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AQA's November Language Resit is November 5th. Here's How To Ace It.

Updated: Oct 5, 2024



If your child is preparing for their November GCSE English Language resit, you (and they!) probably feeling a mix of emotions—frustration, stress, and concern. You’re not alone. Many parents face the challenge of guiding their children through this critical stage, but it can feel like an uphill battle. Below are some of the common pain points parents often face during this period, followed by practical solutions to help you and your child tackle the resit with confidence.


Common Pain Points (and their solutions)


Struggling with Exam Techniques? (Language Paper 1)

It's important to know what the exams hold and to be able to prepare for them. You should start the paper by reading the questions, marking them onto the extract provided and then reading the extract carefully, highlighting quotes that you can use for the questions as you go.


Section A: Reading (50 marks, 1 hour)

  1. Question 1 (4 marks, 5 minutes)

    • Task: Identify four pieces of information from a specific part of the text.

    • Skills: Information retrieval.

  2. Question 2 (8 marks, 10 minutes)

    • Task: Analyse how the writer uses language to describe or convey meaning.

    • Skills: Language analysis (words, phrases, language techniques, sentence forms).

  3. Question 3 (8 marks, 10 minutes)

    • Task: Explain how the writer has structured the text to interest the reader.

    • Skills: Structure analysis (focus shifts, paragraphing, tension, etc.).

  4. Question 4 (20 marks, 25 minutes)

    • Task: Evaluate how well the writer achieves a specific effect or intention (agree/disagree with a statement).

    • Skills: Critical evaluation and analysis of the writer’s methods.

Section B: Writing (40 marks, 45 minutes)

  1. Question 5 (40 marks, 45 minutes)

    • Task: Write a descriptive or narrative piece based on a given prompt.

    • Skills: Creative writing, narrative/descriptive techniques, SPaG (spelling, punctuation, and grammar).

    • Marks breakdown: 24 marks for content and organisation, 16 marks for technical accuracy (SPaG).

Total: 80 marks, 1 hour 45 minutes.

Unclear Feedback? (Language Paper 1)

Unfortunately, many students do not get sufficient feedback from essays and mocks that they do within school. Some receive almost no notes at all. Others receive plenty of notes but they are scrawled into the margin, so they aren't always easy to follow. Getting 1-1 time with your teachers is often very difficult.

Ideally, seek a tutor or a service that provides essay marking. We offer these services and are always ready to help... but for now, here is some of the common feedback we can provide to help you.

Section A: Reading

Question 1 (4 marks)

  • Feedback: Be precise. Only select relevant information from the specific part of the text. Avoid overcomplicating answers—stick to what the question asks.

Question 2 (8 marks)

  • Feedback: Focus on specific language techniques (e.g., similes, metaphors, personification). Always explain the effect of the language on the reader, linking it to the writer's purpose. Use subject terminology accurately.

Question 3 (8 marks)

  • Feedback: Comment on structure rather than language. Focus on shifts in focus, narrative perspective, and how tension or interest is built. Mention the effect of structural choices on the reader’s experience.

Question 4 (20 marks)

  • Feedback: Provide a balanced evaluation by agreeing or disagreeing with the statement, then backing your points with textual evidence. Consider both positive and negative effects of the writer's methods. Be evaluative and use phrases like "This is effective because…" or "The writer successfully achieves…"

Section B: Writing

Question 5 (40 marks)

  • Feedback: Plan your response briefly to ensure good structure. Use a range of narrative/descriptive techniques (vivid imagery, varied sentence lengths, and sensory details). Maintain consistent tone and engage the reader from start to finish. Don't forget the importance of technical accuracy (spelling, punctuation, and grammar).


Stress And Anxiety?

Being fully prepared really reduces stress and anxiety. Go through multiple past papers with a qualified expert and make sure that you feel comfortable with the questions, the timings and the assessment objectives that you must demonstrate to get the marks. Try to complete several practice papers ahead of the big day. There are many past papers online that are easy to access.

Struggling with Exam Techniques? (Language Paper 2)

It's important to know what the exams hold and to be able to prepare for them. You should start the paper by reading the questions, marking them onto the extract provided and then reading the extract carefully, highlighting quotes that you can use for the questions as you go.


Section A: Reading (50 marks, 1 hour)

  1. Question 1 (4 marks, 5 minutes)

    • Task: Select four true statements from a specific part of the text.

    • Skills: Information retrieval and comprehension.

  2. Question 2 (8 marks, 10 minutes)

    • Task: Summarise differences or similarities between the two texts.

    • Skills: Summary, comparison of information.

  3. Question 3 (12 marks, 15 minutes)

    • Task: Analyse how the writer uses language in one text to achieve an effect.

    • Skills: Language analysis (words, phrases, techniques).

  4. Question 4 (16 marks, 20 minutes)

    • Task: Compare how the two writers convey their viewpoints or attitudes.

    • Skills: Comparison of viewpoints, analysis of methods.

Section B: Writing (40 marks, 45 minutes)

  1. Question 5 (40 marks, 45 minutes)

    • Task: Write an argumentative or persuasive piece based on a given statement.

    • Skills: Persuasion, argumentation, structure, and SPaG (spelling, punctuation, and grammar).

    • Marks breakdown: 24 marks for content and organisation, 16 marks for technical accuracy (SPaG).

Total: 80 marks, 1 hour 45 minutes.

Unclear Feedback? (Language Paper 2)

Unfortunately, many students do not get sufficient feedback from essays and mocks that they do within school. Some receive almost no notes at all. Others receive plenty of notes but they are scrawled into the margin, so they aren't always easy to follow. Getting 1-1 time with your teachers is often very difficult.

Ideally, seek a tutor or a service that provides essay marking. We offer these services and are always ready to help... but for now, here is some of the common feedback we can provide to help you.


Section A: Reading

Question 1 (4 marks)

  • Feedback: Read the section of the text carefully and stick to the facts in the question. Only select the correct statements from the text without adding unnecessary detail or overthinking.

Question 2 (8 marks)

  • Feedback: Focus on clear and concise comparison. Identify key differences or similarities between the texts and ensure you support them with relevant evidence from both. Use comparative words like “similarly” or “in contrast” to show the relationship between ideas.

Question 3 (12 marks)

  • Feedback: Focus on language techniques such as imagery, word choice, and sentence forms. Explain how the writer’s language choices affect the reader and link back to the purpose of the text. Use terminology like “metaphor,” “simile,” or “alliteration” and explain their effect on the reader.

Question 4 (16 marks)

  • Feedback: Provide a thorough comparison of both texts’ viewpoints and attitudes. Focus on how each writer conveys their perspective, using evidence from both texts. Ensure you compare methods (e.g., tone, language, structure) and explain how they shape the reader's understanding of each viewpoint.

Section B: Writing

Question 5 (40 marks)

  • Feedback: Plan your writing briefly, ensuring it is well-structured (introduction, main points, and conclusion). Focus on persuasive techniques (e.g., rhetorical questions, repetition, emotive language). Tailor your language to suit the audience and purpose, and use a variety of sentence types for effect. Ensure technical accuracy (SPaG) is consistent throughout.


Final Thoughts


Resitting an exam is not an easy journey, but with the right strategies, you can turn this challenge into an opportunity for your child to truly excel. By breaking the process down into manageable steps, focusing on exam techniques, and keeping stress in check, you can help your child approach the November GCSE English Language resit with renewed focus and determination.


If you're looking for more structured support, consider taking our November Resit course from online resources.


For October only, we are offering 50% off with discount code: NOVEMBERHELP

 
 
 

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