GCSE Infos, Revision Tipps & Past Papers
There are multiple examination boards in the United Kingdom which are responsible for setting and awarding secondary education level qualifications, such as GCSEs or A-Levels
The main boards are called AQA and Edexel. AQA is an educational charity and Edexcel is run by a company called Pearson. In addition to that, there is IGCSE which was developed by the University of Cambridge International Examinations.
Although there are different exam boards the general format of a GCSE Exam is always the same. In all three exam boards you need to complete 4 papers: reading, listening writing and speaking.
- Reading and Listening: There are multiple-choice questions as well as questions, which need to be answered in short sentences either in English or German.
- Writing: In this section, you need to write two texts: one email and a blog. For both of them, you have a choice of 2 options.
- Speaking: You will need to hold a short presentation about a GCSE topic of your choice. And there is a role play or photo card including a conversational element.
Revision Tipps: Reading and Listening
The best way to revise for the GCSE German listening and reading exam is to practice the papers from previous years.
Before you listen to the audio or start the reading comprehension, read all the questions, and think about the topic. Try to anticipate the words that are likely to come up. If you’re prepared for hearing/reading certain words and phrases, you’ll be more likely to pick up on them.
Make sure that you’re able to identify a sentence in the past, present, and future. You should also make sure that you’re familiar with the w-questions such as wer, wie, was, wo wann, mit wem, …etc.
To succeed the reading and listening exam you need to know a certain set of vocabulary covering specific topics. Make sure you learn the words after each chapter in your book!
Top Tip: Relax! There will always be words you don’t know.
The key is not to get distracted. Stay focused on the details you need to answer questions.
Need more help improving your vocabulary?
Revision Tipps Writing – Why you need a private tutor!
The best way to revise for your GCSE German writing exam is to practice past papers and have someone assess your writing afterwards. With past assignments, you can familiarise yourself with the style and layout of each type of question, but you need personal feedback to improve your skills.
To score the highest marks in your written exam you need to use a variety of different tenses, clauses and demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary. You should also be able to show accurate grammar use. There are set phrases and expressions for your opinion you can use. We will practice these phrases together and I will show you how to implement them into your texts and make them brilliant.
Revision Tipps Speaking – Why you need a private tutor!
The speaking exam usually has a role play, a presentation and question to the latter.
One of the most effective ways to practice for the presentation is to write out your phrases and then practice, practice, practice. We will also write a set of questions to your topic. This way you can prepare the answers and feel more confident replying.
During the oral exam, similarly to the written one the application of connective phrases help you sound more fluent. It’s also important to use different tenses and use specific phrases to express your opinion. We will practice these phrases together and I will help you to speak with more ease, perfect your pronunciation and boost your confidence.
