EAL Support

This is an overview of the specification:

Unit 1 Listening Unit 2 Speaking Unit 3 Reading Unit 4 Writing

Examination 25% weighting Examination 25% weighting Examination 25% weighting Examination 25% weighting

Foundation tier: 35 minutes, 40 marks

Higher tier: 45 minutes; 50 marks Foundation tier: 7-9 minutes + preparation time; 60 marks Higher tier: 10-12 minutes + preparation time; 60 marks Foundation tier: 45 minutes, 60 marks

Higher tier: 1 hour; 60 marks Foundation tier: 1 hour, 50 marks Higher tier: 1 hour 15 minutes; 60 marks

Section A – questions in English, to be answered in English or nonverbally. Section B – questions in target language, to be answered in target language or non-verbally. The tasks are the same but the timings and some stimuli are different depending on the tier. Task 1 – Role-play – 15 marks

Task 2 – Photo card – 15 marks

Task 3 – General conversation – 30 marks Section A – questions in English, to be answered in English or nonverbally. Section B – questions in target language, to be answered in target language or non-verbally. Section C – translation from target language into English (a minimum of 35 words at Foundation tier and 50 words at Higher tier) Foundation tier: 1.Message 2.Short passage 3.Translation into target language 4.Structure writing task Higher tier: 1.Structured writing task 2.Open-ended writing task Translation into target language

AQA GCSE Language courses have a Foundation tier (grades 1–5) and a Higher tier (grades 4–9). Students must take all four question papers at the same tier. All question papers must be taken in the same series. The themes on which the assessment will be based are: Identity and culture Local, national, international, and global areas of interest Current and future study and employment Students will be issued with either a digital or a paper textbook in which the GCSE vocabulary and grammar are listed, as are the strategies for understanding, which are expected to be developed.