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ABI - Characterisation textnah entwickeln

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ABI - Characterisation textnah entwickeln

Characterise from evidence, not from labels. You analyse a figure’s actions, speech, thoughts, relationships and development and support every interpretation with precise textual evidence.

Mini-description: Build a text-based character analysis for English in the Baden-Württemberg Kursstufe. English comes first; German is only a late support option. Shared BF/LF route: BF works with a manageable excerpt and strong scaffolds; LF links more complex evidence, narrative technique and AFB II/III more independently.

Einleitung

Media starter: observe before you infer

Look closely. Do not invent a backstory.

What can you observe about posture, gaze, objects and distance between the two figures?
Which interpretation is plausible?
What extra textual evidence would you need before calling either figure “confident”, “suspicious” or “dominant”?

The illustration is by Sidney Paget (1893) and is in the public domain on Wikimedia Commons. It trains the same distinction you need in literary analysis: observation → evidence → inference.

The Oregon State University video introduces direct and indirect characterisation. While viewing, write down one example each for direct information and indirect clues.

I-can goals

I can …	BF	LF
distinguish observation from inference	with prompts and an evidence grid	independently, including ambiguity and contradictions
analyse actions, speech, thoughts, relationships and development	selectively with a manageable excerpt	across a longer/denser passage and linked material
support claims with evidence	short quotations or precise line references	integrated quotations, line references and technique-function links
explain how narrative technique shapes characterisation	basic point of view and direct/indirect characterisation	point of view, mode of presentation, language, structure and reliability
write an analytical paragraph	with PEAL scaffolds	with flexible structure and stronger AFB II/III independence

Learning orientation: B2 throughout, with selected C1-style precision where it helps analysis. Difficulty comes from thinking and evidence, not from artificially rare vocabulary.

Abi-Check Baden-Württemberg: 2027 and 2028

Checked: 02 October 2026. The current official Baden-Württemberg pages publish regulations for both Abitur 2027 and Abitur 2028. For English, both Facherlasse refer to the Bildungsplan 2016. In the Leistungsfach, the written analysis must be grounded in the text and may explicitly include characterization as a narrative technique. The IQB operator base valid from the 2027 examination year defines analyze / examine as detailed description and explanation supported by textual evidence and linked to relevant aspects of language and form. Its example explicitly asks how a protagonist is characterized.

For the Basisfach, the focus topic and the mandatory-work framework correspond to the Leistungsfach but are treated with an appropriate BF/LF level distinction. The Basisfach Abitur examination is oral; analytical text/media competence remains relevant in course assessment and oral work. For the Leistungsfach, the written examination includes listening and writing; the writing part includes a text-based analysis. In 2027 and 2028, the official focus topic is On the Move: Migration and Cross-Cultural Encounters.

Official check links:

Cohort rule: Before an exam, always re-open the Facherlass for your examination year. This MOOC teaches a transferable method and does not replace year-specific teacher instructions.

Prior knowledge: 5-minute diagnostic

Answer in English first.

What is the difference between direct and indirect characterisation?
What is the difference between a narrator and a character?
How can point of view limit what you know about a figure?
What is stronger: “She is insecure” or “Her repeated pauses and refusal to speak suggest insecurity”? Why?
How do you cite a short passage with line references?

If two or more answers are uncertain, use the vocabulary and viewing sections before the writing task.

Core method: evidence before interpretation

The five evidence lenses

Lens	Ask	Typical evidence	Analytical move
Actions	What does the figure do or avoid doing?	choices, gestures, repeated behaviour, reactions	infer a trait or conflict, then test it against context
Speech	What is said, how, and to whom?	dialogue, register, pauses, repetitions, tone markers	connect wording to attitude, power or relationship
Thoughts	What inner access does the text allow?	interior monologue, free indirect discourse, reported thought	distinguish private thought from public behaviour
Relationships	How does the figure interact with others?	distance, support, conflict, dependence, power shifts	explain what the interaction reveals about both figures
Development	What changes, and what remains stable?	early/late contrast, turning point, changed language or action	make a time-based claim supported by evidence from different moments

Viewing focus: When a story gives access to thoughts and feelings, ask how that access is created and how reliable or limited it may be.

Visualise relationships

A relationship map is not a personality test. Use arrows labelled with textual evidence: supports, challenges, avoids, depends on, deceives, protects, competes with. A change in the arrows can be evidence of development.

BF: Map one central figure and two relationships. LF: Add power, perspective and change over time; note contradictory evidence.

Vocabulary ladder: English first

Use this order when a word blocks your analysis:

context → word family → visual clue → English explanation → monolingual dictionary → bilingual/German help

Word family	English meaning in analysis	Useful sentence
characterise – characterisation – characteristic	show or construct a figure through textual features	The narrator characterises Nia indirectly through her hesitant actions.
infer – inference	reach a reasoned conclusion from evidence	Her hesitation allows the reader to infer uncertainty.
develop – development – developmental	change over the course of a text	Her development becomes visible after the turning point.
contradict – contradiction – contradictory	provide evidence that does not fit a simple claim	This detail contradicts the idea that she is simply passive.
rely – reliable – reliability	be trustworthy as a source or perspective	The limited perspective raises questions about reliability.
subtle – subtly – subtlety	indirect or not immediately obvious	The shift in pronouns subtly changes the relationship.

Dictionary tip: Check collocations, not only translations: evidence suggests, a passage reveals, the contrast highlights, the narrator presents, the relationship shifts.

Late German help: only if needed

evidence = Textbeleg; inference = begründete Schlussfolgerung; point of view = Erzählperspektive; development = Entwicklung; relationship = Beziehung; trait = Eigenschaft. Return to English after resolving the blockage.

Listening and Viewing

Task A: direct vs indirect characterisation

While watching, make a two-column note: told directly / shown indirectly. Then add a third column: What evidence would I quote?

BF route: collect three usable clues and explain one. LF route: collect five clues, rank them by analytical value and explain why one clue is ambiguous.

Task B: point of view changes what you can know

After viewing, finish this sentence twice: Because the passage is told from …, the reader can/cannot know … . This shapes the characterisation because … .

Never treat a narrator’s or another character’s judgement as neutral fact without checking context.

Reading: original training text

The following short text is original material created for this MOOC. The names and situation are fictional.

Line	Training text: The Opening Argument
1	Nia arrived at the debating room ten minutes early and chose the chair nearest the door.
2	She arranged her notes into a perfect square, then rearranged them when footsteps sounded in the corridor.
3	“You can take the opening,” Jay said. Nia smiled without looking up. “I’m better at notes.”
4	If she spoke first, everyone would hear the tremor she had practised hiding all week.
5	During the rehearsal, Jay lost his place. For a moment, nobody moved.
6	Nia slid her page towards him and whispered, “Start with the question. I’ll mark the next point.”
7	When he stalled again, she stood beside him and delivered the next paragraph without being asked.
8	Afterwards, Jay handed the notes back. “Still better at notes?” he asked.
9	Nia folded the top sheet once, not twice. “Next week I want the opening.”

First reading: observation only

Mark evidence without using trait labels.

Underline one action.
Box one piece of speech.
Circle one access to thought.
Draw an arrow between Nia and Jay and label it with one interaction.
Put a star beside the strongest sign of development.

Second reading: infer carefully

Complete an evidence bank.

Lens	Evidence	What it may suggest	Limitation / alternative reading
Actions	e.g. chooses the chair nearest the door	possible wish for control or easy exit	the reason is not stated directly
Speech	…	…	…
Thoughts	…	…	…
Relationships	…	…	…
Development	…	…	…

Rule: Use modal language when evidence is not definitive: suggests, implies, may indicate, can be read as. Use stronger verbs only when the text warrants them.

Analysis

PEAL: one paragraph, four moves

P – Point: Make a precise interpretive claim. E – Evidence: Give a short quotation or exact line reference. A – Analysis: Explain how the wording, action, perspective or contrast creates meaning. L – Link: Connect the finding to relationship, development or the task.

Model – not a complete essay: Nia is initially presented as anxious but highly controlled. Her choice of the chair “nearest the door” and her repeated rearranging of notes (ll. 1–2) turn ordinary actions into signs of tension. The narrator then gives direct access to her fear of a “tremor” (l. 4), confirming that her calm surface is partly performative. This contrast makes her later decision to speak (l. 7) more significant and prepares the development visible in her final request (l. 9).

Why this works: the paragraph moves beyond a trait label. It connects evidence + technique + effect + development.

Stronger analytical verbs

Prefer: reveals, suggests, implies, contrasts, reinforces, undermines, foregrounds, highlights, frames, exposes, complicates. Avoid empty verbs such as “shows” in every sentence.

What counts as text-near evidence?

A short quotation that contains the wording you analyse.
A precise line reference for an action, thought or interaction.
A contrast between two moments in the passage.
A narrative-technique observation tied to its effect.
A counterexample that complicates your first interpretation.

Quote less, analyse more. A quotation is not analysis by itself.

BF / LF differentiation

Dimension	BF: exemplary and structured	LF: broader, deeper, more independent
Material	the 9-line training text or one manageable school-provided excerpt	a longer/denser excerpt plus a second passage, visual or contextual source
Evidence	three evidence lenses, at least two precise references	all five lenses where relevant, including contradictory evidence
Technique	direct/indirect characterisation + basic point of view	narrative situation, point of view, mode of presentation, language and structure
Thinking	guided AFB II with a short transfer	sustained AFB II and more AFB III: weigh interpretations and connect material
Support	PEAL frame, sentence starters, vocabulary bank	optional planning grid only; self-selected structure

No artificial difficulty: LF depth comes from linking evidence and evaluating alternatives, not from obscure vocabulary.

Speaking

Evidence pitch

BF: 60–90 seconds. Choose one claim about Nia. Give two pieces of evidence and one explanation. LF: about 2 minutes. Present an interpretation, include one counter-reading, then explain why your final reading fits the passage better.

Partner response:

“Your strongest evidence is … because …”
“A detail that complicates your claim is …”
“You could link the quotation more clearly to …”

Recordings are optional. If you record, keep the file local/private unless your teacher explicitly provides a lawful school platform. Do not upload classmates’ voices or names without permission.

Writing

Main task

Analyze how Nia is characterized in “The Opening Argument”. Focus on actions, speech, thoughts, relationships and development. Support your analysis with evidence from the text.

BF scaffold:

Opening sentence: name the central development without retelling the plot.
Paragraph 1: actions + thoughts.
Paragraph 2: speech + relationship.
Paragraph 3: development + short concluding insight.
Aim for clarity, precise evidence and controlled B2 language.

LF extension:

Select evidence independently rather than covering categories mechanically.
Analyse narrative perspective and mode of presentation.
Explain contradictions or ambiguity.
Link at least two non-adjacent moments.
End with an interpretation of how technique shapes the reader’s view.

Sentence starters that still require thinking

Point: At first, Nia is presented as … / The passage complicates the impression that … Evidence: This becomes visible when … / The phrase “…” (l. …) … Analysis: The verb/adjective/contrast suggests … / The limited point of view allows the reader to … Link: Compared with the opening, … / This shift changes her relationship with … Qualification: However, this does not necessarily mean … / An alternative reading is …

Delete the starter when you no longer need it.

Optional mediation

A German-speaking study partner has missed the lesson. In 80–120 German words, mediate the key method: how to build a text-based characterisation from evidence. Do not translate the training text. Explain the method, select what is relevant, and keep English technical terms such as evidence or point of view where useful.

Feedback and revision

Four-question peer check

Check	Yes / partly / not yet	Revision move
Every major claim has evidence.		add a quotation or precise line reference
Evidence is analysed, not dumped.		explain wording, technique or contrast
Development is based on at least two moments.		compare earlier and later evidence
Language is precise and readable.		replace vague labels; check tense, reference and connectors

Feedback principle: Comment on the text, not the person. “The claim needs evidence” is useful; “You are bad at analysis” is not.

Error analysis: diagnose, then repair

Common problem	Why it weakens analysis	Repair
plot summary	retells events without interpretation	compress the event and spend more space on meaning
trait label without proof	turns inference into unsupported fact	attach evidence and use cautious analytical language
quote dumping	evidence is present but unexplained	analyse one word, action, contrast or technique
mind-reading	claims knowledge the narrative does not provide	distinguish observation from inference and point of view
one-dimensional judgement	ignores contradictions	add counter-evidence and refine the claim
“shows” repeated	hides the exact analytical relationship	choose reveals, suggests, contrasts, reinforces or complicates

AI, sources and academic integrity

You write the analysis yourself. An AI output may contain invented quotations, wrong line references or overconfident interpretations.

Verify every quotation and line reference against the text you actually have.
Verify factual/context claims with reliable sources.
Use AI, if permitted by your school, for questions, checklists or feedback prompts — not as a replacement essay.
Do not upload copyrighted compulsory texts, full film scenes, classmates’ work, names, voices or personal data to external AI services without explicit permission and a lawful basis.
For this MOOC, all training names and situations are fictional.

A useful test: Can you defend every sentence yourself with the source in front of you? If not, revise.

Transfer

Development across a story

This public-domain illustration from A Christmas Carol can support an observation task, but one image alone cannot prove character development. Pair it with a short, lawfully provided excerpt and compare an early and a later moment.

The TED-Ed video on the hero’s journey offers one model of narrative development. Use it critically: not every character follows this pattern.

Transfer prompt: Choose a figure from a school text. Identify one turning point and test whether the change is supported by actions, speech, thoughts and relationships — or whether the figure actually remains stable.

Visual inference without overclaiming

The Tenniel illustration is public domain. Write two columns: visible evidence and possible inference. Then add a third: what the image cannot tell me. This protects you from overinterpretation in visual and literary analysis.

Abi-Check: last-minute checklist

Before submitting or speaking, ask:

Did I answer the exact operator and aspect?
Is each important claim supported by evidence?
Did I analyse relevant language/form or narrative technique rather than only content?
Did I distinguish narrator, figure and reader perspective?
Did I trace development with evidence from more than one moment?
Did I acknowledge ambiguity where the text is ambiguous?
Is my language clear, consistent and appropriately formal?
Did I check my examination year’s current official Facherlass?

2027/2028 note: The IQB operator analyze / examine requires evidence-based explanation linked to relevant language/form. Characterisation can therefore appear as an analysis focus rather than as a stand-alone “write a characterisation” routine.

Follow-up course

Continue with:

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What is the strongest basis for a character claim? (Precise textual evidence linked to an explanation) (!A personality label without a quotation) (!A guess about the author’s private intention) (!A summary of the whole plot)

What does indirect characterisation require from the reader? (Inference from textual clues) (!Copying a dictionary definition) (!Ignoring actions and dialogue) (!Replacing evidence with personal opinion)

Which source is most directly useful for analysing speech? (Dialogue and the way it is phrased) (!The book cover alone) (!The reader’s favourite character) (!The publication price)

Why does point of view matter for thoughts? (It controls which inner information the reader can access) (!It guarantees that every narrator is reliable) (!It removes the need for textual evidence) (!It makes every figure dynamic)

What is good evidence for a relationship? (A pattern of interaction between figures) (!A trait chosen before reading) (!A biography of the reader) (!A random quotation from another text)

How do you support a claim about development? (Compare evidence from at least two moments) (!Use only the opening line) (!List adjectives without context) (!Describe the setting only)

What does analyze or examine require in the IQB operator base from 2027? (Detailed explanation with textual evidence and relevant language or form) (!A plot summary without analysis) (!A translation of the complete passage) (!A personal reaction without evidence)

What should follow a short quotation in an analytical paragraph? (An explanation of how the evidence supports the claim) (!Another unrelated quotation) (!A new topic with no link) (!A translation of every word)

How is LF depth best increased? (By linking complex evidence, technique and alternative interpretations) (!By using rare words regardless of meaning) (!By making sentences as long as possible) (!By removing all textual references)

What should you do with an AI-generated quotation or line reference? (Verify it against the actual source before using it) (!Assume it is correct) (!Upload the full copyrighted text for confirmation) (!Use it even if you cannot locate it)

Memory

Action clue	Observable behaviour
Speech clue	Dialogue wording
Thought access	Inner perspective
Relationship pattern	Social interaction
Development marker	Change over time
Textual evidence	Verifiable support
Careful inference	Reasoned conclusion

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Action	Behaviour
Speech	Dialogue
Thought	Inner perspective
Relationship	Interaction
Development	Change

...

Kreuzworträtsel

Evidence	What do you call verifiable textual support for a claim?
Inference	What is a reasoned conclusion drawn from clues?
Dialogue	What is a spoken exchange between figures called?
Narrator	What do you call the voice that tells a narrative?
Relationship	What word names the connection between figures?
Development	What word describes change across a narrative?

LearningApps

Lückentext

A strong character analysis begins with textual

.

An interpretation drawn from clues is an

.

What a figure does belongs to the lens of

.

What a figure says can reveal attitudes through

.

Inner access depends strongly on narrative

.

Interactions between figures reveal their

.

A change between early and later moments can show

.

A quotation becomes analytical only when you

its relevance.

The IQB operator analyze requires attention to language and

where relevant.

Before using an AI-generated quotation, you must

it against the source.

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Evidence Map: Mark five clues in the training text and sort them into actions, speech, thoughts, relationships and development.
Character Vocabulary: Build a mini word-family card for infer, develop and contradict; add one analytical sentence for each.
Visual Characterisation: Use the Sherlock-and-Watson image to write three observations and three cautious inferences; keep the two categories separate.
Private Speaking Practice: Give a 60-second evidence pitch. Recording is optional and should remain private/local unless your school explicitly provides a suitable platform.

Standard

PEAL Paragraph: Write one paragraph on Nia’s change and include evidence from two non-adjacent lines.
Relationship Map: Visualise Nia and Jay’s interaction at the beginning and end; label every arrow with a line reference.
Error Clinic: Rewrite a weak paragraph that contains plot summary, quote dumping and an unsupported trait label.
Mediation Strategy: Explain the evidence-first method to a German-speaking learner without translating the training text.

Schwer

Counter-Reading: Develop two plausible interpretations of Nia’s final sentence and decide which is better supported by the text.
Narrative Technique: Analyse how access to Nia’s thoughts changes the reader’s interpretation of her outward behaviour.
Cross-Material Analysis: With teacher-provided lawful material, compare how two figures are characterised through relationships and development; link evidence independently.
Abi Transfer: Take a short excerpt from your current school text, create an LF-style analysis prompt and write an evidence plan rather than a complete model essay.

Lernkontrolle

Evidence to Interpretation: You receive four short clues about a new fictional figure. Build one nuanced claim, identify the strongest and weakest evidence, and justify your choice.
Perspective Transfer: Rewrite a brief neutral event from a limited point of view, then explain how the change alters the possible characterisation.
Contradiction Analysis: A figure behaves generously once but selfishly twice. Formulate a claim that does not ignore either side and support it with a hierarchy of evidence.
Relationship Development: Compare two interactions between the same figures and explain whether the relationship changes, remains stable or becomes more ambiguous.
Operator Check: Turn the prompt “Describe the character” into an evidence-based analyze task and explain which extra demands you have added.
Source Integrity: Given a plausible but invented quotation, describe the checks needed before it can appear in an analysis and explain what to do when it cannot be verified.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, you should be able to demonstrate:

a clear distinction between observation, evidence and inference;
secure analysis of actions, speech, thoughts, relationships and development;
precise quotation and line referencing;
explanation of relevant narrative technique and language/form;
an analytical paragraph or short text that goes beyond plot summary;
BF-appropriate structured analysis or LF-appropriate independent linking and evaluation;
responsible handling of sources, AI suggestions, copyright and personal data;
self-correction using feedback and an error-analysis checklist.

OERs zum Thema

Free/open media used in this MOOC:

Sidney Paget, Sherlock Holmes & Watson – public domain.
Thought bubble – CC BY-SA 3.0.
Fully-connected mesh network – public domain.
John Leech, Scrooge – public domain.
John Tenniel, The Nursery Alice – public domain.

The embedded videos are linked to their original YouTube publications; no film scenes or compulsory literary texts are copied into this MOOC.

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