Revising for GCSE English/ English Language unit 1 examination. Tuesday 1 st April Aims. 1. To provide parents with a range of practical strategies to help their sons / daughters revise for GCSE English. 2. To familiarize parents with the key resources required to revise for GCSE English.
Icebreaker In June, your son / daughter will be sitting their at the GCSE English/ English Language examination: Understanding Non-fiction texts. Activity: colour code the skills into the following. Reading skills Writing skills (You may choose to have a colour for both.)
W Paragraphing R / W Quality of communication R Inference W Punctuation W Spelling W Sentence construction R/W Depth of detail W (LIT) Quality of communication R Inference R Quote finding R Analysis R Feature spotting R/W Logical response Ice breaker
Additional key resources for English revision Revision Guides: CGP GCSE English Letts Revise AQA GCSE English Language and Literature AQA GCSE English / English Literature* * Ensure that you purchase the correct tier (higher / foundation) if in doubt, please speak to your child s English teacher.
It is important that you buy the correctly tiered revision guide for your son/ daughter. Higher Tier: 11HEO 11HRW 11HCM 11CSG Foundation Tier: 11CLC 11CEO 11CZV
Question 1. Foundation tier breaks this down into two questions. Higher addresses this as one. QUESTION PHRASING: what do you learn about. SKILL: information retrieval. RESOURCES: You can use newspapers, magazine articles and internet sites. TASK: read the text and ask students to explain what they learn about the subject. They should use a combination of rephrasing the article into their own words and short quotations.
Inference. QUESTION PHRASING: what do we learn about the writer s thoughts and/or feelings about. SKILL: inference. RESOURCES: You can use newspapers, magazine articles and internet sites. TASK: here you could be asking students direct questions about what a writer might think or feel about the topic they are writing about.
Language question. Foundation Tier, this is question 3 and students write about one text. On the higher paper is the question 4 and students must compare two texts. QUESTION PHRASING: (f tier) how does the writer use language to (H tier) compare how writers use language in source SKILL: language RESOURCES: You can use newspapers, magazine articles and internet sites, autobiography are really here. TASK: here you could be asking students about why a writer uses certain phrases and how the phrases link to the writing
Presentation Question. QUESTION PHRASING: (h tier) explore the effect of the image and heading and/or sub heading and how they link to the rest of the text. (f tier) Compare how the text use presentational features. SKILL: analysis of presentation. RESOURCES: You can use newspapers, magazine articles and internet sites. TASK: Pick out features on a web article and explain how they link to the whole text. Look at two stories in different papers discuss why the headlines are different and their different effects.
Question 5. Writing to inform / explain / describe. QUESTION PHRASING: Write a (writing form) (writing type) about (writing topic). SKILLS: SPAG; paragraphing; understanding of form and audience; developed and detailed content; sentence construction. RESOURCES: You can create questions from the question structure above. Online and/or revision books for SPAG.
Question 6. Writing to persuade/argue. QUESTION PHRASING: Write a (writing form) (writing type) about (writing topic). SKILLS: SPAG; paragraphing; understanding of form and audience; developed and detailed content; sentence construction. RESOURCES: You can create questions from the question structure above. Online and/or revision books for SPAG.
Revision Strategies for Language 1) Examiner s feedback consistently picks up on inconsistencies in technical accuracy. By this they mean spelling, punctuation and grammar. You can help your child to practise this skill in the following way: Regular spelling tests of: - key vocabulary from set texts and units (on the back of your icebreaker) - Homophones (e.g. two, too and to / there, their and they re) Practice using discourse markers and connectives in sentences Using grammatical study guides / exercises to practice use of correct tense Focus on using more complex punctuation
Revision Strategies for Language 2) Examiners also frequently highlight students ability to focus on and respond to the question as an area for development: You can help your child to practise this skill in the following way: Reviewing and practising past exam papers in timed conditions Spend time deconstructing the question and looking at question injunctions and key words Planning responses to questions together first, before attempting to write a essay in one paragraph this will help to focus your child on being clear and concise
Additional key resources for English revision. Tap into Technology: BBC Bitesize Sky Learning English Biz www.gcseresult.co.uk Cherwell Online @ YouTube SAM learning
Question Time.
Key language analysis vocabulary. Rule of three Adjectives Adverbs Verbs Rhetorical question Repetition Personification Simile Metaphor Irony Facts/statistics Short sentences Complex sentences Tense First/second/ third person narrative Personal pronouns Imagery Factual language Key presentation analysis vocabulary. Colour Image Heading Subheading Font Underlining Links Layout Text boxes Key Spellings and Vocabulary. Commonly misspelled words address advice all right Allowed aloud are beginning believe bicycle changeable conscious decease deceive definite descent desperate device disastrous ecstasy embarrass exercise fascinate foreign government grateful guarantee height humorous independent jealous judgment knowledge leisure library license maintenance mysterious necessary neighbour nuclear occasion occurrence our precede prejudice receive sincerely special Their There They re thorough through truly until Wednesday Were We re weird you're Writing form: Magazine article Newspaper report Letter Email Speech Writing types Informing Describing Explaining Persuading Arguing Typical writing topics: Local area School uniform Improvements to school Your self Memory / important time. Television show Charities