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This event aims to provide students with an understanding of the format and requirements of the GCSE English Language exam. It will also offer revision strategies for effective preparation.
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Aims of this evening • To know the format of the exam that students will be sitting on June the 7th. • To understand the requirements of each of the questions on the exam paper • To provide some revision strategies for the run up to the exam
Format for the session • An introduction to the exam • A question by question analysis with revision tips for each question • A recap of the paper and some general revision tips • Q&A
Why English language? • When employers, universities, colleges etc talk about English they mean the English language GCSE • English literature is important if you want to study English Literature or apply to high tariff courses • English Literature is also more straight forward for students to revise; they can read the texts, read revision guides • They are also naturally good at English literature – they are confident, have their own ideas and are generally well read. • In the past students have performed better in Literature when compared to language (a national trend).
Why this session? • Our English mock exam is on the first day students will be back in school in January 2016. • The English literature exams come first on the 23rd and the 27th of May – this is where students will tend to focus in the week or two running up to these exams • The English Language exam is June 7th – after the half term • Following the literature exams students need to refocus on getting that all important language grade
Timing and knowing the question format is the key to this exam • The timing and marks for each question is as follows • 12 minutes [8 marks] • 12 minutes [8 marks] • 12 minutes [8 marks] • 24 minutes [16 marks] • 25 minutes [16 marks] • 35 minutes [24 marks] • There is some flexibility in these timings, but the time needs to be divided up according to the marks.
Question 1 • Always on source 1 • An information retrieval and inference question • Straight forward (ish) • Wording is always similar • Key words in past questions have been: • Understand, learn, find out about…
What does the question require? • Following the main points of a text • Identifying the main purpose and point of a piece of writing • Spotting inconsistencies and implied meanings – going beneath, but not beyond the text. • Writing a response in your own words, but using short, embedded quotations
What should the answer look like? • Starts with a summary/overview that sums up the key points of the piece • The main part expands upon and explains the individual points in the order they occur • Finishes with a sentence explaining the aims of the author
How can you revise or practise this question? • Write 2-3 sentence summaries of different non-fiction texts (magazine/newspaper articles, online articles, blog posts etc) • Reading and bullet pointing all the key points in a non-fiction text • Finding appropriate texts and creating practise questions • Practising writing Q1 style responses in 12 minute chunks of time
Question 2 • Always on source 2 • Analysis of presentational devices in headline, pictures, sub-headline/captions • Linking presentational devices to the text itself • Wording is always similar • Key words in past questions have been: • explain, effect, link…
What does the question require? • Analysing and evaluating the intended impact of presentational devices • Identifying the main purpose and point of a piece of writing and linking the presentational devices to this. • Identifying and analysing what a writer has chosen to do and why.
What should the answer look like? • Starts with an analysis of the main presentational device (either the image or the headline) • The next sections analyse each of the items identified in the question (headline, pictures, sub-headline/captions) and how they link the story and contribute to the overall aims of the piece • a final section that threads all of the different elements together
Words ‘defy’ and ‘revel’ are reflected in the poses and the clothing of the people in the picture
How can you revise or practise this question? • Write lists of the key features that can be written about in headlines, pictures and sub-headlines • Reading newspaper article regularly • Finding appropriate texts and creating practise questions • Practising writing Q2 style responses in 12 minute chunks of time
Question 3 • Always on source 3 • Again an information retrieval and inference question • Straight forward (ish) • Wording is always similar • Focuses on the writer’s perspective • Key words in past questions have been: • explain, thoughts, emotions, attitude towards…
The source for Q3 • Q3 is always on the last source in the booklet and this source is always literary non-fiction. • This is a broad subset of non-fiction writing that includes mainly narrative accounts such as memoirs, travel journals, personal accounts and autobiographical pieces
What does the question require? • Following the main points of a text • Identifying what thoughts and feelings a writer is trying to convey to the audience • Writing a response in your own words, but using short, embedded quotations
Warning! • This is not a language analysis question or a question or a question about the impact on the reader – these elements of an answer are not marked and given credit!
What should the answer look like? • Starts with a summary/overview that sums up the emotions/thoughts of the author – more often than not they will show a change or transition between one state and another. • The main part expands upon and explains the individual points in the order they occur • Finishes with a sentence explaining the changes that occur in the writing
How can you revise or practise this question? • Write 2-3 sentence summaries of extracts from different literary non-fiction texts focusing on what the writer is thinking and feeling • Finding appropriate texts and creating practise questions • Practising writing Q3 style responses in 12 minute chunks of time • Read the examiner’s reports from previous years
Question 4 • This is the big question in the reading section and is worth twice the marks of any of the first three. • This is the question that is universally the most problematic for students • Always on source 3 and then either of the other two sources • A language analysis and comparison question • Key words in past questions have been: • compare, analyse, effects…
What does the question require? • Identifying and analysing language features • Linking language features to the purpose of a piece of writing and analysing an author’s aims • Comparing and contrasting language features and effects • Writing a well structured response that includes effective use of evidence
What should the answer look like? • Starts with a summary/overview of the main points of comparison • The main part is a series of PEE(LE) points that show the links between both texts • Finishes with a sentence summarising the main points of comparison and contrast
How can you revise or practise this question? • With this question it is important the students know which features they can talk about and which they should avoid – last year the exam board became extremely pedantic about the mark scheme. • Only language features should be written about; not sentence length, punctuation or paragraphing. • Students should make a list of the key features that they can use in this question and revise these
Common linguistic devices • 1st, 2nd or 3rd person (narrative viewpoint) • Directly addressing the reader • Imperatives • Rhetorical questions • Register - Formal/Informal language • Diction - Simple/Complex vocabulary • Figurative Language & Imagery: Similes/Metaphor/ • Personification etc. • Word play & puns • Alliteration • Rhyme & Rhythm • Anecdote & Allusion • Slogan & Catchphrase • Statistics & Facts • Exaggeration & Hyperbole • Repetition • Humour • Lists • Emotive language • Expert advice • Superlatives
How else can you revise or practise this question? • Find non-fiction texts and make language comparison tables or Venn diagrams • Finding appropriate texts and creating practise questions • Practising writing Q4 style responses in 24 minute chunks of time • Read the examiner’s reports from previous years
To summarise… The reading section comes down to… • Timing – spend the right amount of time per question • Answering each question appropriately – read the questions carefully, look at the key words and remember the different assessment objectives.
Generic reading revision tips • Encourage student to read a range of different types of text – ask questions about key points, the writer’s point of view and language features • Make lists of key terms for use in the questions • Make lists of useful connectives that can be used to structure the responses • Make sure the timings and question formats are completely secure • Practise timed writing!
The writing section Question 5: Shorter Writing Task Inform / explain / describe 25 minutes – 16 marks Question 6: Longer Writing Task Argue / persuade 35 minutes – 24 marks This section is worth the same amount as the writing section so it is vital that these two questions are given the appropriate amount of time.
General tips • Read the questions – make sure that the G.A.P. of the piece of writing has been identified and the writing matches this. Genre Audience Purpose • It is vital that the writing is appropriate for the type of text, the reader and the job it is trying to do
Question 5: Shorter Writing Task Inform / explain / describe • The question is always a blend of two of the purposes above • 16 marks (10 for content; 6 for skills) • Spend 25 minutes on this question • plan 4-6 ideas, in response to the question • The writing needs to: • Be well-organised, in paragraphs • Be accurate in terms of spelling and sentence structure • Be engaging, interesting, passionate and exciting!
Question 6: Longer Writing Task Argue / persuade • 24 marks (16 for content; 8 for skills) • Spend 35 minutes on this question • You need to plan 6 or more ideas, in response to the question • The writing needs to: • Be well-organised, in paragraphs • Be accurate in terms of spelling and sentence structure • Be engaging, interesting, passionate and exciting!
Key words to be aware of… • Range – the exam board want to see different types and lengths of sentences • Variety – the exam board are looking for paragraphing of different lengths used for specific effects • Sophisticated – impressive vocabulary choices and a good sense of control of the genre are what examiners are looking for
Revision tips for the writing section Our students tend to do well on the writing section – this is where their natural flair for language and communication ability can come through. However there are some things to focus on. • Spelling: accuracy counts – ask if there are any common errors that keep cropping up and work on them • Grammar and punctuation – again accuracy is marked – are the students a) proof reading b) secure about apostrophes etc? • Practise planning – regardless of what they say, students who plan do better; do they have planning strategies to avoid ‘writer’s block’? • Practise timed writing – the best way to get good in timed situations is to work in timed situations
Sources of help… • The revision guide – we still have copies available for £6. • GCSE bitesize – accessible resources of reasonable quality • Mr Bruff and Cherwell school’s youtube videos https://www.youtube.com/user/CherwellOnline https://www.youtube.com/user/mrbruff • The AQA website – you can download past papers here • The school’s website, frog VLE, the T-drive.
And… All students have been working through booklets like this in class …and we will be sending home a package of practise papers like this Which includes sources, questions and mark schemes so students can self/peer assess
