For Ages: 15-17 years

• Keith Noel
• Sheilah Garcia-Bisnott
• Milton Drepaul

This comprehensive examination guide appears on the recommended lists of several Ministries of Education throughout the Caribbean .

It gives a detailed analysis of the requirements of the examination and the literary skills students need to perform well. Students are guided in the techniques of writing to give pleasure, to inform, or to persuade. The guide also discusses and demonstrates literary analysis of poems, drama and prose extracts. Worked examples take students through the process of answering specific questions. Every student preparing for the English A examination needs to have a copy.

The DVD presents students with:

• a variety of activities
• teaching videos
• audio presentations
• photographs
• illustrations

 As students use the DVD at home or school they will be expertly guided by clear written instructions and the narrators.

Topics dealt with on the DVD have been chosen as those with which students have the greatest difficulty in the examination (see Key Features). The activities included give students the extra practice that the authors think they need to deal with the problem areas.

This product is an invaluable add-on to the textbook and students will undoubtedly benefit from the interaction and practice. If they do badly on a particular activity they can try again. They can also refer to the relevant sections of the textbook for additional help.

Please note that while the DVD provides added value, it is the textbook that covers the syllabus.

Organization of the DVD

There are 8 main sections on the DVD as follows:

• Short story writing
• Writing descriptive essays
• Writing stories from visual stimuli
• Persuasive writing
• Summary writing
• Mastering Paper 1

Key Features:

• Practice exercises on synonyms, antonyms, sentence completion, sentence correction, equivalent sentences and comprehension passages to meet the requirements of Paper 1 of the CSEC English A examination
• General guidelines on preparing for the examination

Key Features of the DVD:

• Practice is given in developing various aspects of short story writing, i.e. plot, setting and characters.
• A number of rich descriptive passages and visual stimuli are provided for students to build their appreciation for, and develop their skills in writing descriptive essays. Practice exercises accompany most of these descriptive pieces.
• Persuasive writing activities help students develop the ability to distinguish a factual statement from an opinion.
• Summary Writing section provides practice in concise writing, editing ones work and interpreting text accurately.
• Mastering Paper 1, which patterns Paper 1 of the English A examination, comprises multiple choice items that cover grammar, comprehension, spelling and correct usage of Standard English.
• Narrators guide students as they navigate their way through various sections of the DVD.

Look Out For:

• Two full papers of the type and format set for CSEC English A, Papers 1 and 2 to provide good practice for the examination
• Many activities
• Guidance from experts in the field