AICE General Paper

Topics

The General Paper…what does it look like?

Administered in MAY/June WRITTEN examination, 2 ESSAYS in 2

HOURS (1 day of testing)The exam paper is divided into three sections,

with five prompt options in each for a total of 15.Candidates must choose two questions, each

from a different section.Each essay is weighted at 50% of the final mark.Each essay written carries up to 30 marks for

Content and up to 20 marks for Use of English/ Conventions.

Syllabus AIMS

promote the skills of rational thought, persuasion, analysis, interpretation and evaluation;

encourage the broad exploration and appraisal of social, cultural, economic, philosophical, scientific and technological issues;

promote maturity of thought and clarity of expression;

promote understanding and appreciation of individual, societal and cultural diversity;

encourage independent, critical reading.

Assessment Objectives

In the assessment, candidates should be able to demonstrate the following skills in relation to what they’ve learned in GP:

KNOWLEDGE

UNDERSTANDING

ANALYSIS

APPLICATION

COMMUNICATION

EVALUATION

Topic Areas and Essay Question Focus

The topics for this course span the curriculum.

The good news is…students will arrive with at least ONE area of interest or expertise, which will naturally enhance the learning environment.

The downside is…there is still much to be covered in terms of topics.

SECTION 1: Historical, Social, Economic, Political and

Philosophical

the role of history and war; terrorism the role of the individual in society – the family, marriage, peer

pressure, social class cultural changes – youth and drug culture education and welfare sport, leisure, international competition wealth; changes in work practice the importance and impact of tourism on a country – implications for

the economy, employment public transport, environmental concerns aid provision the State and its institutions; development of State, democracy post-

imperialism, nationalism minority groups, pressure groups freedom of speech, action, thought Judiciary matters of conscience, faith, tolerance, equality.

SECTION 2: Science, Geography, Math

medical dilemmas and issues of research and ethics; concept of progress in science

drug manufacture and provision diet, health education old and new industries spin-offs from space industry; weaponry information and communications technology; the Internet environmental concerns; renewable energy resources; climate

change migration; population dynamics feeding the global population; farming techniques for the twenty-

first century public transport and travel the uses and applications of mathematics in everyday life.

SECTION 3: Literature , Language, Arts and Crafts

literature, biography, diary, science fictionlanguage – heritage, tradition, dialectthe global media – tv, radio, satellite; influence and

controls; effects on lifestyle, culture and habitscultural dilution and diversification; advertising; role

modelscensorship; privacy; the right to know; freedom of the

press, etc. uses and abusestraditional arts and crafts; creativity; national

heritage/preservation; effects of tourismarchitecture; painting; fashion; photography;

sculpture; music; heritage, etc.

Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE: The GP exam is “not primarily a test of general

knowledge” and “teachers [need not] cover all topic areas when teaching the course, as candidates should be able to draw upon knowledge and understanding gained when studying other subjects.”

Talk to Me:Did you pick essay prompts from different

sections?Did you notice the different essay styles

contained on the exam? Did this play a role in your selection of prompts?

What prompts did you avoid? Why?What prompts enticed you? Why?What support ideas did you come up with as

you brainstormed? Share them!

Essay Styles EXPOSITORY

GOAL: to provide information; to objectively EXPLAIN, define,

clarify or interpret… UNIQUENESSES:

doesn’t require an argument! Just tell it like it is!

PERSUASIVE GOAL:

to take a specific stance on an issue in order to CONVINCE the reader to adopt your way of thinking; to anticipate opposing viewpoints and refute via counter-argument

UNIQUENESSES: biased! Takes ONE side and defends that side ONLY!!

Never supports the opposition, not even for a minute.

Take Notes!

Essay Styles Con’t

The third style of essay is, perhaps, brand new to you… DISCURSIVE (most advanced…pros and cons, oh

my!) GOAL:

asks you to consider BOTH sides of a single issue, objectively analyzing each before arriving at any kind of value judgment.

Basic Layout: Begin with a neutral introduction, provide evidence

for the case, provide evidence against the case, conclude by either adopting one side of the argument or maintaining a neutral (middle-of-the- road) standpoint.

Prompt Identification

There are three basic types of essay tasks that the GP assesses. Look at the Sample Test; carefully consider each prompt.

Discussing your thoughts with a partner, determine whether the prompt is:

• EXPOSITORY,• PERSUASIVE, or• DISCURSIVE

Underline any key words that help you to arrive at your answer.

Write your answer in the left-hand margin of the test next to the prompt.

KEY: Prompt Identification: Section 11. How far do you agree that an [sic]

hereditary monarch as Head of State is preferable to an elected president? (Discursive)

2. “History repeats itself.” To what extent do you agree? (Discursive)

3. Should every country have the right to possess weapons of war? (Persuasive)

4. “No man is an island.” Discuss. (Discursive)

5. Should women be more prominent in public life in your country? (Persuasive)

KEY: Prompt Identification: Section 2

6. ‘Human beings should look forward to the next century with pessimism, not optimism.’ Discuss. (Discursive)

7. Assess the ability of technology to ensure human happiness in the present society. (Discursive)

8. Account for the ever-increasing popularity of numbers and word puzzles. (Expository)

9. Consider the problem of noise in society and ways to reduce it. (Expository)

10. Consider the case for and against stem cell research. (Discursive)

KEY: Prompt Identification: Section 3

11. “A book has one purpose: to entertain.” Evaluate this statement. (Discursive)

12. What music appeals to you and why? (Expository)

13. Is it important to preserve old buildings or to encourage new forms of architecture? (Persuasive)

14. Explain the popularity of designer labels. (Expository)

15. Consider the artistic and social value of cartoons and/or animated films. (Discursive)

PROMPT TASKS…a Guide to SuccessWe will discuss much when it comes to

decoding prompts, but here are your GOLDEN RULES when determining the style of your essay:

GOLDEN RULE #1… Once a Discursive, always a Discursive.

GOLDEN RULE #2… Persuasive is fine, but add to refine!

GOLDEN RULE #3… It might be expository, but don’t get freaked if you

feel like the force is with you…(every time we put the pen to paper we are arguing-ish!)

Prompt Interpretation

We will learn to decode the style of the essay pretty easily, but the hard part of prompt selection often lies in interpreting what it wants you to talk about.

Interpret the following prompt:

How successfully is crime being tackled in your

society?

Prompt Interpretation

How successfully is crime

tackled in your society?

Discursive Style required

Political crime, social crime, environmental crime, white-collar crime, cyber-crime, etc.

“Your” involves YOU! You may discuss your AMERICAN society, OR if you indicate that you consider yourself a member of GLOBAL society or MODERN society, for example, you can broaden your coverage.

Handled, Halted, Minimized

The Hand

Place your hand on a blank piece of notebook paper.

Trace your hand with a pen.Label each one of the fingers as shown below.Science & Technology

Politics/Gov’tEnvironment

Social/Cultural

Media/Entertainment

The Hand

We will use this “graphic organizer” to break down and analyze future prompts.

Remember

THE HAND!!!!

Crime

Make a hand for crime

Broad Term? Get Your Hands Dirty!

CRIME

Science/Tech.Environment

Politics/Gov’t

Social/Cultural

Media, Entertainment

Prompt Interpretation: Freedoms and Limitations

Take a second look at the test…identify valuable TRIGGER WORDS by indicating which words open up or set limits on the prompt itself. WIDE-OPEN INTERPRETATION:

Should teenagers be more actively involved in politics? Teens in America? China? Cuba? Canada? Politics regarding the elections? Human rights? Education?

The environment? LIMITS SET:

Consider the case for and against stem cell research. Very specific…you may only talk about stem cell research, no

other kind of scientific innovation. Other words that tend to limit: always, only, alone, certain, most,

etc. Adjectives that suggest/emphasize: powerful, meaningless

Prompt Picking: Terms to Consider Closely

1. How far do you agree that an [sic] hereditary monarch as Head of State is preferable to an elected president?

2. “History repeats itself.” To what extent do you agree? 3. Should every country have the right to possess weapons of war?4. “No man is an island.” Discuss. 5. Should women be more prominent in public life in your country? 6. ‘Human beings should look forward to the next century with pessimism, not

optimism.’ Discuss.7. Assess the ability of technology to ensure human happiness in the present

society.8. Account for the ever-increasing popularity of numbers and word puzzles. 9. Consider the problem of noise in society and ways to reduce it. 10. Consider the case for and against stem cell research.  11. “A book has one purpose: to entertain.” Evaluate this statement. 12. What music appeals to you and why?13. Is it important to preserve old buildings or to encourage new forms of

architecture?14. Explain the popularity of designer labels. 15. Consider the artistic and social value of cartoons and/or animated films.

Seeing Double: Prompt Recycling

Want to know a TOP SECRET bit of information?

What does that mean? Observe:__________________________________________

Technology is more of a curse than a blessing in the workplace. Do you agree?

Discuss the view that the Internet can be more harmful than helpful.

Are mobile phones more of a nuisance than a benefit?

The AICE: GP Exam RECYCLES prompts!! (How ‘green’ of them…!)

How does this impact you? STUDENTS can RECYCLE Content!!!!

SCORING

The AICE: General Paper exam grades students on two aspects of the final product essay: CONTENT (30 points) CONVENTIONS (20 points)……………………..2 ESSAYS = 100pts max

So do their facts need to be accurate? YES!!!Do they need to cross all t’s and dot all i’s? YES!!!!

BAND 1 = BESTBAND 5 = WORST

View the RUBRICS for a quick understanding of the scoring process.

PREPARING TO WRITE A DISCURSIVE ESSAY…

Sample Lesson:STUDENT SIMULATION

PROMPT

(-)(+)

A

A B

BLOGICAL POINT / THEME primary example * details secondary example * details

LOGICAL POINT / THEME

primary example * details secondary example * details

LOGICAL POINT / THEME primary example * details secondary example * details

LOGICAL POINT / THEME

primary example * details secondary example * details

Assess society’s record on human rights.

Assess society’s record on human rights.

Discursive promptGood or bad…

• Civil rights/liberties• Women’s rights• Gay rights• Equality: race/culture• Labor rights• Children’s rights

(-) (+)

Assess society’s record regarding human rights.

(-)(+)A

A B

B RIGHTS IN THE U.S. Women’s Rights 1920’s Suffragette Movement Habeus Corpus/Fair Trial Rights “innocent until proven guilty”; “protection against cruel and unusual punishment”; “Miranda Rights”

RIGHTS ABROAD Labor Rights Honda Factory Strike; Child Labor policies Democratic Rights Botswana—new dem. gov’t; Afghanistan—efforts to instill democratic values

RIGHTS ABROAD Women’s Rights Iraq-wearing the abaya as trad’l garb; China’s one-child policy Children’s Rights Child soldiers in: - Somalia - Sierra Leone

RIGHTS IN THE U.S. Gay Rights “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy; Proposition 8 Religious Rights Mosque-building in NYC

Generating Ideas

But how do I find ideas?? T h i n k G P R E L E VA N C E … ! ! !

State, national, international Past history, current events Consider all academic categories

Use the Hand Approach to help you…

THUMB: SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY

INDEX: GOVERNMEN

T and POLITICS

MIDDLE: ENVIRONMEN

T

RING: SOCIAL

RELATIONSHIPS

PINKY: MEDIA,

SPORTS and ENTERTAINM

ENT

PROMPT

CREDITS: Teaching the General Paper: Strategies That Work, By Teachers, For TeachersNational Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological UniversityEdited by Caroline Ho, Peter Teo, Tay May Yin (2006)

“History repeats itself.” Discuss.

“History repeats itself.” Discuss.

SCI/TECH: Repeats—

nuclear threats with USSR then

and Iran now are similar Doesn’t—innovative

military technology

i.e. drones of today replace

kamikazi missions of

old

GOV’T: Repeats—economic slump:

the Great Depression and the 2008 Recession.

Doesn’t—terrorist invasion ie. 9/11 heightened awareness and security precautions

ENVIRON.: Repeats—effects of oil

spills on ecosystem i.e. Exxon Valdez

and Deepwater

Horizon Doesn’t—

epidemics and pandemics no

longer as drastic i.e. Bubonic

Plague vs. Swine Flu

SOCIAL: Repeats—

religious unrest in ie. Irish

Catholics then similar to Muslim

Americans nowDoesn’t—

women’s rights i.e. suffragette

movement; political

leadership

ENTERTAINMENT: Repeats—violence in sports ie. Political riots during Yugoslavic war

then and terrorist threats at recent World

Cup (Uganda) now Doesn’t—reality t.v. phenomenon in 21st

century

Now You Try It:

Writing the discursive essay requires one to think BEYOND one’s own personal world. Look at the prompt below:

“The truth should always be told, whatever the cost.” Discuss.

As an AICE writer, students must elevate their discussion of this topic beyond the personal realm…

TASK: Bring “GP Relevance” to the essay by applying the Hand Approach to this prompt.

THUMB: Science and Technology

Medical field TELL THE TRUTH…

Hippocratic Oath VS. WITHHOLD THE TRUTH…

Placebo Effect

INDEX: Government and Politics

TELL THE TRUTH… Obama’s “open door” policy

VS.WITHHOLD THE TRUTH…

FDR, who hid his polio to avoid appearing “weak” to the public eye

MIDDLE: Environment

TELL THE TRUTH… Al Gore’s, An Inconvenient Truth

VS.WITHHOLD THE TRUTH…

Resource-rich areas that reveal such truths/ discoveries may be taken advantage of as a result

RING: Social Relationships

TELL THE TRUTH… AIDS patients

VS.WITHHOLD THE TRUTH…

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy (note: recently abolished…)

PINKY: Media, Sports and Entertainment

TELL THE TRUTH… Libel/Slander

VS.WITHHOLD THE TRUTH…

Gambling for sport and the “poker face”

NOW WE KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION IS ASKING US (BY BREAKING DOWN THE

PROMPT)

AND WE KNOW HOW TO GENERATE IDEAS (THAT ARE “GP RELEVANT”)…

NEXT STEP?

WE WILL LEARN HOW TO ACTUALLY PUT THIS DIRECTION AND THESE IDEAS INTO

AN ESSAY!! ! GET READY TO ROCK, GP-STYLE!

WHAT DID WE LEARN?