AQA GCSE French - Controlled Assessment (Writing)

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browneyedgirl
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri May 28, 2010 11:34 am

AQA GCSE French - Controlled Assessment (Writing)

Post by browneyedgirl »

Hi, Just wondered would any teacher or parent with experience of controlled assessments be able to answer a question for me? When your students/DC prepare controlled assessments in class (as in when they are practicing/rewriting a piece - its GCSE French writing) is it usual to give a grade on it or just a comment?
At dinner last night DD mentioned she had written one of her assessment pieces which the teacher says is fine and having chatted with DD she thinks this means its A standard - Piece was left on table last night and I have not discussed it with her but I think it is more B standard, there is no mark on the piece just a comment.
Honestly no experience of this (not to give a grade may be quite correct but should the student have an idea of the grade/standard the piece is?) Can I suggest it could be improved and then leave her to do it or should I never have seen it?
Many thanks.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: AQA GCSE French - Controlled Assessment (Writing)

Post by Guest55 »

Full regulations are here http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQ ... RB-ATT.PDF" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Drafts
A number of things need to be emphasised.
• Students are not required to write a draft at Stage 2.
• If a draft is produced, it must be done under direct teacher supervision, must not be commented upon and must be kept in school. This also applies to partially-completed drafts.
• At Stage 2, students have access to all resources (except the teacher/FLA) to inform their planning and preparation. This will include, from Stage 1, their own (corrected) written work, worksheets, text books, on-line resources (other than translation software) etc. All of this is potentially accessible, within the 6 hours, in school and, with the exception of the draft, at home.
Knowing their students, teachers will, of course, decide upon the best approach."
browneyedgirl
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri May 28, 2010 11:34 am

Re: AQA GCSE French - Controlled Assessment (Writing)

Post by browneyedgirl »

Many thanks Guest55 that's really useful. My DH just pointed out to me that I don't know the piece I read last night is the controlled assessment piece (which is true as I don't know what she is supposed to be writing about) but I do now understand how the assessment process works which I didn't before. Thanks again
JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: AQA GCSE French - Controlled Assessment (Writing)

Post by JaneEyre »

Hi browneyedgirl, :D

I think it could be useful for your DD to have a look at the mark scheme and the advice to students (p.26) included in the document shared by Guest55.
Please, remind your DD to use as many A* structures as possible. Some teachers are good at sharing these and push their pupils brilliantly; some seem to give less support, which is sad...
Maybe there are some documents containing A* structures or explanations to be found on the web? These are sometimes included in books explaining to student how to get an A*. For my DS, I've bought one of these books for German GCSE , and one of these books for French GCSE.

I have to say that I am a bit bewildered by this paragraph on page 24 in the AQA document:
Dictionaries
Dictionaries must be made available to students at Stage 3. However, given the proliferation of
dictionary errors, students would be well advised to turn to the dictionary as a last rather than a first
resort.


Personally, the dictionary I have is a big and heavy one, perfect for studies at a high level. It is a former edition of this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Robert-Collins- ... tionary%27" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I have never seen any mistake in it!

Do concise dictionaries have mistakes? If so, this is a shame! :evil:

This online collins dictionary seems good to me: (your DD do not need a Robert-Collins Senior at GCSE level!)
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictio ... mastodonte" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Please, encourage your DD not to use a translator. They are machine with BAD results and gives answer in 'pidgin French'! :lol: :lol:

Wishing all the best to your DD
browneyedgirl
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri May 28, 2010 11:34 am

Re: AQA GCSE French - Controlled Assessment (Writing)

Post by browneyedgirl »

Hi Jane Eyre, thank you so much for taking the time to reply and I will pass on your advice to my DD. Whilst the piece I read the other evening turned out to be a piece of homework and not her assessment piece I am really glad I asked for advice. With the help of the document from Guest55 I've got a better understanding of the controlled assessment process.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: AQA GCSE French - Controlled Assessment (Writing)

Post by Amber »

JaneEyre wrote:Personally, the dictionary I have is a big and heavy one, perfect for studies at a high level. It is a former edition of this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Robert-Collins-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... tionary%27
I have never seen any mistake in it!

Do concise dictionaries have mistakes? If so, this is a shame!
As someone who has taught languages to A level, I think the reference to dictionary errors isn't so much about an error in the dictionary as an error by the user of the dictionary! Consider a phrase like 'he would go to school on Mondays', which our young candidate wishes to render into another language. In French, there are going to be at least two potential verbs to choose from to translate the verb 'to go'; ditto in German and Spanish, and there are a whole lot more in Russian, for example. So before we even think about declensions, we may fall at the first hurdle and select the wrong verb. Even assuming we get that right, we then need to consider the tense, and the person of the verb. In this case, the 'would' might suggest a conditional, but actually it is just used to indicate habit - so attempting some kind of subjunctive or conditional as might appear if the dictionary were consulted for 'would' would be wrong. So while the dictionary no doubt has a multitude of options, all of them 'correct', our young hopeful, unless already fairly competent, is going to be jolly lucky to select the right one. Context is all, and without a grounding in grammar, a dictionary is not going to help much.

It is very easy to spot a dictionary error, but less easy to discourage the use of the things (whether online or in book form) in favour of some actual learning of vocabulary.
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