How common is it to get an exam question on topic not covered in revision guide or class?

[Trevors]

So ds just had yr 10 English lit exam. Essay theme was something that isn’t mentioned anywhere is his revision books. It hadn’t been covered in class teaching either.
I’m guessing that once in a while this could happen in a real yr 11 gcse exam but in that case the students would normally have had two full years of teaching so should know the text really well. Current year 10s have had nothing like the teaching they should have had over one year.
What would be the motivation for school setting an obscure theme like this? Ds is really disappointed. For the very first time ever he actually did some revision but now he feels like he wasted his time as no matter how throughly he might have revised he would never have covered this. So, in his eyes now, all revision is pointless and all teachers are just trying to make life difficult and catch students out.
He has been struggling so much with his mental health over the last year, like so many teenagers. This is a blow to his confidence that he just didn’t need right now. I know lots of you will say life is tough, they have just got to suck it up, but honestly, I think they have sucked up enough shit over the last year and this was just unnecessary.

There isn't a combined GCSE for Lit and Lang there are two separate qualifications. You need to find out what is going on.

Those students though who sat it back in 2018 had benefitted from two full years of learning without the disruption and trauma caused by a global pandemic so were obviously in a far, far better position to tackle it.

But then this year’s students have benefited from being able to see the questions beforehand on the exam board’s website.
Even in normal years, students’ need to be looking at the past papers on the exam board website as part of their revision.

Many schools teach the literature and language as one 'English' lesson, going back and forth between the specific content for both exams, as well as general skills that are helpful for any essay based subject. But the pupils still sit two separate sets of exams in the end, and get two independent grades. Could that be the case here? If so, maybe he could concentrate more on the language GCSE, as there is much less specific content to learn and revise, and it's more based on knowing the techniques to look for, knowing how to answer the different parts of the questions, being able to do a creative piece, etc. It sounds like that might not be his ideal exam either, as you don't get any choice of topics, and if you have to do an analysis of passages on a theme you aren't interested in, or write about a picture you think is boring, then you could find it harder to show what you can do if you only respond well to niche topics. But on the other hand, it needs less specific revision of books, themes, etc, and no memorisation of quotes, so it's the sort of subject that working all along and learning what is needed can get you through, with no intense revision at the end.

I'm wondering if he's being taught in a combined class but actually taking separate lit and lang exams? We sometimes get asked if kids can withdraw from lit and we won't allow as we don't separate the time tabling, theres on English class but 2 exams to prep for.

@Trevors

Ordinary mainstream school, I’d not come across combined English lit/Lang myself either. He thinks he did pretty well in the poetry section actually. He is perfectly able to concentrate long enough for a poem. A book that’s not of his choosing is a different matter. I suppose the problem is that he isn’t familiar enough with the story but refuses to read it properly or even watch the film. He is unbelievably stubborn, you can’t even begin to imagine! I asked for a medication review because what he’s on at the moment doesn’t help his attention span at all, still waiting.

You say he won't read the book but you expect him to do well? seriously? and you want to complain to the school about this?

I would imagine most schools teach them together. It wouldn't be much fun for the teacher teaching Language! It is rare to not do Literature now as well.

As PP said- if he hasn’t read the book then yes, he will find it challenging to answer a question on fear.

Fear is not a hard question- I marked lots of that paper and had brilliant responses and disagree about it being a tough question. I don’t think it compares to others (eg porterhouse) and you’ve got flexibility with the quotations to apply them to different themes. I am certain he would have been able to apply his ten quotations to the theme of fear.

Revision is reinforcement of previous learning. If he hasn’t done the basics ie reading the book revision can’t be effective.

@KaptainKaveman I’m not thinking of complaining to the school, just wanting to know how likely this scenario is for future reference.
I’m worried because of how fragile he is, that isn’t school’s fault, but school and family have to deal with it and keep him mentally safe.
I really do know how important it is for him to be familiar with the book but as I have already explained his special needs (demand avoidance) make that very difficult indeed. For any other child reading the book might not be relished but it will be done. For ds, it’s like even though he knows he needs to, wouldn’t actually mind doing it that much, yet he still can’t do it. The scenario is can’t/won’t rather than simply won’t. His condition doesn’t make any sense I know!

Would he listen to an audio version if he's not keen on reading or watching a film (I reckon the Muppets have the best version of A Christmas Carol anyway!)

I can see why you are concerned about your son, but I don't think you can blame the school for including that question.

Has anything similar happened in the past that he's conquered that you could remind him of? For revision purposes, would it work if someone read out the question and he verbally responded instead? And if that did work, what about a reader/scribe in the exam itself.

Have a word with the SENCO to see what support they can put in place for exams in the future (does he have any already?)

For ds, it’s like even though he knows he needs to, wouldn’t actually mind doing it that much, yet he still can’t do it. The scenario is can’t/won’t rather than simply won’t. His condition doesn’t make any sense I know!

That’s very, very familiar. DS still wrestles with it in his early 20s (sorry). I’m not sure what to suggest that would help.

Demand avoidance and GCSEs aren't going to be a good mix.
Best of luck.

Was your DS expecting to see a question in the revision guides exactly like the one he had in his exam? Because surely that won't happen

@KaptainKaveman I’m not thinking of complaining to the school, just wanting to know how likely this scenario is for future reference.
I’m worried because of how fragile he is, that isn’t school’s fault, but school and family have to deal with it and keep him mentally safe.
I really do know how important it is for him to be familiar with the book but as I have already explained his special needs (demand avoidance) make that very difficult indeed. For any other child reading the book might not be relished but it will be done. For ds, it’s like even though he knows he needs to, wouldn’t actually mind doing it that much, yet he still can’t do it. The scenario is can’t/won’t rather than simply won’t. His condition doesn’t make any sense I know!

You'll probably have a parents evening in the next month or so I'd imagine, I'd talk to his teacher about it then. It sounds like a pretty cruel choice of question after all these kids have been through, DS has just had his year 10 Eng Lit, it was only an hour long, on A Christmas Carol and he was told the theme beforehand.

I was going to ask same as ChicChaos are audio books worth a go?

I also found some revison audio cds for one of DD1 books.

We did Tassomai for DD1 last two years for science - they've changed their pricing structure since and it's bloody expensive a month now so having to think really hard if we can afford it for next child - but they do have revisons for English Lit www.tassomai.com/ now which I think may really help next DS - there a free 7 day trial anyway.

Senca also have revision for some books.

I find they tend to do more revision with a computer involved than text books.

Seneca is very good and free.

@Tal45 that’s another thing, the length of time he has to sit still for, one hour would be ok. He could sit the exam in a different room to the rest of them and use his extra time to have a walkabout-break but he wont take that option because he doesn’t want anyone to see him as different (even tho he is).
He listens to Film and music related podcasts every night in bed but you’d never persuade him to listen one relevant to schoolwork!

Would rest breaks in exams be worth considering? He can control when and how long. The only issue is that it can make the session long overall and interval between papers, if scheduled am and pm, shorter.

For each text you are going to have to break out the popcorn {other bribes are available} and watch the movie as a family. Ideally watch two versions and argue which is best.
Eng Lit exams are based on the book or play not the revision guide or Mrs Smith's best guess.

@Trevors

Ds was off with corona virus recently so it may have been covered then but I think his friends agreed that they had no idea how to answer it either so probably not. They were given a booklet with 25 quotes and told that they should learn at least 10 of them off by heart. Only one of the 25 related to this theme. Ds didn’t learn that one.

There is no point "learning quotes" unless familiar with its source. So the fact he was give that quote suggests that its source was part of the course.

Lockdown was an ideal opportunity for Eng Lit  pupils to read  the books and authors on their  course.

They have been given a question that was actually been set by the examiner. How is this unfair. Good on the school for not dumbing down. Post exam, the teachers will go over the question and explain how it was posdible to answer it to gain good marks. Surely you'd far rather that your child experienced this type of question now in order that they can be better prepared for next year. Your child is Year 10, rather than beating themselves up about the question and moaning about it, they should use it as a learning experience, as a step towards success next year and how to cope with a more obscure question. Oh, and it's a lesson for revision to learn all the quotes?.... they should think for themselves. Realistically, when a teacher said learn at least10 quotes, it was a stipid thing to say. But those kids aiming and wanting grades of 8 or 9 would habe learnt them all and not whinged

Op I have been thinking today about you and your ds, here are some thoughts:

He won't be doing combined lit and Lang GCSE as there is no such thing. Perhaps the school has combined the two subjects for a yr 10 mock as they have only covered one set text.

This helps yr ds as if he is a good writer (creatively) then he may do better in Eng Lang. Look at the spec but he has to write two pieces of free writing.

If he passes Eng Lang then Eng lit doesn't matter - as in, college, apprenticeship, future job is going to want one of the two at grade 4 or above.

If he really wants to do well at Eng lit, he is going to have to read the set texts. Doesn't matter how many quotes you learn 🙄 if you've not read the book you will struggle. The theme of Scrooge's fear in ACC is not that obscure. Maybe it's not in the revision guide, but if he looked at that without reading the text, sorry but he's going about it the wrong way round.

What examiners want to see is knowledge of the text. What happens when, why, what effect does it have on the reader - not telling the story, but if you have read ACC (it's pretty short) you will know that Scrooge is afraid of the ghosts, of his death, of no one caring about him; earlier he is afraid of spending money, when young he is afraid to enjoy life, and so on. This question won't come up next year tho. But if he won't read the book, Eng lit is going to be tough. Sorry to be harsh, blue eyes me I sympathise with you and your son as it won't be easy.

I would talk to him about what he plans to do next year and go from there.

sorry blue eyes me (?) should say believe me!

Also meant to say, IME many students have extra time, or do some exams in a separate room, have a scribe, a reader, take breaks, use a laptop...he should use all he is offered to help.

If he won’t read the set text, he has no real hope of passing the exam. Would he listen to an book on CD version? Could you read the book to him each night; LBJ’s mum (American President in 1960s) did this. Could he alternate reading the book to you some nights.