Comments for Mrs Langford's Weblog

Comment on The Saddest Noise, The Sweetest Noise by Lashiya

Lashiya — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:28:33 +0000

im just inquiring as to whether or not you have written up other analytical pieces for her other prescribed poems: ‘what mystery pervades a well’, ‘a narrow fellow in the grass’, ‘i had been hungry all the years’, ‘i died for beauty’, ‘a word dropped careless on a page’. as i found this to be particularly useful in my studies…

Comment on What Belonging means to me by Bill Bartmann

Bill Bartmann — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:59:35 +0000

Excellent site, keep up the good work

Comment on Tips for Writing the AoS Response by mrslangford

mrslangford — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 05:29:50 +0000

Hi TSB
The best way to prepare for exam-style assessments is to do practice exams at home. This will help you to clarify your ideas and to develop your ability to write more under pressure.
Mrs Langford.

Comment on Tips for Writing the AoS Response by TSB

TSB — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:32:03 +0000

texts is comprehensive enough.
Should I practice writing a few more essays, or just revise my concepts? Also, any tips with regards to writing enough in the given time? I find myself writing a lot less than I’d like in 40 minutes.

Comment on Tips for Writing the AoS Response by TSB

TSB — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:30:16 +0000

Hi, I’ve got an AOS essay-style exam coming up (ie, in 2 days) and am feeling totally underprepared. I’ve only done two practice essays, 1 mediocre and 1 quite reasonable, but I don’t think my understanding of the

Comment on Tips for Writing the AoS Response by mrslangford

mrslangford — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:20:23 +0000

Hi Annette
In response to your question, you should definitely have completed a number of practise exam responses, using different questions and stimuli before going into an English Exam. The danger with having an essay that is “pre-written” is that it won’t address the question. “Topping and tailing” (ie, only engaging with the question in the introduction and conclusion) isn’t really good enough at this level. Do have prepared the quotes, techniques, concepts and personal responses you want to discuss in relation to each text then practise putting them together in a response under simulated exam conditions. Hope this helps you.
Mrs Langford.

Comment on Tips for Writing the AoS Response by Annette

Annette — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:05:12 +0000

Hi, I’ve stumbled onto this site during doing my research for this Area of Study- Belonging. Thanks for those hints that you’ve presented above. They are very comprehensive and somehow helpful to me in the painful process of completing my essays on Belonging.
If you don’t mind, would you please answer this question:
What you think about students using moulded essays as their “strategy” when sitting for HSC English exams?

Comment on What Belonging means to me by mrslangford

mrslangford — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:53:03 +0000

Hi Ishita

You are welcome to use ideas found in this blog. If I’m quoting someone else please make sure you acknowledge sources. I tell my students not to quote me directly but of course you take ideas from different sources to inform your own concept of belonging.

I agree that with many of the texts it can be easier to conceptualise belonging in the negative. We are using the Emily Dickinson poetry as our core text and she is explicit and deliberate in her decision not to belong in society.

Cheers,
Mrs Langford

Comment on What Belonging means to me by Ishita

Ishita — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 11:08:45 +0000

Belonging, is very hard to define, simply because that it means a different thing to each person. Belonging, to me, is the yearning in everyone to feel important and understood for who they really are.

I also think that the concept of belonging is more about the idea of NOT belonging. All those texts about belonging always focuses on the characters that do not in fact belong (or feel they don’t belong).

Belonging may not always be a good thing. Peer pressure can influence people to do things that they know is wrong. For example in Arthur Miller’s Crucible, belonging to the society led to mass hysteria and the multiple hangings of innocent people.

There are also some people may not want to belong. There are individuals who would rather not “conform” to society. It may be because they don’t agree to the way things are done or because they think it it will strip away their own individuality.

Just sharing my thoughts. I don’t know if my ideas are correct, but then again, everyone’s interpretation is different.

P.S. Could I quote you on some of your ideas? i.e. “It is what we are and what we want to be all wrapped up into one.”

Comment on My Belonging Texts by Tegan

Tegan — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 04:51:00 +0000

wow– its good that you know what you’re working with now. ive gotta make some decisions. i was going to use stephen michael king’s “mutt dog”…now im tossing up between that and a novel