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Original poster

Malorje Blackman GCSE

112 replies

flexiblebenefit · 30/07/2022 21:42

DD has just told me that the first text they're studying for GCSE English Lit in Sept is "Boys don't cry" by Malorie Blackman. She's a bit surprised. Like most teen girls she went through a Malorie Blackman phase in year 8 and read everything, but was very surprised to be studying it in year 10. I've just read it (I have a degree in English - admittedly 30 years ago!) It's a good book. Engaging. Lots of issues to talk about- but it's honestly not great in a literary sense. I'm hugely supportive of studying non white authors, expanding the range of books etc but there are a lot of really great lnon white authors published today who are a lot more "literary" than Malorie Blackman. It's a book designed to hammer home "issues" in a relatively unsubtle way.

What am I missing here?

OP posts:
lljkk · 31/07/2022 10:37

ps: i find Sylvia Plath very boring. As a young person I found her, her life, her work, totally uninteresting & unrelatable. I often wonder why other people find her interesting.

lljkk · 31/07/2022 10:35

I know I'm a super bad reader, but what alternative novels has any PP specifically named should be studied instead?

Suppose that we allow that ticking diversity boxes is a good thing, that the text should be relatively modern, and keeps the "must be British" author requirement.

Deathly Hallows?
L-Shaped Room?
One of these?

I read a YA book a few years ago about a (black young British) lad who suddenly has to look after his baby with support of all-male household. It was very funny & poignant, but I can't find link right now.

From what DD has told me about kids at her indie 6th form, some were hugely spoonfed to get their high grades. Their high results truly didn't arise from reading better quality texts for GCSE.

Holidaydreamingagain · 31/07/2022 10:25

I’m sorry but I am delighted that they’ve finally added something like this to the syllabus. The current syllabus is enough to put off the majority of kids from English and reading forever. I’ve a bright child, she’ll likely get at least a 7 for English. Possibly an 8 and she hated every second of English gcse and couldn’t see the point of it. Same as my eldest who got 88 but constantly lamented the “boring” books: I absolutely think that some Shakespeare and a 19th century novel is right but equally something they’ll enjoy and can relate to and my inspire them to read more of that genre is well overdue

TeenDivided · 31/07/2022 07:29

I agree with PP that one of the issues is the lack of tiering in English Lit papers. They therefore have to find books that are at least vaguely accessible to dyslexic lower ability pupils. Also the books have to be able to be taught in a relatively limited timeframe.
There will be lots of AO2 elsewhere, it doesn't all need to be covered in every text.

larkstar · 31/07/2022 02:13

These are the texts for the various exam board - recently updated page

schoolreadinglist.co.uk/tag/gcse/

I think you have to accept it has been chosen to serve the purpose as a study piece - it may not be the greatest book to move their hearts and minds - but that's not the purpose... and that's a separate debate.

If it was me I'd have them read The Bell Jar and discover the life, love and tragedy of Sylvia Path's life.

Hallamus · 31/07/2022 01:46

I think your literature/ populist dichotomy is a false one. You can analyse any novel to see how an effect is produced and how language is used. Plenty of literature academics write about pop culture works.

They won't just study one text for GCSE either. I have a masters in English and am a writer - a "literary" one if you like - I can't see the problem with this as one of a range of texts.

BUT it's a fallacy to say you can analyse any book in the same way. Some books are more literary

Yes, of course. You would analyse them differently. That doesn't mean you can't analyse them at all.

Original poster
flexiblebenefit · 31/07/2022 00:17

Apologies. I went off on a bit of a left wing tangent - but too much for for Sat night Mumsnet!Smile

Back to the book. It's just not literature and you can't persuade me otherwise. However I've found the page in the Edexcel website that talks about it.

They're looking for assessment objectives

AO1: Read, understand and respond to texts.
AO3: Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written
AO4: Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation

They're not looking for:

AO2. Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to. create meanings and effects, using relevant subject. terminology where appropriate.

So- a personal response to issues, with good spelling and grammar.

OP posts:
Lopar · 30/07/2022 23:59

Pearson Edexcel have added four diverse texts to their modern prose/play section, and this is one of them in

Malorje Blackman GCSE
Original poster
flexiblebenefit · 30/07/2022 23:44

titchy · 30/07/2022 23:22

Most people with teens who went to uni were first in family btw - simply because very few went then! Not wishing to piss on anyones chips but we were all first in family.

But it's about privilege (or the lack of) it isn't it? I came from a family where neither parent read books or saw much point in education. (No shade here- were a happy family and they are really pleased for me) However, we had no books in the house, but the state education I received allowed me to compete with children from different backgrounds.

In fairness I will help DD. She'll read and discuss the books she needs to know with me and she will be fine. But the child who is in the same position as I was 30 odd years ago might not be.

I work in HR (recruitment) for a big media/ creative company. I'm sick of seeing the same type of candidate year after year. They're lovely. Smart. Cultured and educated- AND ALL SO MIDDLE/ UPPER CLASS. We are ethnically diverse but not in terms of class any more. These's a reason so many pop stars and actors and creative types are so posh. It's because we let down bright non middle class children who want to work creatively. It's all "be a doctor" or "work in IT" and everything else is just about passing an exam.

OP posts:
titchy · 30/07/2022 23:22

Most people with teens who went to uni were first in family btw - simply because very few went then! Not wishing to piss on anyones chips but we were all first in family.

titchy · 30/07/2022 23:21

Presumably if your dd wants to do English at uni she'll be doing A levels where she can be more challenged and better prepared for degree level study?

Whilst I don't want to justify what is clearly a dumbed down curriculum for brighter kids, you have to remember that GCSEs are for all, not just smart kids, and therefore have to use texts that are accessible for all.

As I said - if tiered exams were still available there would not be a problem.

Original poster
flexiblebenefit · 30/07/2022 23:08

titchy · 30/07/2022 22:19

GCSE texts have to enable the whole range of abilities to show their knowledge in the exam, not just the bright kids who read MB years ago.

So we dumb down then? I went to university from a background where I was the first in my family to go. Although horrifically socially unprepared for university, academically O and A levels (even at a pretty rubbish comp) allowed me to be at a level at which I could hold my own. Malorie Blackman wouldn't have prepared me for this, and won't prepare DD.

My nephew (year older, grammar school) did "An Inspector Calls". It's not a difficult play. Brilliant for discussing issues (consent, assault, women, capitalism etc) but also something with some literary merit and cultural capital.

OP posts:
titchy · 30/07/2022 23:03

We didn't do WW1 poets either (O level!). Anthology including Timothy Winters and Waving not Drowning as I recall.

AliMonkey · 30/07/2022 23:03

I disagree that they should only read classic texts. Doesn't mean this one is best choice, but if it's engaging then it will mean some of the children won't come out hating English Lit.

DS is an intelligent boy who read a lot until a couple of years ago but he's really struggled with what they've read for GCSE - Macbeth, An Inspector Calls and Christmas Carol. AIC was the best of them for him as the characters were to some extent caricatures so easy to understand and CC he at least understood the basics of, mainly I think because of seeing the films previously (yes including Muppets) but Macbeth has just failed to capture his imagination at all. I hated it at GCSE - well to be honest hated English Lit GCSE full stop as I loved reading and also enjoyed theatre including Shakespeare, but overanalysing books and plays just made me hate them, though at least it didn't turn me off reading completely, just the authors we studied.

So yes those who do well in English Lit and maybe go on to A level or degree probably do need something more challenging, but a good 50% of 14-16 year olds never or rarely read a book unless they have to, so we need lessons in school to be aimed at engaging them, hopefully instilling a love of books and ideally helping them to pass English Lit GCSE.

Comefromaway · 30/07/2022 23:02

Yes, a poetry anthology is studied and also students learn to analyse a previously unseen poem for the exam.

LouisRenault · 30/07/2022 22:49

world war one poems will no longer be studied at GCSE

They weren't part of our O Level syllabus, but we did read them in the Fourth Year.

Trying to remember what poets we did do for O Level, but O Level and A Level have rather blurred together after so many years and I'm not sure now who we did for which.

titchy · 30/07/2022 22:47

but our expectations must be higher at GCSE

At the same time we must not set up the bottom 50% to fail.

I agree with you btw - but think the solution is tiered exams rather than removing 'straightforward' authors.

Original poster
flexiblebenefit · 30/07/2022 22:47

ShirleyJackson · 30/07/2022 22:28

Agreed. I also feel the same about The Sign of Four. It’s a formulaic piece of genre fiction, there’s knack all to write about beyond context and structure.

Is that a GCSE text as well?

Crikey

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Original poster
flexiblebenefit · 30/07/2022 22:39

I've looked back into my kindle. I try to read a range of books and I am chastened at how few non white authors there are. However this was brilliant. You can do issues and YA and all the stuff they want without losing the literary edge.
[[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jacqueline-Woodson/e/B000APM3QO/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Jacqueline Woodson]]
Red at the Bone

No hate to Mallory (as I said I've bought everything she ever wrote for DD) but our expectations must be higher at GCSE

OP posts:
iwishihadaname · 30/07/2022 22:34

world war one poems will no longer be studied at GCSE
www.writeoutloud.net/public/blogentry.php?blogentryid=123340

LouisRenault · 30/07/2022 22:29

Students will also be studying a Shakespeare play and a 19th century novel

No poetry?

(Fourth year/year 10 in my day was always the War Poets - Owen, Sassoon et al.)

ShirleyJackson · 30/07/2022 22:28

Agreed. I also feel the same about The Sign of Four. It’s a formulaic piece of genre fiction, there’s knack all to write about beyond context and structure.

Original poster
flexiblebenefit · 30/07/2022 22:27

Also the whole premise of the book is othering. Poverty, single parents, homosexuality, racism. Why is it that the only books by non white authors that are celebrated are ones that speak to this? Non white authors write amazing books on a wide range of things (fantasy, history, alternative history, crime) but non of this is celebrated

OP posts:
LondonWolf · 30/07/2022 22:22

I agree with you OP and share your concerns but "diversity" is the priority now so there's not a great deal you'll be able to do about it. You'll see on here that people will get quite cross and try to pretend it's all completely brilliant but we know it's not really.

Abirdnest · 30/07/2022 22:21

Which exam board, do you know?

FWIW I agree with you, @flexiblebenefit

It isn’t actually doing students any real favours.