Secondary School Literature

[Swc]

I totally agree the importance of reading the books. In fact to really do well in Literature, I think it is important to read widely. For example, after reading To Kill A Mockingbird, one could also read "Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry". Both books touch on similar themes but approach it from different angles. It would help the reader to think deeper about some of the themes raised in the books as well as the author’s intentions. So before school starts, my advice really would be to read as widely as possible.

[D3-n]

phtthp\" post_id=\"1952901\" time=\"1576136654\" user_id=\"35251:

anyone know where to buy assessment book, for English literature

- Animal Farm (\" 4 legs good, 2 legs bad\") ,

- Macbeth,

- Julius Caesar,

- To kill a mocking bird ?

Thanks


( inside Popular bookshop, walked around, only saw textbook, but don't see any Assessment book, for above Eng Literature title.

If No Assessment book, how to study Eng Lit ? Past year exam papers for Lit, also hard to find)

I'm afraid there isn't any assessment book for Literature. Past year exam papers are hard to find as different schools use different texts so it's not commercially viable for sellers to provide them. The online guides mentioned above do help, but more for the essay question and less for the passage-based one.
First, you need to read the text and know it well. Annotate. Annotate. And Annotate. This is very useful (especially when you are dealing with a Shakespeare text) to tackle the passage-based question of the exam paper.
After digesting the text, compile your own notes, based on major themes and characters, with relevant quotes as text evidence.
For my part, I will also relate these texts to our current context, and that is what Literature is basically about - making us understand what it is to be human. These classics stand the test of time because these universal feelings and emotions still speak to us.
And then there is that last important part that most students lack - the writing aspect. Literature is not just about reading and understanding the texts. It is just as important to express your thoughts and field your arguments. Students are not given enough writing practice and hence struggle during tests and exams. So therefore it is important that they practise answering questions, both passage-based and essay types, for the writing to come naturally and quickly during the exams.
Hope this helps.

[D3-n]

phtthp\" post_id=\"1952936\" time=\"1576150396\" user_id=\"35251:

For lower Sec (1 and 2),

do schools combine both (English and English Literature) together as one single subject, only come to Upper Sec (3 and 4), then split them up as separate, individual subject ?

The students that I teach, the IP stream combines both as 1 subject for Years 1 and 2 while they are taught as 2 separate subjects in the Express O Levels.

[ilovelaksa]

phtthp\" post_id=\"1952936\" time=\"1576150396\" user_id=\"35251:

For lower Sec (1 and 2),

do schools combine both (English and English Literature) together as one single subject, only come to Upper Sec (3 and 4), then split them up as separate, individual subject ?

Depends on school
Daughter’s IP EL ELit separate
Son’s IP EL ELit combined
In JC, H2 Lit is still offered to them

[phtthp]

anyone know, where to get Secondary school past year exam papers [SA1 / SA2], for English Literature



- to kill a Mockingbird
- Merchant of Venice
- Macbeth
- Animal Farm
- Hamlet ?

cannot find from internet to download,
school library don’t have past year papers,
go Bras Basah, go Marine parade, go Toa Payoh central, go Bishan Junction 8 etc, push cart stall don’t sell Literature past year papers

[sky minecrafter]

Which book is your child tackling first, phtthp?

[sharonkhoo]

phtthp\" post_id=\"1960841\" time=\"1580136495\" user_id=\"35251:

, for English Literature


- to kill a Mockingbird
- Merchant of Venice
- Macbeth
- Animal Farm
- Hamlet ?

cannot find from internet to download,
school library don't have past year papers,
go Bras Basah, go Marine parade, go Toa Payoh central, go Bishan Junction 8 etc, push cart stall don't sell Literature past year papers

I can't help you very specifically, but most Lit questions are basically the same. The main difference is the level of maturity and detail required in the answer, which will be less at lower sec than at upper sec, etc. Your child should be able to get a sense of what is required through classroom discussion and daily work as the year progresses. Questions may be either a direct essay question or in relation to an extract from the text, and are almost always about:
- characters (discussion of different characters, either individually or comparing 2 characters)
- settings (discussion about where and when the text is set in)
- themes in the book (love, money, relationships, etc)

For any question, the student should show knowledge of the text and use examples (referring to specific incidents, choice of words, quotes, etc) to substantiate his answer. Even if you can't find any test papers from Singapore schools, just google for essay topics for the specific texts and you should find some from the US, UK etc. for middle/high school. That should give an idea of what types of questions can be asked.

[6thisnthat9]

My kids borrowed a few Shakespeare’s stories books (in modern English)from the library just recently.

I asked them, why do you think Macbeth got himself killed like that? Why do you think the 3 witches shared those prophecies with Macbeth which led to his ending?

It is interesting how each interpreted or think/viewed. Try asking your kids such questions.
There shld not be a single fixed answer.

[floppy]

6thisnthat9\" post_id=\"1963967\" time=\"1582069981\" user_id=\"145858:

My kids borrowed a few Shakespeare's stories books (in modern English)from the library just recently.
I asked them, why do you think Macbeth got himself killed like that? Why do you think the 3 witches shared those prophecies with Macbeth which led to his ending?

It is interesting how each interpreted or think/viewed. Try asking your kids such questions.
There shld not be a single fixed answer.

MacBeth
A synopsis:
A play that illustrates how listening to your wife drives you mad and gets you killed.

[6thisnthat9]

It was said that Shakespeare wrote Macbeth to illustrate his belief that every human has an evil side, and it is about how we exercise control over the evil side of us.


From kids’ perspective, one thinks it is so scary to be killing each other like that. The other thinks Macbeth got killed because he thought too highly of himself. The witches were there testing Macbeth.