Tutor’s Report on the Draft Background Essay

Candidate’s Name: Katya Kirichenko

Centre Name: The Distance Delta

Centre number: 10239

Language Systems

Assignment Title: Reported Speech

Date of assessment: 2nd April 2013

To be completed by the Course Tutor:

I confirm that the following requirements were met:

I received a copy of the draft background essay



Neil Anderson

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 Assessment criteria for the background essay

1. Quality of writing

Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively present an essay which:
Partially
Met Not met
met
a) is written in language which is clear, accurate, easy to follow

and is cohesive and clearly ordered
b) uses appropriate terminology accurately 
c) refers to and references key sources 
d) follows the conventions of a standard referencing system for

in-text referencing and the bibliography
e) states the number of words used. 

Comment

Your style is for the most part clear and easy to follow though there are some slips and some strain is put on
the reader due to lack of proofreaidng. The assignment is logically ordered overall. (1a)

Your use of terminology is accurate. (1b)

You refer to your research sources. (1c)

Your referencing needs to be more consistent in following appropriate conventions – surname only and year
o publication; page number also if directly quoting. You have included a bibliography but need to check how
to order this. (1d)

In a final submission you would need to state the total number of words used and ensure this is between
2000-2500. This is not really relevant for a draft. (1e)

2. Clarity of topic

Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively make clear the topic of the essay
by:
Partially
Met Not met
met
a) identifying for analysis a specific area of the grammar,
lexis, phonology or discourse system of English, or a skills 
area (listening, speaking, reading or writing)
b) defining the scope of the area they will analyse with
reference to e.g. learners, teaching approach, method, 
learning context, learner needs or text type
c) explaining with reference to classroom experience,

reading and research why they have chosen this area
d) making all parts of the essay relevant to the topic and

coherent
e) following through in later parts of the essay on key issues

identified in earlier parts.

1
 Comment

Your selected areas of reported speech for analysis are appropriate in focus and scope. (2a, 2b)

You imply reasons for your choice of reported speech when you talk about learner difficulty. You need to do
this less obliquely and more personally i.e. give a direct rationale for your choice of topic – why is reported
speech useful for you as teacher, what has proved difficult about teaching this in the past; what do you hope
to learn? It is also good to make some reference to your initial reading of the topic. What is something you
want to find out more about? (2c)

The essay overall is cohesive, with clear links between sections. However, be clear on the purpose of each
section – analysis is about analysis, not learner problems; and issues mentioned in problems should be
clearly foreshadowed in analysis. (2d, e)

3. Analysis and issues

Successful candidates can effectively demonstrate an understanding of the specific area by:

Partially
Met Not met
met
a) analysing the specific area with accuracy, identifying key
points 

b) showing awareness of a range of learning and teaching


problems occurring in a range of learning contexts.

Comment

Your successfully analyse elements of reported speech in line with your scope. You need to attend to your
referencing of sources, but in terms of content, there is much that is interesting and accurate here. You
outline the core accepted views concening reported speech, and you go on to show you the controversy
surrounding the issue of the backshift. Good to see, in this discussion, how well-supported your analysis is.
Feel free to give your own critical analysis here, having summarised and weighed up the literature – which
viewpoint seems more or less accurate and useful in your opinion? (3a)

You show a good awareness of a range of issues related to this area. You make reference to some learning
contexts but could be clearer on why a given point is a particular issue for these learners – Chinese /
Vietnamese; is it in connection to L1, or because they are, by dint of educational norms, “rule-bound”? This
is to some extent an issue of improving cohesion in your writing as quality of content (you have already
suggested the issue is to do with following rules; you need to link your example more explicitly to this). In any
case, try to broaden your interpretation of “learning contexts” – this means more than L1; consider L1 /
nationality but also to other variables e.g. level, learning style, learner need (exams / BE etc), age. Try to
show range here, though only pick those that are relevant to points made. (3b)

4. Suggestions for teaching

Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively draw on experience and
research to:

Partially
Met Not met
met
a) outline and show familiarity with relevant key procedures,

techniques, resources and/or materials
b) evaluate how the selected procedures, techniques, resources
and or materials might be used effectively in classroom 
practice

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c) demonstrate how the procedures, techniques, resources
and/or materials address points raised under 'Analysis and 
issues'.

Comment

You outline a number of relevant teaching ideas; in doing so, your procedures are clear and exemplified. See
my point on being more “summary”-oriented. You don’t need to get into the minutiae of procedure and in fact
shouldn’t if this means words are not used for key elements such as how clarification actually occurs. Aim to
refer to published resource / coursebook material that you think is effective. (4a)

You evaluate each idea, stating why you believe it to be effective. There is some good reference to your
reading here. (4b)

There is a generally clear link between your teaching ideas and the problems learners have with the features
of your chosen area. (4c)

Overall comment on the background essay

This is a solid draft Katya, and would likely provide the basis for a successful assignment. The following
elements are at the moment strong:

 The essay is appropriately focused. (2b)

 You have done some useful reading and identified key points connected to reported speech in
relation to your scope. (3a, 1c)
 You identify some key problems with the area. (3b)
 Your teaching ideas seem broadly sensible and you show why. (4b, 4c)

Were you to redraft this, you’d need to pay particular attention to the following areas:

 Attend to elements of presentation, including how to conventionally refer to your reading and order
the bibliography, and checking you have proofread your prose for clarity and accuracy. (1a, 1d)
 Refer to your reading and personal experience when discussing rationale. (2c)
 Comment critically on your reading in the analysis, particularly where your topic involves dissent (this
is a cause for celebration as it allows a DELTA-level candidate to say what they think seems sensible
or useful). (3a)
 Refer to a wider range of learning contexts in outlining learner problems. (3b)
 Be sure to refer to resource material in outlining teaching ideas and make concrete reference to
clarification techniques. (4a)