Hello, my name is Ms. Grant.

I'm so glad you've decided to learn with me today.

We're in the modern text First Study unit and our modern text is "Leave Taking." Today we're gonna be looking at some essay questions and how to annotate them properly so they direct our thinking and we create a fantastic plan for our essay.

I can't wait to hear all of your ideas in relation to the essay questions that we're gonna look at.

I'm gonna be your support and guide as we work through this lesson together.

Let's get started.

So, by the end of today's lesson, you're going to be able to identify keywords in an essay question and use them to create a thesis statement.

Now, annotating essay question's very close to my heart because I think students often think, oh, it's not a very important part of the essay writing process, but it is so important and annotating well can really direct your thinking and set you up for success for the rest of the essay.

So I'm really looking forward to working through today's lesson with you and learning how to annotate these essay questions incredibly well.

Now there are some keywords which are gonna help unlock our learning today and they are thesis, which is the overarching argument to an essay supported by the entire text.

Essay.

Now this is a piece of writing that explains and develops your own argument and that's what we're gonna work towards today.

We're not gonna write a full essay but we're gonna have an understanding of how to annotate an essay question to prepare us for writing a really, really good essay.

Dramatic methods.

So these are the tools that playwright uses to create drama.

Examples are setting, stage directions, dialogue, and language choices.

We're gonna be looking at Pinnock's choice of dramatic methods in today's lesson.

Annotate.

To make and add notes or short explanations to text or images.

And of course our focus today is annotating essay questions.

Theme.

An idea that is explored in a text in a number of different ways to fully explore the complexity of that idea.

And Pinnock's themes, the ideas in her play are going to help us annotate the essay questions really, really well.

So these are gonna unlock our learning today and they're going to help us achieve our objective.

Our lesson outline for today.

First of all, we're gonna focus on annotating essay questions and then in our second learning cycle we're going to look at writing thesis statements.

So overarching arguments for an essay.

Let's start off with annotating essay questions.

Now, reading an annotating essay question is an important part of the planning process.

The essay question will always include keywords which will direct your thinking.

So you know so much about the play "Leave Taking," you cannot possibly write it all down in an essay.

That would not be advisable, not desirable.

So look at the essay question and it will direct your thinking.

You'll be able to select the most important information that will make sure that you write a really, really good directed, focused essay.

So students discuss which words they have selected as key for this essay question.

Their essay question is, how does Pinnock use Del to explore ideas around belonging in "Leave Taking?" So an exciting essay question where you get to look at complex character and this important theme, the idea of belonging.

Now Andeep says, "I think the keywords are Pinnock, ideas, and 'Leave Taking.

'" Those are the ones he would underline.

And Jacob disagrees.

He says, "I think the keywords are How, Del, and belonging." Those are the words that he would underline.

I'd like you to discuss who do you agree with and why? Pause the video and discuss the question now.

There were some interesting discussions there but thankfully most people fell on the side that Jacob, Jacob is indeed correct.

Let's have a look at why Jacob is correct about his keywords.

So Jacob is correct because each of these words direct your thinking.

So the how.

It directs you to explore Pinnock's dramatic methods, one of our keywords, what tools is she using to make us think about the ideas and messages that she has in her play? Del.

This directs you to explore a specific character.

Jacob knows the focus needs to be Del.

He knows lots about all the other characters, but for this essay, he just needs to focus on his ideas about Del.

Belonging.

This directs you to explore a specific theme.

So again, lots and lots of themes in "Leave Taking" but we're not looking at isolation, we're not looking at identity.

We're looking at this theme of belonging.

So Jacob has annotated his essay question really, really well.

Done his first annotations very well.

So here are Jacob's annotations so far.

We can basically look at his page.

How and he's written explore Pinnock's dramatic methods, Del, explore this character.

And then belonging, explore this theme.

So some really nice clear annotations to begin with.

Now I'd like to do just a quick check for understanding just as Jacob annotated his essay question really well.

Imagine this was your essay question, how does Pinnock use Enid to explore ideas around identity and "Leave Taking?" How would you annotate and underline the key words in this essay question? You're going to do that task now.

Well done if your essay question now looks like this, underlining the how and thinking about exploring Pinnock's dramatic methods.

Underlining Enid, noting that you need to explore this character.

And underlining identity, noting that you need to explore this theme.

Fantastic, I know you've got a really secure understanding of the initial way that you would annotate an essay question.

Now, after annotating the keywords, Jacob develops his annotations with some questions.

He says, well, which methods and quotations best help me understand Del's sense of belonging? I know that the how is about Pinnock's dramatic methods.

So, my question is, which methods and quotations best help me understand Del's sense of belonging? We know he needs to explore the character of Del.

And so we ask himself this question, what are the key points in the play that help me understand Del's sense of belonging? And finally, he knows that he needs to explore the theme of belonging.

And he asks himself, well, where else do we see this theme explored? What is Pinnock's viewpoint? So some really key questions to help him develop his annotations, direct his thinking a bit more carefully so that he can then start planning his essay.

I'd like you to discuss, Jacob has given that as the questions, very helpful, and we need to think, well, how would you answer Jacob's questions if this was your essay question and it'd been helpfully annotated already? We've got these questions here.

How would you answer these questions? I see lots of people reaching for their play script already, which is fantastic.

Really difficult to write a good essay on "Leave Taking" without your play script to hand, so you've done exactly the right thing, and you're going to use the ideas in your head, but also the play script in your hand to answer these questions that Jacob has annotated around his essay question.

So pause the video and discuss how would you answer Jacob's questions? Pause the video now.

Some fantastic ideas about the character of Del and this theme of belonging.

Brilliant knowledge of the play but also using your moving through the play, the play script in your hand in order to refine, make really precise some of your ideas and test or which would be the best ideas? I know I can't include everything.

What would I want to include? Here are some ideas you might have had.

Well, which methods and quotations best help me understand Del's sense of belonging? Perhaps Pinnock's structure, the suspicion of obeah moving towards acceptance.

And perhaps this key quotation from scene two, you don't see the police vans hunting us down and when she has that conflict with Enid.

Perhaps the final stage directions in scene eight where we see Del move centre stage and complete that obeah reading for Enid.

It's described in really clear detail.

So these are maybe some of the dramatic methods that you would want to focus on the key quotation structure and some stage directions.

Well, what about Del? What are the key points in the play that help understand Del's sense of belonging? Well, potentially the conflict with Enid in scene two, she's very explicit about how she feels about English.

She says, "I hate it here." But also maybe learning about Mai's son in scene six, his desire to escape maybe Del see something of herself in in him.

And then this key theme, where else do we see this theme explored? What is Pinnock's viewpoint? Well, perhaps Viv's sense of disconnection with her education.

So we see the idea of belonging not just explored through Del but also through Viv.

And Pinnock is maybe exploring the difficulties of being a second generation immigrant.

So you can see that from Jacob's initial annotations from his initial questions.

We now have this much more developed plan for our essay where we've got some really, really powerful ideas that we would want to structure into a more formal essay response.

Now just a quick check for understanding so that we know whenever we come to an essay question, we always know what we're being asked.

What does the how in an essay question refer to? Is it a, dramatic methods, b, annotations, or c, themes? Pause the video and select your response now.

Well done if you selected dramatic methods.

So, the how in an essay question on "Leave Taking," it's always referring to dramatic methods.

We've gotta think about the tools that Pinnock has used to reveal, emphasise, highlight, explore her central ideas.

Now here is an essay question.

How does Pinnock use Enid to explore ideas around identity in "Leave Taking?" Now you've already annotated this.

You did that in an earlier check for understanding.

Now what I'd like you to do is I'd like you to, you annotate those keywords with your initial ideas.

Include quotes, plot points, and links to other characters and themes just like Jacob did for that question about Del and ideas around belonging.

So we're gonna show that we can really annotate an essay question properly and set ourselves up for success when we come to write the essay itself.

So pause the video and annotate the keywords with your initial ideas.

Include quotes, plot points, and links to other characters and themes for this particular essay question.

Pause the video now.

Some beautiful annotations there showing that you're really paying attention during that first learning cycle and really thinking, how can I make sure that I know how to annotate every single essay question that could possibly come up on "Leave Taking" and make sure I'm set up for success for my essay.

Let's look at some ideas that you might have had.

So, you'd already annotated your essay question in the check for understanding.

We'd said, well, the how refers to Pinnock's dramatic methods.

Enid means explore this character and identity means explore this theme.

Well, what methods and quotations best help me understand Enid's relationship and identity? That's probably a question that you asked yourself.

And potentially thought about her contrast with Brod so that dramatic method, the idea of contrast, contrasting two characters that might be a rich area to explore.

A key quotation, "I don't dream about back home because this is my home." That is in scene two when she's having this argument with Brod about what it means to belong in Britain or Jamaica.

And then "Call me Miss English," this moment from scene eight where she says that people in Jamaica call her Miss English now because they think of her as having left Jamaica and really embodying what it means to be a British citizen.

So those might be some key quotations and a key dramatic method you might want to look at.

Well, with Enid you might have asked yourself, what are the key points in the play that help me understand Enid's relationship with identity? And you might have, well, her conflict with Brod in scene two.

Pinnock really sets the two characters up against each other here so that we can understand what it means, what identity means to them, and her reaction to the death of her mother in scene four seems to really open up ideas about who she is, and her dialogue with Mai in scene six.

I had lots of people refer to this moment saying, "I'd really want to explore that moment in relation to Enid because she starts to think about whether it was worth leaving Jamaica and how she feels about her own identity." And then finally the theme, explore this theme.

Well, where else do we see this theme explored and what is Pinnock's viewpoint on the idea of identity? Well, Del's journey towards being an obeah woman, that's a really, really important way in which Pinnock explores the idea of identity.

And Pinnock also seems to explore the difficulties of migration.

Some people referencing this quotation from Pinnock's introduction to the play describing Enid as caught between two worlds.

So it's difficult for her to feel a sense of her identity because she feels caught between two worlds between Jamaica and England.

So, you might have some different ideas that you would want to explore in your own essay in answer to this particular question.

But the level of detail of your annotation should look like something that's on the board.

Of course, you can steal any of these ideas as well if you think, ah, I would like to add that to my initial annotations as well.

So well done for showing off that you can really annotate an essay question properly and this is a skill which you can apply to any essay on "Leave Taking." We're going to move on to our second learning cycle now.

We're gonna think about writing thesis statements.

Now, after you've annotated your essay questions, this would be your next step to think, well, what is my thesis statement? What will be my argument? Because that's what I'm gonna structure my whole essay around.

So the annotating of your essay question closely, closely links to the second learning cycle of writing a thesis statement.

Now, comparing thesis statements to topic sentences can be a useful way to understand what a thesis statement is 'cause it's quite a hard thing to understand this idea of a thesis statement.

So thesis statements.

They're the overarching argument of the entire essay.

Whereas a topic sentence explains the purpose of an individual paragraph, A thesis statement is supported by the entire text.

So no matter how long the text is, a thesis statement will be supported by the entire text.

Whereas a topic sentence can be supported by moments in the text.

A thesis statement is found in your introduction.

Whereas a topic sentence is found at the start of each main body paragraph.

So coming to realise what a thesis statement is, I always find it much easier by doing it by comparison and just thinking, well, what is it in comparison to a topic sentence? But let's look at some examples so we can refine our understanding of thesis statements and topic sentences a bit more.

So consider the thesis statements in contrast to the topic sentences and discuss what are the differences.

Here they are.

So we've got a thesis statement.

Pinnock presents Enid as a character who is caught between two worlds.

That would be an example of a thesis statement.

A topic sentence would be in scene two, Pinnock creates contrast between Enid and Brod to develop her exploration of identity.

We've got a second thesis statement.

Pinnock presents Enid's relationship with her identity as inextricably linked with her status as a first generation migrant.

Topic sentence.

Pinnock uses Enid's interactions with Mai as a way to explore the importance of her cultural identity.

So considering these thesis statements, we've got two and these topic sentences.

Again, we've got two.

What are the differences between the thesis statements and the topic sentences? Pause the video and discuss the question now.

Well done for really looking at these thesis statements and topic sentences and thinking what are the differences? Because if you can unlock the differences, you're gonna write really strong thesis statements and really strong topic sentences.

So some ideas you might have had.

Well, this thesis statement Pinnock presents Enid as a character who's caught between two worlds.

That idea is supported by the whole text.

We don't need to just look at one moment, but in fact the whole text, you could argue, at this moment, Enid is presented as caught between two worlds.

At this moment, at this moment, and at this moment.

So it's an idea supported by the whole text.

Whereas this topic sentence, in scene two, Pinnock contrast between Enid and Brod to develop her exploration of identity.

This is focused on a specific moment in the text.

So, just looking at scene two, we couldn't apply that to the whole play.

The second thesis statement, Pinnock presents Enid's relationship with her identity as inextricably linked with her status as a first generation migrant.

Again, this is an idea supported by the whole text.

It doesn't just look towards one moment or one relationship, but instead it's supported by the whole text.

The topic sentence, Pinnock uses Enid's interactions with Mai as a way to explore the importance of her cultural identity.

This focus on a specific relationship with the text, Enid and Mai, so couldn't look at the whole text because it's just looking at two characters.

So, you really started to refine your ideas.

Well, what is a thesis statement and what is a topic sentence? And that means you're well in your way to writing really good examples of both.

Now let's have a check for understanding just to continue to really, really check that we know what the difference is or what the purpose of a thesis statement is.

So is this true or false? A thesis statement should be linked to a specific moment in the text.

Pause the video and select whether you think it is true or false now.

Well done if you selected false.

Now I'd like you to justify your answer.

Is it a, a thesis statement should be supported by a reading of the whole text? Or b, a thesis statement should be linked to specific quotations, not just a vague moment.

Pause the video and select your response now.

Well done if you selected a.

A thesis statement should be supported by a reading of the whole text.

Now here is an example thesis statement.

Through the presentation of Enid as a character caught between two worlds, Pinnock makes her audience consider the impact of migration on the sense of self.

So this student is answering the question about Enid and ideas about belonging.

And we've got this example thesis statement.

I'd like you to discuss, why is this a powerful thesis statement? Pause the video and discuss this question now.

Some lovely discussions there showing me that you really understand this idea of a thesis statement, that it needs to be this overarching argument supported by the whole text.

So you might have this first clause of the sentence through the presentation of Enid as a character.

It really establishes that Pinnock crafted this character.

Of course, it is nice to be completely immersed in a text and think of the characters as real people.

But as a student of English writing your analytical essay, you need to make it clear that you know that a writer crafted this character.

Caught between two worlds.

There's an overview of the character.

Now, this student has actually used Pinnock's own words to describe Enid here, which is a really nice thing to do and certainly you can do that, you don't need to but we have an overview of the character.

Enid is caught between two worlds.

Pinnock makes her audience consider the impact of migration on the sense of self.

That's how they finish their thesis statement.

And this links to the question and writer's intentions.

So we know that the question is about identity and we're thinking about what Pinnock is making us to do, what she wants us to think, feel, or reflect after we've read her play.

Now, again, we're gonna check our understanding of thesis statement.

Now not just its definition, but being able to identify a really strong example of a thesis statement.

So which of these would serve as the most powerful thesis statement? I'd like you to read through each of them and then select your response.

Pause the video, read through each thesis statement, select which you think is the most powerful.

Pause the video now.

Well done for reading through all those examples so carefully and interrogating.

Well, which one is the most powerful given what I know about thesis statements? And of course the answer is c.

In the character of Enid, Pinnock presents a character whose identity seems bound up in how others see her rather than her own sense of self.

It's clear, it's justified, and it shows that Enid is a creation.

I'd just like to look at b where it says Pinnock uses many dramatic methods to explore the identity through the character of Enid.

For example, structured dialogue and stage directions.

Even though of course it is important to look at dramatic methods in an essay, you should not list dramatic methods anywhere in an essay and particularly not in your thesis statement.

Now, if we look at a, we see after the death of her mother in scene four, Pinnock presents Enid's identity as profoundly destabilised.

Now this is a really, really nice idea, but it's a topic sentence, not a thesis statement.

Because it's looking at one specific moment in the play, it is not something that is supported by the whole text.

So c is our correct answer, the most powerful thesis statement.

Now, I'd like you to write your own thesis statement for this question.

How does Pinnock use Enid to explore ideas around identity in "Leave Taking?" And we've got our sort of success criteria on the board as well.

So the idea that a thesis statement is an overarching argument of the entire essay and supported by the entire text.

And you've already annotated this question, we did that in learning cycle one.

So we are just moving onto the next stage of our essay creation process by moving from those annotations to our thesis statements.

So pause the video and I'd like you to write your own thesis statement for this question.

Pause the video now.

Well done for approaching that task with such rigour and with such knowledge of what a powerful thesis statement is.

It was also really nice to see people relying on the annotations of the essay question.

So you can really see how these two tasks link together.

So you annotate the essay question and then you start to create your thesis statement.

Now, I'd just like to show you Jacob's thesis for this question.

He's written, "Pinnock presents Enid as a character.

Her identity is impacted by many things, but mainly through her relationship with Del in Scene Eight." Now it's his first draught, but it does not meet the checklist yet.

He doesn't have an overarching argument of the entire essay and it's not supported by the entire text.

So I can't see his argument yet.

I'm not sure what he's going to be arguing in his essay.

And certainly it's not supported by the entire text.

That's okay.

It's his first draught.

So, he's been asked to redraft it so that it does meet the success criteria and this is what he wrote.

"Pinnock presents Enid's identity as linked to her sense of purpose as a mother.

In this way, Pinnock makes her audience consider the impact of intergenerational conflict on identity." Now, this does meet the checklist.

We've got his overarching argument to the entire essay because I know that he's going to explore Enid's identity and it's linked to her sense of purpose as a mother.

And I know that it's supported by the entire text because he's not just looking at pointing to scene eight anymore but actually this will be explored through the entire text 'cause he's looking at the theme of intergenerational conflict and its impact on identity.

So a really, really successful redraft there.

Now I'd like you to be like Jacob and assess your own thesis using the checklist.

Do you have an overarching argument of the entire essay? Is it supported by the entire text? And remember, you don't have to say yes to both of these questions first time.

An integral part of the writing process is editing your work and redrafting.

So don't be afraid to do that and don't think that that means your thesis statement has been unsuccessful.

It's just part of the writing process.

So pause the video and assess your own thesis using the checklist.

Pause the video now.

Beautiful to see people's self-assessment and I could see lots of people editing their work, sometimes scoring out sentences, reassessing their argument.

So really being like Jacob and holding themselves to high account.

In summary, essays are extended pieces of writing in which you establish and explain your own ideas.

Underlining keywords and annotating an essay question helps direct your thinking.

It's useful to connect keywords to plot points and themes.

Essays begin with a thesis.

And a thesis is an idea supported by the whole text.

It's been such a pleasure to annotate some essay questions with you to really understand what it means to sit down, look at an essay question, and start to explain your ideas.

I particularly enjoyed looking at the idea of thesis statements in relation to topic sentences and refining our ideas about what both of those things are.

I really look forward to seeing you next time.