A LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGEUNIT 4 SECTION A

Conference bookletSara Thorne October 2019Kristina Hill

KEY CONSIDERATIONS1

SUMMARYCandidates had generally been well prepared, and they often showed a good understanding of the assessment objectives and of what was required in Section A. Most responses were accurately written, and it was good to see that more candidates were structuring their responses using an individual approach rather than adopting a formulaic structure.

In preparation for next year’s Unit 4 examination, centres may find it useful to think about the following areas:

Teaching and learning candidates need to practise close reading of transcripts grammar teaching should be an integral part of every lesson to prepare candidates

for using a range of terms to support their textual analysis.

Examination technique candidates must focus on both transcripts

this will help them to balance their responses candidates must apply spoken theory rather than recount it

this will help them to use theory to support their responses rather than lead them

candidates should use the contextual information provided on the paper this will give them opportunities to explore how the context shapes the

language and style of the interactions candidates should use linguistic terminology to underpin their analysis of the

transcripts this will help them to avoid feature-spotting.

EXAMINATION FEEDBACKOVERVIEW

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There was evidence that candidates had been generally well prepared for Unit 4 and most responses demonstrated:

familiarity with the genre (documentaries) a range of spoken language knowledge a reasonable grasp of word classes.

For Section A, successful responses:

used a range of terminology precisely referenced the question frequently and relevantly focused on key areas of interest linked theoretical concepts directly to examples from the transcripts analysed the effects created in detail.

In less successful responses:

candidates used only spoken concepts with no linguistic terminology to support their analysis

they used terms to label features with little consideration of meaning or effects they adopted a narrative rather than an analytical approach, explaining what

happened in the transcripts they spent too long focusing on minor details rather than exploring the heart of the

conversations and the relationships between participants they recounted theoretical approaches instead of applying them.

WJEC RESOURCESDATE OF PAPER

PAPER NAME

GENRE CONTENT

June 2009 ELang 6 television talk shows (conversations)

Michael Parkinson/David Beckham (ITV)

Jonathan Ross/Tom Hanks (BBC)January 2010 ELang6 adults and children adult and a 3-year-old

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(conversations) mother/two children (aged 5 and 6) June 2010 LG4 sports commentaries

(2008)Olympic rowing (BBC1)

FA Cup final (BBC1)January 2011 LG4 Antiques Road

Show (BBC1)Flog It! (BBC2)

antiques(experts/owners)

June 2011 LG4 political interviews Alan Titchmarsh/David Cameron (ITV)Jane Garvey/Gordon Brown (Radio 4)

January 2012 LG4 adults and children grandparents and a 5-year-old mother and her 6-year-old son

June 2012 LG4 parliamentary question time

PMQs (House of Commons)First Minister’s Question Time

(National Assembly)January 2013 LG4 conversations about

films/actingMark Lawson/Rowan Atkinson

(Radio 4 Extra)Claudia Winkleman/Danny Leigh

(Film 2012, BBC1)June 2013 LG4 commentaries on

royal eventsCoronation of Elizabeth II (1953, BBC)

Prince William’s wedding (2011, BBC1)

January 2014 LG4 radio news Newsbeat (Radio 1)Today (Radio 4)

June 2014 LG4 conversations between family

members

John Barnes and his mother (Who Do You Think You Are?, BBC1)

a 9-year-old and her great uncleJune 2015 LG4 conversations about

partiesDon’t Tell the Bride (BBC3)

Today (Radio 4)June 2016 LG4 BBC television

commentaries for formal state occasions

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant (2012)

State Opening of Parliament (2013)

June 2017 LG4programmes about

cookery

Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night feast (C4)

Mary Berry’s Foolproof Cooking (BBC2)

June 2017

U4 (WJEC) comedy routinesSarah Millican (Royal Variety Show)Michael McIntyre (Live at the Apollo)

David Mitchell/Robert Webb (That Mitchell and Webb Look)

C2 (EDUQAS) BBC television competition shows (judges’ comments)

Strictly Come DancingThe Voice

COMPARING PARAGRAPHSRead the following extracts taken from responses to Section A.

Rank order the three examples from top to bottom based on your assessment of the successful and the less successful characteristics in each case.

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Characteristics of a successful response: clear understanding of spoken language features critical engagement with relevant concepts and issues well-chosen, concise textual references that support points precisely clear appreciation that contextual factors shape the content, language and

grammatical structures intelligent interpretation of the transcripts based on close reading well-informed analysis consistently and purposefully tied to meaning assured evaluation providing details on findings and implications intelligent conclusions drawn in the light of the question focus a range of terminology used to underpin discussion carefully structured discussion that drives on the argument.

Characteristics of a less successful response:

references to general features of spoken language with few links to the question/transcripts

broad overviews of theory inconsistent use of textual references (only about half of the points made are

appropriately and accurately supported), or overly long quotations lack of engagement with detail resulting in a somewhat superficial view of the

transcripts underdeveloped close analysis narrow range of linguistic knowledge (and it may not always be accurate) labelling of terms (feature spotting) a limited number of points losing sight of what is being asked by the question a reliance on describing and/or summarising content.

Extract 1 In Text A the head of year, Miss Bland, holds power over the two pupils due to her vocation within a school environment. This allows her to take control of the flow of conversation. Due to this elevated position, Bland issues the majority of the dialogue. She is able to control the direction of the discourse by using interrogatives such as “Do you know what self-destruct means?”. Furthermore, as the boys have displayed negative behaviours,

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she holds a moral highground and is able to use more harsh and disciplinary lexis such as the abrupt idiomatic expression “I couldn’t give a fiddler’s”. However, any taboo originally incorporated into that phrase has been omitted. This is firstly due to the fact she must maintain a professional face. Furthermore this programme is shown to a wide audience, so taboo language is not permitted as it might shock or offend leading to repercussions for the broadcasters. In Text B vocational power is held by Rhino and Johnny, as they are both policemen. They use this to control the conversation, such as when the post office worker digresses over his liability for the robbery. Rhino issues the simple clause “let’s not worry about that” to keep the worker focused on the necessary information. Rhino is also able to use overlap in // /jeə/, which prompts the post office worker to finish speaking through back channel support. This could be due to the run time of the show needing to be cut to only contain relevant sections so it remains entertaining for the general audience. It could also be because the police are working to a time limit and need to speed up the investigation.

Extract 2The two texts A and B are both about documentaries so both texts are about real life situations so therefore will not contain any pre-planned or scripted notes the participants may have read from. However, as the participants know they are being filmed by a camera they may think more about what they have to say, so therefore the conversations may not be as spontaneous. Also, both texts are about how the participants access of disruptive behaviour. In Text A, the conversation is between a teacher and students so there is an asymmetrical power relationship here. This is clearly represented in the transcript as the teachers utterances are much longer than the students. The teachers utterances are far longer due to the fact that she is trying to understand and help the students. Firstly, Miss Bland listens to the student and then gives her feedback, “there is a bit of you (2) its like a button like this self-destruct”. In this utterance Miss Bland uses simple words in order for the student to understand her and also uses the similie “like a button like this self-destruct” as the student will most likely understand her comparison of him and the button making it easier for the teacher to interact with the student. The teacher says “I /bɪn/ here sixteen years Billy”, using the enumerator “sixteen” to pre-modify the common noun “years” to imply to the student that she is very experienced and will know what will happen to him as she then starts by using the modal verb of certainty “have to” with the dynamic verb “change” and proper noun “Billy” to state to the student that this is aimed at him and she is serious as she uses the prolonged speech in the dynamic verb “cha:::nge.”

Extract 3Miss Bland’s use of active voice in the declarative “I’m /gʌnə/ put you on report” with the first person singular pronoun “I” shows her plan of action and her certainty in the “going to” future verb. There is elision of the present participle verb and the preposition in the verb

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phrase /gʌnə/. This use of authority will scare the pupils into improving as it highlights the gravity of the situation, but the informal pronunciation makes her relatable The teacher uses the relative clause “who might not be as bright as you” where the modal verb of possibility “might” and the positive evaluative adjective “bright” creates positive face work to support the positive face of the pupils and mitigates her criticism. This highlights to them that they are smart and have the potential to achieve. This use of face work in a difficult situation shows the underhand persuasive techniques the teacher is using to get the boys onside. The female teacher aligns with Fishman, Tanner and Coates’ theories on women’s language. Where a male teacher may reprimand harshly, she uses a range of strategies which she changes to suit the best needs of the pupils. She uses tag questions like “haven’t /jə/” and speaks emphatically to draw attention to important lexical items such as the non-finite verb “to escalate”, the negated modal verb of ability “can’t” and the cardinal enumerator “sixteen”. This means she can emphasise her experience and the negative potential if the boys don’t change their attitudes. She also uses fillers such as “/jə/ know” and hedges such as the adverbial of degree “a bit” (l.23) to mitigate her criticisms. Another feature is positive back channelling “mmm” which shows her interest and attention. All these features combine to convey a strong yet caring message to the young people involved.

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READING AND APPLYING CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION 1

The transcript below is taken from a documentary about a school.

Read the contextual information in the box and make a list of the key factors.

As you read the transcript, find evidence to show how the contextual factors you have listed shape the language choices. Explain the effects created in each case using appropriate terminology.

VO: with Tiger and Billy’s behaviour deteriorating (1) Miss Bland has come up with a new strategy (2)

MB: accel right in we go (3) let’s sit /jɜːselvs/ down (2) so ba:::sically (.) it's /jɜː/ beha:::viour (.) and then (.) /jə/ know (.) and /jɜː/ attitude (1) you’ve got a bit of a thing Billy haven’t /jə/ (.) you’ve got one of these buttons that gets (.) and you’ve got an ↑it’s unfair↑ button (1) you got a massive one of them (1) /æv/ you got /wɒnə/ them buttons?

T: I got like a funny buttonMB: we can’t have this boys (1) so (.) I’m /gʌnə/ put you on report (.) so

it’s in /jɜː/ interests to work /aːd/ (.) to get good comments (2) so /waɪdʒə/ think (1) I’m /bɒðrɪn/ (.) with these reports at this stage =

B: = so we don’t get worseMB: exactly (.) we don’t want that (.) where’ll we be when /jɜː/ in year

eight (.) or even in another six months by the end of /jɜː/ in year seven? (1) we don’t want things to escalate (.) it’s not /sʌmθɪn/ we can ignore because what’s it ↑/əfektɪn/↑? =

T/B: = our edu // ca:::tionMB: // mmm and (.) another thing that’s likely to /æpən/ (.) you’ll

get dropped down (1) you’ll get dropped down sets because (.h) there’ll be people in the set below you (.) who were /wɜːkɪn/ really really /aːd/ who might not be as bright as you on paper with their levels and things (.) but because they’re /wɜːkɪn/ really really /aːd/ (1) they’ll get moved up (2) because they deserve it

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Text A is taken from Educating Greater Manchester, a Channel 4 documentary about a secondary school in Salford. It focuses on interactions between misbehaving Year 7 students Billy and Tiger, and the Head of Year 7 Miss Bland.

READING AND APPLYING CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION 2

The following example is an extract from Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast (LG4, June 2017).

1. Read the contextual information in the box below and make a list of the key factors.

2. Then read the transcript and try to summarise what it is about in no more than 100 words.

3. As you read the transcript for a second time, find evidence to show how the contextual factors you have listed shape the language choices. Explain the effects created in each case using appropriate terminology.

4. Identify any words where the spelling reflects informal pronunciation. Make a list of these and use phonemic symbols to transcribe them.

O: Jamie Oliver VO: Jamie Oliver voice-over W: Jack Whitehall

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Text A is from the Channel 4 food and lifestyle programme Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast. Childhood friends Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty present the programme from their café at the end of Southend Pier. Each week, a celebrity guest is taught to cook a dish that has a special meaning in their life. In this extract, the comedian Jack Whitehall learns how to make chocolate pizza.KEY TO TRANSCRIPTIONS

(.) micropause(2) pause (in seconds)// overlapping speech= latch on{laughs} paralinguistic features best emphatic stress↑ever↑ raised pitch rising intonation falling intonationye:::ah stretched or prolonged speech abso. incomplete word rall speech that is getting slower (underlined)accel speech that is getting faster (underlined)[Jack struggles to knead dough] visual details

Question marks have been added for clarity.

O we (.) then started searching all of Naples for the person that’s now famous for the rall best chocolate pizza (.) and it’s this dude (2) Chef Enzo (.) one of Naple’s legendary

pizza chefs =VO = made with pizza dough and the very finest ingredients Chef Enzo’s pizza (1) is more of a calzone (.) it’s a mega-indulgent dish but as I’ve always said (.) it’s all about balance so once in a while (1) you can give yourself (.) an outrageous chocolate treat like this [text omitted]VO Jack fell for this mega-indulgent pizza pudding in Italy eighteen years ago aged (.) rall just ten (.) it’s a seriously decadent treat and it all starts (.) with the dough (2)O this is a generic dough that you can use (.) for any flatbread (.) any pizza (.) savoury or sweet (.) it’s really simple it’s lovely I’m gonna do the first batch then you’re gonna

do the second W sure okay we’ll go through the motions no-one ↑ever↑ makes their own doughO abso. {laughs} well you will todayVO in a bowl with Tipo 00 flour (1) this is an extra fine plain flour used in Italy (.) for pasta and breadsO we’re gonna add a pinch of salt darlin’ go for that (.) erm pinch of salt little bit moreW just Oliver thatO yeah just Oliver ↑that↑VO next we’re going to mix tepid water (1) with fresh yeast and a little sugar (1) and slowly add to the flourO accel so look what we go’ here (2) is a very (1) sticky (.) dough (.) in fact we want to ge’ that kinda gluey (1) sorta texture going (.) and then I’m just gonna add a little flour (.) to it (.) just to make it a bit more pliable five minutes of love //and then once youW // yeahO kinda (.) get it roughly together we can put that out (1) onto // a board and we’ll W // greatO give it a knead (2) can you see it sorta coming together now it’s kinda like (.) very gluey (2) stretchy (.) so the concept of kneading =W = yeah = O = is to stretch roll stretch roll move it around slap it about there’s no real (.) right or wrong so just (1) give it movement [Jack struggles to knead dough] ye:::ahW {holds up hands covered with sticky dough} this is a disaster how has that happened? [text omitted]W I think I’m more the guy right at the end that just puts the toppings onO honestly (.) give me an hour with you you’re gonna be alright mate you’re gonna be alright (2) so we’ve got all the ingredients here (.) I would love you to continue 700 millilitres of water 1 kilo of flour (1) er a little 5 gram piece of yeast (1) a little sugar (1) some salt and a good ol’ knead up you alright with that?W accel yeah yeah great yeahO let me check you’ve got everythingW [to camera] I wasn’t listening to him

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O okay so over to you Jack (.) are you happy? = W = ↑yeah↑ [Jamie begins to leave the kitchen] you just gonna leave?

ASSESSING AO3The following extracts are discussing Miss Bland’s conversation with Tiger and Billy about their behaviour (Text A, Unit 4, 2019).

1. Read each example and identify where there is discussion of relevant contextual factors.

2. Highlight any accurate use of terminology and where textual support is provided.

3. Use the table below to decide whether each response fulfils the criteria for AO3. Write notes on your findings and remember to provide evidence to support your decisions.

4. Can you see ways to improve each response?

AO3ANALYSE explore the transcript

EVALUATE make judgements

CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

interrogate the situation of production and reception (when? where? who? why?)

LANGUAGE FEATURES

interrogate the language choices and their impact

CONSTRUCTION OF MEANING

engage with details and interpret the transcript

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Extract 1Text A is taken from a television show on an extremely popular UK channel. The fact that the conversation is being recorded, however, does not change the tone or purpose as the recording is taken from a place of work in Text A a school. This means that Miss Bland must maintain a level of professionalism in the conversation despite them being filmed. In Text A ellision is used frequently. For example, MB says “they’re on a negative spiral otherwise and that’s not what you want.” This sentence contains two cases of ellision, “they’re” and “that’s”, where two words are formed together to make one. Ellision is often seen in spoken language as it improves the efficiency and flow of the conversation, however it does add informality to the tone because of this. In Text A many first person pronouns can be seen. The use of “I” is particularly frequent as all of the participants in the conversation are stating opinions or attempting to explain their own actions. The pronoun “we” is also used frequently by MB for example when she says “we don’t want things to escalate” this is because she is not only speaking on behalf of herself, but for the school as a whole also, and so MB is saying that the school “don’t want things to escalate”. The use of the voiceover is a common feature of television documentaries, In text A the voice over is used to provide context and also to show the progression of time and that the previous conversation is being continued.

Extract 2As Text A is an example of a situation between an authority figure and her inferiors, there appears to be a disproportionate power relationship which is made clear through Miss Bland’s position as the dominant speaker. She has most of the turns and directs the topic as

can be seen in the compound sentence “it’s /jɜː/ beha:::viour (.) and then … /jɜː/ attitude” with the abstract nouns behaviour and attitude, which tells the pupils what they’ve been called in for. Miss Bland begins the interaction very strongly; she repeats the pre-modified noun phrase “bad behaviour” as a way to reinforce her anger and frustration, and to make her message hit home. She also uses the rather formulaic pre-modified abstract noun phrase “negative spiral” when she speaks directly to the camera. The tenor is more formal in this turn, but it could be argued that her linguistic choices when speaking to Billy and Tiger are more hyperbolic and embellished for the purposes of the television documentary. This can be seen in her simile “like a button” and the elliptical prepositional phrase “like this self-destruct” and the onomatopoeic “boom” with raised pitch for dramatic effect to make the boys understand their behaviour and its triggers. Miss Bland does allow the boys to defend themselves, however. For instance, Billy uses the adverbial of time “When I get bored …” as justification for his misbehaviour and the audience could sympathise with him. Moreover, Billy uses distancing expressions such as “all that” most probably as a way to mitigate his linguistic choices in the simple reporting clause “I’m clever” and perhaps to placate the indignant Miss Bland.

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TASK: CLAUSES Read through the extracts taken from Text A (Unit 4, 2019), a Channel 4 documentary about a secondary school in Salford. It focuses on interactions between the Head of Year 7 Miss Bland, and two misbehaving Year 7 students Billy and Tiger.

Identify:

a) any simple main clausesb) any subordinate clauses, their type and function.

Comment on the effects created in each case.

EXAMPLE

S P O A

MB = [I] [couldn’t give] [a fiddler’s about anyone else] [at this moment in time] (l.18) MCl

simple utterance (one VP)

the latch-on reflects MB’s dominant role – she prevents B continuing his turn the simple utterance allows MB to make a clear, emphatic statement – she is not

prepared to listen to excuses the time adverbial (prepositional phrase) emphasises the significance of the current

interaction her dismissive tone is seen in the idiomatic slang NP indicating that B’s utterance is

irrelevant (elliptical because of the audience i.e. sanitised by removing the expletive).

EXTRACTS FOR ANALYSIS

VO: news of Billy and Tiger’s bad behaviour has reached Miss Bland (l.1)

B: most of the teachers say I’m clever and all that (l.5)

B: it’s just like when I get bored that’s when I’m most likely to play up

because I start (.) /fɪdʒɪtɪn/ and all that and get in trouble off teacher

(ll.5-7)

MB: you know what self-destruct means? (l.9)

MB: we can’t have this boys (1) so (.) I’m /gʌnə/ put you on report (.) so it’s

in /jɜː/ interests to work /aːd/ (.) to get good comments (ll.28-9)

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Features of Effective Writing Style Radar Chart Assessment Exercise

SCORES: 0 = Very Poor 1 = Poor 2 = Mediocre3 = Satisfactory 4 = Good 5 = Excellent

Style Feature TEXT A Score

Justification TEXT B Score

Justification TEXT C Score

Justification

Lively

Authoritative

Informative

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Unit 4 Section B Writing Comparative Judgement Exemplars

Text A

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Text B

16

Text C

17

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