Set books for English Lit GCSE

[BonnesVacances]

Is it possible to sit the English Lit exam at school and answer questions on different books to the ones they've studied in school?

DD is off school with a long term illness but is due to take her GCSES in May 2018. Looking at the English set books and specimen papers, she has already read a couple of the books which she could potentially study and answer the questions on, instead of the ones they've done in school (and she's missed).

I wondered if this was possible or if the examiner expects to mark the questions on the same books from the same exam centre?

The examiner doesn't care one way or another.

Just make sure it follows the rubric - ie not two texts from the same section.

Is the school not providing Medical needs tuition??

It's entirely possible, and if the examiner marks online they may not mark the whole centre, so wouldn't even realise.

Getting hold of past papers from the exam board website would help your daughter to become familiar with the types of questions asked, and the rules/rubrics for each paper as well, so that she doesn't break them.

There won't be past papers for new GCSE though - just the odd sample paper at this stage.

DD really wanted to answer the question on Pride and Prejudice (which she loves) but did do the Frankenstein one instead :)

Yes Op no one will know or care, and if you think she'll do better then go for it. Make sure you check exemplar papers (on exam board website) to see what kind of question to expect. No past papers yet, sadly.

True, I'm afraid I don't know much about the English exam boards, but I know that in CCEA's new spec (first award 2019) some of question styles haven't changed much.

Ah Piggy x-post!

Great! Thank you. Just what I wanted to hear.

The school will provide medical needs tuition but atm DD has very little cognitive function and can't even remember the alphabet, so we're not availing of it just yet. I just live in hope that before May it'll all come back and she will pick up a study guide and crack on with something. It'll help if it's books she's already read and has enjoyed.

Thanks for the reassurance.

Yes, any student can answer any question they choose on the paper, and it'll be marked the same as any other. Nothing stopping anyone going in and doing texts they've never studied at all! Totally inadvisable, of course. But perfectly fine.

I'm an English teacher and I've marked the GCSE. I'd encourage a student in your daughter's situation to go with the books she enjoys. As others have said, make sure they're from the different sections. Also there are some great study videos on YouTube that coach students in exam technique. Check out Mr Briff.

mr bruff sorry!

Yes, I've checked the spec and she's already read and loved Animal Farm and A Christmas Carol (we have the Muppets to thank for that one!). Plus a Shakespeare play and the Poems which will be new to her. Seems a tall order but it helps that we feel she has made a start, as it were.

Will bookmark Mr Bruff, thanks.

I hope she starts feeling better soon.

Of all the set texts 'Animal Farm' and 'A Christmas Carol' are probably the easiest to do 'independently' !

If you join Teachit (or have a friend who is a teacher) there are whole teaching packs on those two texts.

Thanks Piggy! DH is a teacher (but Science) so I'll get him to look at that. Seems like it will help for other subjects too, so that's really good. Thanks.