Y10 English: Autumn 2
"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
What is my child doing in English this half-term?
We would appreciate any help you could offer in ensuring that they were familiar with the plot, key themes and characters within this text, as well as the terminology and exam information detailed below. You may also wish to use some of the activities outlined below to help develop their understanding of this text.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about the work your child is doing this half-term in English, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at school.
Amanda Lawson, Head of English
Examination Questions
In Section A students will respond to the Shakespeare play, Macbeth. They will be required to write in detail about an extract from the play and then to write about the play as a whole. They will have 1 hour to complete Section A.
In section B, students will respond to the 19th century novel, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. They will be required to write in depth about an extract from the novel and then to write about the novel as a whole. They will have 45 minutes to complete Section B.
Key Vocabulary
Adverb: a word that adds to the meaning of a verb, adjective or other adverb
Allegory: a story, poem or painting in which the apparent meaning of the characters and events is used to symbolise a deeper moral or spiritual meaning
Characterise: to describe features that are unique or distinctive
Characters: people in a story; even when based on real people, characters in a novel are invented or fictionalised
Connotations: things or ideas suggested by a word
Context: the historical circumstances of a piece of writing, which affect what an author wrote and the way they wrote it
Contrast: the way in which two or more things are different from one another
Dialogue: a conversation between two or more people in a piece of writing
Dramatic irony: when the reader or audience knows something that a character in a novel does not
Genre: the kind or type of literature to which a text belongs; stories within a particular genre will have similar characteristics
Imagery: language intended to conjure up a vivid picture in the reader's mind
Metaphor: a type of comparison that describes one thing as if it was another
Narrator: the character in a novel who tells the story
Novella: a literary term for a work that is too long to be a short story, but shorter than a conventional novel
Personification: a type of metaphor that gives human qualities to inanimate objects
Preface: an introduction or explanation written by the author at the start of a book
Simile: a comparison between two things that uses the words 'as' or 'like'
Symbol: an object used to represent something else
Theme: an idea that a writer keeps returning to, exploring it from different perspectives
Tone: the mood or attitude that a writer conveys in the story
Assessment Objectives
Assessment Objective 1:
Read, understand and respond to texts. Students should be able to:
- maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response
- use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations
Assessment Objective 2:
Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate
Assessment Objective 3:
Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written
Assessment Objective 4:
Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation
How can I help my child?
Activities to try at home....
2. Get your child to produce revision cards about what they know about the following characters:
- Ebenezer Scrooge
- Bob Cratchit
- Tiny Tim
- Jacob Marley
- The Ghost of Christmas Past
- The Ghost of Christmas Present
- The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come
3. Buy the revision guide below to support their knowledge of the text and the key themes and ideas explored within it.
CGP GCSE English A Christmas Carol: The Text Guide £5.95
ISBN-13: 978-1782943099
4. Encourage students to visit the website below to test their understanding of the text.