Summary of context for GCSE 2024 drafts

Here is a summary of the context for GCSE 2024 drafts.  Hoep it is useful.  Happy to be corrected!

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Context

·         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

 

• Assessment Objectives

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

• Dictation (new)

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

 

• Translation

 

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.