Higher Writing PortfolioHigher Writing Portfolio

Reflective WritingReflective Writing

The information in this power point The information in this power point presentation is based on the presentation is based on the information from the textbook: information from the textbook: Intermediate 2 and Higher English Intermediate 2 and Higher English Essay Writing Skills for the Writing Essay Writing Skills for the Writing Portfolio.Portfolio.

Personal Reflective EssayPersonal Reflective Essay

What better subject to write about What better subject to write about than our own life?than our own life?

A reflective essay allows you the A reflective essay allows you the freedom to explore your own freedom to explore your own memories as well as your thoughts memories as well as your thoughts and attitudes on a particular topic.and attitudes on a particular topic.

Things to Avoid…Things to Avoid…

• Reflect! It’s not enough to consider your Reflect! It’s not enough to consider your thoughts and feelings on a basic level. Reflect thoughts and feelings on a basic level. Reflect on the situation more thoroughly – consider on the situation more thoroughly – consider what you have learned from the experience. what you have learned from the experience.

• Consider the view points of others.Consider the view points of others.• You should be demonstrating a reasonable You should be demonstrating a reasonable

amount of emotional maturity which should amount of emotional maturity which should go well beyond what you conveyed at go well beyond what you conveyed at Standard Grade.Standard Grade.

• Careless errors that can be avoided! Proof Careless errors that can be avoided! Proof read and spell check all of your work read and spell check all of your work thoroughly.thoroughly.

Choosing Your Subject Choosing Your Subject MatterMatter

• It is wise to select a topic which you It is wise to select a topic which you have strong feelings on or vivid have strong feelings on or vivid memories of.memories of.

• You may wish to reflect on your You may wish to reflect on your views on a particular topic.views on a particular topic.

• Think about your experiences – what Think about your experiences – what things have helped to shape your things have helped to shape your opinions on the world?opinions on the world?

StructureStructure

• It is essential that you plan your It is essential that you plan your essay – your ideas must be essay – your ideas must be presented in a sensible order.presented in a sensible order.

• Try to ensure that your essay is Try to ensure that your essay is interesting to your reader – grab interesting to your reader – grab their attention.their attention.

• Reflect on your experience – what Reflect on your experience – what have you learned?have you learned?

ExpressionExpression

• Remember when you were told that every Remember when you were told that every single word in a poem is important?single word in a poem is important?

• As a writer, you are responsible for As a writer, you are responsible for carefully selecting your words. Think carefully selecting your words. Think about what ideas you want to convey. about what ideas you want to convey.

• What do you want your reader to imagine?What do you want your reader to imagine?• Avoid hackneyed expressions and clichAvoid hackneyed expressions and clichéés.s.

Technical AccuracyTechnical Accuracy

• Your folio consists of two polished Your folio consists of two polished essays – you are responsible for essays – you are responsible for proof reading and amending your proof reading and amending your work once it has been checked.work once it has been checked.

• There is no excuse for careless There is no excuse for careless grammatical errors or spelling grammatical errors or spelling mistakes.mistakes.

• Take care over your work – make Take care over your work – make sure you are 100% happy with it and sure you are 100% happy with it and that there are no mistakes.that there are no mistakes.

What will my essay be What will my essay be about…?about…?• Here are four Here are four

different types of different types of personal reflective personal reflective essay you might essay you might choose:choose: Relationship

Driven Experience

Activity Driven

Experience

EmotionDriven

Experience

Event Driven

experience

Me

Event-Driven ExperienceEvent-Driven Experience

• Can you think of any significant thing Can you think of any significant thing - exciting or happy or sad that’s - exciting or happy or sad that’s happened to you?happened to you?

• A family or social event? Wedding, A family or social event? Wedding, funeral, party, competition.funeral, party, competition.

• A time when you lost something or A time when you lost something or someone, were wrongly accused, a someone, were wrongly accused, a serious illness suffered by you or serious illness suffered by you or someone close to you, divorce, someone close to you, divorce, moving house/country/schoolmoving house/country/school

Emotion Driven ExperienceEmotion Driven Experience• Think of a time when you experienced a Think of a time when you experienced a

particular emotion – you should choose particular emotion – you should choose a really significant memory to you.a really significant memory to you.

• Fear, anger, guilt, loss, envy, Fear, anger, guilt, loss, envy, responsibility, confidence, excitement, responsibility, confidence, excitement, prejudice, disappointment, happiness…prejudice, disappointment, happiness…

• Tip: Have a look through photographs Tip: Have a look through photographs you have – this may trigger an you have – this may trigger an interesting memory. interesting memory.

Activity-Driven ExperienceActivity-Driven Experience

• Think about your hobbies and past times.Think about your hobbies and past times.

• Do you participate in any groups or Do you participate in any groups or sporting activities, clubs, societies that sporting activities, clubs, societies that you could write about.you could write about.

• Maybe you have been involved in Maybe you have been involved in competitions or community events. Do competitions or community events. Do you have responsibility within the school?you have responsibility within the school?

Relationship-Driven Relationship-Driven ExperienceExperience• Writing about your relationships with Writing about your relationships with

other people:other people:

• Best friends, fall outs, meeting new Best friends, fall outs, meeting new people, being let down by friends.people, being let down by friends.

• Changes to family relationships due to Changes to family relationships due to births, deaths, divorce, remarriage births, deaths, divorce, remarriage etc.etc.

• Consider any changes that you have Consider any changes that you have had to adapt to within your life.had to adapt to within your life.

Important Tip:Important Tip:

Only write about the memories and Only write about the memories and experiences that are truly important experiences that are truly important to you and that are vivid. This will to you and that are vivid. This will help you to write a more convincing help you to write a more convincing and passionate essay which your and passionate essay which your reader will be truly interested in.reader will be truly interested in.

4 Steps = Effective Planning4 Steps = Effective Planning

1.1. Note your memories.Note your memories.

2.2. List the detail.List the detail.

3.3. Explore your feelings.Explore your feelings.

4.4. Reflect.Reflect.

1. Note your memories 1. Note your memories

• Writing down what you remember will Writing down what you remember will help you to figure out what details and help you to figure out what details and events need to be included in your events need to be included in your essay.essay.

• Arrange your thoughts in chronological Arrange your thoughts in chronological order so that you can make sense of order so that you can make sense of the situation.the situation.

• This should help you to figure out how This should help you to figure out how many paragraphs your essay will have.many paragraphs your essay will have.

2. List the Detail2. List the Detail

• Try to bring your story to life:Try to bring your story to life:• Explore your senses – what do you Explore your senses – what do you

remember seeing, smelling, remember seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, tasting…?touching, hearing, tasting…?

• How did you feel and how did you act How did you feel and how did you act towards others? How did others towards others? How did others behave towards you?behave towards you?

• Try to bring your story to life.Try to bring your story to life.

3. Explore Your Feelings3. Explore Your Feelings

Now

After

During

Before

MyFeelings

Getting StartedGetting Started

• Introduction – hook the reader, you want Introduction – hook the reader, you want them to enjoy and be interested in reading them to enjoy and be interested in reading your essay from the very start.your essay from the very start.

• Body Paragraphs – you should have a Body Paragraphs – you should have a strong topic sentence at the start of each strong topic sentence at the start of each paragraph to maintain your focus. Add a paragraph to maintain your focus. Add a reflective comment to each paragraph.reflective comment to each paragraph.

• Conclusion – consider your own attitudes Conclusion – consider your own attitudes and feelings towards the experience. Try and feelings towards the experience. Try to show off what the experience has to show off what the experience has taught you about yourself.taught you about yourself.

Ways to Write the Ways to Write the Introduction:Introduction:• Decide how you are going to tell your Decide how you are going to tell your

story:story:

1.1. The chronological start: this enables The chronological start: this enables you to build up to the events as they you to build up to the events as they happen.happen.

2.2. The flash forward start: you may wish The flash forward start: you may wish to start in the middle of the experience to start in the middle of the experience in order to grab the reader’s attention in order to grab the reader’s attention before going back in time to fill in the before going back in time to fill in the necessary details.necessary details.

Final Checklist:Final Checklist:• Does the story make sense and is it told Does the story make sense and is it told

clearly?clearly?• Are there any important details which are Are there any important details which are

missing?missing?• Do I have a nice balance between narrative Do I have a nice balance between narrative

and reflection?and reflection?• Have I included imagery and interesting Have I included imagery and interesting

word choice?word choice?• How will my reader perceive me? Do I come How will my reader perceive me? Do I come

across in a positive fashion?across in a positive fashion?• Does this essay help the reader and myself Does this essay help the reader and myself

to get to know Me better?to get to know Me better?• If the answer is no – take the If the answer is no – take the

opportunity to fix it!opportunity to fix it!

Editing Your StoryEditing Your Story• It is important to realise that you may It is important to realise that you may

need to edit your essay many times need to edit your essay many times before you are truly satisfied with it.before you are truly satisfied with it.

• Edit to catch out any careless errors Edit to catch out any careless errors such as punctuation, expression, such as punctuation, expression, spelling, repetition… there is no spelling, repetition… there is no excuse for errors that could have excuse for errors that could have been avoided.been avoided.

• Take pride in your work - polish your Take pride in your work - polish your story, there’s a good chance this will story, there’s a good chance this will improve your grade!improve your grade!

PresentationPresentationStick to the following guidelines:Stick to the following guidelines:1.1. Use font size 12Use font size 122.2. Use a standard font: Arial, Times Use a standard font: Arial, Times

New Roman – nothing elaborateNew Roman – nothing elaborate3.3. Justify your essay alignmentJustify your essay alignment4.4. Margins should be 2cmMargins should be 2cm5.5. Line spacing should be either 1.5 or Line spacing should be either 1.5 or

2 – so that the marker can easily 2 – so that the marker can easily add commentsadd comments

6.6. Print in black inkPrint in black ink

One Last Thing…One Last Thing…

Is this essay truly personal and truly Is this essay truly personal and truly reflective? Do you feel like you have reflective? Do you feel like you have learned something valuable about learned something valuable about yourself or revealed something yourself or revealed something important about yourself?important about yourself?

Are you proud of what you have Are you proud of what you have achieved and do you enjoy reading your achieved and do you enjoy reading your essay? Yes? Then hopefully others will essay? Yes? Then hopefully others will too.too.