essay strategy
TRANSCRIPT
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T.A.K.O. & S.E.X.Y
How to write a Response
to Text essay so that you
score a bullseye' every
time.
By Elise Macadam
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Whats it all about?
Youll be learning a new trick or strategy
this strategy has been proven to improve thewriting of students of all abilities.
We will learn the strategy and apply it in
our own essays.
Tell me what you think of the strategy, and if
it could be improved.
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Step One - the writing purpose
What is a response to textessay?
A response to text essay is an essay whereyou write about a particular aspect of a text
that you have studied and show your
knowledge and understanding of this aspect
and why it is important or interesting.
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Its really all about YOU
In pairs answer these questions:
Have you done this type of essay before? How did you go?
What do you remember about this type of
essay?
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Group Feedback
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Link to prior knowledge
What do you know about other types of
writing that may link to this type of writing? How is creative writing similar or different to
writing a response to text essay?
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A good response to text essay has:
a clear introduction that lets the reader know what text
you are writing about and how you are going to address
the topic/question in your essay.
focuses on the one aspect that the question/topic is
asking you to write about
makes three points about this aspect
contains specific details, quotes or references from the
text to support each point
makes clear statements explaining how each
point/example links back to the topic and addresses the
question
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What is the purpose of the essay skill ?
I have done the first one for you brainstorm a few more.
need it for exams
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T.A.K.O. (Take out)
T.A.K.O. This acronym instructs you to
provide this information in the introduction:Title (MUST be underlined), Author, Key
words from question, Outline of points/ideas
If you can think of a better (easier to
remember) mnemonic for yourself then useit.
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Step Two -TAKO
Example of a response to text essay
introduction In the novelHatchet by Gary Paulsen an
important character is Brian. Brian is
important because he develops the key ideas
in the book of courage and perseverance.
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Highlight the TAKO information you
notice is given in this paragraph
An interesting character in Gary Paulsens
novel, Hatchet, is Brian. Brian is interestingbecause of the ways in which he changes
from the beginning of the novel to the end.
By the end of the book he has changed from
an average city boy with no outdoors skillsinto someone who has learned how to
survive in the woods.
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S.E.X.Y what does each letter stand for?
This is a mnemonic forthe parts that make up agood paragraph in a response to text essay.
S: the Statement at the start of the paragraph thatsays what point/idea this paragraph is making,focusing on.
E: the Explanation that explains how this statementis relevant to the text and/or question.
X: the eXample(s) from the text that support(s) yourstatement and develop(s) your point. Y: explain whY this example/point is relevant to the
question/topic.
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Underline SEXY in different colours to
show its use in this example paragraph.
One reason why Brian is important is because he shows
us the key idea of perseverance. Brian had to learn
many new things that took him many attempts to getright. An example of when he had to show perseverance
was when he tried to start a fire and it took him many
attempts to get it to work. To begin with he didnt know
what to do but when he realised a rock he foundproduced sparks when it was struck he tried and tried
again until he got a fire going. This was important
because if Brian had not persevered in trying to light a
fire then he would not have been able to keep warm at
night or to cook the meat he needed to eat to survive.
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Now copy this paragraph into your book.Use colour or labels to show where theStatement, Explanation, eXample, explainwhY sentences are.
One reason why Brian is important is because he shows
us the key idea of perseverance. Brian had to learn
many new things that took him many attempts to getright. An example of when he had to show perseverance
was when he tried to start a fire and it took him many
attempts to get it to work. To begin with he didnt know
what to do but when he realised a rock he foundproduced sparks when it was struck he tried and tried
again until he got a fire going. This was important
because if Brian had not persevered in trying to light a
fire then he would not have been able to keep warm at
night or to cook the meat he needed to eat to survive.
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Another example using poetry
Question: Describe at least three
language techniques that a poet has usedin a poem (or poems) that you have
studied in class and explain how they
were effective.
Open the poetry booklet and read SeaFever by John Masefield.
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Sea Feverby J ohn Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tideIs a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whettedknife;And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
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What mnemonic does this follow?
In the poem Sea Fever by John Masefield,
there are three language techniques whichare used to great effect. The use of rhythm
reinforces the topic of the poem, rhyme
makes it memorable and personification
creates unforgettable and unusual images.This essay will explore the use of these
techniques in this poem.
Copy this down in your book.
TAKO
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What mnemonic does this follow?
Rhythm is a technique that the poet uses in every
line of the poem. The reader can almost feel andhear the ship moving before the wind. the
wheels kick and the winds song and the white
sails shaking is an example of this strong
rhythm running through this poem. The poembecomes more enjoyable to recite because of its
rhythm; after its been read a few times it seems
stuck in ones head.
Copy this down in your book. Write the next 2 paragraphs.
SEXY
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What paragraph does this sound like?
An examination of Language features in Sea Fever
is important because when rhythm and rhyme are
used in the poem, they intensify the experience ofreading the poem. These features contribute a level
of meaning which goes beyond the meaning of the
words alone. I now understand that Language
Features like rhythm and rhyme infuse poems withseveral layers of meaning and add richness and
depth to the poem.
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YES! Its a conclusion.
Conclude the essay by writing about why you care aboutthe topic (even if you dont you have to pretend you do! )
Use this sentence as a starter in your conclusion if youare stuck. An examination of these (name what youressay has examined) is important because .(state whyyou think it is important).
The conclusion refers to key words used in the body ofthe essay. In my example essay, key words wererhythm and rhyme, so the conclusion sentences remindthe reader of the discussion that you presented. DONOT INTRODUCE ANY NEW INFORMATION INTO THECONCLUSION.
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Getting started a 5 paragraph
response to text essay
Introduction Paragraph 1
Using . say what your essay is about.
You should use some of the wording used in
the question, and outline three
points/techniques/ideas (in your planning,identify the examples of each of these that
you will use).
TAKO
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Paragraph 2
Use the .. Mnemonic.
Take the first of the points in the introduction(paragraph 1). State it again, explain it more
fully and give examples/quotes (Ideally 2
examples/quotes).
There should be 3 to 5 sentences.
SEXY
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Paragraph 3
Use the .. Mnemonic.
Take the second of the points in the introduction(paragraph 1). State it again, explain it more fully
and give examples/quotes (Ideally 2
examples/quotes).
There should be 3 to 5 sentences.
SEXY
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Paragraph 4
Use the .. Mnemonic.
Take the third of the points in the introduction(paragraph 1). State it again, explain it more
fully and give examples/quotes (Ideally 2
examples/quotes).
There should be 3 to 5 sentences.
SEXY
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Conclusion - Paragraph 5
How is the conclusion written?
Look back at the question, read your first paragraph
again and refer to the same three ideas NOTHING
NEW!
State again the question or topic, wording it
differently, but similar in content to the introduction.
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First well select an essay topic and
write an exemplar essay
Then well use the graphic organiser chart
on the page after the essay topics to help
us to plan the essay.
Refer to all the notes about characters that
we made on The Boy in the Striped
Pyjamas
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Essay Titles 250 words
Choose a character who changes during your
text. Describe him/her at the beginning and atthe end of the text and explain how the changes
came about.
Describe a relationship and explain how and why
it changed.
Describe a setting and the effect it had on the
story.
Briefly describe the opening scene of your textand explain how effective it is.
Explain the most important idea and explain what
you thought about it.
Describe a relationship
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maid in Brunos
wealthy household
helps him to pack,
unpack - tidies his room
subservient - p1:always
kept her head down.
P57: just got on with
the job no sign of life
p17: Bruno always
liked her and felt as if
she was one of the
family.
Bruno sought heradvice P135
P187: realises that he
had become much
more friendly with her
after going to Berlin
p17: always
considered her one of
the family
p60: but never fully
considered her to have
a life until she opened
up about what Father
had done for her
their strengthening
relationship helped him
feel more at home at
Out-With p187.
Describe a relationshipand explain how and whyit changed.The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
John Boyne Maria/Bruno They become friendlier
Bruno realises she is a real person
Relationship - Maria
& Bruno
How - Maria and Bruno
become friendlier
Why - Bruno realises
she is a real person
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In the novel, The Boy in the Striped
Pyjamas by John Boyne, Maria and Bruno
have an interesting relationship that
changes as the story develops. Bruno is
the son of a German Commandant and
Maria is the maid in this household. As thestory unfolds Maria and Bruno become
friendlieras Bruno realises she is a real
person.
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The relationship between Bruno and Maria wasone of a maid to the son of a wealthy
Commandant. Bruno respected Maria, as hismother told him to, and he always got on wellwith her as indicated when he says that, hehad always liked Maria and felt as if she was
one of the family. Maria was a hard workingsubservient maid, who always kept her headbowed and never looked up from the carpet.
Marias job was to sort and tidy Brunos roomand Bruno really thought nothing more of her,than her being a maid because, she had nevershown any particular signs of life before. She
just got on with her job.
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The relationship began to change as
Bruno began to question what was going
on at Out-With and what his father wasdoing. He began to turn to Maria for
advice. On more than one occasion he
asked her what she thought about Out-With. For example, Bruno says, Maria
can I ask you a question? Because she
seemed like the perfect person. Later onin the story after a return visit to Berlin he
realised that, hed become much friendlier
with Maria than he had ever been back in
Berlin.
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This change came about because Bruno
began to realise that Maria was a real
person. Although he had alwaysconsidered her one of the family, he had
never fully considered her to have a life
until she opened up to him about whatFather had done for her and her family. It
was this strengthening relationship that
made him realise that hed grown used tolife at Out-With, and he was now happier
there than he would have been in Berlin.
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These examples show how therelationship between Bruno and Maria
developed. In Bruno's eyes she changedfrom being just the familys maid to being aperson who had feelings and thoughts andsomeone he could talk to. This changehappened because he no longer treatedher as just the maid. Over time this helpedBruno to feel more settled at his new
house.
411 words
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Its your turn to write on your own now!
Heres another essay
question from the list that the
previous question came
from.
Choose a character who
changes during your text.Describe him/her at the
beginning and at the end
of the text and explain how
the changes came about.
Choose a character who
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
changes during yourtext. Describe him/herat the beginning and theend of the text andexplain how the changes
came about.
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
by John Boyne - Father career orientated, in
command and well respected - disliked, desolate -
was responsible for the death of his son.
Beginning - career orientated,
in command and well
respected
End - disliked,
merciless desolate
How - responsible for the
death of his son.
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Acknowledgements
Mrs Halkyard literacy specialist teacher
Shawn Hawthorne NZATE conferencepresentation 2008