The Bolton School Entrance Examination gives students a timed opportunity to explore an essay question creatively and resourcefully under pressure.
I have tutored many students over the years for entrance to Bolton School and other local Independent Schools, including Withington, Manchester Grammar, Manchester High, Stockport and Bury. Today, I will begin a mini series of tips on the English Entrance Examination.
If there was any one kernel of advice I would offer to students it would be this : READ!
Reading is essential for the development of language skills and no matter how much tuition a student has for English, reading is by far the best and most natural way of improving writing and communication skills. If your choice of words is limited, if your ‘word pool’ is small, then this shortage will dilute the power of your self expression.
LIVELY, POWERFUL WORD POOLS enrich all forms of self expression.
Reading shows how writers can create a credible ‘voice’ for a narrator or character, and it is this creation of a compelling voice that makes writing stand out.
Reading reveals to readers, the very PROCESS of storytelling or narrative.
WHEN YOU CREATE A ‘VOICE’ IN YOUR WRITING- YOUR READER WILL LISTEN!
So pick up a fiction book, a non -fiction a magazine, a graphic novel, poetry, a newspaper-something that will hold your attention and mind for at least 30 minutes/day and READ!
WORDS HAVE POWER!
Listen to their power and hear how pictures and feelings appear in your head, feeding your imagination.
LISTEN TO WRITING!
‘ ‘Imagine living in a strange, dark city for twenty years.
There are some dismal dwellings on the east side
and one of them is yours.’
( ‘Foreign’ by Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate. )
This is one of my favourite Carol Ann Duffy poems and I often read this with students of all ages. The poem captures something emotionally powerful about ‘fitting in’ or ‘not fitting in’ and students always have lots to say about Duffy’s poem. It also seems to increase confidenceand self awareness.
Entrance Examination Hints:
1) What word or combination of words suprises you in this poem? Why?
2) What are ‘dismal dwellings’ and why does the poet use alliteration here?
3) How does the the title of the poem suit the poem itself?
4) Look at the use of punctuation in the poem. How does the punctuation affect the way you might read the poem?
5) In what tone of voice would you read this poem out aloud? What type of ‘tone’ do you think seems right ? Sad? Happy? Nostalgic?
Tomorrow I will look at some openings!
Perhaps Neil Gaiman, Roald Dahl and Charles Dickens may appear as guest tutors? !
Janet Lewison. October 2011