Top Notch Prompt Response Advice




Dear VCE 'Encountering Conflict' students,

This is a space for you to practise different forms of writing and responding to set prompts. When you write a piece you will need to indicate whether you are using The Secret River or The Rugmaker to inform your writing. You also need to provide a mini statement of explanation that outlines form, audience, purpose and context.

You will also be expected to read each others' work and use the comments feature and DIIGO (a web tool useful for conferencing) to provide feedback to each other. When conferencing you can comment about what is working well in the piece, areas for improvement and how you can see the prompt and nominated text influencing the piece. Due to this you might need to edit a post you have submitted so label each edit as post 1, post 2, etc.

DIIGO: A COLLABORATIVE WEB TOOL THAT CAN BE USED FOR CONFERENCING EACH OTHERS' WRITING

diigo it

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Ideas and Themes in The Rugmaker

The following is a list of themes and ideas that arise in The Rugmaker:
  • Conflict has far reaching consequences (psychological, fear, powerlessness, behavioural changes, economic, social, etc)
  • Conflict is futile
  • Conflict opposes humanity
  • Conflict is unfair
  • People can survive conflict
  • Individual experiences of conflict are not unique

TASK 1: In pairs, find three examples of your assigned theme/idea being represented in the text. Quote the example, record the page it appears on and explain the connection you see it has to the theme/idea. TYPE AND PIGEONHOLE THIS ACTIVITY.

TASK 2: Respond to your assigned theme/idea as a prompt. Perform a 'sound off' in response to theme/idea that you have. Think of as many discussion points as you can that the prompt might lead you to. Draw from the set text but also aim to go beyond the set text. Ideas from beyond the set text work to present a broad perspective of thinking on the topic, something examiners like to see (especially in essays written for this Area of Study), though there needs to be an obvious connection in theme/idea to the set text. Present your sound off in tagxedo form.

  • In a word document type your theme/idea as a prompt heading (save)
  • Type up your sound off responses in a list (save as you go)
  • Copy your sound off responses
  • Link/go to the tagxedo website
  • Click into the create section
  • Click load and enter text, hit submit
  • Play with settinggs till you like what you see
  • Save your tagxedo
  • Put your tagxedo image, html code and web address into your original word document
  • Pigeonhole your word document to me

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Some initial ideas for writing in response to The Rugmaker

You could write:


  • an opinion piece that is persuasive - further informing Australian readers of the constant turmoil Afghanistan people experience in terms of everyday life, the corrupt political system they live under, giving an opinion on their voting system in comparison to Australia's.
  • an imaginative poem - it could describe the harsh conditions of the society in Afghanistan, as well as being burdened with the fear of explosions, murder, attack at any time.
  • a persuasive speech about how the taxpayer's money is going towards what seems to be a never ending cause in terms of Australian military.
  • diary entries from an Australian soldier based in a camp in Afghanistan - discussing the conditions, experiences, feelings.
  • an opinion piece on the conditions for Australian soldiers based in Afghanistan and how suitable they are or aren't.
  • a personal letter from a soldier written to a loved one back home describing the conditions Afghanistan.
  • a research piece on suicide bombers. What leads them to become suicide bombers and the affects it has on people.
  • An opinion piece sharing a person's thoughts on suicide bombers and the Taliban.
  • a persuasive piece about ways to control people smugglers - measures that could be put in place.
  • an imaginative piece that tells the story of a refugee family coming to Australia.
  • a diary entry of an Australian border security guard who patrols the coast of Australia.
  • an opinion piece about whether people believe NATO air strikes should take place in Afghanistan.
  • a persuasive piece about why NATO should stop air strikes on Afghanistan - because it impacts on civilians - is this as bad as the Taliban?
  • A diary piece of an Afghan civilian who has experienced an air strike where they live - they have survived - they detail their feelings, physical suffering they encounter, etc.
  • an expository essay about the how the richer refugees are able to leave their country while the poorer ones are left behind.
  • a persuasive essay on whether governments are doing enough to discourage people smugglers.
  • an imaginative piece - a short story about two Afghans who are trying to get to Australia - only one of them gets a visa, the other is knocked back - show how their lives differ after they have been through the visa process.