Name____________________________ Proposal for Written Task #2: Critical Essay

Choose a part of the course. Circle One

Part One: Language in Cultural Context

CHOOSE A LEARNING OUTCOME:

Analyze how audience and purpose affect the structure and content of texts
Analyze the impact of language changes
Demonstrate an awareness of how language and meaning are shaped by culture and context

CHOOSE A TOPIC:

Gender (inequality, constructions of masculinity and femininity
Sexuality (its construction through language)
Language and communities (nation/region, subcultures)
Language and communities (nation/region, subcultures)
Language and the individual (multilingualism/bilingualism, language profile/identity)
Language and power (linguistic imperialism, propaganda)
Language and knowledge (science and technology, jargon and argot)
Language and social relations (social and professional status, race)
Language and beliefs (religious discourse, mythology)
Language and taboos (swearing, political correctness)

FIND A TEXT TYPE TO ANALYZE FOR CRITICAL RESPONSE

advertising campaign	editorials	film/radio/television	literature
blog	Social media	script	speech
public service broadcasting	cartoons	reviews	magazine articles
website	drama	short story

Written Task 2 Requirements for the Critical Response

Task 2 is a critical response to materials studied in the four parts of the course in greater detail: to reflect and question in greater depth the values, beliefs and attitudes that are implied in the texts studied. It also aims to encourage students to view texts in a number of ways and enable them to give an individual response to the way in which texts can be understood.

Students must complete an outline for the task and include the outline in the final draft of the response. Students must write a response to one of the critical questions in response to a material studied in the specific part e.g. newspaper article, sports blog, group of poems, a novel, etc. The critical response is in the style of a FORMAL ESSAY and must be clearly structured with an introduction, clearly developed ideas or arguments and a conclusion.

Question One

How could the text be read and interpreted differently by two different readers?

Think about controversial topics that have been debated and interpreted by two different groups.

Question Two

If the text had been written in a different time or place or language or for a different audience, how and why might it differ?

Think about how critical the audience is on receiving the message and interpreting it. How could one message in one country be perceived differently in another country?

Question Three

How and why is a social group represented in a particular way?

Think about what media and literature portray a group in a particular way.

Question Four

Which social groups are marginalized, excluded or silenced within the text?

Think about how certain groups are not represented or silenced in literature, advertising, or the media.

Question Five

How does the text conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a particular genre, and for what purpose?

Think about what advertisements deviate from the traditional conventions of the genre. Consider literature that breaks unconventional structure.

Question Six

How has the text borrowed from other texts, and with what effects?

Think about what speeches, articles, literature, movies, etc. borrow from other texts (or alludes to other texts).

Grade:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Mark range:	0 - 2	3 - 5	6 - 8	9 - 11	12 - 13	14 - 16	17 - 20
%	40-49%	50-59%	60-69%	70-79%	80-89%	90-95%	96-100%

Outline