Ways to Improve at Ex English (1 Viewer)

[topdeck]

Ok basically my question if for anyone doing extension english, or has done in the past. So far in our extension lessons we have been given one piece of work, and our teacher is one of those really young teachers who's never taught the hsc before and doesn't really know much about the subject. I don't mean that in a mean way...but plenty of times someone in our class will ask her a question about the gothic genre or something, and she will just have no idea what the answer is. We don't do any work in class and she has openly said "extension english is a subject with not much work, and basically what you do in class in all you have to do."

So, my question is, what are some strategies that people with bad teachers, have used to keep up to date with work, and to improve their skills? English is my best subject and i'm really worried that i'm not going to do well in my hsc because we don't do anything. To make it worse, i havn't had a decent english teacher since grade 8- for the past 2 years i have had a total of about 4 pieces of work all together in my english classes.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanx

 

[cs01001]

Yeah, I have a young-ish female teacher who tries hard to explain to us what 'Change' is, but it just doesn't get any where....

 

[S1M0]

Doing the Gothic genre as well, and the work's not really that much, although the assignments are quite tough, and you have to go into great detail, i'm finding it quite tough.

Oh, and Topdeck,if you need help about the Gothic, i can help you if you want. Just don't go expecting me to answer every single question you have lol.

 

[dion7789]

Coming from someone who has already done the hsc in this subject ext isnt overly a lot of work. Sure there is a lot involved but as long as u keep up u will do fine. It is a subject where you dont necessarily do heaps of work in class butas it is 'extension' you are expected to do a lot owork on your own in your own time. From the people in my class some did not do a lot of extra work in their own time and achieved 60%ish while those who did what we were meant to as well as doing the extra study achieved 95+. Bascially what i am saying is that even though your teacher is not teaching you you are not disadvangated in a major way that will destroy your hsc and you are still in year 11 so you never know what next year will bring as it is a new course/genre. Tamaranadine...the amount of work that you have been putting in will surely help you to achieve that 95+%, keep up this amount of work next year as well and u will totally destory the subject (in a good way of course lol). Essentially there is a lot of work in this course in your own time, compared to other subjects such as maths where it is basically all done in class with not a lot of research etc.

 

[yosemite sam]

the diary idea is a good one, especially if you're going to find that by the end of year 11 you definitely don't feel that your teacher is going to be experienced enough to take you through the hsc. our school only gives extension classes teachers who have taught extension before, which is good for the class, but we're down to our last teacher, and despite her brilliance, she's getting kinda old and retire-ready...

 

[Sofstar]

Discuss with people from other classes, get a tutor?. To help yourself, read widely, read what you wouldn't usually read.

 

[topdeck]

Hi everyone- thanx for all the replies.

I like the idea of kepping the diary of her activities (sounds a bit suss doesn't it?), the only problem i have is that this teacher is one of the most respected and well liked people in the school. Also, the problem is, that she TRIES extremeley hard. She tries to have structured lessons, she tries to give us resources, she tries to answer our questions, but really she doesn't have anything more than a superficial knowledge of what the gothic genre is. That just makes it even more hard to make a complaint because its like saying "your trying as hard as you can to be a good teacher, your just failing miserabley".

It seems as though everyone else here doing the gothic genre has done so much work and has a thorough understanding of what the genre is about. What'd be great is that if any of you have essay questions that you've been given if you could post some of them on here? Not your answers, just the questions would be good cause then i could actually get some writing practise!

Basically, i'm not worried about not understanding the gothic genre as such, but i am worried about going into my hsc year and not having the skills to do well!

Thanx again