[-Neuro-]

Hello, I'm starting my Highers tomorrow and I was wondering if any of you had any tips for studying Higher English? What kind of books and textbooks were useful for you to revise from?

Basically any advice on how to get a good grade for it
I would really like to get an A band 1 next year.

[sinfonietta]

Read the texts you're given as early as possible - before the class starts the text as a whole is even better (you should find out right at the start of the course what you're studying, if not then just ask).

Also, this book is more than useful. Memorise the language techniques early on (even a week or so before the course starts, if you can) and you'll be acing the close readings no problem.

[cgraham15]

Learn quotes from all the texts, and make sure they're relevant. Also, make sure you know how each quote from your text shows what you're trying to say. e.g. "... which shows... which proves/links back to...", etc etc. Loads of people just used to stick random quotes in and I was like .

so yeah, learn relevant quotes and make sure you know how each quote illustrates the meaning/message/argument whatever.

I never used any textbooks so I can't recommend any sorry.

Good luck

[SneakyDoug]

I recommend learning how to answer close reading questions properly straight away so that you know what to do when it comes to your NAB's.

[Quick-use]

(Original post by -Neuro-)
Hello, I'm starting my Highers tomorrow and I was wondering if any of you had any tips for studying Higher English? What kind of books and textbooks were useful for you to revise from?

Basically any advice on how to get a good grade for it
I would really like to get an A band 1 next year.

Read your texts asap, and then continuously re-read them. Make sure to establish what the THEMES are quickly (this is the most important aspect I would say) and from that when you re-read texts get quotations. The themes are the overall messages, and that gives you your arguments. So establish your themes, establish what YOU believe the messages to be (what the writer is telling us like advice), get relevant quotations to PROVE your messages (quotations are simply ammunition, building blocks - NOT your argument) get relevant TECHNIQUES to prove your messages (techniques are ammunition again and so important) and voila you have an argument - an A in Higher English!

In other words, make sure you know what your themes are, what the messages are, what you're saying about the messages in relation to the essay question asked, and then prove it all.

As for Close Reading, I used 'How to Pass Higher English Close Reading' a lot. It was pretty good in my opinion. And I would wholly recommending knowing ALL the techniques used in close reading, and you can even find examples of this by looking at past papers, the questions, the passage (what you think the answer to be) and then the marking scheme. The marking scheme often has dozens of answers and you only need a few, and also the same techniques ALWAYS show up but in different context, so if you recognise them properly by looking at the marking scheme etc you should be fine. And then to help with adjusting to the context, I'd recommend doing LOADS of practice: past papers, past papers and more past papers!

[MissCello]

Honestly, just read a lot of books, do your homework, do close-reading papers throughout the year and get feedback (we did this in class once a week).
When you get the opportunity to write critical essays, do it. In your spare time, and do as much research for the books you get and read them well in advance before you are supposed to study them in class.
Higher English is straight forward with the formulas you get and is up front with the information, so much of the year is spent perfecting your technique really and you can only do that by practice.
As others have said, look at the marking scheme and also look at the marks available at each question you answer! This is a huge insight as you will be able to know if you need two different techniques or only one.
Read newspapers, they get you used to the format for close-reading, as the articles there are from newspapers anyway, and it also gets you used to the language so when it comes to the exam you can understand the overall meaning and gist of it right off the bat. That is very important, especially when you get dodgy tone questions or when it asks you to describe what a word means depending on the context.
Since I love psychology, I have found English easy because I find that there is a lot of analysis in English as well. So when you are doing your questions, think of yourself as if you are a detective, giving a detailed report and analysis, this way you can answer the question deeply and not get too caught up in what individual words mean. Most of English relies on your general understanding, and context, rather than single words.
Most importantly, have fun with it. Keep it feeling like a game, as if it is your challenge to decipher a code. Otherwise English can get a little repetitive and you may feel like you don't need to study as often, but practice is key!
Good luck!

[Direct15]

I think the best thing is to understand the quotes too

Reread the book, you'll notice more things second time around such as Gatsby my analysis was short for Tom's humiliation of Gatsby and calling his home a pigsty but afterward there was so much more to talk about


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[anniexoxo]

Really good tips! Any recommendations on novels to read?

[nerd434]

(Original post by anniexoxo)
Really good tips! Any recommendations on novels to read?

Don't read something just because you think it'll improve your English. Read something you'll enjoy.

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(Original post by anniexoxo)
Really good tips! Any recommendations on novels to read?

(Original post by nerd434)
Don't read something just because you think it'll improve your English. Read something you'll enjoy.

I agree with reading something you'll enjoy now, but I've finished my Higher and Advanced Higher English and am studying at university now. However, at standard grade, to improve myself, I did read some novels just for the sake of improving myself. At the time, my books of interest were the Percy Jackson series which I honestly don't think would have improved me. Therefore, I read things like The Odyssey, The Waste Land, Lord of the Rings and others. And, honestly, I'd like to think that I've improved a lot! I still do try and read some more difficult books nowadays because I want to improve. I can't deny either that reading more difficult books opened new literary horizons for me and, at times, truly did interest me. In fact, I ended up doing my Advanced Higher English dissertation on The Waste Land (and other modernist poetry). Having studied it, I have also now decided that I don't like it very much. I've gradually developed my skills and I can decide whether or not I really do like something based on its literary merits or otherwise. Try to always improve, so I would say read what you enjoy definitely, but sometimes don't be afraid to read more difficult books. You never know: you could like them, or not. You won't know unless you try.

[anniexoxo]

Thanks for the good tips! I am reading To kill a Mockingbord at the moment!

[closey95]

If you do well throughout the year don't get complacent.

Trust me...

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(Original post by closey95)
If you do well throughout the year don't get complacent.

Trust me...

I second this. Please, please, please do not get complacent with English. It's a subject more about skill: you need to build it continuously so always try your best.

[Quick-use]

(Original post by anniexoxo)
Thanks for the good tips! I am reading To kill a Mockingbord at the moment!

I received a copy for my 18th birthday and I've been meaning to start reading it. Maybe we could discuss it one day if I do?