AQA GCSE French: Maximising Student Outcomes in the Exam Papers

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Irrespective of how well staff prepare students for the AQA written papers in GCSE French, each year many marks are lost because of poor exam technique or quite simply students not knowing exactly what a question is asking for. This new course will look at the different types of questions featured across the three exam papers and how the initial reading and dissecting of a question is key to actually answering the question in the way that the question setter intended it to be answered. There will be examples of answers from across a range of content to illustrate the differences between high scoring answers and mediocre answers, which, when grade boundaries are very ‘tight’, could mean the loss of one or more grade. Other common exam technique errors will also be addressed, and strategies introduced to help students monitor improvement in their exam technique. A methodology for marking, grading and evaluating student work will be introduced.

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BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Identify the main areas where students lose marks when answering exam questions
• Identify the range of question types l Focus on how to extract information from a question to allow access to all the marks available
• Analysing how; A lack of  examples, repetition of information, failure to focus on key terms, insufficient points and vague comments can impact the final outcome
• Develop strategies for student self-monitoring and evaluation of their exam technique
• Develop an understanding of accurate staff and peer marking

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PROGRAMME

Introduction to Ways to Prepare Students for Examination

10.00am

• Overview of good practice in preparation for any exam series; Reflection, knowledge and skills audit, action plan, set targets and reflect/review, long term planning, question matrix per each topic/paper, revision aids
• Using historical centre-based information to address issues with the current cohort
• Identifying the common pitfalls that students make at both ends of the ability spectrum and ways to avoid this

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Break

11.00am

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Exploring the Different Type of Questions Across the Exam Papers

11.15am

• Identifying the range of question types; multiple choice, short structured, extended response questions
• Developing student’s exam skills; scaffolding, part paragraphs, so-called model answers, structure strips, using technology (visualisers), and developing literacy
• Learn specific strategies for tackling each question type effectively
• Analyse sample exam questions from previous GCSE papers to understand what examiners look for in high-level responses

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Preparing Students for the Speaking Test

11.40apm

• Familiarising students with the speaking test format and assessment criteria
• Providing opportunities for students to practice speaking on various topics
• Effective feedback techniques to help students improve their spoken proficiency
• Tips for building students’ confidence and reducing speaking anxiety

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Lunch

12.15pm

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Extracting the Correct Information from the Question for the 6 and 9 mark questions

1.15pm

•  A question is more than just a test of subject knowledge – How to ensure that students dissect an extended question correctly
• Strategies to standardise the dissection of a question across all papers irrespective of the member of staff delivering the area of the specification
• How students can monitor their own exam technique in homework and assessment tasks

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Applying Knowledge in Question Responses

2.00pm

• Practical strategies to apply relevant knowledge to various scenarios and question types
• A review of key terms, command words and vocabulary
• Deepening the understanding of command words, particularly for AO2 and AO3 and the impact on an answer and subsequent marks gained when the command word in a question is not accurately addressed
• Apply this knowledge to craft well-structured and comprehensive answers in future exams

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Break

2.45pm

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Accurate Staff and Peer Marking

3.00pm

• How to approach teaching GCSE exam skills with confidence
• The use of appropriate and meaningful annotation to give students the greatest amount of accurate information to help them improve their answers

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Depart

3.45pm