The Topic Focus menu offers a range of 1 day options designed to address specific elements of the GCSE. Each option takes learners through the skills required to address the requirements of individual questions. They embark on a range of written and kinaesthetic activities supporting these skills and practise examination-style responses.
Option A
Paper 1 Questions 1-3 (reading fiction) option
- Information retrieval, inference, paraphrasing.
- Using language to create effects at word and sentence level: individual words and phrases, punctuation, figurative devices, sentence lengths and structures.
- How whole texts are structured at paragraph level.
Option B
Paper 1 Question 4 (reading fiction)
- Evaluation. Presenting an opinion. Personal judgement. Use of external and embedded quotation.
- Understanding what writers are seeking to achieve, evaluating effectiveness, selection of relevant evidence.
- Academic terminology
Option C
Paper 2 Questions 1-3 (reading non-fiction)
- Fact/opinion – true/false. Working at speed – highlighting relevant information.
- Reading between the lines. Synthesis of both explicit and implicit ideas. Making comparisons.
- Using language to create effects at word and sentence level.
- How whole texts are structures at paragraph level. Explaining the effect on a reader.
Option D
Paper 2 Question 4 (reading non-fiction)
- Recognition and understanding of attitudes, perspectives, points of view.
- Language, structure and forms used to convey attitudes and perspectives.
- Comparison and contrast.
- Academic terminology.
Option E
Papers 1 and 2 Question 5 (writing: fiction and non-fiction)
- Using punctuation and grammar to create effects and enhance meaning.
- Writing for a particular audience and in a particular form.
- Technique checklists – devices to employ to impress the examiner.
- Planning and preparation.
- Subverting the task – impressing the examiner.
