Brighter Thinking
GCSE English What you need to know
GCSE English. What you need to know.
Our table below details the key changes for the new GCSE English curriculum, for first examination from
Key curriculum changes Qualification changes
• Grading, progress tracking and accountability. • New grading system from 1 – 9. • Progress 8: - new accountability progression measures in 8 subjects.
- English double weighted in school league tables.
• T he current GCSE English combined qualification will no longer exist, there will be a compulsory GCSE English Language and an optional GCSE English Literature qualification.
Implications for English teachers • P redicting and understanding what grades mean may be more difficult. • W ith no national curriculum levels or modular exams, teachers may have to re-think how they assess, monitor and track progress. • A more challenging GCSE English Language qualification taken by all students. • P otential for cross-over teaching of the new English Language and new English Literature, where both are taken e.g. 19th Century texts.
Exam changes
• No national curriculum levels. • F ully linear course, exams will only take place at the end of two years and no re-sits until post-16. • E xaminations will be a minimum of 3 and half hours for English Language and 4 hours for English Literature.
English Language
• T eaching style will need to be adjusted. Instead of teaching in distinct sections for modules, there will be a cumulative build up to the final exams.
• No tiering of exam papers.
• T he high weighting for SPaG may have implications for students’ grades.
• 2 0% of marks awarded for accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) (AO6).
English Literature
• Tracking students’ progression may be more difficult.
• S tudents must respond to 19th, 20th and 21st Century texts in every exam.
• T eachers will require engaging high quality texts from the 19th, 20th, 21st, Century across a range of genres and periods. • Students may find extended writing difficult.
• S tudents must compare at least two unseen texts. • S poken language (currently called speaking and listening) is not weighted and will be teacher-reported.
• T eachers will be required to address the spoken language requirement in an appropriate way that ensures the best outcomes for their students, and may wish to integrate spoken language in a way that best enhances reading and writing.
• S tudents must study a 19th Century novel, a whole Shakespeare play and a selection of poetry including Romantic poetry.
• T eachers may need to provide new engaging and motivating ways to study 19th Century and Shakespeare whole texts, especially for less able students.
• 1 9th Century literature and Shakespeare will be assessed within the exam for the first time.
• T here may be time pressure to move through substantial whole texts with the whole ability range.
• S tudents must compare at least two unseen texts.
• T eachers need to ensure students across the ability range are confident in applying reading skills to unfamiliar contexts, and are able to write effective responses to literary texts.
• T he modern prose or drama must be by writers from the British Isles.
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• T eachers need to ensure that students across the ability range have knowledge and understanding of the texts for the exam, remembering what they know and ways of showing their skills.
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m 2017 and how our new resources will support the teaching and learning of these new qualifications.
Our solutions 4Elevate-enhanced Edition • Focused on student progress and designed to make progress for each student visible. • Progress can to be tracked with extensive reporting on individual and class results. • Includes mark schemes, individual feedback, intervention and application of transferrable skills.
4Differentiation and Progressions • English Language resources differentiated for two levels. • A progressive teaching sequence supports accessibility and engagement, and enables teachers to build skills right across the ability range.
4Elevate Teacher’s Resource • Free Teacher’s Resource highlights how the resources support English Language and Literature working together.
4Brand new resources • Developed by a team of highly respected authors specifically for the new GCSE content and assessment objectives.
4Elevate-enhanced Edition • Provides teachers with the ability to assign and mark work against key criteria to support with mapping students against Progress 8 and preparing them for exams. • A ‘My Work’ digital folder for students to upload and save work, and help track progress. • Progress tests and revision tutorials on key concepts and skills development.
4Student Book • Spelling, punctuation and grammar fully integrated throughout both reading and writing sections. • Covers a variety of high quality 19th, 20th & 21st Century texts across a range of genres and periods. • Focused on developing transferrable skills and enabling students to understand when and how to apply these. • Writing section covers texts across a range of genres and types to support students in developing their writing skills. • Includes a dedicated unit on spoken language to develop students’ skills as speakers, presenters, listeners and responders.
4Elevate-enhanced Edition • Moves progressively through the writing skills required, with Assessment for Learning built into every unit to support with next steps for intervention and independent learning. • Includes real life examples of writing and spoken language skills in a variety of contexts.
4Elevate Teacher’s Resource • Maps where spelling, punctuation and grammar are taught within the units, for clarity of coverage and application in different contexts.
4Resources to support key set texts • With key titles in each category, including: - Shakespeare: Macbeth; Romeo and Juliet - 19th Century novel: Great Expectations; The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Modern British Drama/Fiction: An Inspector Calls; the AQA short story collection – Telling Tales. - The AQA poetry collection – Poems Past and Present and Unseen poems.
4Student Book • A dedicated section to develop students’ skills in writing about an ‘unseen’ text in timed conditions. • Resources developed for all abilities using a learning sequence that builds accessibility, progression and extension into every unit.
4Elevate-enhanced Edition • Provides video and audio clips of different interpretations of texts and poems to encourage students to develop their own interpretations and explorations.
We listen. We think. We act. At Cambridge University Press, we are driven by a simple goal: to create the resources teachers and students need to ignite a curiosity and love for learning.
Our English Language resources:
As England enters a new educational chapter, we are publishing a comprehensive suite of blended digital and print content matched specifically to the new Key Stage 4 curriculum in English Literature and English Language.
4 include media components that demonstrate use of
Through using the best authors and inspirational contributors, internal university expertise and external industry links, our aim is to raise education to a new standard.
Our suite of set text student guides for English Literature includes:
4 provide differentiation to engage and motivate those who need support and to stretch the most able
4support spelling, punctuation and grammar 4 feature rich digital content allowing students to
develop their reading, writing and speaking skills in a personalised way language and writing.
Our English Literature resources:
4 use a skills-based approach, providing a framework to address seen and unseen texts
4 support students in understanding, retaining and refreshing whole-text knowledge
4 are packed with rich digital content allowing students to explore key themes and interpret texts.
4 Romeo and Juliet 4 Macbeth 4 Great Expectations 4 The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 4 Short Stories Anthology 4 An Inspector Calls 4 Poetry
All content will be readily available through our digital subscription service – Elevate. Student Books will also be available in print format. For the student: Elevate-enhanced Edition An enhanced online learning resource providing students with a range of tools that will allow them to take ownership of their learning. With content including quiz banks, video tutorials and additional stretch and support content, students will be able to customise content and test their knowledge and understanding.
For the teacher: Elevate- enhanced Bundle An inclusive package of our print Student Book and the Elevateenhanced edition . The Student Book covers the full qualification and is designed to encourage learners to develop their interest in the subject beyond the content specification. It will stretch the most able learners, whilst providing additional support to those who need it.*
Elevate Teacher’s Resource Everything necessary for teachers to plan and deliver the subject specification. Our digital Teacher’s Resource specifically maps the content to assessment objectives and specification, and includes additional stretch and challenge opportunities.
*The GCSE English Literature print Student Book also provides additional support to the set texts
For more information or to speak to your local sales representative, please contact us: www.cambridge.org/ukschools E: ukschools@cambridge.org T: 01223 325 588