1. What do your overall attainment marks inform you about your progress in this class?
My overall English attainment marks tell me I’m on the right track. It gives me the confidence that I have the skills to continue doing well, but it is a matter of keeping up the work to maintain that grade. I think I’ve improved since the start of the IB course so the marks are encouraging that my method is helping. However, as we get closer to the final exams, I need to ensure that I continue the effort and not become complacent.
In my HL essay, I found that my feedback mainly centred around balancing micro-analysis with macro-analysis, so I tried to work on this outside of the essay as well in classes. This helped improve my essay but also helped me figure out how to approach micro-analysis (in some degree of spontaneity) when working with new texts which will also benefit me for Paper 1.
2. What do your marks and goals for your approaches to learning inform you about the effort you are putting into your tasks?
One of my main goals throughout IB has been to dedicate time outside of class to revising and practising the skills we learn. I think my ATL marks reflect the same– that I need to focus on consistency so that I can keep up with the course. I do believe I can put more effort into preparing. However, English is a subject that is more skill-based than content-based, and so a lot of times I find myself needing to prioritise other content-heavy subjects during hectic weeks. I try to do my best during class– participating in discussions, getting work done on time and collaborating with my classmates. So, my main focus continues to be extending those efforts outside of class time. In the case of Paper 2, this means reworking the practice essay we wrote before the winter break to make improvements and understand the essay structure better. Additionally, I will consolidate texts by collating quotes, cultural context, authorial context, etc. so that I have a good foundation of evidence ready to use as we practice more Paper 2s.
3. What context may have contributed positively or negatively to the quality of your Paper 2?
Paper 2 did come at a pretty hectic time when regular submissions and tests were happening. So, I would’ve benefitted from being able to focus on English rather than balancing multiple subject assignments. Although I think this is close to the situation I will be in the final exams where you have to jump between subjects as the exams are scattered. So, I think this was a learning opportunity that I need to make the most of the little time I have and focus on the quality of my preparation rather than quantity. A key part of this is using the feedback I receive and my own goal setting to figure out what topics or skills I need to prioritise– at the moment, this is essay structure and micro-analysis.
4. What are the successful elements of your Paper 2 that you will need to remember and retain for the mock exams and the IB exams?
A successful element was being able to finish the essay. I have always struggled with writing under time pressure and so I found that by outlining my essay first with my thesis, thesis strands and evidence, I was in a good spot to begin writing. I didn’t pause as much to figure out what to write next and so I was able to make good use of the time I had.
I also think I did a good job in selecting a range of evidence, not just key quotes. This also assisted me in the macro-micro analysis balance as I was able to provide evidence for both. I tried to make use of the cultural and authorial context we have studied as well to strengthen my argument which was necessary for the prompt I chose about challenging conventional values.
5. What errors or gaps in your Paper 2 will help you focus your revision work for the mock exams and the IB exams?
One big gap was the structure I used to compare and contrast. I analysed the texts separately before creating a linking paragraph which meant that come of my compare & contrast points did not have the same delivery as they were not clearly linked. This is a big focus for my revision work– essay structure. I want to first rework the essay from December to understand how to organise the information better. Then, I’m hoping to improve my planning method so that it complements my essay writing when I’m under time pressure.
I also made some errors when discussing literary and dramatic elements. This is a content error and so I need to revise my dramatic devices so I can ensure I am using technical terms where relevant and to enhance my analysis. This also ties into the authorial and cultural context for evidence.
6. What comments were you given for your Paper 2 and what plan of action might you have moving forward?
The comments I received are mostly on the two issues I discussed above. So, I want to work with the essay I’ve already written so that I can refine my approach for comparative essay writing first, and then focus on the content after that. I’m hoping that once I become more familiarised with the structure and style of writing, I can work on applying that formula to different texts. I will also try to work more with my teacher to get feedback on my revised draft so that I can modify my plan of action accordingly.
7. What would you need to over-learn about our literary texts?
I think a key component I need to over-learn is the evidence from my choice of literary texts. I think if I become very comfortable in knowing what quotes and techniques I can use, then I can practice my writing more frequently and simulate the conditions of the actual Paper 2 format when I’m under time pressure.
8. To consolidate the reflection, what writing and ATL goals might you have for Term 2?
My writing goal is to practice essays under time pressure regularly, around once every two weeks. I will try to mind-map essay responses more frequently and then choose one every 1-2 weeks to properly write out. I also want to continue working on my consistency. Now in the year, there aren’t as many deadlines and tests since it’s more focused on preparing for exams. So, I want to use this time to supplement our preparation in class to consolidate my understanding of the texts, collect evidence and review, and get used to the exam format. This ties into my self-management goal of consistency and accountability.
