statement expressing your main idea.

4.      Revise as you write to tighten and clarify.

5.      Proofread for mistakes in spelling, mechanics, and usage. See and revise the proof readers’ chart given.

PART 2: KEY VERBS FOR ESSAY QUESTIONS

Key Verbs: Task with some Sample questions

Discuss – Investigate or examine by argument; debate; examine the implications of the topic; examine something in detail. For example; Discuss the conflict between...

Analyse – Break the information into constituent parts; examine the relationship between parts; question the information. For example; Analyse the central character of ..

Explain - Explain – Make plain and clear; give reasons for;

give reasons for something. For example; Explain why Central character is...

Interpret – Expound the meaning; make clear and explicit; give your own judgement;

give the meaning or significance of something.

Argue – Put the case for or against a view or idea giving evidence for your claims/reasons for or against; attempt to influence the reader to accept your view.

Clarify – Identify the components of an issue/topic/problem; make the meaning plain; remove misunderstandings.

Examine – Look at carefully; consider.

Elucidate – Explain and make clear.

Identify – Point our and describe. For example; Identify burning issues from the two poems you have read.

Justify – Show adequate grounds for decisions, a particular view or conclusions and answer main objections likely to be made to them. For example; ‘Without language we cannot get the most from the writers’ Justify this statement.

Prove – Show that something is true or certain; provide strong evidence (and examples) for. For example, Prove the statement that ‘Poems teach’.

For more about Essay Writing Techniques and Literary Essay Techniques , Check out the following links!
How to be a Good Literary Critic.
How to Analyse Literary Works.
How to Identify Themes in Form Three.
How to Identify Themes in Form Four.
How to Interpret Poems.
How to Analyse Poems in Form Four.
Inference Making Skills
Analysis of 'Passed Like a Shadow'.
Analysis of 'Unanswered Cries'.
Analysis of 'Your Pain'

CONCLUSION

Response to Reading Section in Form Four National Examinations is tackled by students who have high command of English language including Good English grammar, composition skills and literary skills on how to answer literature questions. This means that the students should develop the tendency of learning English grammar, writing skills and literary essay skills since the first day they started learning English in Form One.

The role of the teachers is to make sure students have practiced extensively in all major four language skills so that they can be fully equipped with the enough stock of English language vocabulary.

Resources

NECTA (2012) Examiners' Report on the Performance of Candidates CSEE: 022 English Language (School Candidates), NECTA, Dar as Salaam.

Daniel, K (2003) Elements of Literature: Fourth Course with Readings in World Literature; Florida Edition, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Austin.

That marks the END of FORM FOUR EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES!

For Literature in English Subject, Check out Literature in English Blog. Also check out My Diary for Diary Writing Inspiration and More!

I wish you nice preparations for NECTA!

BELIEVE!     WORK HARD!         WIN!