GCSE study guides - which to choose?

[FannyMcNally]

Dd3 is finding Lord of the Flies quite tricky so I've ordered the audio version

[FannyMcNally]

.....for her to listen to in bed and thought a study guide might help with characters etc. There are so many that I can't decide which one to go for! Letts, CGP, Cliff etc. Is there one publisher that English teachers recommend?

[goinggetstough]

I am not a teacher but have had 2 DCs doing GCSEs. As long as you have the correct guide for the board your DCs are doing the content will be very similiar. If you get a chance get your DD to have a look at some in WH Smiths or any bookshop before you order. The layout of the information can be different and my DCs preferred different guides because of this. For example one preferred the more coloured layout with information in boxes whereas my DD was happier with the information in paragraphs and black and white.
Good luck with the exams.

[FannyMcNally]

Good idea about the layout, I didn't think of that. The A5 guides I presume are all text and the A4 guides are more visual. Thanks.

[NoComet]

DD1 first choice is always CGP if they do a guide for that text or that exam.

She says they are clear, through, not to wordy (she's dyslexic) and even have the odd joke.

She would also recommend your DS turns complex things into mind maps and/or key facts on record cards.

She is doing mice and men, not LotF, (Thank God, I hate LotF with a passion. Vile depressing predictable from the first page pile of rubbish).

However, if your DS is stuck with it he needs to get the revision text book he likes best, see what sort of questions they ask and mind map or list the key characters, events, quotes etc needed to answer the different types of question.

[NoComet]

Sorry DD not DS (LofT is not, a girls book).

[FannyMcNally]

Thanks, yes I think we will go and have a look at them first. Dd doing Mice and Men as well and also prefers that to LoftF.

[AViewFromTheFridge]

You can also get A4 workbooks (rather than the A5 study guides) that are a bit more interactive.

This one is specifically designed for the current specification, and this is the CGP one mentioned earlier.

Has she watched either of the films? I remember watching the more recent one at 15ish and loving it - think I fancied both Jack and Ralph! Here. The most important thing is that she engages with it - talk to her about it. Is it realistic? Is that what would happen? Why do the characters act as they do? Do you think if it happened now, they would be so resourceful?

[circular]

DD1 just finished GCSEs.
Found CGP guides helpful for maths & sciences, less so for French and Music, and totally irrelevant for Geography (possibly as WJEC and nothing board specific).
Had the CGP English language and To Kill a Mocking Bird, but teacher later recommended York Notes for set books. Although had to use AS York notes for one text as not in GCSE syllabus.

[NoComet]

Geography is a total pain. Horrible specific case studies and exams that worry about spelling and grammar (you can guess what a dyslexic thinks of that outside English). Loads of pointless route learning. It's driving her mad when she understands the theory of what's going on perfectly.

Also, DD1 can't find a relevant guide for her exam either only the text book.

[NoComet]

DD has both CGP and York notes for of M&M can't ask which she likes best, she's buzzed off until Tuesday,

[Talkinpeace]

school sold us all of DDs so that they were the right ones for her actual syllabus

[FannyMcNally]

Thanks for all your replies. CGP seems to be the most popular so hopefully WHS stock them and we can have a browse. Good idea about the film. We watched Mockingbird last year for dd2's AS to get her started.