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Constructed Responses. Regents Prep. What the tasks are.
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Constructed Responses Regents Prep
What the tasks are These writing tasks replaced the full controlling idea essay that students used to complete on the State exam up until a few years ago. What was once a four to five paragraph monster essay is now two responses that are isolated from each other. No more introduction, and no more conclusion.
RESPONSE #1 The first constructed response requires students to explain how a specific controlling idea emerges in two literary works. In other words, you will have to discuss how a single idea is introduced and developed in two texts that could be very different in style, structure, or literary genre. For example, you could conceivably be asked to explain how the idea of PRIDE is developed in both a short story excerpt and a poem. To respond, you would have to consider WHO in each text experiences pride, not to mention HOW the pride in each individual contributes to the development of the particular piece. In this response, you want to strive to include SPECIFIC detail from each text. The more specific, the better. If you make general statements about the text, you don’t stand to do as well. Also make sure that you’re not deviating from the idea you are being asked to establish. Check over your work to ensure that the controlling idea is supported by all information you introduce. Also consider restating the controlling idea somewhere near the end of this response, just to bring it all together.
RESPONSE #2 The second constructed response requires students to explain how ONE of the authors uses a particular literary technique to develop his/her text. In this response, you would have to consider how something like conflict moves a text forward. Of course, you could instead consider what impact such elements as characterization, point-of-view, or setting have on the text. Ultimately, you’re only focusing on ONE author’s use of ONE technique to develop his/her text. In this response, it’s best to know your own limitations. If you have difficulty discussing how symbolism or irony drive a text, this probably isn’t the time to inject them into a response. Instead, go with what you know (like conflict or characterization, as it’s easier to drive a response with them). Because you’re only writing about one of the texts, it’s conceivable that this response could be shorter than the first response, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Again, the more relevant and specific detail you work into your response, the better.
