This article, which is focused on English Literature GCSE, is one of three articles on how to work smarter and revise for year 11 English students.
In addition to helping clarify what students are actually being examined upon, our highly experienced tutors provide some useful revision and exam technique advice.
Links to our other articles and courses for English GCSE are below:
Assessment Objectives, set by Ofqual, are the same across all GCSE English Literature specifications and all exam boards. There are, however, some differences between exam boards with regards to the structure of the course and how the content is examined. This is particularly the case for the CIE exam board, which offers candidates the choice of three different pathways, including the option to be examined on four studied texts or three studied texts and either an unseen text or two-text coursework component.
However, all boards/examiners will:
Ofqual Assessment objectives
AO1: | Read, understand and respond to texts. Students should be able to:
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AO2: | Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate. |
AO3: | Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written. |
AO4: | Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation. |
1 Revising texts/poetry
2 Learning Quotes
Do not stress over learning long sections of text as quotes. SEE (Short, Embedded, Exemplary) quotes are the answer or close reference to a relevant piece of text.
3 Exam technique/tips
The most common feedback from examiners is that students need to plan more, proof read thoroughly and write less to achieve the highest marks. So, in the exam NEVER confuse quantity with quality.
Your examiners are your ONLY audience and the exam is your chance to demonstrate your skills. So before sitting the exam, make sure you are absolutely clear as to how the mark scheme works so that every word you write will impress your examiner and allow them to give you the highest marks possible.
Familiarise yourself with the styles of the questions and the contents of the texts; practise planning, essay skills and time management; understand what the examiner will reward but most of all WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER!
Success to you all but remember…… you make your own luck!
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