First, check your answers from last week’s lessons.

WEEK 10 LESSON 1

Do Not Say We Have Nothing begins with the following sentence:

In a single year, my father left us twice.

1. Do you think this is a powerful opening sentence? Explain why/why not:

Your answer could have included: the story seems to start in the middle (in media res) and the fact that information is withheld, prompting questions from the reader.

2. How do you think the narrator feels about her father leaving? Try to support your answer with reference to the extract.

Your answer could focus on the negativity of ‘left us’, which suggests a sense of rejection, and the surprise/incredulity suggested by ‘in a single year’. Possibly you commenedt on the possessiveness suggested by ‘my father’.

3. In the second sentence: ‘The first time, to end his marriage, and the second, when he took his own life.’, the writer uses a list format to tell the reader about two increasingly traumatic events. What effect does the use of the list have? How does it make the narrator seem?

This suggests that the narrator is desperately trying to control these events and to remain calm. The list suggests an attempt to order and marshal her thoughts.

4. Using selected extract: List four things you learn about the narrator’s father.Give yourself a mark for any four of the following:

he is handsome it is hard to tell how old he is / he is ageless he is kind he is melancholy he wears glasses his eyes are dark brown he is 39 he is a renowned concert pianist.

What does this phrase make you think about the narrator's memories?

WEEK 11LESSON 1

Here is what I remember:

The narrator’s memories may not be reliable – they are just what she remembers, and may not be the full story.

What does this metaphor suggest about the narrator's father?the thinnest of curtains

He is hiding something or holding something back.

What do these adjective choices suggest about the narrator's father?

guarded and unsureThese adjectives reinforce the impression he is hiding something but also creates a sense of insecurity or even fear.

What does this part of the description suggest about the narrator's father? Does this surprise you? Why?

driving her crazy and me into fits of glee.This makes her father sound playful, which is surprising as the description has previously made him sound serious and important.

EXTENSION QUESTION

What could the following sentence symbolise?

He gave me my Chinese name, Jiang Li-ling, and my English one, Marie Jiang.

Her father has given the narrator her dual identity/ he has made her who she is/she has an English identity and a Chinese identity.

WEEK 10 LESSON 2

1. Look again at the final part of this paragraph, ‘... the few memories I possessed, however fractional, however inaccurate, were all I had of him. I’ve never let them go.’ Based on these sentences, how would you describe the narrator’s feelings towards her father? Explain your answer, with reference to the extract.

You could suggest that she misses her father and is clinging onto her memories of him, clear in the sentence ‘I’ve never let them go’.

2. Give two examples of present tense verbs and two examples of past tense verbs from the paragraph:

Accept any of the following answers:Past tense Present tense

my father's name was ...I learned ...his fingers tapped ...he gave me ...

has a kind, handsome faceis a kind ... manwears glasses that have no frameshis eyes ... are guardedhe is only 39 years old

3. Why do you think the writer chooses to mix the tenses here? What effect does this have?

Answers may explore the narrator’s inability to move on from her father’s death, that his death has preserved his memory at this particular age, the immediacy and strength of these memories.

4. Earlier parts of the extract have moved backwards and forwards in time, but this section is chronological (meaning that events are described in the order they happened). What effect does this have? What does it make you think about the narrator?

It makes her seem like she is attempting to carry on with her life – linking to the matter of fact nature of the list in the second sentence of the whole extract.

5. Which phrase in the extract above shows that the narrator’s feeling of ‘being in the car with my father’ is a memory?

‘By then, my father had been dead for two decades, and such a pure memory of him had never come back to me.’

6. What is the effect of this sudden movement from the present reality into memory?

This suggests that the memory attacks/overwhelms her – that she can’t control or escape from it.

7. In this extract the writer uses the technique of a cyclical structure by referring again to her father’s suicide, and to her age. What effect does this have?

This technique creates the impression that her father’s suicide haunts her – that she can’t move on from it/it goes round and round in her memory.

WEEK 11 LESSON 1In this lesson we will be reading and responding to a non-fiction text.

 Non-fiction is writing about real events and facts, rather than stories that have been invented (fiction)

Text 1 is an extract from a book published in 1878, the year in which Thomas Edison patented his ‘phonograph’. Alexander Graham Bell had invented the telephone two years before in 1876.

TASKS FOR LESSON 1

THE telephone, an instrument by which sound can be conveyed to, it would appear, an unlimited distance—by which conversation can be carried on between persons separated by many miles of sea and land—is unquestionably one of the most marvellous of modern adaptations of scientific knowledge to practical use.

The discovery and successful working of the electric telegraph has familiarised us with achievements of science which fifty years ago would have been considered miraculous, and a bare intimation of the possibility of which might, two or three centuries previously, have led the unfortunately ingenious speculator to the stake as a wizard!

We can, and daily do, transmit messages to and fro between almost every part of the habitable globe —messages which are not only read off by skilled operators as easily as the pages of a printed book, but are printed by the telegraph itself; and to that really amazing command of the forces of nature we now add the power of transmitting, by the Telephone, the tones of the human voice, distinct articulations, perfectly pronounced words, and musical sounds, to any distance to which the necessary wires may be extended; and, by the most recent adaptation of the instrument, the Phonograph, a message of any length can be spoken on to a plate of metal, that plate sent by post to any part of the world, and the message absolutely re-spoken in the very voice of the sender.

So, marvel follows marvel! Voice by Telegraph is followed by voice by Post-card, and the New Year heralds the Future with a new wonder.

All About the Telephone and Phonograph by Alexander Graham Bell (1878)

STARTER: Read the extract twice. Write a short initial response to the following questions:

1. What is the purpose of the extract? e.g. Why has this extract been written?

2. Who is the intended audience for this text? e.g. Who does the writer want to read this text?

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The following: Baird, Marconi, Berners-Lee, Bell and Edison invented some of the most widely used items of technology that we use today.

TASK: Match up the inventions with the inventors and date they were invented.

Helpful hint: Read the sentences from the Text 1 introduction to get you started.

1876 John Logie Baird Television

1878 Guglielmo Marconi World Wide Web

1902 Tim Berners-Lee Telephone

1926 Alexander Graham Bell Phonograph

1989 Thomas Edison Radio

TASK: Find the evidence from the text All About the Telephone and Phonograph, to show the writer is excited about the possibilities raised by the new inventions. Reread the text and copy down quotations from the text that prove each point. One example has been completed for you to get you started.

The writer says: A quotation as evidence

We can have a conversation on the phone with another person anywhere in the world.

‘conversation can be carried on between persons separated by many miles of sea and land’

The telephone allows us to speak to others directly (and don’t need to rely on an operator to help us communicate).

The speakers can hear each other’s voices clearly.

A message (or music) can be recorded onto a disc, too.

The disc is robust enough to be sent anywhere through the post.

When replayed, the recording will sound just the same as when it was originally made.

Technology is always moving forward and creating something new – and marvellous.

We no longer need wires to speak to each other far away – we can use the post, and the future is even more exciting.

Extension task: How can you tell that the writer is excited by the new technologies? Can you find and comment on any language techniques?

END OF LESSON 1

TASK1: Look at the words at the bottom of the table. The choice of words is crucial in writing for a specific purpose.

These words are all from the extract All About the Telephone and Phonograph which you read last lesson. Put the words into the relevant categories:

Positive Technical Persuasive

e.g. achievements e.g. electrice.g. easily

absolutely achievements adaptation amazing articulations centuries command conversation conveyed discovery distance distinct easily electric extended familiarised forces future globe habitable heralds human ingenious instrument knowledge land length marvel marvellous message metal miles miraculous modern musical nature necessary new operators pages perfectly persons phonograph possibility power practical previously printed pronounced re-spoken really recent science scientific sea sender separated skilled sound speculator spoken stake successful telegraph telephone three tones transmit two unfortunately unlimited unquestionably voice wires wizard wonder words working world year

WEEK 11LESSON 2

Task 2: Analysing persuasive techniques

Find examples of the techniques in All About the Telephone and Phonograph, write these in the second column, and then comment on the effect of each technique. Some have been completed to get you started.

Technique Examples Effect

Persuasive adverb

(e.g. designed to convince the reader, adverbs usually end in ‘ly’)

unquestionably, perfectly, absolutely

Inclusive pronoun

(e.g. you/we/us)

Makes us feel involved with the statement and it makes it seem true.

Repetition(e.g. repeating something that has already been written.)

Alliteration(e.g. the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.)

Superlative(e.g. of the highest kind, quality, or order; surpassing all else or others – the word usually ends in ‘est’)

Persuasive adjectives

(e.g. designed to convince the reader, adjectives describe)

TASK 3: Planning to write a speech

The final task for this lesson is to make a comprehensive plan for a speech.

Next lesson you will write the speech for a Progress Test. The Progress Test will be marked and assessed.

Information

This speech must include five paragraphs about what you consider to be the best invention of all time.

Title of your speech is: The Best Invention of all time!

The audience for your speech: a panel of staff and students who are judging a competition for the best invention of all time.

The planning process is vital. You have just been analysing examples of techniques for persuasive writing. You will be persuading the panel of judges that your chosen invention is indeed the best of all time!

Choosing an invention

Last lesson you read about the marvellous new 19th century invention of the telephone and phonograph. You also looked at other important inventions: television, internet and radio. You must choose your absolute favourite invention. Here are some tried and tested nominations for best invention:

printing press light bulb aeroplane personal computer vaccines car clock smartphone

Remember you will be writing five paragraphs about why this is the best invention ever, so you really should select wisely. Make it something you know about. You can do some research (on the internet - making it a contender for the best invention ever!).

Before you start your speech watch one (or more) of the following short tutorials (all are under five minutes long).

You should make notes of any helpful suggestions.

Mr Bruff is a teacher who can guide you through speech writing.

There is even an example where he talks about technology.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bruff+speech

A student gives advice about writing a speech including techniques to create an emotional response and engage the listener

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTcRRQpDYf0

A speech writer for Obama gives his tips for writing an effective speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV1h7n0HcTE

Planning your speech

Fill the boxes in with your ideas. The opening and closing boxes have been started for you as an example.

This plan will help your structure your speech. When you write it you should se discourse markers between the paragraphs: e.g. firstly, next, another, however, ultimately

The expectations for your speech: Plan your response:

A polite and appropriate greeting. Brief introduction to topic

Good morning. I am here to tell about the best invention of all time.

Your first point should be your most important one.

Why is it a good invention?

Your second point should develop your first point and include a new idea.

What is so special about it?

Your third point should develop your response with another new idea.

Give another reason why this invention is fantastic

The counter argument: This should show you understand the opposite point of view, then undermine it.

Some people may believe… but I …

Your final point should sum up your response with impact, without repeating yourself.

End your speech in the correct manner for your audience

Thank you for listening. I am sure my compelling arguments have …

Planning examples of the techniques you will use:

Technique Examples you will use:

Persuasive adverb

(e.g. designed to convince the reader, adverbs usually end in ‘ly’)

Inclusive pronoun

(e.g. you/we/us)

Repetition(e.g. repeating something that has already been written.)

Alliteration(e.g. the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.)

Superlative(e.g. of the highest kind, quality, or order; surpassing all else or others – the word usually ends in ‘est’)

Persuasive adjectives

(e.g. designed to convince the reader, adjectives describe)

Super planning! Well done. Completing the boxes will help you write a well- structured piece with a range of persuasive techniques.

Finally, when you write next week please remember to use:

a range of ambitious vocabulary (use a dictionary/thesaurus) a variety of sentences (simple, compound, complex and minor) a range of punctuation for effect

END OF LESSON 2

PROGRESS TEST WRITING TASK – SPEECH

THE BEST INVENTION OF ALL TIME

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WEEK 11LESSON 3

This is the work you must submit for marking.Your full name and email address must be at the top of the page.

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END OF LESSON 3