Examiners Report on poetry question, 2009
As usual, there were some individual, sophisticated answers this session. Candidates produced some
precise, thoughtful and thought-provoking work, demonstrating detailed knowledge, mature understanding
and appreciation of literary effects, expressed with cogency. It is very satisfying when questions on the
paper stimulate such responses.
Overall, candidates showed good knowledge – there were very few answers where the candidates did not seem to have carefully read or revised the texts. In some cases, though, this knowledge was restricted to plot, character and events, rather than writers’ techniques, language or structure. This was sometimes evident even in response to the passage-based (b) questions, which focus on language use and style.
On the other hand, it was sometimes evident that candidates were approaching these questions as ‘unseen’ material, particularly on poetry, as their lack of knowledge of terms and references in the extracts suggested a lack of study.
Other candidates were able to blend skilfully a detailed analysis of the extract with an informed knowledge of wider concerns.
In a number of answers, Examiners saw a return of the first paragraph being dominated by a biography of
the author, irrespective of the question. Such material earns no marks unless it is made directly relevant to the argument.
Based on the points highlighted in the report, I decided to refresh the learners awareness and understanding of poetic devices focusing more on the techniques used. I chose to use the video clip below to start it off. I felt that the audio-visual effects would help them to better recognize the devices.
In the following lesson, we analyzed this poem looking at poetic devices and their significance on the poem as a whole.
Praise Song for My Mother
You were
water to me
deep and bold and fathoming
You were
moon’s eye to me
pull and grained and mantling
You were
sunrise to me
rise and warm and streaming
You were
the fishes red gill to me
the flame trees spread to me
the crab’s leg/the fried plantain smell
replenishing replenishing
Go to your wide futures, you said
GRACE NICHOLS
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I adapted this worksheet I found online from AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) and distributed them to my students.
It shows features of style and form present in the poem.
The task: Which of these features of language do you think are most important in this poem? Choose from the poetic techniques above and find examples in the poem. What is the effect of each?
To help the learners with their analysis and writing, I also adapted this Study Guide and used the P.E.E. framework to assist them with their structure. As this was rather new to them, I provided an example as seen below.
One of the students liked the Study Guide so much, she made extra copies for her personal use.
POETRY STUDY GUIDE
____________________________________________________
Poem Title
________________________________
Author
What is this poem about? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How does it make you feel? Explain why.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How is this effect achieved? (Textual Analysis)
| POINT (Make a Point) | EVIDENCE (Include a quote that relates to the point you made) | EXPLAIN the quote, what it means, how it works and how it backs up the point you made originally |
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Grace Nichols regards her mother as a significant person in her life. This is conveyed through her use of metaphor as she describes her mother.
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In the fourth stanza, Nichols compares her mother to ‘the fishes gill’, ‘the flames trees’, ‘the crab’s leg’ and ‘the fried plaintain’s smell’.
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The ‘flame trees’ seem to present her mother as her protector and perhaps, someone who provided her comfort in times of need. Nichols further extends her mother’s role to one who was her sustenance describing her as the ‘crab’s leg’ and the ‘fried plaintain’s smell’. This portrayal of her mother who meets her very basic needs as protector and source of nourishment clearly indicates the significant role her mother had played in her life. |
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P.E.E. when writing about a text
Feedback from the learners on the lessons that stood out:
‘The first time we studied poetry and did poetry devices. Because it made me more aware of the devices present in the poems’
‘The use of P.E.E. (Point, Evidence, Explain) framework. It really helps out a lot when it comes to writing essays.’
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