English 30-1
The Personal Response
How to Start
O Read the Question first!
O Highlight key words from the question
O Look up these key words in the dictionary –
even if you THINK you know what they mean
O For example:
O Once you are familiar with what the words
means – look up synonyms and make a list
on your planning sheet
Try This One?
O What do these texts suggest about the role
adversity plays in shaping an individual’s
identity? Support your idea (s) with
reference to one or more of the texts
presented and to your previous knowledge
and/or experience.
Caution!
O Be careful!
O There are lots of words to choose from in
your thesaurus. But some you might not
know, and others might be a very poor
choice.
O For example, adversity is also synonymous
with ill-luck. But this word would be a poor
choice in the context of the question.
O Be careful what synonyms you use!
Go Back and Read
O Read each section very carefully!
O You should spend the same amount of time
reading, analyzing or looking at each text.
O The markers want you to read and REFLECT on
the selections.
O That means, you didn’t just read the texts – you
read them, and THOUGHT about them in the
context of the question.
O Sometimes there is one idea or symbol that is
found throughout all three texts.
Tackling the Poem
O Don’t let poetry scare you. Sometimes the
poem is the most accessible!
O Read the title carefully. Note: It’s The
Stricken Children not The Stricken Chicken
O Underline key phrases and words that deal
with adversity and shaping an identity
O Next to each stanza, write a few words
summarizing what the stanza is about.
The Short Story
O Read the information leading into the
excerpt. This might provide some important
information about the plot or theme.
O Read the excerpt carefully and again,
underline and words or sentences that
relate back to the idea of adversity and
shaping of identity.
O Summarize important paragraphs and look
at theme.
The visual
O Don’t just select the image because you
think it’s going to be the easiest. More often
than not, it’s not the easiest choice.
O Examine the image for the same length of
time it took you to read the short story.
O Write down the details you see and then try
to interpret these details within the context
of the question.
O What do you see in the image that relates
back to adversity and shaping an identity?
Answering the Question
O Before you start your response, be sure to read
the paragraph that summarizes the three texts.
Sometimes this will provide you with clues about
the themes of the texts.
O On your planning page, make a one statement
response to the question asked. This should be
your directing statement regardless of what form
you chose. .
O If the question has an “and” you need to talk
about both parts – if it has an “or” you only need
to talk about one
Too many choices?
O For a personal response, you have many
options.
However, if you do any of the following, you
could end up with an INS (INS = 0%)
(1) Write poetry instead of prose
(2) Don’t mention the texts
(3) Don’t answer the question
(4) Your response is too short
Planning Page
O On you planning page – write what text you
are referring to in your response.
Too many choices?
O You can:
O Write a critical essay (i.e. examine each text
in a paragraph)
O Write a personal essay (i.e. examine a text
and relate it back to your own personal life)
O Write a creative response (i.e. short story,
journal entry, memoir, etc.)
O Write a script
Best Practices when deciding to go
creative
O Don’t go too far away from your own
O
O
O
O
experiences.
Use your own knowledge to help build and
create a character.
For example, talk about a high school teenager
who faces adversity in high school and this
changes who she is today.
Don’t have a cliché ending
Unifying effect in a creative response is very
important
Too Many Choices?
O But remember…..
O Don’t do anything on the diploma that
you’ve never done before. For example, the
diploma is not the place you want to find out
if you’re good at writing scripts.
O Fantasy and Science Fiction writing can be a
huge risk.
O Don’t go with the first idea that comes to
mind – it’s probably the same first idea as
hundreds of other students.
Journals? Diaries? Scripts?
O Lots of students choose this form
(disadvantage)
O But if you decide to go this route, think
about: the developing character, dates, and
length of entries
O If you decide to write a script, you need to
include lighting, set, props and intro to your
characters.
Creative Approach
O The biggest risk with a creative approach is
that you might become so involved in your
creativity that you lose sight of the question.
O ALWAYS keep the question in mind.
O Always think of plausibility, motivation and
consistency of characters
Planning
O Planning is ESSENTIAL for the Personal
Response
O On your planning page, write what text you
are referring to and what the connection to
your personal response will be:
O For example:
Planning Page
O I am writing a short story and I’m going to
use the idea of the man trapped within the
prism in the untitled image to explore how
adversity can sometimes be such a
confining force that we are unable to move
towards our goals (therefore shapes our
identity). Like the character in the image,
my protagonist will be “numb” to the
adversity, until a significant event allows
that individual to break free and change.
Things to consider
O Lots of students choose the personal essay
(intro, analyze a text, personal story,
conclusion). Therefore it has to be really
good to move from the S to the Pf in “Ideas
and Impressions.”
O Responses that show ambiguity in reflection
of the text (s) and the question tend to be
the strongest.
Proofread
O Title?
O Spelling?
O Sentence Starters?
O Keep in mind that you can use personal
pronouns in a personal response
Last minute Thoughts
O You have 60 minutes! (absolute maximum)
O 10 - 15 minutes reading, analyzing and
planning
O 45-50 minutes to complete the writing
assignment