Written Task I need help with Written task 1 topics/ideas?

[trl96]

So I have to choose between language and power and language and the individual, i'm so confused! I have no idea what to write about, i just need some inspiration

Please help!

[Blackcurrant]

Ok - so which of these two do you feel you know more about? Which is more interesting for you? Choosing either one would be a good start. I expect you know already the aims and purpose of Written Task 1 and are just asking what you can do. Only you can decide that, but I'll offer some tips here.

Language power will probably yield something a little more specific. You'll first have to settle on a definition of "power" - something which you may already have done in your English class. It is really important that you do not think of power as simply "strength" or "bullying" (as in the everyday, loose use of the term) but as a form of getting others to see / behave / imagine in a specific way -- one which usually suits the interests of certain people/groups in society. Getting others to to do so might involve coercion or, more commonly, just not allowing other ideas to intrude - i.e. a narrowing down of options. Think, for instance, of the mainstream representation of women on TV or advertising.

Decide what you can --or want to --say about "power" then decide which form (genre) you will use to demonstrate your ideas. This order is usually best. There are lots of options for presenting your ideas. Viking Pelican addresses this very nicely in the post below. Remember - do not write an essay.

Edited September 29, 2012 by Blackcurrant

[dniviE]

The "Language and power"-topic is a great topic for a Written Task 1. Assuming that you are doing the English A1: Language & Literature course you have to keep in mind that this is supposed to be a creative task. This means that it is NOT AN ESSAY. It could be for example a fictional news article, blog, email-exchange between the creator of an advertisement and an offended customer or anything that is not an essay. For my two Written Task related to the first part of the syllabus I wrote one fictional news article supplemented with a opinion article and for the second one I wrote a fictional language policy statement.

What is really important with Written Task 1 is that you make sure that the style of writing is very distinct to the genre you have chosen. So for a language policy the language would for example be very accurate and formal while for a news article it would be more informative and use words that are not easily misinterpreted. Explaining the styles that you have used and what effect they have is an important part of the rationale. The rationale is a 200-300 words long reflection and explanation of the Written Task that has been carried out. In the Rationale you are supposed to tell the reader what the Written Task is trying to do and what techniques have been used to do so.

Good luck with the Written Task!