GCSE English - HELP!!!

[Rufus43]

Asked a question a few weeks ago which you were all very helpful with, now another one!

DS1 has to write a paragraph next tues and weds on a question from Romeo and Juliet. This counts as 10 to 15% of his GCSE!!!!!!

Stupid bloody system! Unfortunately my husband and I are on holiday next week!!!

I would be grateful for any suggestions on how he can practice or revise for this or any experiences of this!

We go this Wednesday but he does have my login details so he can have a look at any answers

Tia

So he will get the question on the day? I think the best he can do is know the play as well as he can. There are some bizesize resources here if they help.

A controlled assessment ? Presumably he has had some practice and guidance in class and they have discussed likely themes .

Yes, I can't imagine the teachers would give him a controlled assessment without any input and guidance. Is he panicking? If so, I would recommend that he speaks to his teacher.

Nope he isn't panicking.....I am!!! But staying veeeerrrrry cooooool for him

Only joking

He knows what the question is, and he does have to use the whole play to demonstrate his understanding and ability

He is happy with his teachers guidance, they are concentrating on certain passages for example.

I think my difficulty with this is that we took two years to study the play, and did not know what the questions would be, this system seems to require him to do a shit hot paragraph at 14! He is still at the grunting stage! Not erudite at all (see what I did there! Big words!)

It's more should he practice sentence structure, revise quotes, increase his vocabulary...or have I answered my own question and he should do all of those

He is probably given an unannotated copy of the play text too. Long gone are the days of memorising inane quotations

Are you sure its a paragraph not a whole essay?

My DD1 has her first English CA in a couple of weeks.
She has been told she should be expecting to write around 4 sides.

Many schools do several Controlled Assessments and enter the best ones. So although this could count, it may not!!

Studying passages in depth is the way it is now. DS1 managed to get an A* in lit, without reading the whole of any of the texts . He just watched movies for the bigger picture.....

He might not make it til next Tuesday

"One of the ladies on MN has aid are you sure it's a paragraph "
"Yes"
"Are you sure?"
"Well, it's a paragraph or a side of paper"
"Which is it!!!!!" Imagine voice getting shriller
"I don't know "
"Well can you find out tomorrow? Cos there is a world of difference between a side of a4 and a paragraph!!!!!!"
"Well it might be a really long paragraph.....or a side of paper .......or two sides"

I think it's ok.....he doesn't need qualifications where he is going, I'm off to get a shotgun and a spade

I might be back tomorrow with further info

I think if he feels happy and well prepared he probably is, teachers don't just land controlled assessments on them without any guidance and it really sounds like you're worrying for him with no real reason to do so. As someone else said it is actually pretty unlikely that this will be the piece which is entered it will be the first of a few and this early in y10 they will be wanting them to get a feel for what they have to do.

Thanks all, off on holiday. I will try and stop worrying

I really think it's best to leave controlled assessments to the school unless your ds specifically asks for your help. You could do more harm than good by giving him the wrong advice.