Year 11 MFL Writing Mock exams

1. Year 11 MFL Writing Mock exams When? Thurs 9th line up 1300 Exams start 1310

2. Writing paper Length of exams? Foundation 1 hour Higher 1 hour 15 minutes

3. Foundation paper 50 marks 25% of GCSE Questions Question 1 – message (student produces four sentences in response to a photo) – 8 marks Question 2 – short passage (student writes a piece of continuous text in response to four brief bullet points, approximately 40 words in total) – 16 marks

4. Foundation paper Question 3 – translation from English into Spanish (minimum 35 words) – 10 marks Question 4 – structured writing task (student responds to four compulsory detailed bullet points, producing approximately 90 words in total) – there is a choice from two questions – 16 marks

5. Higher paper 60 marks at Higher Tier 25% of GCSE Question 1 – structured writing task (student responds to four compulsory detailed bullet points, producing approximately 90 words in total) – there is a choice from two questions – 16 marks

6. Higher paper Question 2 – open-ended writing task (student responds to two compulsory detailed bullet points, producing approximately 150 words in total) – there is a choice from two questions – 32 marks Question 3 – translation from English into Spanish (minimum 50 words) – 12 marks

7. Year 11 MFL Listening Mock exams Where? In ICT Rooms French Foundation – Wed 8th Nov French Higher – Thurs 9th Nov Spanish Foundation – Fri 10th Nov Spanish Higher – Tues 14thNov

8. Listening paper Length of exams? Foundation 35 minutes (40 marks) Higher 45 minutes (50 marks) 25% of GCSE (Each exam includes 5 minutes’ reading time of the question paper before the listening stimulus is played.)

9. Foundation and Higher papers Section A – questions in English, to be answered in English or non-verbally Section B – questions in Spanish, to be answered in Spanish or non-verbally

10. Revision Tips

11. Top Tips! • Practisekey vocabularyusing the vocabulary booklet given to you by your teacher. • - Make a mind map or revision poster of the key vocabulary. You can use the link below to create an online revision map. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maps/index.shtml) • - Vocab Express (www.vocabexpress.com) You should be using this website weekly to practise key vocabulary and focus on the topics you need to revise or find more difficult. (Higher Tier Vocab Section) • - Online revision tools: You can use the websites below to complete exercises interactively for revision www.languagesonline.org.uk www.linguascope.com • Username: reigatesch password: barcelona

12. Listening/Reading • Use the 5-minutes pre-listening • Underline question words e.g. WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW, HOW MANY… • • Underline the mark allocations (1), (2), (3) • • Anticipate what words will come up and note them down • • Read the questions FIRST • • And use the example • • Remember that the questions are asked in chronological order • • Use clues the texts give away

13. When listening…  When you hear the words, write the KEY words on the exam paper  Be clear about positive/negative language and opinions, one small word can change meaning.  What tense is the question in? Make sure you know your tenses! • Listen for tone of voice • Listen to the way things are said on the recording as this can often help with questions about opinions. If the speaker sounds negative or enthusiastic this can help you assess his or her opinion, even if you are unsure of the exact vocabulary they use

14. Watch out for twists and turns Some questions appear straightforward, but you might hear ‘extra’ information on the recording which could mislead you. In listening for the speaker’s opinion about something you might hear other opinions too. Make sure you listen carefully to work out who is saying or thinks what. EXAMPLE : If you are asked what the speaker thinks about skiing and hear “Mon frère déteste faire du ski, maisj’aime faire du ski..” don’t just write down the first thing you hear. The speaker likes skiing, it’s his brother who hates it. Be prepared for traps Be prepared for answers to come anywhere on the recording, so listen immediately and do not switch off, even if you think that you have heard the answer you are listening for. Sometimes additional or contradictory information may follow, which could be vital in getting the correct answer.

15. READING –Tips for revision Spot references to the past and future You can tell that an event happened in the past by identifying the verb form e.g. “je suisallé(e)” (I went) from the use of a time phrase such as “l’annéederniere” (last year). b) You can tell that an event happened in the future by spotting a straight future tense e.g. j’irai(I will go) the near future using aller+ infinitive e.g. je vaisjouer(I’m going to play) other phrases which indicate the future e.g. j’ail’intention de (to intend), etc and the use of a time phrases such as “l’annéeprochaine” Read questions carefully and don’t just pick the first word you recognise The texts will usually be about similar topics, for example, one statement could say “je ne faisjamais de la natation”, another might write, “hierj’ai fait de la natation.” and the final one might add, “je vaisnagerdemain.” If the question asks, “Who has recently been swimming?” you will need to study each passage in depth and use your language skill to decide the correct answer, as all 3 mention the sport in their texts.

16. Always read the questions thoroughly and give as much information in your answers as is necessary- Look at numbers in brackets. For example, if a question asks you where the writer lives and the answer can gain you 2 marks, you would need to include 2 pieces of information. If in the passage it says “J’habiteunemaison au bord de la mer” you need to write that he/she lives in a house (1) by the seaside (1).

17. Why are mock exams important? • They are a chance to improve your knowledge, confidence and confidence in yourself. • In a study on mock exams, researchers discovered that students who revised then before doing a practice test did BETTER in their final exam than students who spent the whole time revision without ever doing a mock exam. • Teachers may use your mock exam grades to determine which tiered papers you’ll be doing for the actual exam. • Your mock exams help your teacher decide on your predicted grade, which will then go on your college applications. • Mock exams help you get familiar with the exam process and study load. • Doing mock exams is important because it helps you look at your revision timetable. Do you need another look at how you manage your time? Could you tweak your revision style so it works better for you? Now’s your chance to revamp your revision and find your ideal study style.