1. Information for studying GCSE English Language
Eduqas WJEC English Language
Pearson Edexcel Literature
May/June 2017

2. Language – what does it entail?
Component 1 – 20th century literature reading and creative prose; 1 hour 45 minute exam 40% of qualification
Component 2 – 19th and 21st century non-fiction reading and transactional writing; 2 hour exam 60% of qualification
Component 3 - Spoken language non-exam assessment unweighted. (This will be reported as a qualification but will not affect the final grade) – ALL PUPILS HAVE COMPLETED AND PASSED THIS SECTION (we used their literature poetry as revision)

3. Revision for the Language papers
Here are some of the ways in which you can prepare your child for the examination:
Encourage them to read as widely and as often as possible – all sorts of texts, from magazines to short stories, from leaflets to letters sent out by businesses or schools. The aim is to know how different forms of written English are constructed.
They could practise summarising passages. This is a specific and almost scientific skill which, once gained, makes it easily possible to get full marks.
Also, they could practise turning passages into news reports; this text type has a particular style and structure which is different from any other kind of writing.
Finally, your child could practise writing formal letters; Letters to people in official positions, and people they don’t know well, typically adopt a formal style and polite tone and they are structured in there sequence.
Revision for the Language papers

4. Revision for the Language papers
Each question should be answered in a different style.
What is style? It is about:
i) matching the expression to the type of speaker/writer – writing in role
ii) matching the expression to the recipient – writing for audience
iii) matching the expression to the aim – writing for purpose
iv) choosing appropriate structure and devices – writing in genre
v) choosing appropriate vocabulary and syntax – writing in register.
Practise persuasive writing.
Support all points with justifications and think about how it might persuade the reader – for example the use of rhetorical questions, direct address perhaps.
Revision for the Language papers

5. Revision for the Language papers
Continued…
Candidates should practise joining simple sentences into complex sentences, using a range of connectives and participles. Above all avoid using ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘so’.
They should practise varying sentences to develop a clear style. Sentences should not always follow the same formula and start in the same way.
Encourage your child to broaden the range of the connectives they use.
Be aware that there are over thirty connectives available in English for joining parts of sentences (clauses) together.
Revision for the Language papers

6. Revision for the Language papers
Continued…
Encourage your child to redraft a piece of writing using all three types of parenthesis rather than just one. They all separate a group of words from the rest of the sentence in which they are not grammatically necessary.
Focus reading by variety rather than whole texts – develop the reading diet to allow for narrative and descriptive openings to be considered – your child can then practise beginning the same story in different ways.
Review any punctuation marks of which have been tricky in the past and encourage your child to address this.
Revision for the Language papers

7. We also offer… In class access to revision guides
Catch-up sessions for selected pupils with particular foci
Study hall support
English specialists
Access to revision guides
Sample paper packs to work from/through
These will be issued next half term and used in lesson and at home
We also offer…