Improving analysis

A resource dedicated to improving specificity and detail in students’ analysis

Something we have noticed as a repeated issue in students' work is them labelling a language method, then just doing inference, and thinking this counts as analysis, such as 'The writer uses a metaphor which suggests...'.

I had SO many feedback discussions with students: but why THAT method? If the writer just wanted to suggest Ozymandias was destructive, why not just say he was? Why instead use a semantic field of destruction? We seemed to go round in circles.

Students weren't explaining why THAT particular method had been used. This was limiting the clarity and precision of their analysis, in both Language and Literature. After much discussion with my wonderful second in department, we came up with a resource - aptly named the 'Why that method' sheet.

The sheet (snippet below) gives students phrases they can use to analyse the specific impact of particular methods. The fact that it puts these phrases in a sentence structure for them is doubly useful.

This has completely transformed their analysis. We have so many more students achieving 'clear' analysis because they can be specific about what particular methods are used for. They use this sheet almost every lesson - in both Language and Literature - and it has become a dedicated part of our ‘5-a-day’ retrieval practice at the start of each lesson.

It also has space on the back for discovery of potential new methods and impacts. We now find students can confidently explain that repetition creates a continual reminder of something, or creates the idea that something is inescapable, rather than always saying 'The repetition suggests that...'

This resource is one of the most useful things we have done to improve students’ analysis and we have found it impactful in all year groups - we are moving on to adapted versions for KS3 students as well. We have different sheets for poetry, structure, non-fiction methods. All of them can be found at this link here.