Dictation!

It’s that time of year again when Yr 11 have had enough of GCSEs already and they haven’t even started them yet (or is that just mine). I seem to have them come in every lesson and sigh when I remind them that there are only another 2 weeks of term left, then another week and then it’s the orals…I must admit that I groan too!
So, today, I took a “new” approach and showed them how things used to be! We did dictation both with my Set 4 French set and Set 1 German set and I must say it worked quite well. My French “skater boys” (as my colleague so aptley described my loud, hairy, trousers-round-the-tops-of-thighs-rather-than-waist wearning Yr 11s) actually engaged with it for about 30 seconds and my top set suffering from “last lesson of the day-itus” also did well. All I did was dictate a “model” C type answer about school that they had to write out, then they came out and wrote their version a line at a time. After that they had to translate it into English and the German class then had to make the answer and A* answer instead of C/B. I think looking backwards could be the way forward ) They all seemed to enjoy it!
And whilst thinking about GCSEs, does anyone else find it a very long and boring process, getting the conversation question answers prepared and marked? With a top set, marking them so that the answers are A/A* level can take an age…of course, I’ve only heard this on the grapevine, I would never dream of getting my pupils to pre-prepare their answers, our conversations are all spontaneous and “off the cuff” in our Speaking Exams(cough)

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Taboo and other fun stuff

It being Christmas and everything I thought I’d let my Year 11 class have a bit of fun yesterday. Firstly we did the Wise Guys’ “Schlag mich Baby noch Einmal” from the Sunderland School’s webiste (can’t find it nowon the website), using their YouTube video. It’s so funny when you give out the work sheet and the think “oh yes, another dodgy German song”" then some begin to realise what it is and then the video starts and the penny really starts to drop. The first time through very little blanks got filled in, as they stared in disbelief at the screen )
They must have enjoyed it as they asked on of my colleagues to put it on again when she had them in a science cover today!
Next we played Taboo. I made up some game cards with their words on plus “verbotene Worte” and then “wichtige Vokabeln”. That too seemed to go down well…my group a brilliant boys were still playing when I wanted to move on. I must admit I was worried about how it would go, as sometimes these things fall flat don’t they?
One day to go can’t wait…

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A day of speaking

Today was my day for mock orals – oh joy )
25 Higher German orals this morning and 24 Foundation French ones this afternoon. To say I’d lost the will to live by the end of the day is an understatement.
I fail to understand why children do not believe teachers when they are told that they need to be prepared. However, having said that most of them did exactly how I expected them to do but I still came away feeling disappointed that my star didn’t get an A* in that part of the exam. On the other hand I was chuffed to bits that a couple of others who are seen as “a bit lazy” had obvioulsy done their work and came out with great results and actually had a conversation (OMG)
My next challenge is to get those who I think could get upto A* to come to an after school club to help them achieve it. Of course, some will and some won’t c’est la vie.
Still I feel more positive than in other years after them.

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How to get A* in MFL?

Pray for a miracle, I think )
After a journey by rail to Manchester Airport that ressembled a bad dream I arrived at a conference led byn Terry Murray about how to get more A* grades. It was very useful – if just to remind me of strategies etc that I already know but had forgotten (ie don’t send someone in with coursework marks of 104 when A* is 105). He also suggested giving sweets at the end of oral exams and having something for pupils to fiddle with when they’re nervous and don’t know what to do with their hands.
Well lo-and-behold it was our mock orals today. So last night I tripped off to Tesco’s to buy a big box of roses and a cuddly teddy. I can safely say that the chocolates made them smile (and realise that maybe I’m not the witch they think I am), as did the teddy. It’s lovely soft (cheap) doggy from Tesco. Some actually used it too – included that lad who got the highest mark over all. Of course there were the usual sceptical looks from colleagues – particulary out Head of Area elect who was in today, who looked at me as as if I was a complete lunatic – however, the kids seemed to like it (and find it useful) and that’s what counts at the end of the day )

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