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Year 8 - English

Writing an opinion article on Gothic literature

A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils explore the Gothic. They start by learning what the Gothic is, before reading extracts from 'Frankenstein' and 'Jane Eyre', practising descriptive writing and reading 'The Tell-Tale Heart'. They finally learn how to write opinion articles and then write their own.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to plan and write an engaging opinion article.

Key Notes

  • Voice is how you convey the identity of the writer - readers should have an understanding of who the writer is.
  • The writer's viewpoint should be introduced early in the article, but it can be implied.
  • Rhetorical devices and descriptions (including figurative language) can be used for effect to support your argument.
  • Topic sentence and paragraphs should be used to present arguments.
  • Paragraph outlines can be very useful in maintaining a cohesive structure for your argument.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Voice: the identity of the writer that comes through the text.
  • Vicariously: experiencing something through someone else's lived experience.
  • Lamentations: the passionate expression of grief or sadness.
  • Impulsive: acting on impulse without thinking through the consequences.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Students often think that they have to write from their own perspective - that the 'voice' in the article has to be their own.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Voice is how you convey the identity of the writer - readers should have an understanding of who the writer is. The writer's viewpoint should be introduced early in the article, but it can be implied.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Voice'

the identity of the writer that comes through the text.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Students often think that they have to write from their own perspective - that the 'voice' in the article has to be their own. Correction: Students can create a voice. For example, they could write the article from the perspective of a teacher or a parent. This is still voice.

More Lessons In This Unit

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