If your dc is doing Edexcel English Literature Conflict poetry on Wednesday…

[lastminutepanicking]

Which poems are they focusing on in detail? DD has been told to choose 4 which covers all the themes. So far she’s looked at Exposure, Belfast Confetti and Catrin and Poison Tree. She’s really worried she’s chosen the wrong ones and struggles to remember what she needs to. Has anyone got any last minute tips? She’s got Chemistry and Geography on Monday as well as 2 on Tuesday so hasn’t got loads of time to spend on this.

I don’t teach that syllabus but I wouldn’t recommend knowing only four. Tell her to go over all of them and at least remember quotes with good literary techniques from beginning, middle and end and also something about rhyme, rhythm, structure and form.

If you're trying to remember 3 quotes per poem, for 15 poems, that's 45 quotes - it's going to be too much for many students. One poem will be printed, so as long as you know you can confidently talk about any poem if it's in front of you, IMO it's not necessary to learn quotes from 15.

OP, remember your DD can also analyse the titles of the poems :) She needs to look at her 4 chosen poems and think, if one of these poems was in the exam paper, what would I compare it to? I'd recommend having a spread of 5 or 6 that she knows really well.

Op I don’t know that syllabus well either but there will be (in a revision guide? Online?) a grid showing the poems and their themes - look at that and pick ones that cover as many themes as possible. I would say 5-6 poems on a range of themes is fine. Be aware tho if (for example) she only has one war poem, if that one comes up, she needs to have a comparison poem iyswim.

This is the struggle for my ds. They have to know so much for every subject and literature has just been a huge stress. He just can't learn 3 plays/books plus 15 poems..its too much in my opinion. I'm going to have to sit with him tomorrow and we will try and tackle as much as possible tomorrow.

It’s crazy they don’t give them the poems, it’s the analysis they should be testing not their bloody memory.
It’ll be down to cost I’m sure, they don’t want to have to print 15 poems. Such a stress!
I’d advise having one for every theme, some will cover a few themes, you want as many at those as possible. A quote from beginning and end and a couple from the middle.
Something on structure, form and context. Sadly you have to know that for all 15 poems as you don’t know what they will come up. You don’t have to write equal amounts on the poems.