ENGLISH GCSE WHAT’S INVOLVED?

UPDATED APRIL 2014

OUR SCHOOL HAS SWITCHED TO ENGLISH IGCSE, READ THE POST BELOW TO FIND OUT WHY!

AQA  4705, new this year.

The Year 10 English Language GCSE external exam is taking place on June 9^th 2011. It counts for 40% of the total English Language GCSE, the other 60 % has already been completed during the year in the form of coursework. The coursework you may remember from an earlier post was split into written and verbal work so similar to French where you have Writing and Speaking tasks. The Written tasks featured

• a film review,
• a rant/opinionated piece of writing,
• an essay on the impact of multi modal talk on the English language
• and a detailed Shakespeare analysis of what made a more effective tragic hero.

The verbal work was a

• presentation on what you would do if you were Prime Minister for a day
• and a video of a self written monologue based on a character from one of the Shakespeare plays studied for the analytical essay.

I understand English Departments in schools do have some choice over the exact elements of coursework studied.

The externally marked 40 % is also split into 2 sections over a 2 hour 15 minute exam. The first section revolves around analyzing linguistic features and presentational devices as used in non fiction texts, while the second section requires students to continue writing  a couple of pieces of non fiction texts I’m guessing demonstrating an appropriate range of linguistic features.

I think they do English Literature in Year 11 despite having studied elements of Shakespeare in Year 10 for the Language exam.

Some tips that may help with English Language GCSE

• At the beginning of Year 10 (or end of Year 9) ask your teachers what elements of coursework they will be choosing to study, specifically split up the writing and speaking tasks
• Try and join or practice some kind of debating or discussion group to help with the speaking tasks
• Similarly try and do some drama of any kind (even if it’s at home to your parents about how it is impossible for any teenager to live a normal life without a Blackberry)
• Every time you read a book or see a film, write a review, even if it’s short and get someone to read them and give feedback
• Keep a diary for writing about really good days out or parties or special events throughout the year.
• Next time your parents need to complain about anything, try writing the complaint letter on their behalf, ask them how it could be improved
• Work out how best to organize your work, perhaps have an A4 folder with dividers for all the handouts and keep notes in your exercise books
• Don’t be tempted to type too much, you still need to be able to write quite a lot with a pen
• Get into the habit of timing how long it takes you to write something neatly and accurately
• ALWAYS REREAD WHAT YOU WRITE to improve your grammar, spelling etc
• It sounds really boring and no one can force you but read whatever and whenever you can. If you don’t read then writing any exam will be like pushing a car instead of putting petrol in it !  Get your parents to subscribe to your favourite magazines in return for reading 2 books a term of their choice

GOOD LUCK Year 10s !