GCSE English Revision Tips
GCSE English Revision Tips FACULTY OF ENGLISH AND MEDIA
‘Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win, is’ – Vince Lombardi ‘You may be disappointed if you fail, but you’re doomed if you don’t try’ – Beverly Sills
In 10 weeks’ time, ask yourself the following questions…
Do I have any regrets? Did I work incredibly hard? Did I aim high? Did I show initiative, resilience and determination? Did I show the desire to succeed and achieve my very best?
Why is a good grade in GCSE English so important? You can use it as a springboard for future success. Employers, training providers and universities see it as a vital qualification. It proves you are a good communicator and thinker.
The Story so far… November entry – first opportunity to sit a real, external GCSE exam. New English groups – a fresh perspective and a chance to aim for success. Opportunity to re-sit Speaking & Listening coursework. November results have allowed us to target the skills you need to improve.
The next 8 weeks… The exams in May are your opportunity to really shine. The next 8 weeks are absolutely crucial. We now need to focus on specific Reading and Writing skills. You will receive lots of support over the next eight weeks.
Reading Skills – What can I do at home? Practice reading a variety of different texts: newspaper and magazine articles, travel writing, short stories, biographies. Skimming and scanning. Skim read the passage for the ‘gist’ – What is the text about? What kind of atmosphere is being created by the writer? What effect does the text have on the reader? Then scan the passage to find the answer to each question in turn. (Underline / highlight / circle key words or phrases)
You should be able to anticipate typical reading questions: Extended Tier
‘Summarise, using your own words,…’
Core Tier
‘Select words and phrases from these descriptions, and explain how the writer has created effects by using this language.’
What… Pick out three facts from… What three words does the writer use to create a sense of… Why do you think the writer uses the phrase… Explain in your own words what the writer means by…
•Each part of the question will tell you where to look in the text to work out your answer – for instance, it might ask you to look at certain lines or paragraphs. Questions get more challenging as you work through, so watch out for instructions designed to help you – e.g. if you are told to use your own words or give a certain number of reasons (Core). Notice how many marks there are for each question. There is no need to repeat the whole of the question before starting your answer. E.g. ‘He means that…’ or ‘It is because…’ are fine.
Writing Skills – What can I do at home? Practice writing for a range of different tasks. Two types of writing: 1. Directed Writing Read the passage… Imagine you are… Write the words of a talk / conversation / a letter / transcript of a radio interview… 2. Composition Argumentative / Descriptive / Narrative Your English teacher will give you a range of sample questions – have a go at some in your own time.
Improve your word and sentence power – sophisticated vocabulary and sentence variety.
When you are practising your writing, especially at home, experiment with a range of more interesting or challenging vocabulary – use a thesaurus (you can install a thesaurus App on your smartphone!)
Experiment with a range of long and short sentences to create specific effects.
Technical Accuracy – ESSENTIAL!
You can lose significant numbers of marks if you have poor spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Try to identify and get rid of your common mistakes. CHECK your writing for these basics, especially capital letters, full stops, commas, apostrophes and paragraphs.
Ask your parent / carer to check through your writing and help you identify any errors.
When work is returned, always check through writing and amend errors that have been identified by your English teacher.
Do I have any regrets? Did I work incredibly hard? Did I aim high? Did I show initiative, resilience and determination? Did I show the desire to succeed and achieve my very best?
‘Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win, is’ – Vince Lombardi ‘You may be disappointed if you fail, but you’re doomed if you don’t try’ – Beverly Sills
In 10 weeks’ time, ask yourself the following questions…
Do I have any regrets? Did I work incredibly hard? Did I aim high? Did I show initiative, resilience and determination? Did I show the desire to succeed and achieve my very best?
Why is a good grade in GCSE English so important? You can use it as a springboard for future success. Employers, training providers and universities see it as a vital qualification. It proves you are a good communicator and thinker.
The Story so far… November entry – first opportunity to sit a real, external GCSE exam. New English groups – a fresh perspective and a chance to aim for success. Opportunity to re-sit Speaking & Listening coursework. November results have allowed us to target the skills you need to improve.
The next 8 weeks… The exams in May are your opportunity to really shine. The next 8 weeks are absolutely crucial. We now need to focus on specific Reading and Writing skills. You will receive lots of support over the next eight weeks.
Reading Skills – What can I do at home? Practice reading a variety of different texts: newspaper and magazine articles, travel writing, short stories, biographies. Skimming and scanning. Skim read the passage for the ‘gist’ – What is the text about? What kind of atmosphere is being created by the writer? What effect does the text have on the reader? Then scan the passage to find the answer to each question in turn. (Underline / highlight / circle key words or phrases)
You should be able to anticipate typical reading questions: Extended Tier
‘Summarise, using your own words,…’
Core Tier
‘Select words and phrases from these descriptions, and explain how the writer has created effects by using this language.’
What… Pick out three facts from… What three words does the writer use to create a sense of… Why do you think the writer uses the phrase… Explain in your own words what the writer means by…
•Each part of the question will tell you where to look in the text to work out your answer – for instance, it might ask you to look at certain lines or paragraphs. Questions get more challenging as you work through, so watch out for instructions designed to help you – e.g. if you are told to use your own words or give a certain number of reasons (Core). Notice how many marks there are for each question. There is no need to repeat the whole of the question before starting your answer. E.g. ‘He means that…’ or ‘It is because…’ are fine.
Writing Skills – What can I do at home? Practice writing for a range of different tasks. Two types of writing: 1. Directed Writing Read the passage… Imagine you are… Write the words of a talk / conversation / a letter / transcript of a radio interview… 2. Composition Argumentative / Descriptive / Narrative Your English teacher will give you a range of sample questions – have a go at some in your own time.
Improve your word and sentence power – sophisticated vocabulary and sentence variety.
When you are practising your writing, especially at home, experiment with a range of more interesting or challenging vocabulary – use a thesaurus (you can install a thesaurus App on your smartphone!)
Experiment with a range of long and short sentences to create specific effects.
Technical Accuracy – ESSENTIAL!
You can lose significant numbers of marks if you have poor spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Try to identify and get rid of your common mistakes. CHECK your writing for these basics, especially capital letters, full stops, commas, apostrophes and paragraphs.
Ask your parent / carer to check through your writing and help you identify any errors.
When work is returned, always check through writing and amend errors that have been identified by your English teacher.
Do I have any regrets? Did I work incredibly hard? Did I aim high? Did I show initiative, resilience and determination? Did I show the desire to succeed and achieve my very best?
