THE INDIVIDUAL STUDY

THE INDIVIDUAL THE INDIVIDUAL STUDYSTUDY

Especially:Especially:

“ “Supporting Material”Supporting Material”

the best processthe best process

text choicestext choices

1. Appropriate choice of text for the task1. Appropriate choice of text for the task. .

Texts we enjoy as entertainment may not Texts we enjoy as entertainment may not be suitable for this purpose.be suitable for this purpose.

Constraints on Selection of Texts for Individual Study

Students may choose, for their individual study, authors whose works are on the list of prescribed texts or other authors. They may include a visual text in their individual study. However, the curriculum statement does not permit more than two visual texts in total to be studied by any student.

from the SACE Board’s English Learning Area Manual

Constraints on Selection of Texts for Individual Study

A sequel to a text is not suitable for inclusion in the individual study because such a text selection makes it difficult for students to address the criteria for assessment effectively. Two works by the same author that are not a sequence may be suitable for study.

from English Learning Area Manual, SSABSA

2. Supporting Material2. Supporting Material should include should include evidence which supports the evidence which supports the FOUR FOUR different stages of the study:different stages of the study:

ComprehensionComprehension

Analysis Analysis

LinkingLinking

Critical EssayCritical Essay

3. 3. You should use You should use a rangea range of different of different ways ways to explore texts.to explore texts.

4.The Study should be personalised to 4.The Study should be personalised to accommodate your accommodate your preferred learning preferred learning style(s)style(s) at least in its formative stages. at least in its formative stages.

5. In creating the 5. In creating the Supporting Material Supporting Material you you may utilise some or all of the following:may utilise some or all of the following:

Thinking skills Thinking skills

Cooperative learningCooperative learning

Graphic OrganisersGraphic Organisers

‘‘Formal’ analytical methods Formal’ analytical methods

Oral presentationsOral presentations

6. Here are some suggestions regarding what 6. Here are some suggestions regarding what could be included in the could be included in the Supporting MaterialSupporting Material::OralsOrals formal and informal formal and informal individual / individual / group / class presentationgroup / class presentationSticky notesSticky notes in texts in textsWeb searchesWeb searchesResearchResearch time / setting/ author / text / time / setting/ author / text / associated worksassociated worksGeneral notesGeneral notesReviews / articlesReviews / articles annotated annotatedVisual diagramsVisual diagrams eg T charts / KWL eg T charts / KWL Charts / Network trees / Mind maps etc.Charts / Network trees / Mind maps etc.

Blog EntriesBlog Entries

MeetingsMeetings with the teacher with the teacher

‘‘Formal’Formal’ analytical methods analytical methods Plot / Plot / setting / characters / ideas / techniques setting / characters / ideas / techniques etc. etc.

Possible essay fociPossible essay foci

Possible essay questionsPossible essay questions

Drafts of Critical EssayDrafts of Critical Essay

Final copy of essay.Final copy of essay.

7. As your Individual Study develops, 7. As your Individual Study develops, continue to continue to refine/redefine its focus.refine/redefine its focus.

How has it changed, deepened, How has it changed, deepened, developed? developed?

ReflectionReflection should be part of the Study should be part of the Study

because it helps you to demonstrate that because it helps you to demonstrate that you are refining your analysis/skills.you are refining your analysis/skills.

8. You should always be alert for 8. You should always be alert for connections through connections through similaritiessimilarities and and differencesdifferences, and be alert to those you , and be alert to those you did not anticipate. You should be did not anticipate. You should be preparedprepared toto change your focus change your focus if this if this occurs.occurs.

9. Analysis of 9. Analysis of characterisationcharacterisation through through comparison and contrast helps to remind comparison and contrast helps to remind you that this is a device of the author you that this is a device of the author which is used towhich is used to support the ideas support the ideas being being explored.explored.

??????10. You should include10. You should include questions questions you want you want

answered and later, remember to answered and later, remember to discuss possible solutions you found.discuss possible solutions you found.

11. Consider the 11. Consider the significance of the significance of the settingsetting of the texts: time and place; of the texts: time and place; social (e.g. Ruth Park’s novels set in social (e.g. Ruth Park’s novels set in working classworking class Sydney), cultural and Sydney), cultural and historical; changes; similarities and historical; changes; similarities and differencesdifferences

12. Consider the themes / issues / ideas12. Consider the themes / issues / ideas..

13. Consider the title of the texts13. Consider the title of the texts..

14. Analyse author’s craft14. Analyse author’s craft: for example, : for example, poetic devices, symbolism, imagery, poetic devices, symbolism, imagery, tone, climax, language, narrative voice, tone, climax, language, narrative voice, narrative perspective. In addition, for film, narrative perspective. In addition, for film, you should also look at lighting, you should also look at lighting, soundtrack, camera angles and soundtrack, camera angles and movement, editing, dialogue, credits.movement, editing, dialogue, credits.

15. Make sure you are considering the 15. Make sure you are considering the features of the text typesfeatures of the text types you have you have chosen to study.chosen to study.

16. Consider the audience / intended 16. Consider the audience / intended audience. audience. Socio-cultural contextSocio-cultural context is is important.important.

17. Relevant 17. Relevant quotations and referencesquotations and references to to texts should be woven into your texts should be woven into your evidence.evidence.

18. Include 18. Include possible ideas for the Critical possible ideas for the Critical EssayEssay as the as the Supporting MaterialSupporting Material builds. builds.

19. A suggested approach is to:19. A suggested approach is to:analyse the first text in detailanalyse the first text in detailchoose a second text because of the choose a second text because of the focus which arose in the analysis of the focus which arose in the analysis of the first textfirst textanalyse the second text while also linking analyse the second text while also linking with the first textwith the first textgradually hone the evidence until it has gradually hone the evidence until it has distilled into a suitable focus from which distilled into a suitable focus from which a question for the Critical Essay can be a question for the Critical Essay can be developed.developed.

Getting your Supporting Material Getting your Supporting Material startedstarted

1.1. Write a 150 word paragraph analysing Write a 150 word paragraph analysing the opening line of your first text.the opening line of your first text.

E.g. E.g. When he was nearly thirteen, my When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.the elbow.

To Kill A MockingbirdTo Kill A Mockingbird


E.g. E.g. When he was nearly thirteen…When he was nearly thirteen…

The grammatical use of past tense and The grammatical use of past tense and a preposition of time (‘when’) begins the a preposition of time (‘when’) begins the novel in a reflective mode that connotes novel in a reflective mode that connotes nostalgia, reinforced by the sibling and nostalgia, reinforced by the sibling and childhood references (‘my brother’; childhood references (‘my brother’; ‘thirteen’)‘thirteen’)


E.g. E.g. … nearly thirteen …… nearly thirteen …

The highly significant identification of an The highly significant identification of an age at the cusp of adolescence (almost age at the cusp of adolescence (almost a teenager) not only reinforces a a teenager) not only reinforces a nostalgic narrative mode, but introduces nostalgic narrative mode, but introduces a ‘coming of age’ theme a ‘coming of age’ theme


E.g. E.g. … my brother Jem got his arm …… my brother Jem got his arm …

The use of a passive verb in the sentence’s The use of a passive verb in the sentence’s main clause introduces an element of main clause introduces an element of suspense. An incident that is given suspense. An incident that is given prominence by its place at the very beginning prominence by its place at the very beginning of the narrative has its cause hidden by a of the narrative has its cause hidden by a mysterious cause / unnamed perpetrator mysterious cause / unnamed perpetrator

(How did it happen (How did it happen toto Jem? Who did it Jem? Who did it toto him?)him?)


E.g. E.g. … badly broken at the elbow.… badly broken at the elbow.

The use of an emphatic adverb raises The use of an emphatic adverb raises the significance of a painful incident the significance of a painful incident beyond the ordinariness of a childhood beyond the ordinariness of a childhood scrape to a meaningfully suspenseful scrape to a meaningfully suspenseful event, hinting at some danger. The event, hinting at some danger. The poetic consonance of the phrase also poetic consonance of the phrase also underlines this.underlines this.

((bbadly adly bbroken at the elroken at the elbbowow))


2.2. Such an analysis of an opening sentence Such an analysis of an opening sentence should be followed by the first paragraph or should be followed by the first paragraph or page, noting how your stylistic / linguistic page, noting how your stylistic / linguistic findings are reinforced, reversed or made findings are reinforced, reversed or made variations upon by the ensuing narrative.variations upon by the ensuing narrative.

E.g. The first page of E.g. The first page of To Kill A MockingbirdTo Kill A Mockingbird consciously delays our consciously delays our suspense about Jem’s arm with an extreme digression (via an suspense about Jem’s arm with an extreme digression (via an almost naïve narrative voice: the child Scout) through a family almost naïve narrative voice: the child Scout) through a family history that even leads to the US Civil War – a narrative device history that even leads to the US Civil War – a narrative device like that of a zoom camera, moving out from the detail of a boy’s like that of a zoom camera, moving out from the detail of a boy’s elbow to geopolitical history. This establishes both the digressive elbow to geopolitical history. This establishes both the digressive nature of Scout’s laid back Southern style and Maycomb’s sleepy nature of Scout’s laid back Southern style and Maycomb’s sleepy rural setting, as well as subtly placing a coming of age story into rural setting, as well as subtly placing a coming of age story into the social history of American racism.the social history of American racism.

SOME OTHER ADVICE TO SOME OTHER ADVICE TO CONSIDERCONSIDER

1. A 1. A novel and a film of the same novelnovel and a film of the same novel, or , or an author study, can be problematic an author study, can be problematic because there is often not enough to because there is often not enough to support a detailed study. There are support a detailed study. There are lots of lots of similaritiessimilarities but not much to really but not much to really generate a good Study.generate a good Study.

2. B2. Biographies and autobiographiesiographies and autobiographies can can limit you to recount and emotive limit you to recount and emotive responses to what are often very responses to what are often very dramatic and empathy provoking lives. dramatic and empathy provoking lives. you are often reluctant to critically you are often reluctant to critically analyse such texts because youare too analyse such texts because youare too swept away by the narrative and swept away by the narrative and too too subjectively connected to the subjectively connected to the author/author’s life.author/author’s life.

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THE INDIVIDUAL STUDY