Hello, it's Mrs. Butterworth here and I'm thrilled to be taking the lesson today.

So we are focusing on writing introductions and conclusions for a 'Small Island' essay.

However, hopefully this lesson will also help you to write introductions and conclusions for other text too.

So we'll look at some specific structures and also some specific sentence starters and phrases that can help you write really super introductions and conclusions.

So let's get started.

So by the end of the lesson, you can use a three part structure to create an effective introduction and conclusion.

Now let's look at those keywords that are going to help us with today's lesson.

They are overarching, thesis, timeless and universal.

Now, overarching is, if we're thinking about it with regards to an argument, it's where an argument encompasses all the main ideas or themes of a text.

So overarching suggests that something includes everything.

So a thesis is an overarching argument or the main idea in a response.

So your thesis is almost like a statement about what it is you are going to argue or what it is you are going to talk about.

And the word timeless, I love this word.

So timeless means that something does not change as a result of time or fashion.

So we could say something like: She had a timeless sense of style.

And if we're thinking about texts, we'd want to think about the timeless messages.

So those universal themes and ideas that they might have.

Which brings us onto our next word, universal.

So universal is an adjective used to describe a text, which regardless to a time period or circumstance, audiences can relate to.

So you can see how timeless and universal kind of work together.

So universal is if we're thinking about text, is the idea that the text has ideas that will reach lots of different members of the audience, it's universal, it's timeless.

So the outline of our lesson today looks like this.

We're gonna start with introductions and then the second part focuses on conclusions.

So let's start with our introductions.

So you're going to write an introduction and conclusion to this question today.

So we need to know what our question is in order to be able to do this.

So our question is how does Edmundson use the characters of Gilbert and of Hortense to explore the theme of hope in ''Small Island''? Now, Izzy has very kindly annotated the question for us.

So Izzy has picked out these key words.

So how? So how is all about exploring Edmnudson's dramatic methods.

But don't forget, you will also need to refer to Levy's ideas and concepts.

So we're thinking about how these writers explore these themes.

Izzy's also picked out Gilbert and Hortense because this is the focus for our question, those characters, that's our first focus.

And Izzy has also picked out the word hope because we know that this is our theme that we will explore in.

So our question focuses on those characters and that key theme.

And let's think about those introductions.

So an introduction can follow a three part structure which moves from the general to the specific.

So I like to think of it like a triangle.

So we've got our general at the top, moving down to the specific.

Now the general part of your instruction may be a sentence about the text as a whole.

Then we're going to move down, so we're moving towards a specific.

So this next sentence will be focused on the given theme or character.

So in terms of our question, we'll be thinking about Gilbert and Hortense and the theme of hope.

And then finally the specific is our thesis statement.

Now remember that key word thesis, and the thesis is all about establishing your argument.

So your thesis will say exactly what it is you are going to argue or talk about in your essay.

So now we're going to look at an example of a three part introduction.

So let's start with our general, our sentence about the text as a whole.

So the play ''Small Island'' is a profound exploration of the experiences of Caribbean migrants and colonial power.

So you can see that sentence could almost be used for any question really.

It's not specific to the question that we are looking at today.

So our general sentence at the start of our introduction is all about just the text as a whole and like it says, and generally the text as a whole, but then we need to start thinking about making it specific.

So through the characters of Hortense and Gilbert, Edmundson reveals the power of hope.

So we focused in on our characters from the question and the theme.

And then finally our thesis is: Arguably, Edmundson reveals how colonial ideologies exploit the hope and ambition of its subjects.

So you can see here how that thesis really sets up the argument.

So we know that in this essay, it's going to be looking at hope, Gilbert and Hortense, but it's also going to be looking at the exploitation and ambition of the characters too, alongside hope.

Okay, so let's see how much you remember.

Can you identify the sections of the three parts structure? You may want to pause the video to give yourself time to do this.

Off you go.

Okay, great.

So A is a sentence about the whole text.

So remember we're thinking about the text as a whole and in a general sense.

We start generally and then we move down.

And then we're thinking about a sentence, about the given theme or character.

And then finally, our very specific argument, our thesis statement, what it is we are going to be arguing or writing about in the essay.

So constructing your sentences, a top tip.

So now we've thought about the structure of our introductions.

We now need to think about how we construct those sentences.

So a top tip is using a complex sentence with a fronted subordinate clause is a useful way to introduce ideas in your sentence.

Now this sounds very complicated, but I promise you when you have a look in a moment, you'll see that it's actually very simple to do.

So a complex sentence, we could start with our fronted subordinate clause.

So this will be things like through the presentation of Gilbert, and then our main clause, Edmundson shows how hope is shattered by the promises of the 'Mother Country'.

So we can see that phrase through the presentation of, is a really useful way to introduce our ideas and construct our sentences.

Now please notice where the comma is.

So you'll notice that after that fronted subordinate clause, there is a comma and commas must be used to demarcate our subordinate clauses.

Okay? So always make sure that after your fronted subordinate clause, you've got that comma.

So should we look at another example? So through this theme, comma, Levy explores the work experiences of first generation Windrush migrants.

So you again, can see how those useful phrases can just help open up your sentences.

And another, like the character Hortense, Edmundson challenges the dominant voices of historical narratives.

So using these sentence structures really gives clarity to your sentences and helps you introduce those specific ideas.

So true or false time.

Using a complex sentence with a fronted subordinate clause is a good way to introduce ideas in a sentence, true or false? Yes.

Well done.

That's true.

Now justify your answer by picking A or B.

Great.

Yes.

An example of this is in the presentation of Hortense, comma, and then we could continue.

So that is our subordinate clause, and hopefully lots of you notice that little comma there to show us that it is a subordinate clause.

Okay, so Izzy has very kindly offered to share her work.

So let's just remind ourselves of the question.

How does Edmundson use the characters of Gilbert and Hortense to explore the theme of hope in ''Small Island''? So Izzy's instruction looks like this.

Edmundson's ''Small Island'" was first performed in 2019, which is historically important.

Hortense and Gilbert are central characters.

Arguably, they are the best examples of hope.

So this was Izzy's first draught.

Now here is the feedback she was given on that introduction.

So she's been told that the statements are too general and they don't link to the question.

And what she could think about doing is thinking about Hortense and Gilbert carefully.

So where it says Hortense and Gilbert are central characters, what else might it be useful to know about them in relation to the question? Because we know that they're central characters, but we need to know how this links to the question.

And then arguably they're the best examples of hope.

This is not yet a thesis.

It doesn't really tell us what the essay's going to be about, what Izzy's going to argue.

So she really needs to justify her idea more carefully.

So Izzy has actually produced a second draught of her introduction.

So let's read it now.

Edmundson 'Small Island' explores feelings of hope and its opposite: disappointment.

Through the ambitions of Hortense at Gilbert, Edmundson shows the power of hope.

Arguably, Edmundson connects these ambitions with the ideologies of colonial power and reveals the disappointment of reality for its subjects.

Wow, Izzy, what an improvement.

Isn't that fantastic? So what I want you to think about, reread that instruction by yourselves, and then I'd like you to discuss how has Izzy responded to her feedback? Pause the video.

So you can discuss that now.

Off you go.

Okay, great.

So lots of you noticed how much of an improvement that was and lots of you using this word specific and phrases like linked to question.

So I can see how you are starting to understand how this has been improved.

So that starting sentence is general, but she's made it relevant to the question.

So Edmundson's 'Small Island' explores feelings of hope and its opposite: disappointment.

So we've got that idea of hope in there.

And now she has developed that idea about Gilbert and Hortense.

So she's actually used a complex sentence with that fronted subordinate clause.

So through the ambitions of Hortense and Gilbert, Edmundson shows the power of hope.

So well done Izzy, in using that sentence structure.

And also what it's done, is it is a general statement about the characters, but it's relevant to the question.

And then the thesis is now arguably Edmundson connects these ambitions with the ideologies of colonial power and reveals the disappointment of reality for its subjects.

So this is a clear thesis and we can know that this could be developed into an essay.

We know that Izzy, yes, she's going to be addressing the theme of hope, but she's going to be specifically talking about ambition, colonial power, and disappointment alongside that too.

So we can see this thesis statement really opens up that essay for Izzy to talk about lots of things.

So let's look at A, B, and C.

Which one of these is the most effective thesis? So you'll need to pause the video so you've got time to read each of these thesis statements.

Off you go.

Great, well done to everyone that noticed it was C.

So let's read it together.

Levy uses the character of Hortense to explores the exploitation of colonial ideologies in presenting unrealistic expectations of migration.

So the other two thesis statements are just a little bit too general.

So if we look at A, an important theme in 'Small Island' is hope and Hortense and Gilbert portray this best.

That's true, but in a way that's kind of just reworded to the question.

It hasn't given us a specific stance on that question or a specific argument.

So it is just about really making sure those thesis statements are specific and really tell us what the argument is going to be.

So over to you.

So your first task is going to be to write your own introduction in answer to the question: How does Edmundson use the characters of Gilbert and Hortense to explore the theme of hope in 'Small Island'? So the structure is there for you to help you do this, but I will also give you some sentence starters to really help you get started to write these introductions.

So I will leave the sentence starters on the screen here.

These will help you.

Remember to follow that specific structure.

And we'll feed back our introductions in a minute.

So you'll need to pause the video, now.

Okay, great.

Well done everyone.

I know that writing an introduction can be quite tricky, but it's really good to start practising now.

I promise you it will get much, much easier and you will just remember the structure, you'll know your sentence starters, I promise it does get easier.

So I just want you to quickly look at your own instructions and just self-assess using the three part structure.

So just make sure that you've got that general statement about the text, which links to the question.

Check that you have got a general statement about Gilbert and/or Hortense which links to the question.

And then do you have that really lovely, specific thesis which is going to tell us what your essay is about? Remember the advice we gave Izzy on her introduction and use that to help you self-assess your own work now.

Okay, we have reached the second part of our lesson, which now we are going to be focusing on our conclusions.

So we've done our introductions.

Now let's look at how we conclude an essay.

So before we begin looking at the structure of our conclusions, I just want us to really think about this idea of things being timeless and universal, those key words in particular reference to our text, 'Small Island'.

So I want you to think about the themes that audiences can relate to and the most important relevant themes.

So in a moment moment, you're going to need to pause a video and discuss what themes might make 'Small Island' timeless and universal.

You'll need to pause a video to discuss or just quietly think about your ideas.

Pause video now.

Okay, fantastic.

Let's just quickly share some of those ideas.

So what themes, what are our timeless and universal themes? We have got migration, love, belonging, ambition, identity, education, growing up and hope.

What you may have noticed as well is that some of these themes link to texts that you may have already studied, which again gives us this idea that they're timeless and universal.

And as you go through studying other texts, you might see these themes start to appear again because they link across a lot of different texts, which makes them timeless and universal.

Now an effective conclusion, let's get back to our conclusions, will consider the timeless or universal nature of the text.

So why might 'Small Island' be considered timeless and universal? Can you pick please, A, B, C, or D? Off you go.

Fantastic.

Lots of you noticed that there are actually two answers there.

So many of its themes remain relevant and audiences relate to its characters.

Well done everyone.

So let's think about our structure.

So a conclusion actually is the opposite to an introduction.

So a conclusion will actually move from the specific to the general.

So we have a different triangle here.

So if you remember, our introductions are general to specific.

A conclusion is specific to general.

Now it starts off like this.

So a sentence to summarise what you have said will be linked to the thesis.

So this is our specific sentence in our conclusion.

We then move towards an evaluative comment linked to the writer's purpose.

And then we have our final sentence, which is a sentence about the impact of the text and what it gets us to think about.

And I love these sentences in essays.

I just think they can be really effective and they can just say so much, so I really love these sentences.

So let's look at an example of a three part conclusion.

So we start with our specific sentence to summarise what we have said.

So ultimately Edmundson shows the intrinsic link between ambition, hope, and the promises of the 'Mother Country'.

So if you remember from our introduction, we were talking about ambition and hope in our thesis statement.

Now we're referring back to it in our conclusion.

Now our evaluative comment, the effective, so that's our evaluative phrase, the effective characterization of Gilbert reveals this powerful ideology in the construction of his personal hope.

And then finally, that general sentence about how impactful the text is.

Therefore, Edmundson offers a timeless message about the power of hope, which indeed she does.

Okay, so can you identify the sections of the three part structure? You'll probably need to pause the video to give yourself time to label these correctly.

So pause the video now.

Okay, great.

Let's see how many you've got right? So A is our sentence to summarise what you have said linked to thesis.

Then we start to move out.

Then it's our evaluative comment linked to the writer's purpose.

So Edmundson has effectively or successfully.

And then that final impactful sentence about the impact of the text and what it gets us to think about.

So that idea about it being timeless, or universal, or powerful.

So let's think about constructing our sentences in the conclusion.

So here I have another top tip for you.

So we've thought about structure, we now need to think about writing it.

So using conclusive discourse markers is a really useful way to conclude your ideas.

It also signals to the reader that this is the conclusion.

So let's have a look.

So conclusive discourse markers include things like ultimately, undoubtedly, and in conclusion.

And let's just look at these and how they work in relation to our idea.

So we'll use ultimately first.

So our conclusive discourse marker is: Ultimately, Edmundson reveals the broken promises associated with the 'Mother Country'.

So you can hear how a conclusive discourse marker says to the reader, this is going to be one of our last points, ultimately.

And again, notice where the comma is.

So a comma demarcates the discourse marker.

So ultimately, comma, and then your idea.

Now let's look at undoubtedly.

Undoubtedly, comma, Levy's original interrogation of colonial power and hope is illuminated by Edmundson's dialogue.

So again, you can see how that discourse marker really signals to the reader, this is one of the final ideas.

So it's a lovely way to structure your essay.

And then our final one: In conclusion, Edmundson shows the intrinsic link between ambition, hope, and the promises of the 'Mother Country'.

So these are just a really effective way of arranging your ideas and just signalling to your reader, this is my conclusion.

Okay, now look at A, B, C, or D.

Which one of these is not a conclusive discourse marker? Yes, initially, well done to everyone who noticed it was initially.

Initially is a discourse marker, but it's not conclusive.

It would be to introduce an idea or to start an idea.

So Izzy again has very kindly given us her conclusion to look at.

So let's just remind ourselves of the question.

How does Edmundson use the characters of Gilbert and Hortense to explore the theme of hope in 'Small Island'? So let's read the conclusion together.

Undoubtedly, Edmundson shows the complicated relationship between hope and reality.

Edmundson cleverly uses Hortense to show the devastating impact of the broken promises of colonialism in contrast to the hope presented in the adoption of Queenie's baby.

Edmundson and Levy encouraged the audience to reflect on Britain's colonial past and the hope of a better future.

Wow, Izzy, isn't that fantastic? Okay.

So yeah, let's look at Izzy's really good feedback.

So she's got this specific response to the thesis.

So undoubtedly, Edmundson shows the complicated relationship between hope and reality.

So we can almost imagine that linking back to the thesis.

She's then offered an evaluative comment linked to writer's overall purpose.

So Edmundson cleverly uses, so that evaluative phrase there.

And then that final sentence, which as I said, is my favourite.

Edmundson and Levy encourage the audience to reflect on Britain's colonial past and the hope of a better future.

So it really explores what it gets us to think about as an audience, this idea of a better future and hope.

This is a really fantastic conclusion from Izzy there.

Thank you for sharing, Izzy.

So true or false, the final sentence of a conclusion should link to the thesis.

That is false and justify your answer picking A or B.

Yes, that's right.

The final sentence should comment on the impact of the play and what it gets us to think about.

So our second and final practise task.

So we are nearly at the end of the lesson, just one final push, let's keep going because I want you to write your conclusion for the question.

So let's remind ourselves of the question.

How does Edmundson use the characters of Gilbert and Hortense to explore the theme of hope in 'Small Island'? So you've got the structure there, we've looked at some examples and in a moment I will put some sentence starters on the screen to help you write this.

So I really look forward to seeing your conclusions.

Here are the sentence starters.

Pause the video and get ready to write your conclusions now.

Well done everyone.

Some really excellent conclusion writing there.

I think the conclusion might be the favourite part of my essay because I just love the idea of evaluating and coming up with why it is timeless and universal.

I just think it's almost like the creative part of the essay.

Okay, so now you're going to self-assess your conclusion using the three part structure to guide you.

And again, think about Izzy's response, her conclusion, and how we self-assess that.

So make sure you have a specific response to your thesis.

So you'll need to look back at your introduction to check this.

Have you focused on the writer's overall purpose and offered an evaluative comment? So have you said things like Edmundson effectively, Edmundson successfully, or cleverly? And then have you explored the impact of the text today? So maybe you've used words like 'Small Island's' timeless message or Edmundson reveals the universal idea that will help you do that.

So make sure you have a look through your conclusion and check that you have done all of those things.

So very well done.

We have completed our lesson on introduction and conclusions, so hopefully you have got some ideas of how to write an effective introduction and conclusion.

And again, like I said at the start, not just for a 'Small Island' essay, but any essays that you need or choose to write.

So let's remind ourselves of everything that we have learned.

An introduction and conclusion should follow a three part structure.

An excellent introduction should start with a general statement about the text.

An introduction should have a more specific statement about the focus of the question followed by a thesis.

A thesis statement should include a clear, overarching argument referring to the writer's purpose.

And then finally, our conclusions, they should summarise, evaluate, and consider the timeless nature of the text.

So again, thank you so much for joining me and well done for all your hard work and I will see you very soon, I am sure.

Goodbye.