English
GCSE

GCSE - Programme of Study (Key Stage 4)
Aims and Skills

A Cup of Tea.

Language

• The aims of the language course are:
  1. to enable students to communicate accurately and effectively in speech and writing.
  2. to enable students to understand and respond appropriately.
  3. to encourage an appreciation and enjoyment of language.
  4. to complement students' other areas of study and provide them with a wide range of language skills.
  5. to promote students' personal development and their understanding of society.

• The domains of language work are as follows:

  1. Reading and Directed Writing.
     Students read a wide variety of texts and are encouraged to analyse structure, presentation of information, writer's intention etc. An important module takes them through précis skills. There are opportunities to study and write in various forms and styles: letters, reports, speeches, scripts for radio and television, stories, expressive developments of an idea etc.

  2. Continuous Writing.
     Students study the demands and techniques of a the main prose composition styles: narrative, description, argument, opinion, fantasy, essay etc.

  3. Usage.
     Throughout the course students develop control of grammatical structures, an awareness of the reader and the task in hand, a sense of appropriate style, suitable range of vocabulary and competence in punctuation, paragraphing and spelling.

• The examination format chosen for the majority of candidates is the conventional one: timed, written papers. The distribution of marks is:

  • Reading and Directed Writing - 60%
  • Continuous Writing - 40%

Literature

• The aims of the literature course are:

  1. to develop the ability of students to communicate appropriately and effectively.

  2. to develop a sensitive critical understanding.
  3. to foster a love of literature and an awareness of its social, cultural and artistic value.
  4. to explore areas of universal and human concern.

• The domains of literature work are as follows:

  1. Knowledge with Understanding.
     Students read to acquire a first-hand knowledge of the set texts chosen, and an understanding of suitable literary terms.

  2. Critical Interpretation.
     Students are helped to read more deeply. As the course progresses they will gain confidence in their awareness of themes, structure, attitudes, characterisation etc.
  3. Judgement and Personal Response.
     Throughout the course students are shown how to formulate and communicate an informed personal response, supporting evaluations with reference to the text.

• 2000 candidates choose three from the following:
  • William Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew
  • S. Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby
  • A. Miller: The Crucible
  • (ed.) Adrian Barlow: Touched With Fire (A selection of poems)

• 2001 candidates choose three from the following:
  • William Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew
  • S. Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby
  • A. Miller: The Crucible
  • (ed.) Adrian Barlow: Touched With Fire (A selection of poems)

• The examination format chosen by most candidates consists of two written papers. In the paper on prepared texts, candidates are required to take their copies into the examination. The other paper is a critical appreciation exercise on a previously unseen passage. The distribution of marks is:

  • Reading and Directed Writing - Set Texts - 70%
  • Appreciation - 30%

  No distinction is made between core and extended papers, so the full range of grades is available to all candidates. Candidates from this school are expected to perform within the extended range.

Resources

• The aims of the literature course are:
  The Language Course consists of
  1. In Year 10
     • An introductory 'Summary and Directed Writing' booklet
     • GCSE English Classbook (Lett's)
     • Headway - Advanced
  2. In Year 11
     • A booklet on 'Composition - a Polonius Method'
     • GCSE English Classbook (Lett's)

  The Literature Course consists of the texts (See 'Aims and Skills'). Past papers are used extensively towards the end of the year 11 course

Assessment and Grading of Language and Literature

Internal examinations are designed to familiarise students with the format and standards of the final examinations.

Two pieces of homework are set each week. They are usually written. Language and literature assignments alternate. There are no set days for homework: Adequate time is allowed (usually a week). Students are encouraged not to leave work to the last minute, but to take the time necessary to read, plan and make a rough draft. Students who work in the recommended way will find that they can ask any teacher in the department for additional help before the submission date.

Marking of homeworks closely follows the dictates laid down by the Cambridge Board for the marking of IGCSE examinations viz. in most cases a grade (A, B, C etc.) and /or mark out of 40. Mark and Grade equivalents are as follows:

Content

Year 10

Unit 1: Summary(Term 1)

Skills covered:

• Avoidance of Redundancy and Repetition
• Recasting of sentences
• Avoidance of unnecessary detail and example
• Note taking
• Generalising
• Use of Reported Speech

Unit 2: Styles of Writing (Terms 1, 2 and 3)
(overlap with Units 3, 4 and 6)

Skills covered:

• The Report
• The Formal Letter
• The Informal Letter
• Diary Form
• Basic Essay Forms: descriptive, narrative, explanatory, argumentative
• Poetry

Unit 3: The Great Gatsby (Terms 1 and 2)
(overlap with Units 2 and 4)

Skills covered:

• An Understanding of Historical Background
• An Understanding of Theme, Characterisation and Structure
• The Position of the Narrative
• Discussion of its Universality
• Imaginative Essays, Poems etc. based on the Novel (See Unit 2 and 4)
• Formal Literature Essays
• Introduction to the IGCSE Context Question
• Discussion of Various Literary Devices and Language found in the Novel
• The Context Question

Unit 4: Poetry: 'Touched with Fire' (Terms 1, 2 and 3)
(overlap with Units 2 and 3)

Skills covered:

• An Historical Understanding and Appreciation of the various Poets' Intentions
• Themes (including Universality)
• Comparison and Contrast between different Poems
• Development and Juxtaposition in poems
• The Use of especially Figurative Language
• Introduction to Versification where applicable
• An Understanding of Rhythm and Musicality in poetry
• An Understanding of Tone
• The Formal Essay on poetry appreciation (including 'The Unseen')
• The Writing of Poems (see Units 2 and 3)

Unit 5: Grammatical and Structural Skills (Terms 1, 2 and 3)

Skills covered:

• Paragraphing
• Difficult Elements in Punctuation: semi-colon, dash, colon, single and double inverted commas
• Use of the Passive
• Conditionals (mixed conditionals especially)
• The Narrative Tenses

Unit 6:The Crucible (Term 3)
(overlap with Unit 2)

Skills covered:

• Characterisation and Theme
• Conflict in the Dramatic Plot (and other elements of especially drama)
• Imaginative Reconstructions in other styles of writing (See Unit 2)
• The Context Question
• Background to the play

Unit 7: Summary to Directed Writing (Terms 2 and 3)

Skills covered:

• An Understanding of the Relationship between Summary and Directed Writing
• A Recapitulation of Styles of Writing (Register and Context)
• Examination Technique based on past-papers (Use of sources)

Year 11

Unit 1: Composition (A Polonius Method) (Term 1 and 2)

Skills covered:

• That a good essay contains a variety of elements of style and type
• A sub-division of the four basic types of composition
• A fusing of the four basic types of composition where applicable
• Structure of longer complex sentences (linking words and expressions)
• Paragraph linkers

Unit 2 (Second Language only): IGCSE English as a Second Language - practice (Term 1)

Skills covered:

• The Short Source-Based Essay
• Summary and Directed Writing
• Longer Comprehension Answers
• Oral/Aural Practice

Unit 3: 'The Taming of the Shrew' (Terms 1, 2 and 3)

Skills covered:

• Plot, Characerisation and Theme
• Conflict in the dramatic plot (and other elements of especially drama)
• A discussion of Tragi-comedy
• Imaginative Constructions using a variety of styles of writing (role play)
• The Context Question
• The Nature (and limitations) of the Shakespearean Theatre
• Drama as Poetry
• The Formal Literature essay

Unit 4: The 'Unseen' (Terms 1, 2 and 3)

Skills covered:

• Basic Stylistic Differences between the genres
• Close Patient Reading (theme and meaning)
• Interpretation and the 'bleeding chunk' (in sympathy with writer's intention)
• The place of personal response
• Examination practice

Unit 5: Touched with Fire (Conclusion) (Terms 1 and 2)

Skills covered:

• An Historical Understanding and Appreciation of the various poets' intentions
• Themes (including universality)
• Comparison and Contrast between different poems
• Development and Juxtaposition in poems
• The use of Especially Figurative Language
• Versification (where applicable)
• An Understanding of Rhythm and Musicality in poetry
• The Oral Tradition
• An Understanding of Tone

Unit 6: The Crucible (Conclusion) (Term 1)
(overlap with Unit 2)

Skills covered:

• Characterisation and Theme
• Conflict in the Dramatic Plot (and other elements of especially drama)
• Imaginative Reconstructions in other styles of writing (See Unit 2)
• The Context Question
• Background to the play

Unit 7: Revision of the Great Gatsby (Term 3) (see Unit in Year 10)

Unit 8: Revision of Summary and Directed Writing (Terms 2 and 3) (see Unit in year 10)