The one thing we can control

There is much media coverage on the topic of education, with particular reference to GCSE grading, for current year 11, with varying opinions on how best to assess our children’s capabilities. I am aware that this year is very different to the past 3-4 years of teaching the new specifications. Not only have year 11 students missed a significant amount of live teaching, there is also a great deal of uncertainty about whether exams will happen in the traditional sense; they could, but they also may not. I’m starting to sound like Boris!

However, I can vouch for certain that I want you to do well and reach your full potential. With that in mind, I want us to focus on the one thing that we can control, being prepared for the uncertain. This means staying on top of studies throughout the year and not leaving it to a last minute ‘cram’.

Students need to make sure that they revise effectively for the four English Lit/Lang papers. I am currently working with my students on intensive and highly productive revision.

I am running guided mocks this half term to give students exam practice before their school mocks. In my experience, this is the most effective form of revision, especially as the students will receive very detailed feedback from an actual examiner.

Get in touch if you need help.

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'How do I learn quotes?'

It only occurred to me recently that students don't always know how to learn quotes.  I had presumed that writing a quote out a number of times is the best way for every student to revise.  However, if we are to believe that students have different learning styles, we should also acknowledge that they should revise in different ways.  

Here are some suggestions:

Visual learner - (you tend to close your eyes, or look up to 'visualise' something in order to remember it).  Writing a quote out repeatedly will help. It would also be helpful to put quotes down for different characters on different coloured cards.

Auditory learner - (you verbally process things, by reading out loud).  Saying quotes out loud will help you to remember them.  It might not be as helpful to just write them out.

Physical learner - (you are not keen to sit still!)  Then pacing up and down whilst you repeat the quotes might well help.

 

It's a matter of trying a few different ways out.  Students are often under the misconception that just reading over information a few times will surfice.  It rarely does when tested!

Vital Exam Preparation

It's less than three weeks until the first English Literature GCSE.  It's a time when most students are starting to feel the pressure.  However, there are some simple things that students can do to alleviate feelings of stress and help them to achieve the very top levels.

  • Make sure that all of the key quotes for the Literature texts are written onto either revision cards or A4 brainstorms by the end of the Easter break.
  • Key statements about context are also written down for each text.
  • All 15 poems have been read and notes about language, form and structure have been made.  But, be strategic.  Students do not need to know all 15 poems in great depth.  They can pick out the vital 6 or 7 which can be used in a number of possible exam questions.
  • From the Easter holidays on-wards students should start writing plans out for the most likely exam questions.  For example, the development of Macbeth.
  • In the last few weeks students should write timed responses, which they ideally ask their teacher or tutor to mark, with detailed feedback.
  • In order to achieve levels 7-9 in English Literature students need to think about how they can give original readings of the texts.

If students revise in this manner they will feel far more confident going in to the English exams and less pressured.