Year 10

How to help your child achieve his or her potential at GCSE French,

German and Spanish

Main course requirements

4 key skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing

Tenses (present, future and future conditional, past and imperfect)

Give an opinion and explanations

GCSE Course

• 30% Speaking assessments (2)

• 20% Reading Paper

• 20% Listening Paper

• 30% Written assessments (2)

AssessmentsYEAR 10

• Year 10 has 2 assessment “windows”– 1x 6 min speaking– 1x 1hr writing

• 5 known questions + 1 surprise question

• 3 weeks warning and task given before exam date

• Assessments done become part of a set of 4 assessments in each of the skills (1 done in year 9, 1 to do in year 11)

• The BEST two writings and best two speakings go to the exam board.

Speaking AssessmentsWhen in year 10???

Year 10 exam window…

Year 11 exam windows…

French Nov

End of Feb

Nov

Feb (if needed)

German Feb

May

Nov

Feb (if needed)

Spanish Feb

May

Nov

Mar (if needed)

AssessmentsWhat they should be doing

Speaking and writing are both tests of MEMORY. Significant time should be spent practicing the writing/speaking.

Preparation of what to say/write must also be done properly. It’s not a night before job

6 Hours on writing and 6 hours on speaking, spread over the 3 weeks of preparation time, is about right

Reading and listening examinations

• ALL DONE IN EXAMS AT END OF YEAR 11• We will do practice exams at end of year 10 and

mocks in year 11, and these are useful but do not count.

• Emphasis in these exams is on recognition of language, and choosing the right answer. No answers are written in the target language.

How to revise

• 15-20 minute slots then break for 2 or 3 minutes• Look Cover Write Check (batches of 5 or 7

words/phrases)• A5 Cards – key words/phrases – highlight pens• Brain gym• Spelling rhymes• Mind Maps- colour/pictures/LANDSCAPE• Friends or Family – support• Attend school-organised revision sessions• Do NOT leave it until the last minute - time management

Before an exam…

1. No sleepovers.

2. Break down notes into sub headings and put key words and phrases onto A5 card

3. Have a mind map up in the kitchen or bedroom

4. You know the exact task, so yet yourself a “mock”.

5. Have some R and R

Night before

• Read notes on cards

• Get a friend/parent to test the student

• Get all the equipment they need for the next day ready in their school bag

• Go to bed at a reasonable time

• Drink lots of water

You do not need to speak or be fluent in the language to provide support

Listen to the rehearsal speakings at home, time it, see if it matches their draft etc

Check to see drafts are written and checked through.

Encourage quiet study, away from PC or TV etc.

What can parents do?

- Every lunchtime, a member of staff can be found in the MFL office to answer queries from pupils- Emails and Frogmails are used to communicate with pupils- Time given during lessons to plan / prepare.

Extra Support

- Write on a slip of paper, post in yellow box outside (add contact details) and we will reply

- Email bcreasey@sjl.herts.sch.uk

- Attend year 10 parents evening (we cannot answer queries about individual pupils tonight)

Questions or Queries?