Here is a summary of the context for GCSE 2024 drafts. Hoep it is useful. Happy to be corrected!
Download here
·
T&L Pedagogy review; GCSE Review; Ofsted Curriculum
Research
·
Parents of pupils already been through KS4 /
colleagues will have an idea of what to expect.
·
DfE produce the GCSE criteria to which the
boards have written draft specifications then Ofqual has to approve
specifications
·
these are NON-NEGOTIABLE
1. GCSE qualification criteria(for all
subjects)
2. GCSE subject criteria for modern foreign
languages
à Introduction
à Subject
Aims
à Subject
content
à Appendix:
grammar requirements
3.
Ofqual subject
level conditions and requirements for French, German and Spanish
4.
Ofqual subject
level guidance for French, German and Spanish
Key areas which are common to all boards
DfE subject content
January 2022
Subject aims As
before: Linguistic, cultural, communicate, authentic purposes. New emphasis: Content MAY be developed through a range of
broad themes and topics. Linguistic content
largely though not exclusively determined by frequency.
Subject content:
·
Vocabulary, grammar + SSC
·
All language BOTH receptive AND productive
·
Required tasks: (I deliberately include familiar
skill headings, tho’ these are studiously avoided by the writers of the document!!!)
o Reading
o Listening
(pace no faster than moderate)
o Dictation
(incl vocab off the list) – credit for accurate spelling
o Writing
(lexical and grammatical accuracy)
o Translation
into English (appropriate and sufficient)
o Infer
meaning of words outside the list (Ofqual limited to overlap/higher reading and
defined nature of inference)
o Speaking:
tasks specified in Subject content (not by Ofqual as before): (i) Read aloud +
unprepared conversation relating to text (ii) Role play(s) incl ask and answer question
simulating e.g. social conversation – instructions about what to say are
unambiguous (iii) talk about 1 or more visual stimuli e..g connected photos,
extend conversation to short unprepared interaction.
NB for all tasks, expected language from defined content
but equal credit to beyond defined content
·
Complexity limited at foundation (as now)
·
Question types in English for comprehension
(changed)
·
Themes and topics: Specs should identify a
limited number of broad themes or topics with relevance to the countries or communities
where the language is spoken
·
Composition of vocabulary: 1200 F 1700 H, 85% from
top 2000 of recognised corpora. Additions:
30 short phrases; 20 cultural terms. Reading:
overlap + higher: 2% outside list for inference,. Proper nouns glossed; 2% of
text cognates.
·
Grammar: defined lists for foundation and higher
given
Ofqual subject level
conditions and requirements January 2022 amended June 2022
à AO1:
Understand and respond to spoken language in speaking and in writing (35%)
à AO2:
Understand and respond to written language in speaking and in writing
à AO3:
Demonstrate knowledge and accurate application of the grammar and vocabulary
prescribed in the specification (20%)
- Tiering : (no change) F: 1-5; H: 4-9 However, if mark is a
'small number of marks below 4/3 boundary, award 3 May include crossover
questions to demonstrate comparability between tiers (check to see if all
have done this).
- Assessment requirements
·
Grammar and sound-symbol correspondence
requirements (new) -
must make available and include SSC examples form vocabulary list + must set
out approach to covering grammar + SSC
·
Vocabulary lists.
à
Must set out vocabulary list, set out approach to
compiling it, and demonstrate approach to covering vocab requirements in
assessments
·
Speaking
à
Formal prep time must be 12-15minutes for all
(was 10-12)
à
Test taking: F: 7-9 mins; H: 10-12 mins (no
change)
à
Require read aloud text F: 35 words minimum; H:
50 words minimum
NB task types are defined by
Subject content, not Ofqual Conditions
as in 2016)
·
Listening [‘understanding spoken extracts’]
à
F: 450 –
550 words H: 700-850 words [NB no time given as before]
à
Demo approach
to number of extracts, number of words in each extract, number of marks in
relation to number of words in each extract, allowing opportunity to read task
before hearing extract
à
Set out
approach to complexity of language + question types
à
F: 20
words minimum H: 30 words minimum
à
Set out
approach to assessment incl SSC, approach to different languages and level of accuracy
required.
- Reading (new) [‘understanding
written language’]
à
F: 600-650
(max single text 100 words] H: 850-900 words (Max single text 160 words) words
à
Set out
approach to complexity of language + question types
à
F: 35
words minimum H: 50 words minimum
à
Set out
approach to range of vocab + grammar and ‘appropriate and sufficient rendering of
the meaning’
Ofqual Guidance
·
Speaking
Subject content requirements pasted
in the following extras:
à
Following the reading aloud task, the
unprepared conversation should be straightforward. Learners may demonstrate
understanding of the passage or the theme and/or the Learner’s own experience relating
to the passage or the theme. Prompts or questions supporting the conversation
should be unseen.
à
Role-plays should provide sufficient
opportunity for Learners to draw on the range of vocabulary they know and not
depend on the translation of individual specified items. All information
required should be presented to the Learner.
à
[Picture task] The unprepared interaction
may be connected to the visual stimulus/stimuli through its broad theme/topic
but may also relate to the Learner’s own experience and interest. Prompts or
questions supporting the interaction should be unseen.
·
Writing
à
Stimuli for written tasks may include a visual
stimulus, a short, simple written stimulus, and/or bulletpoints (either in
English or the assessed language).
·
[Reading- ] Infer meaning
The words
Learners are required to infer may be embedded in a reading text or assessed as
aseparate reading task, however, the supporting context must be clear to the
Learner.
·
Dictation
à
To support understanding of the context, any
extract to be used in the assessment of dictation may be adapted from a spoken
extract that Learners have already heard.
·
Assessment objectives – interpretations and
definitions (essential, otherwise illogical as they stand …!)
AO1 Understand and respond to spoken language in speech
and writing. [35%]
Broken down into 2 strands:
(1)
[SPEAKING] Understand and respond to spoken language in
speech - Response to spoken prompts and questions in the language. Emphasis on communication (!)
(2)
[LISTENING + DICTATION] Understand and respond to
spoken language in writing – can be single letters / numbers / names / single
words
AO2 Understand and respond to written language in speech
and writing.[45%]
Broken down into 2 strands:
(1)
[SPEAKING] Understand and respond to written language
in speaking - Response to written prompts in assessed language OR English,
or to visual prompts
(2)
[READING + WRITING!!!] Understand and respond to written
language in writing –
a.
Responses in English to show understanding of written
language (READING)
b.
Writing in assessed language in response to
written prompts in assed language / English / visual stimuli. [WRITING]
AO3 Demonstrate knowledge and accurate application of the
grammar and vocabulary prescribed in the specification: 20%
Explicit inclusion of SSC in this AO!
• Knowledge and accurate application of grammar in spoken
and written language.
• Knowledge and accurate application of vocabulary,
including demonstration of knowledge of sound-symbol correspondence in spoken
and written language.
• The quality of pronunciation in speaking tasks.
