GCSE AQA Poetry

[IdontknowwhyIcare]

Can anyone help please, with regard to how best to revise this exam. DS (yr 11) has completed all the modules so far for Eng Lit and Lang and has A for each of them and for each coursework module. This has been a huge task for him as he has identified learning difficulties, however having made such fab progress he really wants to do well in this module. He has the past papers downloaded but he just isnt getting it*. Are there any teachers and/ or markers out there who have some top tips? I have just ordered a number of books from Amazon, downloaded some podcasts but he thinks he doesnt understand what exactly is required of him and he is scared to death of the sight unseen as he will struggle to read it (he does have a reader but he likes to read it himself as well). TIA

There is a CGP GCSE English Literature unseen poetry study and exam practice book which is really helpful. I have used the strategies outlined in there to help my students who feel much the same way. Reassure him that it is only 18 marks and if he uses the same techniques he will use in the other part he will be fine. I have some resources that I can email you if you think it would help :)

That would be fab, thank you very much. Any chance you could pm me? I think it works for me.

Try looking on the Teachit website and the TES resources section of their website for resources too. AQA have material on their website too. Your son needs to take some confidence from the fact that to have achieved an A* he must have a good understanding of how writers write and that he can explain these ideas in some depth. If he can apply the same skills to the unseen poetry and look for common themes in the AQA Poetry then he should be fine.

I've taken Enlglish lit. GCSE and A level... the main thing to do is to read a lot- maybe you should get him to practise reading poetry and explaining features of it to you, concentrating on the main topics (i.e. structure or imagery)... it really is just about practise and confidence.