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Unpacking the English B HL paper 1 tasks


How to help students to identify the the right text format and plan their paper 1 text?

Students often struggle with choosing the right text type and identifying the key factors in criterion C- conceptual understanding- context, audience and purpose. Here are two activities that might help your students unpack the task effectively:

A sample task could be unpacked as follows:











Then, you could ask them to analyse the task in more detail, for example using such table (courtesy of Camille Gautier for Toddle):

Based on my answers to the questions above, the most suitable text type is __________________.

Concept

Breaking down the task further

Context

What is the initial situation that is leading you to writing this text

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Audience

Who is your text addressed to?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..


How will this influence the language you will use (formal, informal, semi-formal)?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Purpose

What is the purpose of your text according to the task?

  1. Purpose 1: 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  1. Purpose 2: 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  1. Purpose 3 (HL only): 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

What kind of language do you need to use for this task? Tick all that apply.

ロ persuasive language

ロ emotional language

ロ descriptive language

ロ narrative language


How will this affect your choice of language?

  • …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  • …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  • …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………




Another activity might be one to help them plan the text (again, this precious table was developed by the ingenious Camille Gautier for Toddle!- all the resources available under this Toddle padlet link)


Instructions:

Once students have identified the most suitable text type, ask them to fill in the table below. The 3rd and 4th column will effectively become their plan for the text. This will help them address all aspects of the task, keep ideas relevant and provide sufficient amounts of details to meet the requirements of the top band for criterion B.


Structure

Element of the task

Message

Details

Introduction

Context

You recently had an experience where you felt discriminated against.

Detail 1:


Detail 2:


Paragraph 1

Purpose 1

Explain what happened.

Detail 1:


Detail 2:


Paragraph 2

Purpose 2

Explain why you felt the treatment you

received was wrong.

Detail 1:


Detail 2:


Paragraph 3 (HL only)

Purpose 3

Explain how you would like to have been treated.

Detail 1:


Detail 2:


Conclusion

Meaning

Reinforce the message of your text.

Detail:


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