让我们面对现实吧,钉ying for English in Years 9 and 10 can seem like a nightmare – where do you even begin?
You study films, novels and poems but have to write essays and creatives or even present speeches.
But don’t fret! We’ve created the ultimate guide to acing studying for English in Years 9 and 10.
There are four main components to acing English in Year 9 and 10, and we’ll be tackling them each individually: overall study, essays, creative tasks and speeches/presentations.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s dive right in!
如何学习英语
How to Study for Essays
How to Study for Creatives
How to Study for Speeches/Presentations
如何学习英语
几乎每一个term, without fail, a new text is shoved into students hands, and more times than not, it is met with well… utter confusion.
What exactly are you supposed to do with this poem/novel/movie/short film etc.? Should you be making notes? Are you expected to view it? What do I need to take from the story?
These questions are more common than you may think and we’re here to answer them all, hopefully clearing up some of your confusion.
Step 1: Research
So before you read/watch your text, the first thing you should do isresearch.
Do a brief Google search of the text itself,noting its overall plot, main themes, important scenes and character analysis.
Make very brief notes on these so that when you do read/watch the text, you are doing it with an analytical mind.
Basically, you’re on the lookout for what will be important for upcoming assessments, rather than just simply enjoying the text.
Step 2: Read and annotate
The next step is toread and annotate.
This means that as you read/view your text, note down any important quotes, techniques or ideas that come to your mind.
If you’re studying anovel, a good idea is to assign each theme of your novel to a colour. Then, place sticky notes of that colour on pages where the theme is prominent. This makes it easy to come back to later.
If you’re studying afilm, open up a word document and create separate subtitles for each theme. Then, as good quotes or techniques come up in the film, note them down under the relevant subtitle.
If you’re studying apoem, use multiple coloured highlighters to colour code the text according to the different themes it addresses.
Although, your teacher will provide you with some important quotes and techniques in class, your own reading gives you a unique insight into the text.
That way, when it comes down to writing an essay/creative/speech, you have quotes, techniques and ideas that no one else in your cohort has! This makes you stand out, leading you to higher marks.
Tip:It’s best to complete this task in the holidays before the text is to be studied in class e.g. If you’re studyingRomeo and Julietin Term 2, read and annotate in the Easter holidays. This gives you time and allows you to spend the rest of the term developing your ideas further.
If time doesn’t allow this, you can always read and annotate throughout the term as well – though your reading probably won’t be as thorough as you now have to also balance your other subjects.
Step 3: Participate in class
The final step is toparticipate in class. Your teacher knowsa lot.
Listen to what they say in class and take notes on their ideas and analysis.
These notes can be arranged according to the themes you laid out while reading and annotating.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions! If one of the themes doesn’t make sense to you, ask about it! If you don’t understand the motivations of a certain character, ask about it!
You will never learn by nodding your head and pretending you get everything (trust me).
Teachers are also often open to marking or reading over first drafts or ideas for assessment tasks (though each school will have their restrictions).
Don’t be afraid to approach your teacher if you want to discuss a creative concept with her/him before you launch into the long process of writing it.
This applies for all assessment tasks, though remember, teachers also have a limited amount of time on their hands so be respectful if they refuse.
So that’s the general study that will help you in Year 9 and 10 English, but what about assessment tasks?
How to Study for Essays
We have a comprehensive guide on how to write an amazing essay in Year 9 and 10, availablehere.
