The Kate Languages Podcast - S1 Ep1 - Using GCSE-style activities at KS3

This blog post is a summary of the first episode of the Kate Languages Podcast, all about using GCSE style activities at KS3. I have since changed some of my ideas about this topic and as always, I would love to know your thoughts. you can get in touch on social media (I'm Kate Languages on both Instagram and Facebook) or email me through this website to let me know what you think!

Using GCSE-Style Activities at Key Stage 3: Preparing Students for Success

Introduction to GCSE-Style Resources for KS3

In this episode of the Kate Languages Podcast, I talked about using GCSE-style activities at Key Stage 3 (KS3). This topic was on my mind because I had just finished creating a series of resources that bring GCSE-style activities to KS3 students. It was a real labour of love, taking me about two years to complete!

What I tried to do was take GCSE topics and simplify them a bit. The grammar's not too complex, but the activities are in the GCSE style. Each booklet includes a reading task, translation tasks for each subtopic, a 40-word writing task with bullet points, photos to describe, and role plays. There's also an extension section with longer writing tasks - 90 words and 150 words. They're all based on the AQA specification (2018), aiming to introduce GCSE-style activities before students actually start their GCSE course, which is usually in year 10, but often kicks off in year 9.

The Rationale Behind GCSE-Style Activities at KS3

Now, you might be wondering why I decided to create these resources. Well, it turns out I'm not alone in thinking GCSE-style activities have a place at KS3. I did a quick poll on Instagram recently, and a whopping 94% of respondents said they already use GCSE-style activities at KS3. Pretty interesting, right?

The main reason people gave for using these activities was to prepare students for the GCSE. And I get it - in an ideal world, we'd teach language just for the joy of it at KS3. But the reality is, the current GCSE has so much content and so many topics, and some of the exam tasks are, frankly, a bit weird.

Take the role plays, for example. The current ones for AQA and Edexcel have these peculiar rubrics in the target language that are really hard to understand. I once did a speaking test with a Spanish native speaker, and even she struggled with the role play because the scenario was so bizarre and unrealistic. It really drove home for me how much practice students need with these tasks.

But it's not all doom and gloom! Some GCSE-style activities can be quite fun and useful. Role plays, when done well, can be a great pair work activity. They help students practise vocabulary, conversations, and posing questions - all really useful skills. Translation is another great activity that helps check understanding in both directions. And using photos as a stimulus for description and discussion can be a fantastic way to build vocabulary and spark imagination.

Potential Drawbacks and Considerations

Now, I should mention that there are some potential downsides to using GCSE-style activities at KS3. The main one is if that's all you do. It's really important to have a variety of activities, tasks, and topics in your KS3 curriculum. You don't want to just repeat the same GCSE topics in years 10 and 11 that you've been doing since year 7. And let's face it, if you did role plays every single lesson from year 7 to year 11, it would drive everyone round the bend!

Another thing to keep in mind is that the GCSE is likely to change again soon. The current year 7s will probably be doing a different GCSE, so you don't want to spend too much time on activities that might become obsolete. That said, if you're making these tasks meaningful and engaging, they're probably still worthwhile even if the exam format changes.

Striking a Balance: Incorporating GCSE-Style Activities Effectively

The key, I think, is to strike a balance. Use GCSE-style activities, but don't let them dominate your teaching. Always have the GCSE in the back of your mind, but don't let it be the only thing driving your lessons. There are lots of activities and tasks from the current GCSE exams that can be used effectively with KS3 classes, but you need to mix things up.

One lovely idea that someone suggested is using poems or short stories for literary text reading. This helps prepare students for the slightly different language they'll encounter in the GCSE literary texts, but it's also just a great activity in its own right. You could look at comprehension questions similar to those in the exam, or even compare translations of well-known poems.

The goal is to prepare students for the GCSE without them even realising it. By introducing these activities early, you're helping them build the skills they'll need later on. When they move into year 10 and start the GCSE course proper, it won't come as such a shock.

In conclusion, I think there's definitely a place for GCSE-style activities at KS3, but it's all about balance. Use them as part of a varied curriculum, always keeping in mind that the GCSE might change. The most important thing is to make your lessons engaging and meaningful, helping students build their language skills in a way that will serve them well, whether they go on to take the GCSE or not.

So there you have it - my thoughts on using GCSE-style activities at KS3. I'd love to hear what you think about this. Do you use these kinds of activities with your KS3 students? How do you strike a balance between preparation for GCSE and teaching language for its own sake? Drop me a line and let me know!