- This topic has 166 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated November 16, 2023 by
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Summary for Lesson 1
In today’s class we began our GCSE writing course, beginning with the creative prompts that ask students to write a piece based on place and setting. We began with some metaphor work before moving on to thinking about setting in writing and what it communicates. We larned about how setting expresses worldview, and the class used a GCSE prompt to brainstorm their response to the question ‘describe a place from childhood’, drawing out evocative and emotive images. We then looked at a passage from a novel where setting is described in powerful terms with a keen sense of the character’s perspective, before finally speed-planning another setting-based question using a three-step structure of history, plot and character. Amazing work everyone- it was great to see you all today and I thought your writing was really impressive and laden with layers of meaning. Thank you for your brilliant contributions and see you next week 🙂
Link to read to help with homework: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/make-your-setting-a-character-in-its-own-right/
Setting video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omsbv-hbXiM&t=142s
Homework
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Hi Amber,
Again, your homework doesn’t appear to be on the drive – make sure to check that your documents fully upload! If you get your work up there I’ll mark it as soon as I can 🙂
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file:///C:/Users/mac/Documents/Brian%20GCSE%20Writing/The%20cold.pdf
Hi, I have finished and uploaded the homework,
Thanks!
Brian
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Hello Beth,
Sorry I didn’t submit the homework earlier, I completed it earlier but I realized only now that I did not submit it correctly. Here is my homework attached, I look forward to doing more lessons with you.
Thanks,
Yunshu
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Summary for Lesson 2
In today’s class we continued our writing course, thinking today about the importance of harnessing genre in exam writing. We started with a metaphor exercise before delving into the concept of genre and the students’ favourite genres to write in. We completed a task where the class had to combine genre with a past paper question in multiple different ways and then thought in depth about sci-fi and how it is constructed. We looked at sketching out some sci-fi prompts thinking about the difference between literary and genre fiction. Excellent and inspired work today class- well done for all your amazing ideas. Keep up the great work and see you next week 🙂
Genre video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-foAoz3i98w
Past paper for homework: https://revisionworld.com/sites/revisionworld.com/files/imce/1EN0_01_que_20190605.pdf
Homework
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Hello Beth,
Thanks for the lovely class. I enjoyed today’s lesson very much. 🙂
Please find my homework attached.
Kind Regards,
Yunshu
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Dear Beth,
Thank you so much for the absolutely starrious lesson! Loved the sci-fi especially 🙂 uploaded.
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Hi Beth, I have attached my homework as a link as I cannot get it up as a document.
Thanks
Brian
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Hi Brian,
I can’t seem to access this, when I get through it says the document doesn’t exist. Is there any way you could try and download it as a document, or even just take a picture and upload that there? If you do, I’ll mark it ASAP 😀
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Hi Eva,
You’re very welcome!
Stunning work this week, I’ve attached your feedback below. See you soon 🙂
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Hi Beth, I have attached the homework below. I realised the link might not be easy to get to.
Thanks
Brian
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Dear Beth,
Thanks for the glorious lesson. I really enjoyed it, it felt like rays were bursting out of me, onto that great fir that you will read about in my homework.
Yichen
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Summary for Lesson 3
In today’s class we focused on picture prompt writing, going through several different techniques in order to write descriptively in the GCSE exam. We began with metaphor work before discussing techniques such as seeing the writer as a camera, making a usual image unusual and zooming in and out on a picture. We discussed overall tips for good writing and watched a video unpicking a descriptive piece by A.A. Gill thinking about how his voice shapes the description. The class then wrote their descriptions thinking about the presentation of the passage of time and using interesting narrative voice to finish. Stellar writing today class- your pieces were really inspired, with such interesting themes and imagery from everyone. Well done and see you soon 🙂
A.A. Gill video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C58CjwJsCvY
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thank you so much for the tremendousfabulousaelixeriendo lesson! Had so much fun thinking about individual elements of pictures 🙂 Homework uploaded.
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Dear Beth,
Thank you for the wonderous lesson. I struggled a bit with this homework, mainly because I don’t like and am not that good at picture prompts, but this lesson helped a lot. 😊
Yichen
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Hi Beth,
I think you accidentally uploaded my history writing feedback instead of the writing feedback?
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Summary for Lesson 4
In today’s class we dealt with emotive writing, thinking about GCSE prompts which require students to tap into the emotions of their narrators and write about emotive experiences. We spoke about avoiding cliched physical representations of emotion, read an extract from Edgar Allen Poe to help us think about the concept of interiority, learned a 30-second writing exercise, and focused on four key steps for writing genuine emotion. The class completed some excellent writing of their own based on these ideas, activating perspective to write gorgeous pieces that paired the every day with the profound. Well done class, great work and see you next time 🙂
First video on emotion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKWc8v6IXAA&t=286s
Second video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0CdOqgXljE
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thank you, class today was out-of-this-universe mind-impacting. Thank you again! Homework upped.
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Hello Beth,
Sorry, I wasn’t at the lesson. I had a swimming gala for my school. I watched the recording. Here’s my homework.
By the way, I used a slightly more unusual setting and storyline, if that’s alright. I wrote it in the first person.
Thank you 🙂
Yunshu
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Summary for Lesson 5
In today’s class we began our new course on essay writing skills, beginning with argumentative writing. We thought about the seven-block approach to argumentative writing, using this as a framework to discuss what is needed in this type of writing. The students then completed a creative task imagining themselves either defending or prosecuting a character accused of doing something wrong, coming up with argumentative speeches that built off the seven steps. Finally we conducted these arguments- which the students did wonderfully, presenting compelling arguments on both sides that dealt with a range of different types of evidence and argument. Excellent work from the class this week- next week we will move on to thinking about applying these skills to the essay form. Amazing, creative and inventive work today everyone- well done 🙂
P.S. The essay topic is on slide 9
Video on the seven blocks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmKGMOFON0g&feature=emb_logo
Homework
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Hi Beth,
Thanks for the interesting lesson on argumentative essays. Here’s my homework.
Kind Regards,
Yunshu
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To Beth
thanks for the great lesson, I didn’t really get the seven blocks structure thing though
Zi xuan
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Summary for Lesson 6
In today’s class we finished our work on argumentative essay writing, thinking about different ways of constructing arguments. We began with a quickfire debate on a GCSE-style question, thinking about how to define the terms of an essay and looking at using evidence to confound or support our opinions. We looked at GCSE questions & picked them apart, learned an essay structure that incorporates the seven steps and finally spoke about the acronym CARS and how it can be used to shore evidence up. Finally we went over some prompts for homework and thought of any final questions. Well done today everyone, you all worked beautifully and it was wonderful to see you all. See you next time 🙂
New York Times link: https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/learning-network-argumentative-prompts
Video on social media we watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEOm7u8Cysg&t=7s
Homework
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Hey Beth!
Thank you for the amazing lesson, and I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to teach us even when you are sick! Please have a good rest for the rest of week whenever possible and remember to take care of your body!
Get well soon! Have a lovely and hopefully restful rest of your week.
P.S. writing this essay just made me question the utility and necessity of tests in general.
-Eva
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Dear Beth,
Sorry for the late reply – I submitted here but for some reason it wouldn’t go through – anyways, thank you for the spectacular lesson, and I’ve uploaded the homework 🙂
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Hi Beth,
I’m sorry I was unable to attend the lesson, but I watched the recording and thank you 😀
Kind Regards,
Yunshu
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Summary for Lesson 7
In today’s class we began our study of narrative essays. We began by brainstorming the ideas of what is involved in this style of writing, considering the idea of making the personal universal which the students then applied to their own lives. We spoke about universal themes and why they matter in narrative essays, discussing the ways in which these themes bind the reader to the author. We read an example of a narrative essay by Joan Didion, considering her writing style and thinking about the arc of her experiences. Finally the students considered what universal themes that Didion explores they have experienced in their own lives at some point. Inspired work today everyone, it was a joy to hear your own ideas for narrative essays and to talk through the huge universal themes we’ve been using to understand the way the personal can be transformed into something wider and more relatable. Amazing work, well done 🙂
Narrative essay links: https://www.skillshare.com/en/blog/narrative-writing-examples/
Homework
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Hi Beth,
I am afraid I forgot to write I uploaded my homework 😉 I uploaded a few days ago, but then forgot to write it in here. Anyway, thank you for the stellar lesson!
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Dear Beth,
Sorry I wasn’t at the lesson, I was at a concert. I listened to the recording, thanks for the lesson. Here is my homework.
Yichen
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Hi Beth!
Sorry for submitting my work late! It had completely slipped my mind that I had not submitted it to the forum yet.
Thanks!
-Eva
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Summary for Lesson 8
In today’s class we concluded our work on narrative essays, using a list of important lessons to learn in order to sketch out the framework for the students’ own narrative essays. We focused on ideas such as the withholding of information, the importance of emphasising detail, and the crucial impact of a first line. The students used these to plan a skeleton essay based on a formative moment in their lives that spoke to wider themes. We then looked at the famous work of James Baldwin, considering the opening passage of his Notes of a Native Son and comparing it to the Joan Didion essays we had covered so far. Finally the students thought about three different types of narrative essay and came up with ideas to write on for all three. Fantastic work today everyone, well done for all your excellent contributions throughout our class and for your ideas on style and how to communicate deeper philosophies in narrative essay writing. Keep up the great work and see you soon 🙂
The full Baldwin essay to read: http://www2.csudh.edu/ccauthen/570f15/baldwin.pdf
Baldwin video that we watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKku0AfTs0c&feature=emb_logo
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thanks for the wonderful lesson. I’ve never really approached narrative essays before but you’re just opened up the doors of a new world. Previously I hated non-fiction and argumentative writing because I enjoyed description and writing that didn’t really have a precise purpose and narrative essays fit just that! (well, they still have a purpose but aren’t arguing with reason and stuff like that but just creative writing with a universal theme to share.) Thank you so much. 💖
Here is my homework.
Yichen
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Summary for Lesson 9
In today’s class we completed a writing workshop in preparation for next week’s exam. We began by thinking about metaphor work before completing a group exercise on a GCSE prompt. The class then up-leveled their work, thinking about their use of techniques, etc., and we learned about famous writing exercises to use to improve style, control and flow. We had a Q & A session ahead of the exam and thought about final tips and tricks in order to impress examiners. Well done today everyone, really creative and interesting work today! It was so great to hear all your wonderful group work & I was so impressed by you all. See you next week 🙂
Writing exercises video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-22sgNhfj4&t=302s
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thanks for the amazing course, and I thought that the collaborative writing bit was very helpful and definitely a new experience. I did the alphabet writing exercise and the letters got progressively harder, but it was interesting and helpful to try and start sentences with new words/letters. Here is my homework.
Yichen
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Hi Beth,
Thanks so much for the lessons- I’ve really developed my passion for writing. I enjoyed fiction and non-fiction writing equally and they’ve both brought me new ideas and techniques.
Here’s my mock attached, and once again, thank you so much!
Kind Regards,
Yunshu -
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Dear Beth,
Here is my mock. Thanks so much for the resplendent course, it was really enjoyable and helpful as well. I’ve learnt so much from this, and I also found a new favourite style of writing: narrative essays! Thanks again!
Also, I have a rather weird question: is there a synonym for the colour ‘black’ which has positive connotations. I always wondered, and its really really hard to think of one.
Thanks and Kind regards,
Yichen
PS. I did The Discovery prompt.
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Hi Yichen,
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the course, you’re very welcome!
I’m not sure off the top of my head, you could always come up with an image that portrays the colour by comparing it to something lovely like the night sky!
Super work on your mock, I’ve attached your feedback below. See you soon 🙂
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Summary for Lesson 10
In today’s class we completed our ten-week course with a mock exam, which the class did amazingly, working in a focused and energetic way throughout. Really excellent work over the past ten weeks everyone it has been wonderful working with you all and seeing you all blossom. You are all brilliant writers with such strong creative and imaginative ideas and it has been so much fun getting to brainstorm, debate and write with you along the way. I will see you in the next course, you should all be proud of yourselves, I have been super impressed by your work. Well done! 🙂
Homework
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