English Department Year 8
The following is an outline of the programme of study for your daughter in her second year.
The scheme of work covers all the Key Objectives for Year 8 as described by the National Curriculum and by the framework for the National Literacy Strategy. The English Department follows the lesson structure recommended by the National Literacy Strategy.
Your daughter will study up to 5 units of work during the course of the academic year; the order they are completed will be determined by the class teacher. The National Literacy Strategy will be addressed throughout all units of work:
Study of Literary Texts: Modern Prose: pupils will learn to appreciate how writers’ language choices affect meanings. A particular focus will be given to the importance of setting in a novel or short stories.
Poetry: Pupils will read and study a range of poetry written in different forms. They will learn how the writer’s choice of form affects meaning. They will also write their own poems in a range of forms.
Autobiography: Pupils will read a range of autobiographical pieces as an aid to improve their own writing. They will learn how to craft and structure a piece of personal writing for maximum effect. They will also be introduced to writing from different cultures.
Modern Drama: Pupils will read a modern play and learn to appreciate the conventions of drama. There is also an opportunity for some practical drama work to be assessed in this unit for Speaking and Listening.
‘Twelfth Night’: Pupils will learn to appreciate features of Shakespearian drama. There will be particular emphasis on how Shakespeare conveys relationships.
Animation: Pupils will learn about the history and principles of animation. They will use media specific vocabulary to explore the narrative structure of and character in an animation text.
Discursive writing: Pupils will learn how to marshal an argument and structure a discursive essay. They will practise discussion and debating skills. The issues used may link to the prose text studied.
Writing to Imagine/Explore/Entertain: Pupils will read a range of pre 1914 Gothic Literature in preparation for their own writing OR
Writing to Analyse/Comment/Review: Pupils will read a range of magazines identifying audience, purpose and language. They will learn how to apply these conventions in their own writing.
Your daughter will be given regular homework, which may include: writing, reading, preparation, research for a task in progress. Pupils may use ICT for homework tasks and the Internet can be useful providing information is selected rather than used indiscriminately. Reading lists will be provided to encourage your daughter to read widely.
At the end of each unit, your daughter will be given a specific task to complete, which may span a few homework sessions. This piece will be formally assessed and a National Curriculum level will be awarded. This assessment will be filed in a progress folder and retained in school until the end of Key Stage 3, which occurs at the end of year 9. House examinations are also used for assessment.
Please encourage your daughter to use a dictionary and thesaurus to support her homework. We welcome parental help with learning spellings and grammar. We encourage pupils to take pride in their written work and appreciate your support in providing an appropriate place for your daughter to complete homework.
Our aim is that your daughter will enjoy English, contribute fully in the classroom and develop independence as a reader and writer.