Need English Studying Advice

[Rob16]

How do you guys study for English besides doing a ton of practice essays?

Im only in year 10 and English is my worst subject by far and i'm not sure why! I usually do well in all my subjects except for English and i think it is because i'm not really sure on how to study for it, in particular doing text response essays. How do you guys study for English and what would you recommend me to do? Urgent advice needed! It seems like during the actual essay writing day I always get super nervous and think i'm going to do bad, as i have always done well in all my other subjects which makes me kinda frustrated at myself.

Also is getting an English tutor worth it? some people have told me you can't really be tutored English and it's not worth it

[geminii]

Hey,
I'm in year 9 and I have this awesome teacher with an awesome teaching method.
He's made this powerpoint with heaps of sample introductions about the text/film, and then we copy them down to get a feel for how long they should be and how much info they should contain. He also has heaps of sample essay topics and he gives us a time limit to write one under pressure.
I think maybe you could ask your teacher to give you some sample introductions or sample introductions. Otherwise, you could always make some up yourself and pick out of a hat, then give yourself a time limit to write an introduction. There's no need to write a whole essay, just make sure you plan your exam time wisely.
After you write the introduction you can give it to your teacher and ask him/her to check it and give you tips on how to improve.
In regards to the text or film you're studying, read or watch it at least twice. For the first time, just concentrate on the storyline and enjoy it. For the second time, write down quotes and/or highlight words.
I hope this helps!

[keltingmeith]

Also is getting an English tutor worth it? some people have told me you can't really be tutored English and it's not worth it

If it's not worth having a tutor for English, then it's not worth trying to teach people how to do it. Ask yourself - does your teacher teach you anything? If the answer is yes, clearly it's worth getting an English tutor, because it can be taught. If your answer is no, then either your teacher is doing a bad job, or those people are right - English can't be taught, and VCAA are wasting their efforts in trying to teach it to every VCE student.

[brenden]

Anyone who says that English can't be taught hasn't figured out the right way to teach it lol.

[JackSonSmith]

When it comes to English, I follow the following:

1. Read the novel twice.
2. Make sure I know the characters, themes, ideas and implications of those ideas.
3. Write practice essays.

I would say that reading *good essays helps to point me in the right direction.

*My definition of a good essay: A piece of writing that responds to the prompt well. It has well developed and sophisticated ideas that are expressed succinctly and eloquently. The writer makes appropriate use of their extensive vocabulary and has an excellent command of the mechanics and nuances of English. Finally, it is an essay that makes me think differently or sheds new light onto an idea or character and inspires me to be a better writer.

[JackSonSmith]

Anyone who says that English can't be taught hasn't figured out the right way to teach it lol.

In my opinion, English is a subject that must be appreciated if you want to do well.

[brenden]

In my opinion, English is a subject that must be appreciated if you want to do well.

I don't really know what you mean by appreciated but I think for the most part English can be relatively formulaic if that's the way a student needs it to be. You don't need to appreciate much to figure out how to hit the criteria, in the same way you don't need to appreciate Legal Studies to know there are five express rights in the CACA.

[cindywilliams32]

How do you guys study for English besides doing a ton of practice essays?

Im only in year 10 and English is my worst subject by far and i'm not sure why! I usually do well in all my subjects except for English and i think it is because i'm not really sure on how to study for it, in particular doing text response essays. How do you guys study for English and what would you recommend me to do? I would like to make my English really strong and be able to read and write properly like here. Urgent advice needed! It seems like during the actual essay writing day I always get super nervous and think i'm going to do bad, as i have always done well in all my other subjects which makes me kinda frustrated at myself.

Also is getting an English tutor worth it? some people have told me you can't really be tutored English and it's not worth it

How good are you at managing your schedule?  If you think you're going to do bad then you'll most likely will.  Just relax and treat it like all your other subjects.  Also, manage your time well, set time for practice essays and if you can have time for a tutor then go for it.

[shadows]

Practise is key!

If you get into the habit of reading widely, and writing regularly

Your English will definitely improve.

[cindywilliams32]

Practise is key!

If you get into the habit of reading widely, and writing regularly

Your English will definitely improve.

Exactly!