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UNIT 2: Summarising, Visual Literacy and Language Structures
UNIT 2: Summarising, Visual Literacy and Language Structures
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit, you will have mastered the following skills:
Summarising Visual literacy – Advertisements Language o Dictionary work: The use of dictionaries o Textual editing
INTRODUCTION
This unit continues to build on the importance of language in context. The candidate must continue to read different types of texts. The summary passage provided can again be used as a reading text with discussions about it and its theme in a wider context – to establish understanding, build vocabulary and encourage self-expression. When the first summary is attempted, guide the candidate by discussing the important points in each paragraph, and reading the instructions to make sure that they know exactly which parts to summarise. Use the marking guide to evaluate the summary and provide feedback. Then the candidate can write the other two summaries aimed at different audiences. Mark these in the same way.
A number of different advertisements have been provided for a wider scope. Because these are not printed in colour, it adds to understanding if the candidate looks out for advertisements in the print media and discusses the font, the AIDA analysis and target market – in fact, all the features (slogan, etc.). Go through the different aspects of AIDA carefully.
Candidates tend to find target market a difficult concept to identify. They mustn’t be too quick to say “the general public” because illustrations, type of product, choice of words, even type of font all tend to point to a sector of the public, rather than the general public.
It is important to discuss the answers provided in the facilitator’s guide with the candidate, rather than simply marking the answers. Discussion gives constructive feedback because the different perceptions of the candidate and facilitator can be verbalised. Discussion can be an excellent learning tool. It enhances the skills of expressing one’s point of view which is vital in practising formulating answers in the exams.
IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGY
(Explained in the lesson in the study guide, and/or the glossary in Addendum C). Synopsis AIDA, target market Etymology Concord
LESSON 8: Writing and presenting – Summaries
DEFINE
A summary is written in full sentences. Its format may be point form or as a connected paragraph. It tests the comprehension of the candidate, their ability to extract the key points of a passage, and to express this concisely in their own words.
The features of a summary and method of approaching the summary are given in the lesson in the study guide. The way the summary is marked is also provided.
The passage for summary should be read carefully and discussed to ensure that the candidate understands the passage before the exercise is done.
Note that this is process writing: Key facts should be highlighted or underlined; then the facts should be written down in the candidate’s own words before drafting, editing and presenting the summary.
Revise the features and method of summaries, and look carefully at the way in which they are marked. Read the passage for summary and discuss it (remember this is an exercise in reading skills – making sense of and recognising features in texts). Then complete the first summary paragraph. Mark this one before going on to the other two for homework.
ACTIVITY 8: MEMORANDUM
SUMMARY
1. The tone is disparaging/ridiculing (something similar). These paragraphs will not be included in a summary.
2. Candidate’s own answer.
3. According to nutrition expert Patrick Holford, fats found in burned meat are bad for one’s health. In contrast, “good” fats, found in fish and seeds, speed up thought processes and enhance memory. Research has shown that good fats improve academic and physical performance of children.
Vitamins provide added benefits such as preventing Alzheimer’s disease and increasing attention span. Studies have proved Holford’s theory. He advises people of all ages to eat fish and lentils and less sugar and white bread. His views are gaining acceptance. [86 words]
4. Summary for vegetarians who are health conscious.
There is good news for vegetarians from nutrition expert Patrick Holford.
Fish and seeds contain good fats, while lentils provide vitamins and minerals that have many benefits for one’s health. Good fats speed up thought processes and enhance memory. Research has shown that good fats improve academic and physical performance of children. Vitamins prevent Alzheimer’s disease and increase the attention span. Young and old benefit from a healthy diet with less sugar and white bread. Holford’s theories have good scientific support and are gaining acceptance. [85 words]
5. Summary for primary school children. [Avoid all the “big” words which might confuse a primary child – only give the most basic, but important facts]
6. Patrick Holford, a nutritional expert, says that too much meat is bad for the brain. Fried foods and “braaivleis” have “bad” fats, which make you fat and make you forget. People should avoid too much sugar, junk food and white bread. They should eat more fish, beans and lentils which help school children to improve their spelling and reading as well as their co-ordination.
Vitamins help them to concentrate and remember better. The right food is better than pills and medicine. Eating correctly can keep people healthier even when they are old. [92 words]
LESSON 9: Reading and viewing – Advertisements (1)
DEFINE
The AIDA model is discussed in the lesson. “Seven Deadly Sins”, exploited by advertisers to persuade buyers. Fact and opinion
Target market
Slogan and figurative devices such as the pun will be familiar to you.
Four advertisements are provided. AIDA principles can be discussed during the lesson; except for the one in which the AIDA analysis is required in the written exercise. The same can be done for slogan, target market, etc.
ACTIVITY 9: MEMORANDUM
1. AIDA: Attract Attention – the advert very effectively attracts attention. The bright colours, picture and especially the highly visible heart shape with “One Squeeze …” would attract the attention of young people in particular.
Hold INTEREST – people will read the advert, firstly because the “One Squeeze” has already caught their attention. They will finish reading that sentence. Then their eyes will be led down, following the course of the red heart to the toothpaste tube and diagonally across to the slogan “Extremely fresh for hours”.
Create DESIRE – with its link to romance, the advert successfully creates a desire for the product. Extremely fresh breath? No worries about him/her turning away from you then! It appeals to the “sin” of Envy because you will envy those who use this toothpaste. It makes you successful in love!
Stimulate ACTION – The idea of being successful in love is repeated in the line “Wanna get Fresh?” underneath which urges you to get the toothpaste. A website is given and there are prizes to be won, so people will rush to buy the product!
2. The pun is found in “One squeeze leads to another” which means that the toothpaste is so fresh that you will squeeze the tube and come back to brush again and again. It also ties in with the romantic theme: One squeeze of the toothpaste will make you so attractive that you will soon be
in a relationship where you have a “squeeze” (old-fashioned, slang word for a date) or are “squeezed” (hugged). This effectively helps to create a desire for the product.
Maybelline advert
3. “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.” The wordplay in the slogan is very effective because “maybe” means “perhaps”, but also forms part of the name Maybelline. So the name of the company is echoed three times in the slogan.
4. The Maybelline company is based in New York. There is some information about the product: it is mascara; but the “facts” regarding the lengthening of 30% and 30°, although they sound impressive, are unlikely to be provable. Are there statistics to prove these claims? The name of the model is given in small print, but is not information relevant to the product.
5. Extreme length
Unstoppable curl NOTE: If you are asked to list, you must
Lashes go sky high! do so or you will be penalised. “List” The sky’s the limit the means one underneath the other.
6. Primarily to envy. You will envy the girl in the advertisement because she has “sky high” lashes.
7. “Sky high curves” mascara – (NOT “Maybelline”: that’s the name of the manufacturer, or cosmetic company). This is one of their products.
The Coca-Cola advert
8. People who regard Coke as a classic soft drink.
9. It implies that good taste/the love for a classic taste never goes out of fashion/is always stylish. Coke will always be in fashion/will always be enjoyed.
10. The font is an old, stylish font and almost identical to the writing used in the Coca-Cola design.
11. The pictures on the bottle represent many idols and iconic figures who are still admired by young and old, even though they lived in a different century. Just as they are still admired for their classical charm and style,
Coke is still regarded a big favourite with people of all ages.
“Leadership is a verb” advert
12. The advertisement will appeal to adults and business people and entrepreneurs who are serious about making successful investments –“leading private bank in Africa”.
13. The slogan is justifiable as the advertisement says the clients of this bank don’t settle for anything less than the extraordinary.
14. The statement is very effective. It creates the perception that this bank actively takes the lead in banking matters in Africa. It gives potential clients a feeling of security and confidence.
OR
The statement is intriguing because it doesn’t seem to make sense; so the viewer reads further to see what it could mean.
15. [Own opinion, suitably motivated.] e.g. Yes: The illustration is of a zebra. It distinguishes the company in the financial industry. Every zebra has its own unique stripe pattern, illustrating how unique the company is and how it caters to the needs of unique individual clients. e.g. No: Most people would probably view a zebra as a common animal in the wild and not particularly powerful. The only unique aspect of the zebra presumably is the black-and-white stripes – but there is no real link here with the product.
STUDY/REVISION
Discuss and revise material to be studied for TEST: Comprehension, Summary and Language to be written in week 8 on work you have covered in this guide so far this term.
Refer to the portfolio book for the task instructions.
DEFINE
The various components of a dictionary entry are given in the lesson.
Understand the components of a dictionary entry, and be able to use it to explain meaning, find the part of speech of the given word, use its etymology to increase vocabulary, etc.
ACTIVITY 11: MEMORANDUM
1. One definition is given (note there are no numbered definitions for “articulate” a.). 2. Stress is placed on the second syllable ar/ti’/cu/late (The apostrophe indicates stress by being placed after the stressed syllable – but dictionaries differ. You need to check a word that you know to see what a particular dictionary’s system is, or else look in the dictionary’s explanations of its abbreviations). 3. Articulately 4. v.t. stands for a transitive verb, v.i. indicates an intransitive verb. 5. Six. 6. “Articulation” comes from a French word which originated in the Latin word “articulatio”, meaning “joint”.
LESSON 12: Language structures – Textual editing (1) – Concord
DEFINE
“Concord” means agreement and in grammatical terms it refers to the agreement of a verb with its subject. (An obvious example would be: The girl takes her dog for a walk – NOT The girl take her dog for a walk. Concord can also refer to the agreement between pronouns, and the use of the correct (subject or object) case of the pronoun. (e.g. He ate his (not her) sandwich; We visited them (not they) in hospital.
The more intricate rules of concord are given so that the candidate understands how to edit their writing, and is able to recognise appropriate or inappropriate language usage in other texts.
First understand the concept of concord with regard to the verb agreeing with its subject. Then do the same for pronoun concord. Then go through the rules given in the lesson –think of other sentences which illustrate each rule. Then complete the activity.
ACTIVITY 12: MEMORANDUM
1. None of the boys is here. 2. Everyone had done his/her work. 3. Between you and me, I think we will win. [Object case: “you and me” are not “doers”] 4. We are as successful as they. [Tricky one! Ellipsis has been used: the sentence means “We are as successful as they are”.] 5. The man whom we saw in the street, is the editor of the local newspaper. [Object: we saw “him” – the man is not the “doer”.] 6. Our great leader and statesman is gone. [It’s one person who is both a leader and a statesman – hence the singular verb.] 7. Neither Ofentse nor his sisters are coming. [Agrees with closest subject.] 8. Either Jackie or Lerato has your book. 9. The United Nations calls for peace. [Plural form, but singular body – hence singular verb.] 10. Not only the boys, but also their sister Annette was injured in the accident. [Agrees with closest subject.] 11. Measles is widespread in town at the moment. [Plural form, but singular in fact.] 12. Much water has been wasted by the leak in the swimming pool. 13. Neither of the twins is as musical as her older sister. [Taking each twin at a time.] 14. Each candidate must collect his portfolio from the office. 15. One has to make sure to pack one’s kit correctly. 16. The competitors were asked to collect their race numbers before 5 a.m. [“Competitors = plural]
