1. Welcome to parents and students
How to do the best you can in the English examination

2. English Department 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.

3. The Controlled Assessments
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 – e.g. DON’T GET ME STARTED……
3. Spoken language study

4. 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%) (2-3 hrs)
1 research focused task (6 provided in AQA task bank), exploring social attitudes, spoken genres or multi-modal talk.

5. EVERY STUDENT: Unit 2 Speaking & Listening 20% Controlled
3 equally weighted activities: presenting, discussion & listening; role-play

6. As you’ve probably been informed!
Controlled 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.

7. Examination date English Language Unit1 F and H
It lasts 2 hours 15 minutes
Date for your diary = Tuesday 4th June 2013
Duration = 2 hours and 15 minutes
Section A = 1 hour 15 minutes
Section B = 1 hour

8. 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

9. AQA GCSE English/English Language
The examination board is the AQA
Anyone can access the website and look at past papers, mark schemes

10. 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

11. Skills required in Section A
Reading means you read texts and you are graded on your comprehension or understanding of these three different texts
Identifying the writers’ ideas (TAP)
Quoting then commenting on (language and structural) methods used to express them.
Comparing how writers use language (Higher) for TAP and presentation (Foundation).

12. Section A Section by section 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 TAP evidence

13. Section A
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!

14. 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

15. Section B Named writing tasks from IED/APA
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 using a variety of language methods and sentence structures
Structure their writing into paragraphs
Write in a coherent way – e.g. introduction, main body and conclusion

16. These are the different types of writing you need to know:
argue
persuade
advise
inform
explain
describe

17. HOW can I tell which is which?
Think:
Why you are writing
Who you are writing it for
Purpose and Audience
Know the glossary

18. 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.

19. Hey dude I need a job. Can I come and work for your company
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.

20. TOP TIPS 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!

21. 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!

22. Play the Word Dynamo Challenge and turbo-charge your vocabulary
Start Now
                                   

23. Suggestions
Look at the exam papers so you can see precisely what the students have to do.
If you are worried, access the websites given.

24. Revision guides Use every possible guide available.
Websites have been given to students.
There is work the students can do for themselves on paper.
Amazon/WHS all well known stockists sell any number of revision guides – remember the exam board is AQA.

25. Any Questions?