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Year 11
Edexcel

'A Christmas Carol': conceptualised responses

I can write a convincing conceptual response, assess it and improve it.

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New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

'A Christmas Carol': conceptualised responses

I can write a convincing conceptual response, assess it and improve it.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When given a question that asks you ‘how’ something is done, your primary aim is to examine the writer’s use of methods.
  2. You should always link your ideas back to the question focus and explain how your ideas support your argument.
  3. Your analysis should be explorative - you should explain the effects of the writer’s methods - not just identify them.
  4. Your essay should be precise and specific.
  5. Using subject terminology and key vocabulary can help make your writing clearer and more specific.

Common misconception

Students think they should present lots of different ideas in an essay.

Whilst you should present lots of different knowledge, the knowledge should all form part of the same idea or argument.

Keywords

  • Conceptualised - A conceptualised essay has an ideas-based argument that informs each paragraph or section.

  • To evaluate - To evaluate something means to weigh up its success against its key purpose and aims.

  • Social responsibility - Somebody who believes in social responsibility invests in their community and supports those in need.

  • Subject terminology - Subject terminology is related to words that are specifically relevant to the study of English. For example 'simile' or 'personification'.

For learning cycle 2, you could substitute Izzy's response for a student's response if you have an inclusive and supportive classroom environment. This is only advisable if you have a strong and supportive relationship with your students.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the 'argument' in your essay?
the quotations you have chosen to use
Correct answer: the main idea in your essay
the key characters and moments in the essay
the context you link to your analysis
Q2.
Which of the following is NOT a feature of a good essay?
interwoven analysis of language, form and structure
integrated context
an introduction with an interesting, critical thesis
Correct answer: a conclusion that introduces a new idea
a consistent argument
Q3.
How should quotations be presented in essays?
Correct answer: introduced with a bit of context about where they are from
not introduced - the reader should know where in the text the quotation is from
Correct answer: embedded within the sentence
not embedded - introduced with 'Dickens writes'
Q4.
What are connotations?
information about a writer or their time period
ideas we form about a text
Correct answer: images or ideas that a certain word evokes
a summary of one's main argument
Q5.
Which of the following might be examples of subject terminology?
Correct answer: character
selfish
Malthusian
Correct answer: simile
Dickens
Q6.
Which of the following is an example of an embedded quotation?
Correct answer: The girl's long and blonde hair was "flowing in the wind."
The writer states: "he had always been angry for as long as he could remember."
The novella opens with the phrase: "Marley was dead; to begin with."
Correct answer: The novella's concluding statement that 'peace had finally been restored...'
Life was always hard for Jessica. We know that: "Jessica had struggled."

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following question words explicitly asks you to focus keenly on the writer's methods?
what
when
Correct answer: how
why
Q2.
What can subject terminology help with in your essay? Choose the most appropriate response.
showing your knowledge of the text
giving a holistic view of the text
Correct answer: being very specific and precise
introduce context meaningfully
Q3.
After every idea you discuss in an analytical essay, what do you need to do?
give a personal response
Correct answer: link back to the question
give context about the writer or the period in which they were writing
give a counter argument to show you are presenting a balanced viewpoint
Q4.
Which of these best describes a conceptual response?
Correct answer: applies the same appraoch or idea to each paragraph
discusses every section of the text
takes into consideration multiple characters
focuses predominantly on the context of the text
Q5.
Complete the sentence: Your analysis should be explorative and clear - you should explain the of the writer’s methods - not just identify them.
Correct Answer: effects, Effect, impact
Q6.
Which of the following ideas would you not include in a conceptualised response to the question: 'In 'A Christmas Carol', how does Dickens present Scrooge?'
Scrooge as a miser in Stave 1
Scrooge's fear of poverty and how this informs his behaviour
Correct answer: Fred as the antithesis of Scrooge
Scrooge's metamorphosis in Stave 5
Scrooge learns to empathise with himself and others in Staves 3 and 4