Reading a text a couple of times gives you a nice overview, but to produce a high-scoring response on a text (single or comparative), you need to be able to pull all the threads of the text(s) together to create something that really shows off your knowledge and insight. And the reason for this is simple – smart retention. Oh yes, a third reading (at least!) is needed. The third read – DOING SOMETHING WITH YOUR NOTES If you chop and change, life gets a whole lot more stressful than it needs to be. TIP: What if, I hear you say, the character says something that is a key quote? Then use either the highlighter for character OR the highlighter for key quotes – but be consistent throughout. The Insight Text Guides and Insight Comparisons are a great place to start! TIP: If you’re not sure about what the themes are, then I’d suggest you consult the excellent array of supplementary resource material available to you. KEY QUOTES: This is where you’ll nab the best written or spoken soundbites to back up the character/theme ideas you’ve identified – highlight these in your brightest colour.THEME: If there is an example of a key theme, such as revenge or memory, do the same with your chosen colour for this element.CHARACTER: If a character does something that you think is interesting/unusual/pivotal, run your first colour over it.(DON’T highlight the whole paragraph/page – this defeats the purpose of singling out significant aspects of the text!) characters, themes and key quotes) in different colours. In this second read, highlight specific elements of the text (i.e. These will be the metaphorical swords that you will use to slay the dragon-like comparative task. When you come to re-read the text, you need to have your weapons of choice at hand – I would suggest highlighters and sticky notes. Time is precious, so just re-reading the text and doing nothing with it is, to appropriate a quote from Baz Luhrmann, ‘as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum’. This second read is all about looking at how you can separate the text into useable parts. You could use note-taking programs such as Evernote or Google Docs (or even just a pen and paper) to keep track of your thoughts and ideas, but whichever method you choose, remember to note down page numbers – this will make things much easier when the time comes to revise! TIP: During your first read-through, you should make note of any key characters, themes or quotes that jump out at you you will examine these moments in more detail in subsequent readings of the text. The purpose of the first read is to get the gist of the story, where it’s set and who it’s about. While there are many great resources out there that support your textual study, there is no replacement for actually reading the set text. This means that you should be reading for general understanding, rather than looking to analyse in any great detail. The first read – LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTUREįirst, you need to read the text quickly. Having embarked on Unit 4, are you looking at your pairings of texts, searching for ways to read them well but not sure how? Here are a few ideas to help you! This week, Insight writer and English teacher Kylie Nealon explains how to read your texts thoroughly, so that you are prepared to produce your best text analysis.
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