Short course language GCSE

Post by **hermanmunster** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 3:48 pm

hi - can someone enlighten me re these MFL courses - DDs GCSE list says she can either do German (1 GCSE) or French (1 GCSE) or German and French (1 GCSE) ... is there a combined french and german GCSE or 2 half GCSEs???

solimum · Post by **solimum** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:09 pm

I don't know what they're like nowadays but several years ago my DC's school (a language college) stopped doing the short courses which used to be the standard "second language" option (unless you were very keen and upgraded to the full GCSE but with no additional teaching time..). My DS1 did very badly on short course Spanish (however, that could also be because he didn't take it seriously) which seemed rather a waste of four years.... I

Post by **hermanmunster** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:32 pm

thanks .. just trying to get my head round the concept of a half GCSE....! Interesting that a language college gave them up, mmm

maybe not a good idea for DD

KB · Post by KB » Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:07 pm

Given how little they cover in a full GCSE can't imagine what they do in half a one!

Might be worth investigating if the course is of any practical use & also how Universities treat half-GCSE grades?

Post by **hermanmunster** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:11 pm

KB wrote:Given how little they cover in a full GCSE can't imagine what they do in half a one!

Might be worth investigating if the course is of any practical use & also how Universities treat half-GCSE grades?

agreed... reckon I could get the odd half GCSE ......

Looking for help · Post by **Looking for help** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:29 pm

Sorry Herman...haven't heard of short courses in languages....we (worst luck - because we have absolutely no linguistic bones in any of our bodies) have to take at least one full GCSE in a MFL - one short course would be a great benefit to the LFH household

yoyo123 · Post by **yoyo123** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:46 pm

Miss Yoyo started doing a half course in French, then upgraded to the full GSCE. The teacher said the main difference was the amount of vocabulary covered.

She covered most of the extra work herself (and got an A*!)

Post by **hermanmunster** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:52 pm

well done miss yoyo!!!

miss munster can't decide whether to do french or german but only wanted to do one MFL exam. Having read about all this now I think it would be better to make the decision and do a whole GCSE rather than 2 halves...