AQA GCSE English Language: Grades 4-6 Student Revision Conference

ABOUT THIS CONFERENCE

This new conference is designed, by practicing and experienced examiners and advanced learning practitioners, to support and inspire students to achieve outstanding grades in AQA English Language. This specially designed, interactive and innovative conference will provide students with motivational, informative and effective techniques which will allow them to gain clear understand in the exam board’s specifications and assessment objectives.

The knowledge gained by students at this conference will allow them to confidently articulate extended, critical, conceptual and focused responses in the exam.

KEY FOCUS AREAS

• Enjoy a memorable, varied, informative learning experience
• Unpick exam board requirements for reaching grades 4 - 6
• Gain strategies, ideas and approaches to meet exam board AOs and success criteria
• Gain first hand guidance and crucial insight from examiners and leading experts
• Motivational techniques
• Take away methods to build confidence when reading, analysing, and writing
• Learn how to judiciously use quotations and evidence in exam responses
• Techniques to show the examiner that students can effectively state the effects of language and structure
• Understand what is required to maximise potential and raise attainment

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PROGRAMME

Welcome and Introduction 10.00 – 10.10am

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Paper 1: Succeeding in Q1 and Q2

10.10 – 11.00am

• Q1: simple, focused and explicit strategies
• Reading approaches: before, during and after reading the text
• Q2: What is the ‘effect’ of language? - how to write a response which comments clearly.
• Common/likely exam mistakes and how to avoid them, to ensure students stand out
• Understanding implicit and explicit information
• Explains clearly the effects of the writer’s choices of language - do not feature spot – connotations are crucial to success
• How to select a range of relevant textual detail
• Makes clear and accurate use of subject terminology with of focus on effect
• Empathy – empathising with characters in order to deepen and develop analysis and response
• ACTIVITY – questions and question types and level 4, 5, and 6, responses and how to move these up to level 7 – examiner advice

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Morning Break

11.00 – 11.20am

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Paper 1: Writing about structure – developing skills for Q3

11.20 – 11.50am

• Getting students to engage with the big themes of a text – consider the bigger picture
• Do not feature spot – analyse the effect of structure and structural shifts
• Context needs to be considered when developing analysis
• A visual approach to identifying structural features
• Using the prompts: beginning, middle, end of the text
• Exemplar responses- features of ‘clear’ in practice.

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Paper 1: Evaluating texts – combing skills for Q4

11.50 – 12.20pm

• Developed understanding of genre and structure
• Key skills in the mark scheme- how to use the mark scheme as a checklist
• Spotting the writer at work- strategies to identify the writer’s intention.
• Selecting appropriate quotations with methods- ways to ensure you can evaluate what has been selected.

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Paper 1: Creative writing – expanding skills for Q5

12.20 – 12.50pm

• Exploring the typical features of ‘clear’ writing
• How to structure descriptions and narratives
• Making sentences work for you- remembering that variety is key

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Lunch

12.50 – 1.20pm

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Paper 2: Comparing texts – combing skills for Q4

1.20 – 2.00pm

• Improving vocabulary and use of language devices
• Moving away from learned responses for Q5
• Making paragraphs and punctuation work for you
• Combining key skills in one paragraph- methods for effective planning
• What are ideas and perspectives? Identifying the writer’s opinions
• Comparing ‘like with like’

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Paper 2: Writing an argument – expanding skills for Q5

2.00 – 2.45pm

• Using language features for effect
• Making paragraphs and punctuation work for you
• Understanding marks schemes and success criteria
• Extending your response
• Using vocabulary for effect
• Exploring the typical features of Level 3 writing
• Establishing a single point of view for a clear response
• Sequencing ideas- ways to use the statement to inform writing
• Making sentences work for you remembering that variety is key

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Paper 2: Ten Top Tips for Q1, Q2 and Q3

2.45 – 3.15pm

• KEY POINTS from each of the expert presenters on how to improve your final grade

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