English language GCSE - best guide?

[lainiekazan]

Ds is doing AQA English Language GCSE.

He needs some (teaching) help as the school seems reluctant to put any effort into raising B students to an A or above.

Ds's English is very good, but he lacks technique. Any ideas which is the best guide out there for those aiming for a high grade? (So, no CGP - too basic).

The Englishbiz website is pretty good. But really, if it's just the exam, you don't need a book or guide. First of all, your son needs to know what's stopping him from getting an A. Reading section or writing? If reading, make sure he knows what the questions are and how to answer them. On the AQA site, there are mark schemes and examiner's reports.

Then get him reading newspaper articles, reports, comment etc and practise the four questions on the texts. Practise answering in the time (eg 12 minutes for Q1). If writing, again it's practice. When I get near the exam with my classes, I just find articles and they practise answers. Marking is a killer but it's the only way. Do bear in mind that the CAs are 40% too. You really need an English teacher who knows the specification to mark work so I would recommend getting support from school. I am only too happy to help when pupils want to do extra papers/questions.

Thanks for that.

I've just woken up and realised ds needs a boot up the backside. I found out what his last few marks were and they were Bs. No comment or suggestions from teacher - no feedback at all for those above a C.

Ds says he has been struggling with comparison of texts and would like to see a model answer.

Good point about reading the newspaper and answering questions. I shall try that out!

There might be some useful bits on Geoff Barton's website. The student resource section is here and seems to have some guidance for higher GCSE grades.

How is the school getting away with that?! And why would they want to? Are you going to complain?

I did raise it with the school. They warbled on about the value-added scores for low-ability pupils and how the more able pupils raised the expectations for them. I didn't say anything, but the "more able" pupils are not there to perform good works. On the day of reckoning you can't put on your UCAS form "English B: but I didn't half help all the less able ones."

That's awful. They'll get slammed for their value added scores at the top end just as much as the bottom end, too

Your ds is lucky you're on the ball!

Ha! Ds would say I'm an interfering old bat! No, seriously, he is pleased as he doesn't want to settle for good enough.

I am increasingly dubious about the general ethos of the school, actually, as they seem to have scant regard for the more able pupils. So many kids - especially boys - are not self-motivated and don't consider stretching themselves outside the classroom. They need to be stretched in it.

The AQA website has past papers, model answers and marking schemes... It helped my dd a lot. She did the past papers in exam timing and then we sat down and marked them together.

We also had basic strategies such as going through the senses to see what she had missed..; like sights, smells, any texture or touch issues, sounds of the piece or tastes (less of those typically ).

We also made lists of similar words , like other words for damp or other words for bright... I made sure she knew similes and all the other standard English things so she could point them out in texts...

Thanks - I'll look at the AQA website.

Actually just had a big bust-up with ds who is looking particularly pimply and Kevin-ish today. Sigh...

The new Pearson AQA English Language GCSE revision book is excellent.
www.amazon.co.uk/Revise-AQA-English-Language-Revision/dp/1447940660/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381251234&sr=1-3&keywords=aqa+english+language