Tutoring with Joey

I am often asked by my students “but what if I run out of time and don’t get to answer the higher marked questions?”

So I always suggest they answer Paper 2 questions in this order: Question 1 should be an easy way to gain 4 marks. Question 5 is worth half the paper so they shouldn’t leave it till the end. Question 4 is worth nearly a quarter of the paper and worth double the marks for question 2. They should write more for his question than what they do for question 2. Question 3, whilst worth more marks than in paper 1, is a skill they have practiced and practiced and should be an easy way to get marks as it is a key assessment objective in both language and literature papers. Question 2 is only worth 8 marks and if they leave it to last, as long as they write something, they can still pick up some easy marks.

Again, for more tips and tailored advice for your child, please reach out and see how I can help them with 1:1 tutoring.

Question 5 on paper 2 for AQA often panics students. But there is no need to panic! Follow my advice below to help you understand the requirements of this question.

I can help build structure and develop viewpoints in my tutoring sessions and as someone who examines this paper for AQA, I can offer invaluable insight as to what gets good marks. So if you’re child is in year 10 and you are wanting to get ahead for year 11, please don’t hesitate to contact me and get some sessions booked in.

With just under 2 weeks to go to the final English exam, I’m going to share some tips and tricks.

Firstly, understanding some of the buzz words in this paper.

I’ve neglected this page a bit this year.

I’ve been focused on my clients and my own year 11 class that I just forgot about this page.

But I’m back. Tomorrow is English Literature paper 2 for AQA. The tougher paper out of the two.

If you have kids sitting this paper tomorrow my biggest tip is to remind them to ANALYSE LANGUAGE! Make sure you identify a method or a keyword from a quote and explain the ideas, images and impressions created by this quote and the method choice. What are the connotations of this keyword and what does it help us to understand about this character or theme?

And please remind them that the comparative unseen poetry question that is 8 marks is only marked on analysis of language!

I have space for a new client so if you need some help and support for your child and their upcoming GCSEs, feel free to message and see what I can do for you!

Good luck to every one getting their results today.

Wanting to get your child to strengthen their English skills this summer to prepare them for GCSEs next year?

As I’ve mentioned before, reading is a great cost effective way of helping them develop key skills. However, many parents say their child doesn’t like reading and so below is a list of books I have read that your child might like to try as I strongly believe that when a child says they “don’t like reading”, they just haven’t found the right book yet. I will be adding to this over the summer.

Patrick Ness - Burn. This is a book set in a parallel universe with dragons. Set during the fear of Cold War starting out in the 60s. It’s a dystopian fiction with a fantasy twist and explores history and the fear of the unknown in a clever and thoughtful way.

Taran Matharu - The Summoner Series. This is a series of books that I can only describe as Harry Potter meets The Hunger Games meets Lord of the Rings meets His Dark Materials. It’s a fantasy series set during mediaeval times and doesn’t require the same level of commitment as Harry Potter does as it deals with similar situations over three books.

Anthony Horowitz - The Magpie Murders (Susan Ryeland series book 1). I will be honest, I haven’t met a Horowitz book I don’t love but this detective series is something else. It is a book within a book. You start off reading a modern times story with an editor whose author has just died before finishing off his final book. In order to publish it, they need to find his notes and draft of the final chapter. In order to do this, she needs to read the rest of his story in case they have to “finish it for him”. You’re then transported to a detective novel similar to Poirot/Agatha Christie where it turns out fiction and real life are dangerously blurred and mimicking each other. The first book in a trilogy and it might help your child uncover some brilliant insight into how authors structure their books to “interest the reader”.

Namina Forna - The Gilded Ones trilogy. This is a fantastic science-fiction dystopian trilogy. Set in Africa, using their mythology and traditions and how these could be manipulated to persecute rather than celebrate. Plus the books themselves are beautifully presented.

Any books you think should be on my list?

I’m often asked what one thing a child can do to improve their grade in English. My number one tip is:

READ!

That’s it. It does not have to be the works of Shakespeare or a collection of Dickens’ stories: reading anything will help. Encourage your child to read news or magazine articles. This will help them with the non-fiction writing section of their exams. Encourage them to read a variety of short stories from all different genres.

Basically, the more they read, the easier it is for them to pick up on different writing styles; recognise how different pieces of punctuation can be used; learn new vocabulary; and widen their awareness of different cultures, environments and events they may have never experienced.

It’s low cost and makes it easier for them to access the wide variety of texts that could come up in the exam.

Meet the teacher: if you’re here, you might be looking for a tutor for your child. As a mum myself, I understand that you wouldn’t want just any random person to work 1:1 with your child and you need to ensure you have the right person, so below I have provided an introduction to who I am.

Who am I: I’m Joey, an English teacher for 14 years. I also have experience with examining and have marked for exam boards so can provide invaluable insight.

Qualifications: not only do I have a PGCE but I graduated university with LLB Hons - my degree is in law which enabled me to study aspects of history and politics alongside legal knowledge. Random fact, whilst completing my degree, we spent a module looking at Shakespearean language as Macbeth was commonly thought of as the first recorded usage of the noun ‘assassination’. It had been used as a verb prior to Macbeth but by playing with the word ‘assassin’, Shakespeare introduced a new word to the legal definition of murder.

A little about me: when I am not teaching, I am a mum to a six-year-old girl and a six month old boy. I have a very eclectic mix of hobbies and interests: I play padel weekly, I go running and, as cliché as it sounds as an English teacher, I love to read. I’m also a football fan (a Liverpool fan - apologies). I enjoy going to see live music and live shows and I am passionate about history.

Best book I’ve read recently: Burn by Patrick Ness - a book featuring dragons set in a world bordering on the outbreak of devastation during the Cold War era. It’s clever, full of imagery and a dragon that exudes charm and wit.

Favourite author: I adore Anthony Horowitz and haven’t met a book of his I don’t love. His Susan Ryeland series is ingenious: a book within a book. Clever structural shifts, many detective fiction stereotypes and a creative way of exploring how art can imitate life and vice versa.

Favourite place in the world: Greece. The food, the culture, the language, the impact upon literature and the history makes this place as beautiful as the sights it has to offer.

I hope this offers an insight into the person behind the teacher. Please do reach out if you have further questions and I look forward to getting to know you and your child and helping them to achieve.