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Year 10
Edexcel

'After Dark': selecting evidence to support language analysis

I can use a range of meaningful and relevant evidence to support my language analysis.

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New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

'After Dark': selecting evidence to support language analysis

I can use a range of meaningful and relevant evidence to support my language analysis.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When looking for quotations useful for analysis, we need to ensure our evidence is relevant and meaningful.
  2. Meaningful evidence is language with powerful connotations that you can dig deeper into.
  3. We can make our language analysis more effective by linking evidence together to support our ideas.
  4. Actively search for patterns in language to strengthen your language analysis.

Common misconception

A response is successful if it includes relevant quotes.

We should aim high in our language analysis. That means going a step further to use the most meaningful evidence as well as looking for patterns in the text that help us gather a collection of evidence.

Keywords

  • Relevant - connected to what is being discussed

  • Meaningful - useful or important; communicating something that is not directly expressed

  • Connotations - an idea or feeling that a word evokes

  • Patterns - repeating of similar elements in a text

Model how you would go about looking for patterns in the text with a visualiser.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to the opening paragraph from Chapter 1 of 'After Dark' by Haruki Murakami for this lesson.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
When answering questions about texts, why is it important to use quotes?
Correct answer: to justify your ideas
to practice your creative writing
to practice your spellings
Q2.
What is true when using quotes from a text?
you must always quote full sentences from texts
the best quotes include literary techniques
Correct answer: you can quote words or phrase from a text
Q3.
What is one connotation of the word 'dagger'?
harmony
Correct answer: danger
a sharp object
Q4.
Which of the below is a simile?
Correct answer: The night descended like a velvet curtain.
Her laughter was sunlight.
Just as Jill went to pick the ball up, John beat her to it.
Q5.
What does sinister mean?
Correct answer: giving the impression something harmful will happen
something that is gloomy and upsetting
not letting a lot of light in
Q6.
What is an extended metaphor?
a metaphor that compares an object to two things
a metaphor that is at least three sentences long
Correct answer: a metaphor that spans multiple lines of a text

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
When looking for evidence in a text to support our answers, we must ensure the evidence we select is ...
from the first sentence of the text.
Correct answer: relevant.
Correct answer: meaningful.
longer than a single word.
Q2.
What should you do when you first encounter a question based on a fiction text?
go straight to writing your response
start underlining quotes you may use
Correct answer: annotate the question so you know what it is asking of you
Q3.
What is relevant evidence?
evidence that stands out to you
evidence that has powerful connotations
Correct answer: evidence that is linked to the focus of the question you have been asked
Q4.
What is the most important thing to consider when selecting meaningful evidence?
Correct answer: choose evidence with powerful connotations
choose evidence that includes sophisticated vocabulary
choose evidence with language techniques
Q5.
Which word below has the most powerful connotations?
gigantic
frightening
Correct answer: creature
Q6.
How can we make our use of evidence in a response more effective?
use the first piece of powerful evidence you come across
Correct answer: actively search for language patterns in the text
make sure we have at least four pieces of evidence per idea