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Copyright © 2003 FRET’s English Teaching Resources, Lesson Plans & Schemes of Work. www.englishteaching.co.uk + www.english-teaching.co.uk

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DISCURSIVE WRITING RESEARCH TECHNIQUES TALK TEACHER'S NOTES Aims:

To explore techniques and style associated with discursive essay writing To explore and generate ideas for research and to look in particular at written sources

and the internet To learn how to take notes To relate the activities of the unit to the purposes and requirements for standard

grade To study the model plan of a discursive essay To explore the style and content of an individual talk on the pupil's chosen topic To write a discursive essay, which may be used as a folio piece, using the techniques and

research skills discussed. The materials in the pack have been designed as a series of worksheets / handouts or proposed activities which students can work through. Differentiation Through pair / group and teacher support Teacher modelling Extension activities include: individual research, planning / writing the essay, and preparation for the talk. Tasks can be easily adapted for use at different levels.


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Contents 1. Note taking skills - 3 Activities and examples of texts By the end of this task, students should be able to make effective notes using mind mapping from a suitable text chosen by the teacher Differentiation The texts can be read by the teacher or the pupil. The texts should be chosen for the pupils' ability levels. 2. Research skills using books, articles, journals, magazines and newspapers - 6 Activities

and examples of sources. By the end of this task, the pupils should be able to evaluate a source, considering whether it is accurate, biased or balanced, relevant, reliable, supported by evidence and up to date. Differentiation Group work Teacher support 3. Research using IT - 4 activities By the end of this task, students should be able to recognise a search engine, brainstorm key words, understand how to narrow a search and research both sides of an argument using the Internet. Students will use their note taking skills. Note: Ideally, every pupil will have access to a computer in order to practice these skills. If this is not realistic, the teacher can model the techniques and print out examples from web sites. Differentiation Teacher support 4. Discursive essay writing - 5 activities, Essay Style Sheet and Writing Frame By the end of this task, pupils should have organised their argument, written an essay plan, discussed their ideas, recognised the stylistic features of a discursive essay and begun to write their own essay. Differentiation Group work Teacher support Writing frame Model Plan 5. Delivering a talk - 3 Activities By the end of this task, pupils should understand the differences between a good essay and a good talk, have become aware of audience, content and purpose and expression/delivery Differentiation Group discussion Teacher support


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Note taking skills Today we are going to consider the importance of taking notes and the

skills you will need to make effective notes on any subject.

The primary purpose of taking notes is to increase learning. It is bes

Method 1: Keywords

It is very time-consuming to write down everything that you see or hear. By writing down just

the most important points you will save time. Make sure that you write these down accurately

and IN YOUR OWN WORDS, using abbreviations if necessary. Writing your notes under

headings will make them easier to understand later.

Activity 1

Your teacher will give you a text and ask you to take notes on the important points in it. You

should refer to the hints above and try to use suitable headings and abbreviations.

YOU SHOULD SPEND NO LONGER THAN 10 MINUTES ON THIS EXERCISE.

When you are finished, compare the notes you have taken with a partner’s.

Method 2: Mind Maps

Mind maps are a kind of diagram similar to a tree. There is a subject in the

centre with different “branches” or strands leading to the information you have

gathered. Often a strand represents a different theme and will have more

branches leading from it. Your teacher will show you how to construct a mind map based on

yourself.

Activity 2

Using the same text as in Activity 1, construct a mind map to show the information you have

gathered. Again, compare your mind map with your partner’s.

Activity 3

Compare your mind map with the notes you took earlier. Did you find one easier/quicker than

the other? Why? Be prepared to explain your preference to your teacher.

Your teacher will now give you another text. Using either of the methods we have looked at

today, you should take notes on the important points in the text in order to practise your skills.

Write down why you think note-taking is an important skill and as many methods as you can of taking notes. What examples of notes can you think of from your everyday life?


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Research Skills

How do you find the information you need from books, articles in journals, magazines and newspapers, to begin research for a discursive essay?

Firstly, you must think about exactly what information you want from the source. E.g., if you want to know how many Scottish young people are homeless, a book about Scottish housing would not contain the specific information you need. You must keep in mind what EXACTLY it is that you want to find out about.

Look initially at the title of the book or article, the contents page and the index if they are present. Do they indicate that the information you are looking for is here? If so your next step is to skim-read the information to see if it is useful. If it seems to be, read over it again carefully.

When you are first presented with a written source of information about the topic how should you evaluate the source?

You should consider whether the information is:

accurate

biased or balanced

relevant

reliable

supported by evidence

up-to-date

Ask yourself:

When was the book or article written? Depending on the topic you are researching if it is several years old it may already be out of date.

Who produced the information? An expert in their field, a journalist writing for a quality newspaper, a well known organisation or public institution (eg. The Scottish Executive) tend to be the most reliable sources of information.

Does the author/writer refer to a known authority or expert who agrees with their point of view to support claims they make? Do they use statistics to back up their points?

Or does the source mainly contain the writer’s own opinions rather than facts?


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Evaluating Sources of Information

In your groups look at the following extracts and decide how useful each source is. Bear in mind the criteria for evaluating sources that we have discussed. You must use evidence to back up your decision.

EXTRACT 1: Is this a good source of information about the dangers of illegal drug use? If not, what it is it a source of information about?

Source: Cheshire Police, 2002

Amphetamine

Nicknames for Amphetamine include Whizz, Speed and Uppers.

Cannabis

Nicknames for Cannabis include: Dope, Weed, Wacky-Backy, Blow, Hash, Pot, Draw and Skunkweed; the cigarettes containing Cannabis are referred to as joints, spliffs, reefers and roach ends.

Cocaine and Crack

Cocaine Hydrochloride is known as Charlie and Crack Cocaine is known as Rocks.

Ecstasy

The nicknames for Ecstasy include E’s, New Yorkers, White Doves, Disco Burgers, Love Doves and Dennis the Menace.

Heroin

Heroin is also known as Smack, H and Brown.

Extract 2: Is this a good source of information about what teenagers think about young people using drugs?


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Source: Report by Children’s Express Observer, January 20, 2002

Thomas Kielty, 16, Belfast

“Teenage experimentation isn’t a new story, yet parents and others still over react. Parents need to chill out, spend more time talking to their children and less time losing their heads.”

Tessa Robins, 15, Sheffield

“Cannabis use is widespread among my peers. I’ve never smoked it but I wouldn’t rule out trying it in the future. I know some people my age experiment with class A drugs but I don’t think it is something I, or the majority of teenagers I know, would do.”

Tom Willshire, 17, Birmingham

“As for cannabis, a mate of mine makes a good point – getting stoned is less expensive than getting drunk.”

Jenny Roe-Stanton, 16, London

“It’s really up to young people themselves to decide what they want to do. At 16 you are old enough to get married or to pay taxes. So you should be able to make your own decisions on what you do in your spare time.”

Tom Fewings, 16, London

“My first response on hearing of Harry’s escapades was ‘and…?’. For my peers cannabis is a ‘fluffy’, harmless drug, yet it was this, rather than the alcohol, that caused concern. A drunk teenager is far more of a problem and far more likely to become an addict.”


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EXTRACT 3: Is this a good source of information about why young people use drugs? If not, what is it a good source of information about?

The British Crime Survey found the following results for drug use among a cross section of the population in 1998. Proportion of young adults who have used drugs in their lifetime, in the last year or in the last month

16-19 yrs 20-24 yrs 25-29yrs 30-39 yrs 40-59 yrs Ever used 49% 55% 45% 35% 17% Last year 31% 28% 19% 9% 3% Ever used 22% 17% 11% 4% 2% Source: Home Office, British Crime Survey 1998. EXTRACT 4: What is the following a source of information about? What makes it a good source? Information from the Scottish Crime Survey carried out in 1993 and 1996 shows that around one in four young men aged 16-19 and around one in five young women aged 16-19 had used drugs in the last twelve months. In 1996, for males aged 20-24 the proportion rises to over one in three (37%). Several recent surveys of school age children provide further evidence of drug misuse by sections of young people in Scotland. One survey carried out in 1998 by the Research Unit in Health and Behavioural Change (Health Behaviour in School Age Children: a WHO cross national study, HBSC) shows the range of drugs which have been reported as ever used by a sample of young people in year four of secondary school (Figure 2). It is clear that cannabis is the most frequently reported drug ever used among secondary 4 (S4) pupils in this study, with 42% reporting use. These findings are broadly consistent with the findings of other national surveys amongst children of school-age (e.g. those conducted by the Scottish Council for Research in Education, Fast Forward and the Alcohol and Health Research Group). The HBSC study also found that, of those S4 pupils who had ever tried drugs, around one in five (22%) had first tried drugs at twelve years or younger. This was supported by another study, carried out by the Centre for Drugs Misuse Research at the University of Glasgow, which found that one in ten children in year one of secondary school had reported having tried using illegal drugs. Reports of drug misuse from other European countries show that Scotland is not alone in this problem, other countries have similar rates of lifetime use of certain drugs.


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EXTRACT 5: What is this a source of information about? Is it a good source? 20 January 2002, Independent

Harry's friends are no strangers to drugs

Many within the young prince's closest circle have spent time in rehab

By Cole Moreton Of course Prince Harry experimented with cannabis. He would have felt left out otherwise. The young royal is the baby of a circle of royals and aristocrats who make the most of the temptations afforded to them by their wealth and privilege. Harry seems to prefer the local pub at Highgrove to the ultra-hip bars and clubs favoured by his older brother and the fast-living old Etonians he likes to hang out with but both he and his elder brother William have enjoyed exuberant holidays in Rock. The Cornish seaside village has become known as "Kensington-on-Sea" because of the "snob yobs" (as the local MP puts it) and girls who go there to surf all day and relax together at night. EXTRACT 6: What makes this a good source? What is it a source of information about? Source: The Observer, January 20, 2002 By Viv Evans, Head of Education and Prevention Unit, DrugScope ( The UK’s leading drug charity). The Drug Tests Don’t Work The approach signalled by Eton of testing their pupils for drug use and expelling any pupil testing positive is seriously misguided. Quite apart form the civil liberties angle, there is no evidence that drug testing is an effective intervention in stopping drug use. It certainly does not distinguish between someone who tries cannabis once and someone with a real drug problem. Drug testing, which is often inaccurate, demonstrates a lack of trust that will undermine any drug education programme at the school. Expelling pupils is likely to worsen any drug problem they may have.


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I n t e r n e t R e s e a r c h The Drug Debate

(A) In order to begin our research on the internet, we need to come up with some KEYWORDS that can help us find some relevant web sites.

First of all, consider the topic that we are researching. We will be looking for sites that relate to substances like drugs and alcohol.

We also need other words that relate to these topics. These will help us narrow our search.

Think about the age group we are focusing on (teenagers) and positive and negative aspects of drug use.

Remember, we need to research both sides of the debate, so we need to look at sites that contain arguments both for and against the use of drugs.

In groups, spend 5 minutes creating a list of suitable keywords.

(B) Please read the following instructions carefully before beginning your research on the internet.

1) After you have logged on, go to your search engine by typing in the address: www.google.co.uk

2) First of all, we are going to consider the argument against drug use. Remember the keywords we discussed earlier. Type in a combination of these words, such as: teenagers+drugs+abuse

You must use more than word at a time. If you try to search for only one of these keywords, you will find more matches than you can cope with.

3) Find three appropriate sites. Remember our work on note taking. From these sites, note down a few of the key points.

4) We now have to consider the other side of the argument. Think about the keywords we discussed which promote the use of drugs. Repeat the stages above to collect information to help you argue the other side of this issue.


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Discursive Writing In this kind of essay, you are required to give your ideas about or opinions on a subject in an organised way, using formal language You should have already decided on your topic, researched it and taken notes from various resources. At this point, you must decide exactly what your opinion is. For example, if your topic is underage drinking, you have to decide whether you think that it is acceptable or not. It is important that you have a clear idea of your argument, as this is the basis for your essay. When you are ready to start writing the essay, think about how you are going to structure it. It is important that your structure makes your argument MORE convincing - so think about which side of the argument you agree with and plan to give as much evidence as you can to prove that you are right and the other side is wrong!

ACTIVITY ONE GOOD IDEA: Before you start writing, create a mind map or table based on different opinions about your topic. For the mind map, start by writing the topic name in the middle of a blank page then draw two lines and note down each side of the argument. (See teacher's example)

ACTIVITY TWO Below is an example of an essay plan. With your teacher, decide on the question that your essay will answer. Use the blank writing frame to plan your own essay based on the topic you have researched.

ACTIVITY THREE Once you have filled out the writing frame, swap frames with a partner and explain to them exactly what your opinion is, and what information you will put in each paragraph. Remember that you are trying to inform and persuade someone that your opinion is the right one, this means that you have not only to prove that you are right, but prove that the other side of the argument is wrong!

ACTIVITY FOUR Read the 'Discursive essay style sheet'. Ask your teacher if there is anything you do not understand.

ACTIVITY FIVE Start writing your essay!

Ideas for more activities: Group discussion Individual talk Class debate


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Prince Harry was recently cautioned for underage drinking. What are the arguments for and against allowing young people to drink alcohol?

Introduction: Drinking alcohol under the age of 18 is a problem that has been on the news a lot recently. Many journalists have criticised parents for allowing their children to drink, but I think that it is less of a problem than they make it appear to be. There are many arguments for and against allowing young people under 18 to drink alcohol. Development: 1. Against For example: a) It is against the law. (evidence found on Internet site about what law actually is) b) It is unhealthy and damages your liver. (evidence from a newspaper report) c) Alcohol makes you do dangerous things. (evidence from TV news report) d) An underage drinker may move on to other substances like drugs.(evidence from newspaper) e) It is antisocial as young people often drink on the streets. (own opinion) 2. For For example: a) It is a personal choice. (own opinion) b) Everyone does it and most people do not get into trouble. (own opinion) c) It doesn't cause problems unless you drink too much. (Evidence from

newspaper report) d) Adults often buy or sell young people the alcohol. (Evidence from

newspaper report) Conclusion: I believe underage drinking is a problem because it is dangerous and against the law. A possible solution would be letting young people see the results of alcoholism, as Prince Charles did when he took Harry to a clinic. However, it is not as serious as the media makes it seem to be as most young people are responsible enough to be allowed alcohol.


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INTRODUCTION - write as though the reader has no knowledge of the topic. Explain what the essay is about and why you chose the subject. Refer to the question. Maybe there was something in the papers or on TV that makes it relevant? Explain that you will be looking at both FOR and AGAINST.

DEVELOPMENT - using your notes and mind map/table, pick out the evidence to support the arguments you have thought of.

ARGUMENTS FOR + EVIDENCE

ARGUMENTS AGAINST + EVIDENCE

CONCLUSION - sum up the argument using the main 'for and against' points, give your own opinion and answer the question.


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Discursive Essay Style Sheet Now that you have planned your essay and decided what your conclusion is going to be, you need to think about the way in which you will write the essay. To write a good discursive essay, you must structure it clearly and include evidence to back up your points. Do not forget the importance of spelling and paragraphing! While doing research for the essay, you will have come across many different types of writing and should have gained ideas on how to structure and set out an argument. Newspaper articles are especially good at showing you this skill. However, here are some points to remember once you start writing: • When you are using evidence to argue a point, make sure you quote accurately. For example, An article in the Scotsman newspaper suggests that some bar owners allow young people to buy alcohol. However, one owner said, "It is difficult to tell if young people are over 18." Do make the quote part of a sentence and not stuck out on its own. • Make sure that each paragraph deals clearly with one aspect of your chosen topic. Try to include a link sentence at the end of each paragraph so that your argument is easy to follow. If you are unsure of how to do this, ask your teacher. • Use formal language (no slang, abbreviations etc)

Helpful words and phrases On the one hand….on the other hand However Nevertheless Consequently This means that…. Therefore It is my opinion that…. In summary…. This is a contentious issue… In addition…


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Delivering a Talk A talk can, in many ways, be similar to a discursive essay. The main purpose of a talk is to persuade, influence or encourage your listeners to agree with you views, ideas and opinions. You are going to deliver a talk based on the discursive essay you have already written. Although you will already have much of your material prepared, there are several differences between a good essay and a good talk. The main things to remember when preparing a talk are audience, content, purpose and expression/delivery. 1. Audience When preparing your talk one of the most important things to consider is your audience. Simply reading your essay word for word from the page is not enough. • As you speak you should take account of the needs and reactions of your audience. Ask

yourself if you have explained your points carefully enough- do you need to rephrase something? If something you say makes your audience laugh/gasp/cry etc, you should pause to allow them to keep up with you.

• You should also make use of eye-contact, facial expressions and gesture so that your audience knows you are talking to them.

• Finally, you should be prepared to answer questions on your talk. This does not mean you have to know everything on the topic! A questioner will be far more satisfied if you acknowledge that you do not know but will find out as they have raised an interesting point than if you simply say, “I don’t know.”

In groups, discuss what you think these differences may be and why you think it is important to consider them.

Think about occasions when you have seen a talk or a speech e.g. TV news, political speeches, readings at assembly, etc.

What do you think makes a good talk/speech and what makes a bad one. Discuss this in your groups.


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2. CONTENT and PURPOSE Try to pick a topic that will provide you with plenty of interesting material and will be enjoyed by your audience. • It is important that the ideas you express are relevant and interesting and that you

are able to highlight what is important. • You should also support what you are saying with appropriate evidence/examples. • When you are speaking you must make sure that you link your ideas to each other and

always bear in mind the purpose of the talk so as not to spend time over irrelevant information.

3. EXPRESSION/DELIVERY Several factors are important when actually delivering your talk which can make a difference to your grade. • You need to be clear and audible (remember your audience!) as well as confident and

fluent. • Your pace is also important- if you rush then your audience may miss important points

that you make. • You should try to use a varied and accurate vocabulary and remember to change the

tone of your voice appropriately so that your talk does not sound dull! • Try to prepare notes to work from rather than reading your entire talk otherwise you

will bury your head in your own paper and nothing will be heard! As you can see, many of these points relate back to your audience. Always remember that you are not talking to yourself but to an audience of interested listeners! Now you should be ready to begin preparing your own talk. Good Luck!


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Appendix 1 13th January 2002, Scotland on Sunday Prince Charles forced his son Harry to attend a rehabilitation clinic after discovering that he was drinking and smoking cannabis, it was revealed last night.

The Prince of Wales sent the teenager to the clinic as a form of ‘short, sharp shock’ treatment to show him where his drug-taking and drinking might lead unless he reformed his wayward lifestyle. Harry was just 16 when he was forced to visit the Featherstone Lodge Rehabilitation Centre in the deprived district of Peckham, south London, where he met heroin and cocaine addicts. The prince is said to have been introduced to drinking and cannabis smoking by a group of older youths he befriended at a pub close to Prince Charles’ country home at Highgrove. But when a furious Charles learned of the drug misuse going on at parties in his own home he took the immediate decision to arrange a salutary visit to the clinic. It has also emerged that the prince, who is now 17, was a regular drinker at the Rattlebone Inn, near Highgrove. A particularly boisterous drinking session at the Wiltshire pub involving Prince Harry led to a police investigation into late-night drinking on the premises. In January last year, it is alleged Prince Harry took part in a mock fight with two friends during an after-hours pool-playing session. It has been claimed that the Royal, who is third in line to the throne, called a French member of staff a “f***ing frog”, after he was told to leave. The pub’s new landlady last night said she had never heard of the employee but earlier confirmed Prince Harry had been barred. Concerns about possible breaches of licensing laws were raised by the prince’s royal protection officers and passed to local police. Prince Harry was banned from the premises and the landlord, David Baker, left the pub within weeks of the incident in January last year. Emma Carter-Williams, the pub’s landlady, said: “Everyone knows prince Harry’s barred but I don’t want to talk about it. He’s not the only one.” Last night a spokesman for St James’s Palace said: “This is a serious matter which was resolved within the family, and is now in the past and closed.” Downing Street declined to comment. Prince Charles is said to have been keen that the matter should be brought to the attention of the public so that lessons could be learned from his son’s behaviour. He told aides: “There is no point in hiding the truth. These are the facts – let people make their own judgement.” Prince Harry has been left to his own devices at Highgrove while his brother Prince William was abroad on his gap year in South America and Prince Charles was working.


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The Prince of Wales, who is deeply concerned about his youngest son’s behaviour during school holidays, has spoken to Prince Harry’s Eton housemaster. Sir John Stevens, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, is said to have been kept informed of the sensitive police inquiry into the incident. A Scotland Yard spokesman said last night: “Our protection officers have not made any reports of security concerns and security has not been compromised.” Last week Prince William caused controversy when he swore at a photographer and forced him into a ditch as he returned from a hunting trip. He was accused of telling the freelance photographer to: “f***ing piss off”. Prince Charles found himself embroiled in a row in his youth after visiting a pub when he was just 14. During a school trip to Stornoway, he ordered a cherry brandy in a local pub. Prince Charles has since said the words cherry brandy make him “wince”. The incident attracted international attention, and the teenage Royal was smuggled back to school on the floor of a car.


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Appendix 2 14th January 2002 The Scotsman Prince Harry is rebelling because he has little or no parental guidance to keep him in check and plenty to rebel against, according to psychologist Agnes Steven.

Ms Steven believes that the attention lavished on his elder brother has left Prince Harry in a difficult position, similar to that in which Princess Margaret found herself when it became clear that her sister Elizabeth would ascend to the throne. “It is similar to the Queen and Princess Margaret; she was the one who was always up to everything. Similarly, William is the one who is looked at as the leader but Harry does not have that role and he never will unless something happens to his brother. He is going to want to try drugs, not because there is peer pressure, but because he is expected to do it” She said his position was further complicated by the breakdown of his parents’ marriage and the death of his mother. “Prince Harry can have what he wants,” she said. “He is in a very honoured position but he has had a very sad life. He is not different from any other child from a broken home. “This boy is going to feel it like anybody else and to be honest, what example has he got to go on? He doesn’t exactly have somebody up there on a pedestal. The person who did give him some rules and regulations was his mother, and she’s no longer here.” Ms Steven said the loss of his mother would have had a profound effect on Prince Harry. “This could be the loneliness coming out in him, the effect of losing his mother. Maybe this is the only way he can get his feelings out. Sometimes it takes its time to come out. “I think he’s going through what everybody goes through at his age. He is just the same as any teenager wanting to be accepted and to be like everybody else. The difficulty is that he doesn’t have his mum to sit and talk to.” She pointed out that Prince Harry’s behaviour was not dissimilar from other children from wealthy and privileged backgrounds. “Children who have everything, who have any amount of money, who are boarded out, they don’t have the same principles as ourselves. They are taught to go out and get whatever they want in life. And what is the quickest thing to give yourself a lift? Drink and drugs. It highlights itself more among those with money because they can afford to buy drink and drugs.” She also questioned whether Prince Charles had chosen to take his son along to a rehabilitation centre to avoid talking to him directly about his problems. “Obviously Prince Charles had his own reasons for taking Prince Harry along to the rehab centre, he obviously feels he is going off the rails,” she said. It must be terrible to be in his position, because how much can he really talk to his father? When a young man goes out into the outside world, he becomes aware that his mother is not there. The fact that Prince Charles is not around so much will have an effect on him.”

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