GCSE Spanish year 10-how to improve?

[spring124]

DC got a disappointing 3 in recent year 10 Spanish exam. He isn't awful at Spanish but hasn't been paying attention so the basics and vocab are shaky. How can he improve on this for the real exams? He has started duolingo but are there resources/workbook we can look at together?

I studied Spanish at uni so can help him but I don't know where to start. He is disorganised, his book is full of scrunched up pieces of paper so not much to go on there..

Little and often works for him, but what??Thanks so much if anyone has any advice.

Hi there OP I am an MFL specialist (not Spanish so much but the principle is the same).

A few questions:

• What board? I assume AQA but the other specs for GCSE (not IGCSE which is different) are very similar tbh.
• Higher or foundation? Appreciate the school may not have decided yet - often not until year 11 - but some schools have the capacity to set up a F and a H class. If his 3 is disappointing, is his target a 6 or 7? In which case obvs he will need to do H. I have to say tho, if a student were getting a 3 at any stage in year 11 (I appreciate he is currently in yr 10), I would suggest F which is much more accessible.
• F is capped at 5, H goes no lower than 3 (any lower and you get U) just in case you didn't know.

Anyway, the following applies regardless of board or tier. Two key aspects - verbs and vocab.

He needs to be confidently able to reference three time frames - usually present, past and future. So he needs to know how to do this with regular and then basic irregular verbs (ser, ir, haber, hacer and more). Ideally to talk about I, he and she, and we at a minimum. So can he say I am, he went, we will do, I played, she will go and so on?

Then vocab - there is a list online; start with the F list and the topics he has covered already. Also include the basics such as adjectives, time phrases, modifiers. Print the lists and cross off anything he knows. Then he needs to learn the rest.

How you do it - loads of ways, Write them (verbs and vocab) on post-its all over the house. Record on his phone for him to listen to on the way to school. Test him as you drive to footy practice. Make them into a song. Look, cover, write, check. Whatever works.

Sorry for essay! #passion

Meant to add, you can get GCSE workbooks and revision guides and they are good; also a KS3 revision guide might be helpful if the basics are lacking. Pretty cheap online.

Can he watch the youtube videos that interest him in Spanish rather than in English. I am a middle aged woman! whatever he's interested in, but I watch psychology videos from Omar rueda, susana alles and many others, also subscribed to El Pais and other channels like yoga and make up tutorials and so on.

That's really helpful, thank you very much. It is AQA, he was predicted a 6, that has gone down to a 5 after these results but he did no revision at all for them.
Are there any workbooks in particular you would recommend?
Also what are your thoughts on Memrise? He seems to be more motivated to learn little and often on anything screen based...

Memorise is good for vocab learning, yes.

This is the GCSE workbook https://www.amazon.co.uk/GCSE-Spanish-Exam-Practice-Workbook/dp/1782945474/ref=asc_df_1782945474/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310551242326&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12889651940432436057&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046418&hvtargid=pla-465870252448&psc=1&th=1&psc=1 and like I say, there are CGP Ks3 and KS4 books too.

Memrise of course, stupid phone

Summer camp for teens in Spain? I was looking at one organised by Instituto Cervantes for 13-17 years old. 2 weeks for 720€ all inclusive. With lessons, sports, etc.

Interesting thread, we're a bit in the same boat. @monkeysmum21 , would you mind sending the link please? I only see online courses or in the UK on Cervantes, but no summer camp. I browsed tons of summper camps in psain, I found some on Don Quijote, but with mixed reviews (and dates did not fit, and DD refuses categorically to be hosted in a family) ? Many thanks!

The Coffee Break Spanish app is good. He can choose which topics to concentrate on. Would also recommend the revision guides

You could use BBC Bitesize and work through that. I often make little games for my son. For example, write all the words out and match them up with their English equivalent, or do the same with the verb conjugations. Start with matching, then see if he can say it, then move to writing next time.

Thank you all for your helpful advice. We're starting with Memrise and the CGP workbooks-ks3 then gcse. Will look at Bitesize too. Let's hope some of it sticks.

I struggle to know how involved I should be, and how much to leave him to manage it himself. I know we should be moving towards him taking responsibility but it feels like a long way off yet. Does anyone else struggle with this?