LEARNING GOAL

• To explore ways of improving your writing and exam

technique.

SUCCESS CRITERIA
• Work effectively in pairs, small groups and individually
• Identify the processes you personally need to go through in order
to answer your exam questions successfully
• Be proactive and contribute to discussion.

1
 A few quotations to get you thinking....

ll y o u do is
g i s e a sy. A t of
" W r i t i n k sh e e "Writing is only boring to
a r e a t a blan f b l o od
st drops o the people who are boring
r u n t i l e a d."
pape our f o r e h themselves." (Anon)
for m o n y
e n e F owler)
(G

"The ide
a
"Writing is the best way to talk people is to write it s
he o
without being interrupted." the brai ar it and it slid that
n e
(Jules Renard) heart." and goes strai s through
(Maya A g
ngelou) ht into the

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 Improving YOUR writing across
YOUR curriculum
1) Thank you for the questionnaire feedback!

2) The main issues raised by you as a year group were:

• Structuring an argument
• Planning answers
• Proofreading
• Writing in a sophisticated and mature style
• Identifying the key words in questions
• Understanding the key words in questions
• Spelling
• Coherency

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 Improving YOUR writing across
YOUR curriculum
What's going to happen about these issues?
1) You will cover some of these issues in this session today.
2) You will soon be given a booklet providing you with IMPORTANT information
about how to IMPROVE YOUR WRITING!
3) Your teachers have written subject specific advice sheets covering the
following:
• assessment objectives
• brief summary of exam
• example questions and definitions of key words
• key skills needed to answer exam questions successfully
• top tips
(Example on next slide!)

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5
 A test of your proofreading skills!

STORY TIME!
Read the story carefully and identify the mistakes.

How many did you find?

If you didn't find 18 mistakes look again! You should have!

6
 Check your use of homophones &
apostrophes

Keep tense consistent (unless it's for a particular effect)

You should write numbers in words, unless it's a HUGE number!

rds
t'!) wo
a lo O
is ' s TW
(as act i
f
In

Check spellings carefully. Learn key words for each subject.

Your improving writing booklet will recap how to avoid making these
mistakes so you will need to read it through very carefully!

7
 How am I going to approach my exam
questions?
(Write this title on a piece of paper and keep it safe!)

INDIVIDUALLY:
• Write down the steps you will take when faced with an exam
question.
• Obviously, different subjects will demand you to take different steps
so THINK...
Will you approach every exam question in the same way? WHY?
WHY NOT?
What types of exam questions will you be asked?
What kinds of skills are the examiners going to be assessing?

Now discuss with a partner (preferably someone who takes the

same/similar subjects). Go back to your list and make amendments.

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 How am I going to approach my
exam questions?
Possible suggestions (but obviously different subjects may require a different
approach so don't think these are the only things you have to do!):

1) Read the question at least twice

2) Underline the key words
3) Make sure you understand the key words and what the question is asking
4) Plan your response/ideas for discussion
5) Write coherently using sophisticated and mature language (NO TEXT
LANGUAGE!)
6) Use topic sentences ­ the examiner should be able to understand what
every paragraph is about as soon as they read the opening sentence.
7) As you're writing, keep re­reading the question. Are you answering it?
8) Ask yourself, 'Is every sentence taking my answer/argument one step
forward?' If not, you could be in danger of repeating yourself or waffling.
9) Use appropriate terminology and BE CAREFUL ­ ask yourself, 'Was that the
correct term?'
10) Leave time at the end to proofread carefully. Check: spelling, accuracy,
terminology used etc. Also ask yourself, 'Have I answered the question?'

If you have any other ideas please write them here:

9
 Connective words and phrases to aid cohesion
For longer written examples, you will probably need to demonstrate an
ability to construct an argument. Connectives and linking words and
phrases will help you do this successfully.

In the envelope provided you will find eight headings:

• Adding
• Cause and Effect TASK
• Sequencing • List the connectives under the appropriate
• Qualifying heading.
• Emphasising • Compare your list with the answers. If your
list was different, think about why this could
• Illustrating
be.
• Comparing
• Contrasting (You don't need to copy them down as they will be given to
you a bit later in your 'improving writing booklet')

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 Spellings!
In your improving writing booklet, I want to include a list of words that you
find difficult to spell. As a tutor group, please write KEY WORDS on this
slide. Don't worry if you really don't know how to spell the word, I'm sure I'll
be able to get the gist of what you mean! Also, please make sure these are
words that will help you with your studies rather than random words!

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"I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning,
and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again."
(Oscar Wilde)

Final points...

Your teachers know you all have specific strengths and weaknesses
when it comes to writing be they to do with planning, constructing an
argument, spellings, punctuation etc.

However, what we all want to stress is that you need to:

• THINK about HOW you approach and plan exam questions
• THINK about HOW you write your answer eg. choice of language, use
of connectives and linking phrases, spellings, punctuation, paragraphs ­
the list goes on.

As the above quotation shows, writing is not an easy, straightforward process!

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 A final quotation from one of my favourite authors!

"Nothing will work unless you do."

(Maya Angelou)

Remember this quotation in the run up to your

exams and GOOD LUCK!
If you have any questions, ask your subject
teachers or come and see me x

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 LEARNING GOAL
• To explore ways of improving your writing and exam
technique.

SUCCESS CRITERIA
• Work effectively in pairs, small groups and individually
• Identify the processes you personally need to go through in order
to answer your exam questions successfully
• Be proactive and contribute to discussion.

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