Language analysis
This is a topic which comes much more to the fore in English Literature than in English Language, but there is an important place for it here too, since to read a text appreciatively it helps to have some understanding of how the writer is achieving his effects - in other words, of why the writing 'works'. Obviously, the more aware a child is made of these literary devices and how they are employed, the more likely he is to begin to use them more effectively in his own writing.
Again, though, as with comprehension, I would tend to say that formal language analysis is best kept for the middle and secondary levels. It's true that you could teach a seven or nine year old what alliteration or personification are: he might understand, and perhaps be able to identify examples or even create examples of his own when required to, but, as with the formal terms of grammar one has to ask, "Is it really going to help him write well and appreciate stories more if he knows the names for these literary devices?" It is a constant complaint of GSCE examiners that pupils frequently identify/ name literary devices but show absolutely no understanding of the effects those devices are intended to produce. Rather, the examiners advise, offer a decent piece of analysis that perhaps doesn't even use the correct technical term - you'll get more credit for it! If you read with your child and discuss writing in any detail you can draw out his appreciation of language long before you need to give him the technical names with which to articulate his understanding. If we 'get technical' too soon, there's a danger that we produce a ten year old who bandies around words like alliteration but is hard pressed to explain to anyone exactly what purpose the alliteration he has identified serves. There is a certain level of maturity needed for proper, technical literary analysis.
So, where do you start? Secondary level comprehension exercises are one area in which basic literary analysis will begin to be studied (see the Comprehension page for more on that). Standard English textbooks for the 11-14 age range should contain at least some exercises in analysis. Letts/Lonsdale offer three separate books for the three years covering this age group in their 'Essentials' range. You can see the book aimed at 11-12 year olds here: Year 7 English Coursebook. You can also buy a three-in-one book covering all three years. As with just about every textbook on my shelf, I would only use the parts of this which I find useful. For example, my children have all found answering questions about non fiction/media texts incredibly tedious, and though they will need to do this in the IGCSE exam later on, most of the responses are simply common sense and don't require years of practice. I think it's this kind of thing which puts children off English language lessons....
Having said all this, a good amount of the technical language of literary analysis will be easy to introduce if you have been studying poems with your child. By the end of primary you might already have encountered alliteration, personification, metaphor, simile, imagery, perhaps even oxymorons, juxtaposition and onomatopoeia. Teaching the names for these devices and how they are used to create effects will be much easier if your child is already familiar with seeing them used in poems and understanding what they do.
Once your child has grasped the basics of poetry analysis, any poems you have to hand can be analysed in the same way (though don't force your child to analyse every poem he or she encounters - poetry is there to be enjoyed!).
This is a topic which comes much more to the fore in English Literature than in English Language, but there is an important place for it here too, since to read a text appreciatively it helps to have some understanding of how the writer is achieving his effects - in other words, of why the writing 'works'. Obviously, the more aware a child is made of these literary devices and how they are employed, the more likely he is to begin to use them more effectively in his own writing.
Again, though, as with comprehension, I would tend to say that formal language analysis is best kept for the middle and secondary levels. It's true that you could teach a seven or nine year old what alliteration or personification are: he might understand, and perhaps be able to identify examples or even create examples of his own when required to, but, as with the formal terms of grammar one has to ask, "Is it really going to help him write well and appreciate stories more if he knows the names for these literary devices?" It is a constant complaint of GSCE examiners that pupils frequently identify/ name literary devices but show absolutely no understanding of the effects those devices are intended to produce. Rather, the examiners advise, offer a decent piece of analysis that perhaps doesn't even use the correct technical term - you'll get more credit for it! If you read with your child and discuss writing in any detail you can draw out his appreciation of language long before you need to give him the technical names with which to articulate his understanding. If we 'get technical' too soon, there's a danger that we produce a ten year old who bandies around words like alliteration but is hard pressed to explain to anyone exactly what purpose the alliteration he has identified serves. There is a certain level of maturity needed for proper, technical literary analysis.
So, where do you start? Secondary level comprehension exercises are one area in which basic literary analysis will begin to be studied (see the Comprehension page for more on that). Standard English textbooks for the 11-14 age range should contain at least some exercises in analysis. Letts/Lonsdale offer three separate books for the three years covering this age group in their 'Essentials' range. You can see the book aimed at 11-12 year olds here: Year 7 English Coursebook. You can also buy a three-in-one book covering all three years. As with just about every textbook on my shelf, I would only use the parts of this which I find useful. For example, my children have all found answering questions about non fiction/media texts incredibly tedious, and though they will need to do this in the IGCSE exam later on, most of the responses are simply common sense and don't require years of practice. I think it's this kind of thing which puts children off English language lessons....
Having said all this, a good amount of the technical language of literary analysis will be easy to introduce if you have been studying poems with your child. By the end of primary you might already have encountered alliteration, personification, metaphor, simile, imagery, perhaps even oxymorons, juxtaposition and onomatopoeia. Teaching the names for these devices and how they are used to create effects will be much easier if your child is already familiar with seeing them used in poems and understanding what they do.
Once your child has grasped the basics of poetry analysis, any poems you have to hand can be analysed in the same way (though don't force your child to analyse every poem he or she encounters - poetry is there to be enjoyed!).