| Staffroom discussion | |
 AQA IGCSE Level 1/2 English Lang/Lit - Abena | 20/05/2012 |
| Our department started this course in September, and I think it's superb. Judging from what others have said about the Cambridge IGCSE, I'd say this is a more challenging course and the inclusion of a research paper teaches the learners valuable skills that are often lacking in undergraduates. Any other thoughts on the course? Useful resources? I'm happy to share with anyone who's interested. Cheers, Abena |
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| Re:AQA IGCSE Level 1/2 English Lang/Lit - Michael | 30/05/2012 |
I am currently looking to start this course in September (having not really enjoyed two years worth of Controlled Assessment). It looks flexible and challenging as well as interesting for both pupils and teachers. I have looked at Cambridge (far too many options) and Edexcel (very dull texts and a little simplistic in approach) and I think AQA offers a great deal more. My concerns are really over the relative newness of the course and how things fit practically so I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying the course. How do you go through it? I'm plotting out a Sceme of Work now where we can actually spend the first term covering skills, essay writing, writing in general, reading a variety of different literature. We will probably do the coursework option but leave this until September of the Fifth form and sepnd a term on this. So I'm proposing to put the teaching of texts for exams in Easter/Summer term of the Fourth Form to be revised later on. All very new and tentative at the moment but it looks like we might be able to teach English for a change! My Head will no doubt be concerned that it's "not a GCSE" so I'm assuming you are an independent school too, how have you navigated this one? Anyway, reassuring to hear it's going well. |
| Re:AQA IGCSE Level 1/2 English Lang/Lit - Julie | 01/06/2012 |
| Hi. I'm just in the process of signing up to teach this course from September. The course does look very good: clear structure and covering all the bases. I work in a PRU where there are barely any English resources (of course i have my own but for other specs) so anything that you've found works particularly well for the foundation level with hard to engage students would be greatly appreciated!! |
| Re:AQA IGCSE Level 1/2 English Lang/Lit - Philip | 17/06/2012 |
| Running the risk of a deluge, but Julie, I might be able to help with some resources, either emailed or posted, or a combination. The language coursework I did with low ability pupils was based around the theme of relations between youth and old age. I collected together a range of about ten texts. There was an episode from a BBC3 documentary ('When Teenage Meets Old Age') a blog written by a social worker based on this episode, three or four poems (which provided useful practice for the unseen poem for literature) some autobiographical writing, the short story 'Flight' from the old AQA anthology and one or two more. We looked at all of them and pupils selected a combination of about 6. I know they should really source their own texts, but they would have found this very difficult. The writing task was an editorial for SAGA magazine. We looked at a couple of examples and, once we'd decided what sort of writing such editorials comprise, they wrote their own. It's been quite challenging marrying up the demands of this type of coursework with the ability of these pupils, but, on the whole, it's been far more rewarding than the type of Controlled Assessment we've now left behind. Michael, if you're interested, I can give you an honest account of the AQA iGCSE certificates so far. Mine is a 3 to 16 independent school in an area with four grammar schools (two boys', two girls'). We do feel a little isolated. If anyone else fancies getting in touch, I'm keen to establish links with one or two other schools who are teaching these courses. Phil pwtabors@hotmail.com |
| Re:Re:AQA IGCSE Level 1/2 English Lang/Lit - Marianne | 24/06/2012 |
| I have just put through candidates for this year's iGCSE exam. Most students did the coursework option and those who did not, by the time of the second exam bitterly regretted their non-completion of the coursework. I work with students who are out of mainstream education and have limited time to complete a course, hence my choice of AQA - Language only though. I produced my own anthology of different styles of writing etc. It was useful to have this, as a resource but its use was limited. With no text books I wrote various leaflets on language and did write a sample piece of coursework on a topic none of them would contemplate! The only thing my students did not enjoy was the writing of the justification of the coursework; but they did work for most of the exam time, which for my kind of students was truly amazing. I am looking forward to Sept If anyone wants to get in touch my email: kamau189@aol.com |
| Re:Re:AQA IGCSE Level 1/2 English Lang/Lit - Emma Whymark | 06/11/2012 |
Hi Julie I also teach in a PRU and delivered this course for the first time last year. It worked really well. My email is ewhymark6nrc@nsix.org.uk if you want to get in touch to discuss. Regards Emma |
| Re:Re:Re:AQA IGCSE Level 1/2 English Lang/Lit - Jane | 19/11/2012 |
Hi I work in FE. I've been asked to pilot this course to replace the Functional Skills Level 2 qualification. The course is offered to students who have previously achieved a grade E or achieved FS Level 1. I also teach GCSE English Language, so I'm sifting out some foundation tier resources and trying to make them 'fit'. ANYTHING you have used that works! would be of great help. |
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