Anyone else's kid not expecting a Lady Macbeth question in todays English lit exam

[Jennywren8]

He revised kingship mainly as thought that would come up, arrrghh

I don't think I have misunderstood, but I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

Having examined the paper (where Macbeth is an extremely popular, so seemingly more accessible, text than many according to schools, whether for length, comparative simplicity of a linear plot or whatever) I also don't agree that you squeeze all the major themes into an answer if you want to do well.

You read the question carefully and address it precisely. This means explaining the ways Shakespeare presents the specific thing actually stated (i.e. usually ONE of the themes you listed), by analysing the effects of methods on the audience. Retelling the story or writing everything you know will not be perceptive or thoughtful.

Yes it's always happened but I have seen it go wrong for people so many times!

My dd had the theme of violence throughout Macbeth and then the significance of Eva for Inspector.

That was Edexcel. OP is referring to the AQA paper.

Except there are schools in other timezones that may be taking the exam later in 'our day'. You don't have to be in England to take our GCSE papers. (I don't know specifically if that board's Biology spec is available internationally, but some of AQA's subject specs certainly are. This is why as teachers/school staff we are not allowed to 'speak'openly online about details of the paper until at least 24hrs after the exam sitting has finished. (In theory it applies to students too, but based on some of the posts on Twitter last year I'm not sure they had been told/cared!)

@ThanksItHasPockets that wasn't in the op, I assumed we were free to chat about the exams not that it was only one Board?

Oblomov I understand you feel you have been spoken to rudely. However with the absolute best interests of your son at heart, your advice to take a question and then fit in all themes/ knowledge into the answer is terrible advice. Formal exams have very tight mark schemes to ensure fair marking, taking an opportunity to write all you have learnt/ know about a text will not get marks.
There is an art to getting the highest exam grades and unfortunately in essay based subjects such as English/ Geography and History learning the knowledge and understanding the topic is only the first part. The second and equally important part is exam technique and how to work out what specifically worded questions are after. From Feb onwards your son needs to do lots of past exams and go through the mark scheme for each question. You will find, bringing in another theme or observation that isn't tightly linked to the question will not be allocated any marks , however insightful. My children's teachers always said from Easter onwards they would look at an exam question they had done at home and mark it for them, I'd encourage your son to do the same. With Geography and History lots and lots of past questions and answering under timed conditions was a huge skill that took a lot of practice, the exam board is looking for exact key phrases, and observations and format of an answer. I understand you may have excellent literature knowledge but I think you haven't appreciated how important exam technique is to match the mark scheme. I hope that's helpful to your son for next year.

Oblomov24 sorry I didn't get your user name correct below.

Absolutely, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. I only meant to provide some context.

@Allofusstrangers

Thank you. But you are misquoting me. I never said you mention all the themes, silly-nilly, even if they don't fit! That wasn't what I said.

I actually meant Lady Macbeth herself, and how she, normally more than say kinship, of the character of Macbeth himself, often in exams, allows more of the themes to be mentioned.

"The second and equally important part is exam technique and how to work out what specifically worded questions are after."

But I do of course realise this. I do know what exam technique is. I know you have to answer the question. Not what you want it to be. But what it is.

I was very careful with my wording. I specifically said:

"if at all possible you squeeze into your answer all the major themes".

If at all possible.

No good wittering on about a theme, if it doesn't fit the question.

But, most exam questions allow you to bring in many of the main themes. Or else the question wouldn't have been set! The marking scheme is set and reviewed carefully.

Because you simply don't have a English exam question on any topic that doesn't test the child. Their knowledge, their exam technique, their time management skills. Using PEEL. Comparison. Answering in a structured way. Etc etc etc.

But, They don't set any exam question that means you can only bring in one or two themes. They just don't!

Willy-nilly.

Great, was just trying to be helpful in the spirit of Mumsnet. Glad you have everything covered, and a thorough knowledge of the English curriculum, and exam system. Hopefully our conversation may be of use to other posters.

I was more pissed off with the questions for The Empress. They asked about 'ambition' and the importance of 'Hari' in the play. I think these were harder than the Macbeth questions.

I completely and utterly disagree with @65skelmersdalelane who said to me:

"i.e. usually ONE of the themes you listed"

When was the last time the Macbeth question only allowed students to include one theme?

I can't believe any gcse question only allows dc to mention one theme.

Wasn't the 23 q about the change in L McB character. I mean I can think of about 8 things to say, within a mill-second.

22 is the character of Macbeth. And fear.

21 is Duncan and ambition.

20 is death of Macduff's family, and death.

You can fit/inset/include many of the basic themes into every single one of those questions.

I know you were. But I didn't say anything of the sort. As quoted / implied. That you witter on and on about whatever you want, trying to fit every theme, into a question that doesn't warrant it.

But I can't believe any question only makes dc talk of one, single, theme.

No, that can't be true.

And no, I don't have everything covered. Nor a thorough knowledge. And I don't think ds2 has very good exam technique!

This is going around in circles @Oblomov24.

You have just listed examples with a (also known as 'one') specific idea stated.

Fear. Ambition. Death.

Those are clearly the key focus points to concentrate on.

It's categorically more important to understand the text as a construct, approach conceptually and recognise context, than demonstrate knowledge of all interconnected themes by 'squeezing in' as many different details as possible.

A comment like that original one is on a par with, 'you can't even really revise for English' or 'English is easy because you can just waffle'.

Agreed. I swear the reason I aced exams wasn't because I worked any harder than anyone else (I couldn't , for starters, life was tricky) but because I realised you really are meant to answer the question in depth, with precision, and with some original thought not try and get down as much of the syllabus as possible in an answer

Exam technique really is the key , not regurgitation of knowledge