Ensure Your Very Best English 30-2 Exam Mark 

Paula Parker

BEd, BA University of AlbertaEdmonton Catholic School District (over 20 years)

Paula joined us in January 2011 and her student feedback was phenomenal - in fact perhaps the best of any of our instructors. In her words...

I have been enjoying the experience of teaching English 30-1 and 30-2 for the past seventeen years in the Edmonton Catholic School District. Several of these years have been spent at Archbishop O'Leary High School, although I have also taught at Louis St Laurent and Fresh Start earlier on in my teaching career. I am currently teaching at Cardinal Collins High School Academic Centre. Marking diploma exams every year allows me the opportunity to continue the professional development of learning what Alberta Learning is looking for from my students; I can then share this experience with not only my students, but those of you preparing for your English 30/30-2 diplomas that attend our RTD sessions. Our time together will include preparation for both the Part A and Part B portions of the Diploma Exam. Students who have attended Rock the Diploma courses have expressed that our time together definitely benefited them and they felt much more prepared for their exam; establishing that confidence is sometimes half the battle! I look forward to the opportunity to help you prepare for your English diploma.

Class 1: On day one we'll begin with the Part A portion of the exam; specifically the PRT (Personal Response to Text) Assignment. Course instructor Paula has marked diplomas for many years and she will help students create a clear and executable step by step outline for success; and quickly dispel any notion that this exam "cannot be studied for". Students will then dive in with a step by step approach for how to best "survive" the Part B portion of the exam - Reading Comprehension. Paula will model the type of reading necessary for full comprehension.

Class 2: To begin, students will revisit the PRT (Personal Response to Text) assignment to be sure questions are answered and students feel prepared for this first assignment. We will take the time to analyze examples of successful (and some not so successful) student writing. Next, students will revisit the reading comprehension portion of the exam, working their way through excerpts, practicing different strategies being critical readers. Finally for the day, we willl break down a clear step by step outline and approach to successfully tackle the second assignment for Part A - the Critical Analytical Response to Literary Text (Essay). We will examine past diploma essay questions and students will prepare the literature they would like to write their essays on.

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