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GCSE English/English Language

GCSE English/English Language. Information evening for the parents of targeted students. Structure of GCSE English/English Language. Both GCSE English and GCSE English Language are made up of: 40% - 5 pieces of Controlled Assessment 60% - 1 external examination

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GCSE English/English Language

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  1. GCSE English/English Language Information evening for the parents of targeted students

  2. Structure of GCSE English/English Language Both GCSE English and GCSE English Language are made up of: 40% - 5 pieces of Controlled Assessment 60% - 1 external examination New emphasis upon the examination!

  3. Examination Board Our examination board is AQA. Sets 1 and 2: AQA GCSE English Language (course code: 4705) Sets EnA1, EnA2, 3, 4 and 5: AQA GCSE English (course code: 4700) Past papers, inserts, mark schemes and general information can be found on: www.aqa.org.uk

  4. Key date External examination – Unit One: Understanding and Producing Non-Fiction texts. When? The morning of June 3rd 2014 Duration? 2 hours and 15 minutes

  5. Focus of Unit One examination Students are entered either at Higher (grades A*-D) or Foundation tier (grades C-G) Divided into two sections: Section A and Section B Section A (40 marks available): testing ‘reading’ skills Students are given three non-fiction texts to read and have to answer 4 (higher tier) or 5 (foundation tier) questions analysing these. Section B (40 marks available): testing ‘writing’ skills Students have to produce two pieces of writing: • Shorter writing task (16 marks) – writing to inform, explain or describe • Longer writing task (24 marks) – writing to argue or persuade

  6. Guidelines for mark/grade boundaries for examination Therefore, to get a ‘C’: at Foundation tier – around 66% at Higher tier – around 52%

  7. How you can help your child…

  8. How you can help your child… Supervise your child, ensuring they take practice papers at home in exam conditions: use mark schemes to assess grade and identify what they need to do to improve Identify questions that you child is struggling with Ensure your child takes the past papers, sticking strictly to the timings: 15 minutes reading the insert texts Foundation A: Q1a- 6mins; 1b – 6 mins; 2 -12 mins; 3-18 mins;4 – 18 mins Higher A: Q1 12mins; 2 – 12mins; 3 – 12 mins; 4 -24 marks

  9. How you can help your child… Read short newspaper, magazine articles, advice leaflets and discuss them with your child: what are they about? What is the writer’s view point and how is this shown in the language used? What are we told explicitly and what is implied? What function/effect do layout features have such as headlines, photographs, use of colour etc 36% of writing mark now based upon spelling, punctuation and grammar: Identify frequent misspellings/ patterns in misspelling Use SPG revision book to practise – focus upon punctuation, especially full stops and commas

  10. How you can help your child… For the higher scoring questions in section A (F Q3 and 4; H Q 3 and 4) Ensure students are analysing language and/or lay out features explaining their effect upon the reader Ensure students are use PEEZE (Point; Evidence; Explain; Zoom into feature and Explain effect) Use BBC Bitesize GCSE English/English Language and Youtube: ask your child to share their Personalised Learning Checklist with you Find tutorials for these questions on youtube

  11. How you can help your child… Watch News and Current Affairs programmes with your child and discuss the issues raised and different points of view - This will assist students with Section B of the exam (writing) which often asks learners to engage with topical issues and express a range of views.

  12. Analysis: Spotlight on Mocks All Year 11 students have now completed 3 mock Unit one examinations: Analysis of the results has shown that students need to focus upon the following questions. Foundation Tier: Question 3 – Analysis of language features and effect upon the reader Question 4 – comparison of layout features in two texts Higher Tier: Question 2 – relationship between headline, photo and text in one of the source texts Question 4 – comparison of language features and effect upon reader in two source texts.

  13. Next Mock Examination Your child has completed 3 full mock Unit One papers this academic year. The final mock (before the real thing…!) is on the week beginning…

  14. Resources to help your child succeed • Saturday school every week: 10 am until 1 pm • Afterschool enrichment sessions on Tuesdays/Thursdays • Easter revision sessions for English (two mornings per week) • Half-term revision sessions • Study guide and workbook for each part of examination paper • Pack of three practice papers with inserts and markschemes • Study guide for use of spelling, punctuation and grammar • Example of ‘good’ exam paper at Foundation and Higher tier

  15. Finally,… in the run up to the exam, ensure that your child: • is eating a balanced diet • is revising regularly for the exam, testing themselves on areas of weakness • Is well rested before the exam. • Is equipped with pens and highlighters for the exam.

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