1. Component 2 – Combining information from two texts.
English Language GCSE
Component 2 – Combining information from two texts.

2. Learning Objective: AO3 Skills
Compare writer’s ideas and prospectives, as well as how these are conveyed, across two or more texts.
Key term:
Conveyed across two texts: compare and contrast ideas in the given texts.

3. In the exam:
A question will often come at the end of the exam asking you to compare two texts.
Ideas may overlap with other questions you answered earlier
you should still repeat points you have already written if you think they work for the question.

4. In the exam:
This type of question will often tell you the focus for your comparison in the first line:
Both of these texts are…
In both of these texts the writers give their views on…
Therefore, you’ll know only to comment on the given topic. There are two skills you need to show as you compare:
Pick out similar and different things the writers say about the topic.
Write about the styles of the writing or how the writers put their views or information together.

5. Our texts
The texts are about child labour and the issues around young children working. These extracts are shorter than those you are likely to get in the exam.
Extract 1 is taken from a web article called “Gasp! The Benefits of Child Labour in the Developing World.” by Lindsay Melnick.
Extract 2 is from Lydia Child’s book, “The American Frugal Housewife” written in 1832.

8. Both extracts,similar ideas
Activity 1
20 minutes
Read each extract carefully. Make a note of the intended reader and purpose of each text.
Activity 2
End
Track through each extract, one at a time. List the things which the writer says about the children in extract 1 record them in your venn diagram.
Tract through extract 2 recording ideas which deal with similar issues record them in the correct section of your venn diagram.
Extract 1
different
Both extracts,similar ideas
Extract 2
Audience: To decide on who the text is aimed at you need to consider who the ideas of the text would interest. Are the ideas general, to appeal to a wider readership, or geared towards a specific gender or interest group?
Purpose: remember that purpose means the job or the function of the text. Is it; giving you information? Persuading you to do something? Advising how to do something? Trying to change your opinion? Something else?

9. Activity 3 Highlight key words which are similar or link to a theme.
Extract 2 (19C)
Children should be in school, not working.
Both extracts, similar ideas
Children should be playing with their friends, not working.
Child labour happens because poor families depend on the income.
Poor families cannot afford the associated costs of education so children get excluded from school.
Child labour is a trade-off: not starving and working is a better option for survival than education.
It is bad that children can “romp away” their existence until 13 or 14 for parents in terms of their patience and their money.
Not working has a bad effect on children’s morals and habits.
Children as young as six can be ‘useful’..
Children will ruin clothes during ‘useless play’ – better to pick blackberries and earn money at the same time as tearing their clothes..
They can do a variety of jobs
Children should be taught that not helping others is a waste of a day.
Children should be taught to take care of their own clothes.
Extract1 (21C)
Take each topic in turn , discuss on your tables whether the writer gives an entirely or partly similar view on the topic or whether they give a totally different view. (each theme will become a PEEZ paragraph)

10. Question and Mark Scheme
Both writers give their views on child labour. Compare the following:
The writers’ attitude to child labour
How they get across their arguments. [10]
Mark
Criteria
Nothing worthy of credit.
1-2
Identifies basic similarities and differences.
3-4
Identifies and gives straightforward description of some of the main similarities and differences.
5-6
Identifies similarities and differences and makes some comparisons, commenting on how they are conveyed.
7-8
Makes detailed comparisons, with valid comments on how they are conveyed.
9-10
Makes comparisons that are sustained and detailed, showing clear understanding of how they are conveyed..
Comment on and compare the language used by the writers.
Give a range of ideas.
Read and comment on two different extracts
Explore similarities and differences
Use comparative vocabulary such as – ‘both’, ‘whereas’, ‘conversely’, ‘however’
Use quotations to support your ideas
Select details relevant to the question.

11. teacher assessment
Both writers give their views on child labour. Compare the following:
The writers’ attitude to child labour
How they get across their arguments. [10]
Mark
Criteria
Nothing worthy of credit.
1-2
Identifies basic similarities and differences.
3-4
Identifies and gives straightforward description of some of the main similarities and differences.
5-6
Identifies similarities and differences and makes some comparisons, commenting on how they are conveyed.
7-8
Makes detailed comparisons, with valid comments on how they are conveyed.
9-10
Makes comparisons that are sustained and detailed, showing clear understanding of how they are conveyed..
Comment upon your WWW, EBI and ACT. Think reflectively, how will you respond to your comments in your exam.