(25 May 2014, 10:19 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote [ -> ]http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news...tw-and-1.8
We were just chatting about this!
I did Of mice and men in my G.C.S.E's many years ago, the book is really good.
But maybe it's time for the kids to do some British classic books for their exams in a couple of years time.
(25 May 2014, 10:31 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]I did Of mice and men in my G.C.S.E's many years ago, the book is really good.
But maybe it's time for the kids to do some British classic books for their exams in a couple of years time.
It has been part of the syllabus for at least 20 years and obviously meets the curriculum criteria.
No idea about you, but I am not sure the pupils reading and studying, pay much attention as to whether the book is English, American or Japanese.
In fact when I did it, I had no idea the author was American, having read other stories by British authors set in various parts of the world previous to that (and since).
(25 May 2014, 11:01 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote [ -> ]It has been part of the syllabus for at least 20 years and obviously meets the curriculum criteria.
No idea about you, but I am not sure the pupils reading and studying, pay much attention as to whether the book is English, American or Japanese.
In fact when I did it, I had no idea the author was American, having read other stories by British authors set in various parts of the world previous to that (and since).
I didn't know it was an american book, untill it was mentioned on here, it shouldn't matter though, as like you said its part of the G.C.S.E's.
Not think its time to change the books though?
(25 May 2014, 11:03 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]I didn't know it was an american book, untill it was mentioned on here, it shouldn't matter though, as like you said its part of the G.C.S.E's.
Not think its time to change the books though?
No idea to be honest.
Genuinely don't know whether changing them would achieve anything or make the students/pupils achieve anything other than what they would do with books on the current syllabus.
Gove wants us to study books by English authors, Shakespeare was English and although George Orwell was English (born in India or Africa), the classic used as part of the GCSE syllabus, is based on events in Russia.
What can a pupil learn in a book by an English author, that they cant from an American one like Steinbeck?
I wonder how many of the authors in the new list approved by Gove and his Tory colleagues have leftist leanings... As both JB Preistley (An Inspector Calls) Steinbeck and Orwell are both known to have had leftist views at various stages of their lives.
(25 May 2014, 11:21 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote [ -> ]No idea to be honest.
Genuinely don't know whether changing them would achieve anything or make the students/pupils achieve anything other than what they would do with books on the current syllabus.
Gove wants us to study books by English authors, Shakespeare was English and although George Orwell was English (born in India or Africa), the classic used as part of the GCSE syllabus, is based on events in Russia.
What can a pupil learn in a book by an English author, that they cant from an American one like Steinbeck?
I wonder how many of the authors in the new list approved by Gove and his Tory colleagues have leftist leanings... As both JB Preistley (An Inspector Calls) Steinbeck and Orwell are both known to have had leftist views at various stages of their lives.
Would be interesting in what books they would read for their G.C.S.E's.
Made me watch clips of mice and men now!
I did not realize that John Malkovich was Lennie in it (1992 movie)
Got my first exam tomorrow morning.... a wonderful 2 and a half hour English Language
(02 Jun 2014, 6:42 pm)Adam wrote [ -> ]Got my first exam tomorrow morning.... a wonderful 2 and a half hour English Language
My Business went okay today, thankfully.
I've got AQA GCSE English Language tomorrow morning - two and a quarter hours in length.
(02 Jun 2014, 6:50 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]My Business went okay today, thankfully.
I've got AQA GCSE English Language tomorrow morning - two and a quarter hours in length.
Yeah not looking forward to tomorrow to be honest got the English then Psychology in the afternoon for another hour and a half
wrist is going to die....
English went alright today. Think I did alright on the first essay but I think I've done a heck of a lot better on the second one.
Next exam for me is Philosophy next Wednesday (11th).
(03 Jun 2014, 8:35 pm)Adam wrote [ -> ]English went alright today. Think I did alright on the first essay but I think I've done a heck of a lot better on the second one.
Next exam for me is Philosophy next Wednesday (11th).
Out of interest, is Marxism heavily covered in Philosophy?
(03 Jun 2014, 8:41 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Out of interest, is Marxism heavily covered in Philosophy?
Short answer is no. He pops up commenting on something, but only has a four lined paragraph and that's it.
At AS, the likes of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Judeo-Christian concepts, the Problem of Evil, the Ontological, Teleological, Cosmological and a couple of other "ological" arguments are covered.
A2 meanwhile is split into five sections, but they are quite a bit longer and quite a bit more complicated. The topics are Religious Language, Religious Experience, Miracles, Attributes of God and Life, Death & the Soul.
(03 Jun 2014, 8:35 pm)Adam wrote [ -> ]English went alright today. Think I did alright on the first essay but I think I've done a heck of a lot better on the second one.
Next exam for me is Philosophy next Wednesday (11th).
Did you have Philosophy today too? Some guy came in (not a student at our school) and was seemingly taking an A Level Philosophy exam today... Looked like he finished with plenty of time to spare.
(03 Jun 2014, 8:58 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Did you have Philosophy today too? Some guy came in (not a student at our school) and was seemingly taking an A Level Philosophy exam today... Looked like he finished with plenty of time to spare.
No, just English today. The course I do comes under the name of Religious Studies or Theology, but in it we have a Philosophy and an Ethics exam.
The student in your school may be doing Philosophy but with a different exam board. My couse is OCR, so chances are that today's was either AQA or Edexcel.
Was really happy with how my exams were going - especially after the Biology Module 1 exam on Friday.
...and then we received the AQA Maths paper today. A girl came out of the exam hall in tears, whilst many others looked incredibly upset - telling others how many questions they missed out. Ridiculously hard paper.
(09 Jun 2014, 5:46 pm)AIG20 wrote [ -> ]Was this Maths Exam a Modular paper, or a Linear Paper? As I did three units for GCSE Maths over 2½ years which were: Unit 1 = Data and Number, Unit 2 = Number and Algebra, and Unit 3 = Algebra and Shape. Some of the Algebra and Shape questions were literally impossible! It's annoying how the Education Secretary Michael Gove is saying how the GCSE's are "too easy".
My year was the last year at my school to do the Modular exam, as the other years were working towards the linear paper, which is the 100% non-calculator and 100% calculator paper done at the end of year 11.
In bold that is all - its the most pointless thing to learn, iv'e being left school 7 years now and i haven't used it once!
(09 Jun 2014, 5:46 pm)AIG20 wrote [ -> ]Was this Maths Exam a Modular paper, or a Linear Paper? As I did three units for GCSE Maths over 2½ years which were: Unit 1 = Data and Number, Unit 2 = Number and Algebra, and Unit 3 = Algebra and Shape. Some of the Algebra and Shape questions were literally impossible! It's annoying how the Education Secretary Michael Gove is saying how the GCSE's are "too easy".
My year was the last year at my school to do the Modular exam, as the other years were working towards the linear paper, which is the 100% non-calculator and 100% calculator paper done at the end of year 11.
Yes, all linear now. It's the reason why I have 21 exams in total at the end of Year 11 spread across a five-week period. Would have much preferred a modular fashion, and I'm glad I don't have to do A-Levels in a linear fashion.
I had the non-calculator paper today (1hr 30m) and will have the calculator paper on Friday (2hrs).
(09 Jun 2014, 5:51 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Yes, all linear now. It's the reason why I have 21 exams in total at the end of Year 11 spread across a five-week period. Would have much preferred a modular fashion, and I'm glad I don't have to do A-Levels in a linear fashion.
I had the non-calculator paper today (1hr 30m) and will have the calculator paper on Friday (2hrs).
When i did mine, the longest one for me was my Graphics one which was 2 hours, which was VERY long, was about 30 pages.
Got bored after a hour in most of my exams haha
(09 Jun 2014, 5:54 pm)AIG20 wrote [ -> ]Good Luck! I hope it goes well. 
Cheers - just got five more to do now!
Dreading Chemistry tomorrow, both Media Studies exams should be fine (just pushed for time with the Unit 1 exam), I'm a bit iffy on Physics and I don't know what to think about the Maths exam on Friday after the one today!
(09 Jun 2014, 5:55 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]When i did mine, the longest one for me was my Graphics one which was 2 hours, which was VERY long, was about 30 pages.
Got bored after a hour in most of my exams haha
The bees amuse you in mine. Massive one the size of a marshmallow flying about next to me and this girl at the back of the exam hall today - distracted for a good 20 minutes while the teacher tried to let it out the window.
(09 Jun 2014, 5:56 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Cheers - just got five more to do now!
Dreading Chemistry tomorrow, both Media Studies exams should be fine (just pushed for time with the Unit 1 exam), I'm a bit iffy on Physics and I don't know what to think about the Maths exam on Friday after the one today!
The bees amuse you in mine. Massive one the size of a marshmallow flying about next to me and this girl at the back of the exam hall today - distracted for a good 20 minutes while the teacher tried to let it out the window.
lmao!
Nothing like abit of entertainment when your bored in exams
Did my Philosophy exam today. Think it went quite well. I've had a stupid grin on my face since coming out if the exam hall.