GCSE English Literature Specification A

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GCSE English LiteratureSpecification A

• Written Paper 70 (1 hour 45 mins)
• Section A
• One question based on post 1914 prose.
• There will be a choice of questions (30 of
  marks)
• Section B
• One question based on pre and post 1914
  poetry
• from the Anthology.
• There will be a choice of 3 questions (40 of
  marks).
• 12 key poems.

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GCSE English Literature Specification A

• Coursework 30
• Three tasks
• Drama (pre 1914) (Shakespeare) 10
• Prose (pre 1914) 10
• Drama (post 1914) 10
• indicates a possible cross over response
  to GCSE English Specification A.
• One of these may be an oral response if it is
  done as a cross - over piece.

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English Literature Examination (1)

• Section A Post 1914 prose
• The following Assessment Objectives are tested in
  this section
• 3.1 respond to texts critically, sensitively and
  in detail, using textual evidence as appropriate
• 3.2 explore how language, structure and forms
  contribute to the meaning of texts, considering
  different approaches to texts and alternative
  interpretations
• 3.3 explore relationships and comparisons within
  and between texts, selecting and evaluating
  relevant material.

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Section A Post 1914 Prose

• Assessment Objectives 3.1 and 3.2 are tested in
  each question.
• Assessment Objective 3.3, however, is not always
  tested, except on Questions 1 3, on the AQA
  Anthology short stories. In these questions,
  candidates will always be asked to compare two
  short stories (must do at least 5 stories to
  have a go).
• Questions styles are differentiated between
  Foundation and Higher Tier.
• Foundation Tier questions will always have
  prompts to support the candidates writing,
  whereas in the Higher Tier paper only one of the
  two questions will have prompts, to enable
  candidates to be freer in their approach.
• As the Sample Papers show, question setters will
  sometimes set a passage from a prose text as the
  stimulus for response.

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Section B Pre and Post 1914 poetry from the
Anthology

• The following Assessment Objectives are tested in
  this section
• 3.1 respond to texts critically, sensitively and
  in detail, using textual
• evidence as appropriate
• 3.2 explore how language, structure and forms
  contribute to the meaning of texts, considering
  different approaches to texts and alternative
  interpretations
• 3.3 explore relationships and comparisons within
  and between texts, selecting and evaluating
  relevant material.
• All the Objectives are tested in each question in
  this section.
• No balance necessary
• 2 poets, 4 poems each and 4 pre 1914 poems
  12 key poems, some are
• cross over
• SO
• 2 cross over 1 (H) pre 1914 6 poems.
• Other 6 for revision skills

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Comparing Poems

• In Section B of the English Literature
  examination paper candidates are required to
  compare poems by a pair of poets in the AQA
  Anthology.
• The pairs to choose from are Seamus Heaney and
  Gillian Clarke, of Carol Ann Duffy and Simon
  Armitage.
• They are also required, however, to compare these
  poems with at least 2 of the poems in the pre
  1914 bank of poems provided in the Anthology.

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Section B Pre and Post 1914 poetryfrom the
Anthology (2)

• To give candidates maximum flexibility in
  examination choices they should study all eight
  by each of their chosen poets.
• There are some suggestions, however, about which
  poems might be studied most closely for each pair
  and tier, in order to make the widest possible
  range of comparisons.

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Revised Key Poems (1)
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Revised Key Poems
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Tackling English Literature Poetry

• English Literature poetry counts for 40 of the
  total
• English Literature mark.
• Candidates have one hour to complete the
  questionnaire.
• Candidates should refer to four poems in their
  answer
• one each from the paired, named poets and two
  from
• he pre 1914 Bank.
• Teachers should aim to teach from a variety of
  poems, thematically.

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English Literature

• These are extracts from the draft Mark Scheme at
  the
• three main notional grade boundaries.
• Answers are likely to include
• F grade selection of appropriate material from 2
  or more poems simple comments on details of
  subject matter some awareness of writers
  purposes/use of words some linkage between
  similarity or difference.
• C grade treatment of at least 3 poems,
  including pre and post 1914 focus on task
  explained/sustained response to details of
  feelings/attitudes/ideas identification/explanati
  on of writers language and devices to present or
  affect structured/sustained comparison/contrast
• A grade treatment of at least 4 poems, including
  2 pre 1914 and 2 post 1914
• exploration/development of terms/implications
  of task
• sensitive/critical response to
  situation/character/meaning
• developed/analytical comment on/response to
  writers intended/implied purposes
• evaluative comparison/contrast

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English Literature

• Having gone through the same process of reading
  the poems as for the Poems From Different
  Cultures and Traditions, the frame they require
  in order to produce notes to hit the requisite
  Assessment Objectives is slightly different

What is the poem about? What are the poets
feelings/attitudes/ideas
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English Literature
How does the poet use the structure of the poem
and any poetic devices? What similarities of
differences can you see with other poems in the
selection? Was the poet successful in his/her
purpose and what is you final opinion?