Hello, and welcome.

Thank you for joining me for today's lesson.

My name's Mrs. Butterworth, and I will be your English teacher for the lesson today.

Now, in this lesson, it's all about you planning and writing an essay on "An Inspector Calls." So we'll start by making sure we have a really good detailed plan before moving on to that all-important extended writing task.

So, lots to get through today.

So let's get going.

So in this lesson, you will plan and write an extended and developed response about "An Inspector Calls." But don't worry, I will be with you every step of the way.

Now, before we delve into the lesson, let's look at those all-important keywords.

They're all linked to our essay writing today.

These words are thesis, essay, dramatic methods, theme, and specific.

Now, our introductions of our essays will contain a thesis and this is the overarching argument to an essay.

So you will put forward a thesis in your introduction.

Now, an essay is a piece of writing that explains and develops your own argument, so you will be doing that today.

Dramatic methods, now, you will need to refer to dramatic methods when you are writing about "An Inspector Calls." Now these are the tools that a playwright uses to create drama.

So you might think about things like setting, stage directions, dialogue, and even language choices, and how Priestley uses them to create characterization or to convey certain themes.

Theme is an idea that is explained in a text in a number of different ways.

So in this lesson today, our essay is going to be focused on the theme of responsibility.

And then, finally, specific refers to a precise detail.

So the outline of our lesson looks like this.

We're going to start by approaching the question and planning a response.

So we're gonna make sure you have a really good detailed plan before moving on to writing that all-important essay on "An Inspector Calls." So, here we go.

You will plan and write a response to this essay question, how does Priestley use the Birlings to explore ideas around responsibility in "An Inspector Calls?" Now, before we start thinking about planning this, I want you to read the question and discuss the following.

What are the keywords and what are you being asked to do? It's really important that we establish this before we go forward.

This can be a really helpful part of the planning process.

So when you are ready, pause the video, and discuss what are the keywords in that question and what are you being asked to do.

We'll feedback in a moment.

Off you go.

Okay, thank you, everyone, for your contribution.

So let's just feed back some ideas.

So, hopefully, you picked out that all-important word how, and what this refers to is the dramatic methods used.

So what you'll need to do is you'll like need to identify some dramatic methods in your evidence and then analyse Priestley's choices and comment on why he has made them.

So, for example, why has Priestley chosen to use a dramatic monologue, what is the effect, and what is he trying to say, for example? You may have picked up on the key characters here, the Birlings and this tells us that the focus is on the Birlings.

So you need to link to key points in the play and how Priestley presents specific characters.

Now, it's important to know that in this essay question, yes, it says the Birlings, but that doesn't mean that you have to write about every single Birling.

You may choose to focus on one or two of the Birlings.

You may choose to focus on the older generation and the younger generation of the Birlings.

So it isn't about writing a paragraph on each of the Birlings, you can select and be specific with your choices.

And then, finally, the theme is responsibility.

So in your response, you should comment on where we see this theme.

So where we see responsibility in the play, and what Priestley saying about it, what is his viewpoint? So we've started to think about what that question is asking us to do.

We can now take it a step further and start planning some ideas.

So you can see here I've put some questions around our essay question, and in a moment, I'm gonna ask you to discuss those.

But let's read the questions first.

So I want you to think about which methods and quotations are best going to help you understand the Birlings's idea of responsibility.

What are the key points in the play that help me understand the Birling's idea of responsibility? And then, finally, where else do we see this theme explored and what is Priestley's viewpoint? So you're gonna need to pause the video so you've got time to discuss your ideas to those questions.

If you're working on your own, you can think quietly to yourself or even jot down some ideas.

Off you go.

Okay, thank you so much, everyone.

It's really great to hear so many different suggestions because there are so many different ways to approach an essay question.

So, in a moment, I'm going to feed back some ideas.

You may have something completely different, which is absolutely fine, you may need to add to your ideas, but I just need to really emphasise that there are many ways to answer this question.

So you may have considered some of the following.

So you might think about talking about the dramatic monologues.

So we know that Priestley uses dramatic monologues to reveal Mr. Birling's ideas about responsibility.

So he dismisses community as nonsense.

So that's a really good dramatic method that we could use to explore Mr. Birling's attitude towards responsibility.

And also, Mrs. Birling admits to being prejudiced towards Eva.

So Priestley actually uses the word prejudice to describe Mrs. Birling's action.

So what are the key points in the play that will help me understand the Birling's idea of responsibility? Well, I'm gonna focus on Eric and Sheila's acceptance of guilt and judgement of the family in Act 3 'cause what I'm gonna do in this essay is I'm going to contrast the older Birlings to the younger Birlings.

So I'm gonna really focus on that Act 3 moment.

And then, finally, where do we see this theme in the play? So I think the inspector's final fire and anguish speech is really important in exploring this idea of responsibility.

And what is Priestley's viewpoints? Well, I'm gonna talk about how he advocates for shared responsibility and urging for social change.

Okay, so true or false time.

The how in an essay question refers to the dramatic methods used.

Is that true or false? Can I hear your answer now, please? Well done, yeah, that's true.

But you now need to tell me why that statement is true.

So come up with your answer now, and we'll share in a moment.

Off you go.

Okay, so hopefully, you have something like, "In an essay, you should comment on how a writer uses techniques such as dialogue, stage directions, and structure to convey themes and create effects." Okay, so we've thought a lot about the question and its expectations, and we've already started the planning process, but we want to take that one step further.

So here Andeep has a planning grid.

So let's have a look.

And each section of Andeep's planning grid has a purpose.

So we've got the thesis, which is your overarching argument supported by the whole text.

So, hopefully, you have an understanding of how to write a good thesis statement.

Your topic sentences.

So you want to think about what each of your sections or each of your paragraphs is going to focus on.

Then you can write your topic sentence before you even think about writing the whole essay.

And your topic sentence is the first sentence of your paragraph, and it states the paragraph's main idea.

So, again, in your planning, you want to know what each section is going to focus on so you can write your topic sentences.

Then you need to think about your supporting details.

Now, your supporting details can be in note form.

These don't have to be written up in full.

So you should think about your references to the text.

So any quotations you are going to use and any supporting quotations you are going to use.

So your supporting detail can be written in notes.

Then, you have your concluding sentence, which is the final sentence of a paragraph.

So it brings everything that you are going to say in your paragraph to a conclusion.

And then, finally, that all-important conclusion at the end of your essay.

This sums up your essay's overall thesis.

Okay, so Andeep starts by drafting his thesis statement and his three topic sentences.

So this is a really good place to start with your planning.

So I just want to remind you what the differences between a thesis statement and a topic sentence is.

And comparing these can be a really useful thing to do.

So a thesis statement is the overarching argument of the entire essay, okay, whereas the topic sentence explains the purpose of an individual paragraph.

So your thesis, whole essay, topic sentence, your individual paragraphs.

Your thesis statement is supported by the entire text.

So you're talking about the text as a whole, whereas your topic sentence will zoom in and focus on a moment in the text.

So it'll be supported by a key moment.

Your thesis statement is found only in your introduction, whereas a topic sentence is found at the start of each main body paragraph.

So you will only have one thesis statement, but you will have multiple topic sentences.

So here I have given you some examples of thesis statements and topic sentences, and I'd like you to spend a moment just exploring what the differences are.

But before you do that, let's read them together.

So let's read the thesis statements first and then we can look at the topic sentences.

Those thesis statements.

Priestley uses the Birlings to explore the different generational attitudes towards social responsibility.

And through the characters of Eric and Sheila Priestley suggests that the younger generation is more capable of accepting responsibility for their actions and driving social change.

Now let's look at the topic sentences.

In Act 3, both Sheila and Eric explicitly accept guilt and reject their parents' attempts to dismiss their responsibility.

Priestley uses Mr. Birling to reveal a dismissive attitude towards social responsibility, particularly in the dramatic monologues of Act 1.

Okay, so discuss, please, what are the differences between those thesis statements and those topic statements? Pause the video, and off you go.

Great, thank you, everyone.

Hopefully, you are really starting to notice how those differences between a thesis statement and the topic sentences.

So you may have thought about the idea that the thesis statement is supported by the whole text.

And, again, we can see that in this thesis statement too, it feels much more general in relation to the question.

Now you'll notice in this first topic sentence, it says in Act 3, so it's focused on a specific moment in the text, okay? So Act 3.

So we know that that paragraph is going to explore that specific moment.

And likewise, in this second topic sentence, we get the reference to Act 1, but also the reference to dramatic monologues.

So the topic sentence focuses on a specific act and a method in the text.

So we know that that paragraph is going to focus specifically on those things.

Okay, so we have Jun and Lucas here, and parts of their essays.

And I'd like you, please, to identify which pupil has crafted a thesis which answers the essay question.

So before you do that, let's read them through together first.

So Lucas has written, "Priestley presents Mrs. Birling's views on responsibility as inextricably linked with her status as a member of the privileged upper class." Jun has written, "After the revelation of her role in Eva Smith's death in Act 1, Priestley reveals Sheila's acceptance of accountability, and she admits she is ashamed and breaks down." So answers, please.

Who has written the thesis statement, Lucas or Jun? Okay, so who's feeling confident? Lots of you think you know the answer.

Okay, and the answer is, Lucas has crafted the thesis, whereas Jun is a topic sentence.

And, hopefully, you noticed that Jun's topic sentence really focuses on Act 1 specifically, and even has some quotations in there too.

So you can see that difference between that thesis being the whole argument and supported by the whole text, whereas that topic sentence, a specific paragraph, and a specific moment in the play.

Okay, so it's over to you now.

You have everything you need to create a brilliant plan.

So I would like you now please, to plan your answer to how does Priestley use the Birlings to explore ideas around responsibility in "An Inspector Calls?" So make sure you have everything you need to get your planning done, okay? And pause the video when you're ready.

Now remember, a really good plan is going to make the writing of your essay so much easier and so much more efficient.

So do give yourself plenty of time to get that plan done.

Pause the video, and off you go.

Okay, great, some excellent planning happening there.

As I often say, I know planning for some of you may feel like a waste of time that you just want to get started on writing, but I promise you having a really good detailed plan will not only improve your essays, but make the whole process much easier and much more efficient.

Okay, so you have written a beautiful plan.

Let's just self-assess your plan.

So, please look at your plans and just check, do you have one thesis written in full sentences, which is supported by the whole text? Do you have three topic sentences which explain what each paragraph will be about and what you are going to focus on.

Do you have two to three quotations or references from the text to support each topic sentence? And do you have a concluding sentence, which will finish your paragraph and explore Priestley's intentions? And, finally, do you have ideas for your conclusion, which will link to your overall thesis? So pause the video to give yourself time just to check through your plan before we move on.

Off you go.

Okay, so it is now time to think about writing your essay, but remember, you have a fantastic plan already from the first task, and I promise you, you've already got the structure of your essay and your key ideas down.

So now we've just got to write that up.

So just as a reminder, your overall essay structure should look like this.

You should have your introduction.

Try and aim through a three-part structure that moves from the general to the specific and don't forget your thesis statement, which should already be in your plan.

Then, you are going to have three points or your three paragraphs.

And these should include your topic sentences, which again, you've already written, your supporting detail with methods, and these need to be identified and analysed.

You'll also need to link to context and include a closing sentence.

And then, finally, your conclusion, again, aiming through a three-part structure.

You can move from the specific to the general, summarise your main argument, and leave an impactful closing statement.

But before you delve into the essay, let's just have a little look at a section of one, okay? So I'd like you to look please, at this section of an essay.

Is it the introduction, a main body paragraph, or conclusion? You need to say why you have come up with that answer.

Before you do that, let's read it through together first.

"At the heart of Priestley's "An Inspector Calls" is the urgent message of social responsibility and its importance.

Whilst Mr. Birling's rejection of social responsibility is more overt, his children reveal different attitudes and a sense of accountability.

Arguably, Priestley presents the ideas of responsibility for the generational conflict of the younger and older Birlings." So is this an introduction, a main body paragraph, or a conclusion? Justify your answer as well, please.

Off you go.

Okay, so are we ready for the answer? Do we think we have it right? So well done to everyone that realised that was an introduction.

And it is a three-part introduction as well.

So we can see that it includes that general statement about the text.

It includes a general statement about the focus of the question, and then, finally, that specific thesis.

So arguably, Priestley presents.

So we're thinking about what is going to be discussed in the essay.

Okay, so we've reached that moment.

It is time for you to write your essay, answering that question.

You've got your plan from task A, which has everything you need on it.

So now we just need to add a few more details to make it an essay.

Okay, so make sure you are comfortable, you've got everything you need to write this up, and I cannot wait to see what you achieve.

Everyone, ready to go? Fantastic, pause the video, and get writing.

Well done, everyone, you've done it.

You've written an essay and you planned an essay.

Not as bad as you thought, I hope.

And as I said, the more you do this, the easier it's going to become, but you should be really proud with what you have achieved.

So as ever, and what I always say is you finished your essay, but now just spend a few moments reading through it, okay? I always say how important this step is.

Just spend a minute reading through your essay.

Use the diagram to help you self-assess your essay.

Just make sure it's got that clear structure, its introduction, those clear points, and that conclusion.

You may wish at this point to make some corrections or even add a little bit.

But just take a little moment to reread, use the diagram to help you, and just make sure your essay is as good as you would like it to be.

Pause the video, and off you go.

So good news, everyone, that is the end of the lesson, and even better news is that you have written a whole essay on "An Inspector Calls." You should be incredibly proud of that achievement.

So let's just recap everything that we have done this lesson.

We know that the essay question can be used as a planning tool by annotating its keywords.

We know how important a detailed plan is, which includes a clear thesis and focus topic sentences.

The thesis is your overarching argument, whereas the topic sentence states the paragraph's main idea, and that your essay should follow a structure of introduction, main body paragraphs, and conclusion.

And, hopefully, that's what you have finished with today.

So I look forward to seeing you all again for another lesson.

Again, well done.

I've been so impressed with everything you have achieved.

(computer mouse clicking).