Welcome to parents and
students
How to do the best you can in the English
examination
Mrs Johnson KS4 co-ordinator
Do not worry about referring to the booklet now –
tomorrow each student will bring one home
1. The Controlled Assessments
2. What’s on the exam
3. What you can do to improve your child’s
chances of success
4. Looking at example of past papers
5. Looking at examples of revision materials you
can purchase
6. Question and Answer – over to you.
The Controlled Assessments
English students
Portfolio of pieces include:
Writing about a Shakespeare
play
Writing about Of Mice and
Men (USA novel)
Writing about 2 poems
Writing their own pieces of
original work:
i) a story based on a book,
play or poem
ii) A piece of writing around
their own lives
►
English Language students
1. Writing about Of Mice
and Men (USA novel)
2. Writing their own pieces
of original work:
i) a story based on a book,
play or poem
ii) Writing a rant – DON’T
GET ME STARTED……
3. Spoken language study
English students
Unit 3 Understanding and
Producing Creative Texts
► 40%
Controlled 2 x 3-4
hrs
A Understanding Creative Texts
(20%)
► Up to three written responses
from AQA task bank based on
study of play by Shakespeare, a
text from English Literary Heritage
& one from different cultures (may
use AQA Lit anthologies)
► Focus: Themes & Ideas +
Characterisation & Voice
B Producing Creative Texts
(20%)
Responses totalling approx 1600
words to 2 tasks from the task
bank, based upon Moving Images,
Prompts & Re-creations and Me,
Myself, I.
English Language students
Unit 3 Understanding Spoken and
Written Texts and Writing
Creatively
40%
Controlled
A: Extended Reading (15%) (up to 4
hrs)
1 task from study of 1 extended text (incl
any studied for Eng Lit) from any
genre (e.g. collection of poems, short
stories or non-fiction). AQA task bank
focuses will be Themes & Ideas and
Characterisation & Voice
B: Creative Writing (15%) (up to 4 hrs)
2 non-fiction genre tasks (incl multi-modal
option) from AQA task bank, Moving
Images; Commissions & Re-creations
C: Spoken Language Study (10%) (23 hrs)
1 research focused task (6 provided in
AQA task bank), exploring social
attitudes, spoken genres or multimodal talk.
EVERY STUDENT:
► Unit
2 Speaking & Listening
20% Controlled
3 equally weighted activities: presenting,
discussion & listening; role-play
As you’ve probably been informed!
assessments have to be done under
examination conditions
► The students are prepared for them
► They can take a page of notes in with them
► The time allowed is generous
► We are trying to get the best out of the students.
So, they can have another chance if they do not
perform well, as long as they do not do the same
title.
► Parents can help with any useful contextual
information during the planning stage.
► Controlled
We are increasing our support:
In addition to English lessons some students
are having additional examination practice
once a week with an English teacher.
Examination date
► English
F and H
► English Language F and H
STUDENTS WILL BE SITTING THE
EXAMINATION
It lasts 2 hours 15 minutes
Date for your diary = Tuesday 29th May
Duration = 2 hours and 15 minutes
► Section A = 1 hour 15 minutes
► Section B = 1 hour
SAME
English/English Language
► The
CONTROLLED
ASSESSMENTS are
slightly different, but
the examination for
both of these are the
same
► There are two tiers –
Foundation and Higher
► With
the Foundation
paper – students can
achieve a grade C and
below
► With the Higher paper
- students can achieve
an A* and below
AQA GCSE English/English Language
► The
examination board is the AQA
► Anyone can access the website and look at
past papers, mark schemes
The layout of exam
► Examination
is in two
parts – Section A –
Reading
► Reading three different
types of text and
answering questions
about each one in turn
and then comparing
two of them
► Section
B – Writing
► Shorter writing
► Longer writing
Skills required in Section A
► Reading
means you read texts and you are
graded on your comprehension or
understanding of these three different texts
► What do the writers imply?
► What can you infer?
► Reading and answering the questions
asked.
Section A
► Section
by section – your parent booklet
► Reading and Writing non-fiction texts
► 1. First glance –
► 2. Take a closer look –
► 3. Focus on Shape
► 4. Zoom in on language
► 5. Piece together your GAP evidence
Section A
►
1.
2.
3.
4.
All the skills on the previous
slide – but students are
advised to answer the
questions bit by bit –
Read article 1 – answer the
questions relating to that
article
Read article 2 – answer the
questions relating to that
article
Read article 3 – answer the
questions relating to that
article
Finally use all the skills and
put them all together.
Biggest skill is to answer
the questions you have
been asked! Not
something the student
feels like saying.
Waffle not required!
HOW to succeed?
► This
is an improvement in the exam
► Take time and with pen in hand
► Read the first text
► Read the questions
► Highlight relevant sections of the text
► Read the questions one last time and write the
answers in the booklet provided
► Each question has mark – student must
understand how much writing and the type of
answer is required
Section B
► We
no longer know exactly what the students
have to write about
► The AQA wish students to be prepared to write
well in an entertaining manner for any purpose
and not to produce anything to a set formula
► Write using a varied register – recognising the
purpose for writing and the intended audience
► So all students must be able to write in a variety
of sentences
► Structure their writing into paragraphs
► Write in a coherent way – introduction, main
body and conclusion
These are the different types of
writing you need to be aware of
► argue
► advise
► describe
► entertain
► instruct
► inform
► persuade
HOW can I tell which is which?
Think:
► Why you are writing
► Who you are writing it
for
► Purpose and Audience
Look at the glossary
in the parents
booklet
It is all in the - Glossary
► There
are many features of types of
sentences and types of language – students
will have been prepared to write for a
number of purposes in the correct register.
► Register means the right type of
voice/language for the situation.
Hey dude I need a job! Can I come and work for your company? I’m quite good at
getting up most mornings. I can talk loads so no-one will ever be bored when I’m
around! Get back to me. Laters.
TOP TIPS
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Read the question carefully
Make sure you are writing for
the correct purpose and you
writing is suitable for the
audience
Write a plan
Stick to the time limit
Shorter writing – 25 minutes
Longer writing – 35 minutes
Write in a different style
SHOW THE EXAMINER WHAT
YOU CAN DO!
Improve your vocabulary
► Learn
a new word every day!
► Go on line – Dictionary. com
► If
you put a word into the search engine it
will give you a little quiz about further
vocabulary – everyone should be proud to
know the meaning of a few more words –
the examiners will sit up and take notice!
Play the Word Dynamo Challenge and turbo-charge your vocabulary
Start Now
Suggestions
► Look
at the exam
papers so you can see
precisely what the
students have to do.
► If you are worried:
► Access the websites in
the booklet
Revision guides
► Every
possible guide available
► I have some examples
► We can order the CGP ones cheaper than
school
► There are work booklets the students can
do for themselves
► Amazon/WHS all well known stockists sell
any number of revision guides – remember
the exam board is AQA.
Please take a copy of ‘To the Top’ a
booklet with plenty of examples of A
grade responses and ideas.
Questions?