GCSE to AS and A’level

Can you keep your students?

What I noticed …• The biggest difference between A Level and GCSE

was that it was more grammar-focused and we had to do more writing, including essays in German - which was hard for someone who was not very good at writing essays.

• I would say the biggest difference is going from learning and then reciting blocks of text in GCSEto being encouraged to speak in the language in class and definitely for speaking and writing exams. You have to start thinking in the language.

• Grammar has become much more of a focus both in class and for learning at home.

Feeling positive …

• The course is challenging but not overly difficult.

• Conceptually it is no more difficult than other subjects.

• I did not have second thoughts about doing a language. In fact it was nice that everyone was closer to being the same level. But it was definitely harder, just like all my other subjects.

• A'levels are not too hard - GCSE was too easy.

In retrospect …

• I wish I had changed my learning style a bit and learnt my grammar a bit more, because with German A Level you really need to focus on the grammar.

• I recognise that I need to tackle more independent learning (vocab, etc).

• GCSE was quite boring, A'levels have a wider range of topics so they are more interesting.

What helped …

• The teacher had helpful songs for us to remember some of our grammar. We also looked at news websites in German which was nice. The syllabus was more interesting in A Level because we got to do more culture.

• Memrise, visiting Germany, visiting university to find out about the courses and hearing what entrance grades are required.

What you say to motivate –and what students hear

“Languages are one of the most challenging, yet rewarding subjects you can take at A-Level.”

“I hate it when teachers tell us it is going to be difficult, it makes me think I’ll never be able to do it.”

“It’s a different kettle of fish to GCSE, completely different.”

“How am I meant to know what that means? I have only done GCSE”.

Students’ self-assessment

“It’s about taking the skills you have learnt at GCSE and expanding on them.”

“What skills? I didn’t learn anything at GCSE”.

“I think that independent study and learning is key to a successful transition.”

“I know what it is, but I don’t really know how to do it”.

Mind the Gap …

GCSE skills have been primarily memory skills:

• Teaching of set phrases and verbs without recognition of grammar theory.

• Very few opportunities for spontaneous speech.

• Little to no time for cultural topics.

• Little to no encouragement of independent learning.

“The fact that the students had no exposure to the style of language teaching used at A-Level until September was the biggest reason for kids dropping the subject before Christmas” (Chris Jarvis, KES)

New GCSE syllabus (from 2016?)

POSITIVES

• Includes some grammar

(eg: German case system)

• Encourages / assesses spontaneous speech

DESIDERATA

• Cultural topics

• Independent Learning

Keep Minding the Gap

• You may be teaching the new AS / A’levelsyllabus to pupils who have done the old GCSE syllabus.

• Even with the new GCSE syllabus, your pupils will not have much country-specific knowledge or independent learning skills.

New German syllabus (from 2016?)

AS level

• Society: family, digital world, youth culture

• Culture: Festivals, Art / Architecture, Berlin past and present

• Grammar

PLUSeither a text (play, novels or poetry) or a film

A’ level

• AS Society themes & Multiculturalism: immigration, integration, racism

• AS Culture themes & Politics:Germany & EU, Politics and Youth, Reunification & Consequences

• Grammar

PLUS

either one text and one film

or two texts

Transition to H.E. courses …

Options modules

History and Politics

Culture and Film Studies

Literature

Philosophy

Linguistics

Business German

Contemporary Germany and

Austria

Dutch

Luxembourg Studies

Suggestions

• End of term: Summer film school

• End of term: Summer transition workshops

• Summer holiday: Bridging the Gap resources and activities (with a prize?)

• Autumn: First 4 weeks off syllabus for skills boost

• Visit to SLC in Year 12?

June Workshops1) Moving away from memory to understanding.

- Simple Q+A introductions in TL

- Examples of how set phrases learnt at GCSE can be transferred to A-Level

- Positive reinforcement about demands of the course and building on skills they already possess.

- Talk from existing AS students about their experiences.

- Assigning of existing AS students to act as mentors.

June Workshops2) Grammar

- What tenses / endings do they know from GCSE?

- List of tenses and their translations in English

- Pupil voice – what do they struggle with / want to know?

- (German – easy introductions / exercises on cases)

Summer “Transition Workbook”

Positive Introduction

“Welcome to Y12

French / German / Spanish”

“Use this booklet to keep your language going over the long summer break and bring it completed to your first language class.”

Possible Contents

• Include grammar practice

sheets to build on the grammar workshop

• Include the activity suggestions (see below)

• Encourage them to use any relevant holiday experiences

Film workshop in July?

• Independent learning activity with (with local cinema / your film studies colleagues?)

• All potential Y12 language students invited. In groups of four under the supervision of staff they have to write, act and direct a short film in the target language.

Suggestions for Summer Holiday Tasks

• Read a magazine (paper / on-line) in TL and write down / learn 10 new words each session

• Prepare a 1-minute mini-presentation on what you have watched/ read for your class

• As above, but with news clips

• Watch the news in TL once a week & make notes

• Watch a film in TL and write your own review in English

Suggestions for Summer Holiday Tasks

• Research 5 famous artists / politicians from country of TL and make a fact file in English

• Find reviews of the film you will be studying next year

• Find out if there is a film version of the text you will be studying next year and watch it

• Fact-find for a town / region you want to visit & prepare a 1-minute mini-presentation in TL

• Find a recipe in your TL and make it for your friends / family

New School Year: Reinforcement

• Consider a few weeks of reinforcing key skills before you get into the new syllabus

• Vary the practice and routines:

- Build confidence in speaking (1-to-1 with FLA?)

- Grammar surgery: consultations on what was difficult in the transition workbook

- Targeted support (dependent on group size)

New School Year: Mentoring?

• Can your Y13 students be mentors for Y12s?

• Can your Y12 mentor younger pupils studying GCSE?

• Can Y12 / Y13 languages students be involved around GCSE-choice time?

Resources: Listening Practice (German)

LISTENING PRACTICE

• http://www.tagesschau.de/100sekunden/• http://www.wdrmaus.de/aktionen/fussball_wm_14/fussball_em.ph

p5• http://www.dw.com/de/deutsch-lernen/radio-d-teil-1/s-9604

PHONETICS• http://soundsofspeech.uiowa.edu/• http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/tts_example.php

Resources: Information about Germany

• http://www.dw.com/

• http://www.research-in-germany.org/en/discover-germany/festivals-and-holidays.html

• http://www.research-in-germany.org/en/discover-germany/culture-and-the-arts.html

• http://www.uk.diplo.de/Vertretung/unitedkingdom/en/05/Art-Architecture/Art.html

Resources: Grammar practice (German)

• Helpful Grammar Resources Online:• 1. For revision of the most basic stuff: • http://www.learn-german-online.net/en/learning-german-resources/free-

german-lessons-a1.htm

• 2. A really in depth Grammar handbook (in English):• https://deutsch.lingolia.com/en/

• 3 .You can find more advanced grammar guides in English here:• http://www.german-

grammar.de/grammar/content/english_german_table_of_content.htm•

http://www.schubert-verlag.de/aufgaben/arbeitsblaetter_a1_z/a1_arbeitsblaetter_index_z.htm