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AS/A levels
Principles of teaching
Transition from GCSE to AS Level
Students with any grade below a B at GCSE may struggle with an AS level course and will need to be aware of the need to put in significant study time outside of taught lessons in order to be able to meet the demands of the course.
In a sixth form college situation where students have joined the course from several secondary schools, it is wise to assume that most students will need to revisit grammar points covered in the past asit is difficult to determine beforehand what each student may have covered previously.
In an 11-18 setting where most students will perhaps be known to staff it may be possible to focus less on grammar basics as prior knowledge will be evident.
Induction to AS
It is wise to plan a short induction to the AS course (1-2 weeks) to give students an overview of the content of the course and essential language learning strategies. These might include use of recommended websites for research and independent study, use of a virtual learning environment, use of dictionaries and grammar support materials and general study skills.
Developing oral skills
It is good practice to deliver all lessons fully in the target language from the outset and encourage students to respond in the target language themselves. Some students will find this challenging as they may be in a much smaller group than the one in which they were taught GCSE. Such students will need greater support and encouragement to participate in oral work as they may be unwilling to take risks in speaking through fear of making mistakes. A supportive environment is therefore essential from the outset.
At City & Islington sixth form college, 'student pairing' is encouraged, where confident speakers are paired with less confident ones for practice lunchtime sessions once a week.
If possible, students should have regular small group sessions with a foreign language assistant or other native speaker if no FLA is available. Some schools make effective use of native speakers living locally if they have no funding for a FLA. Students need to be aware that these oral lessons are a part of their timetabled course and that attendance is imperative. Teaching staff will need to liaise closely with the FLA or native speaker so that oral practice sessions fit in with what is being delivered in lessons to enable students to build upon what they have learnt. The FLA can also offer invaluable advice on planning and practice for the oral examination tasks and give advice on suitable websites and other materials to resource individual topics which the students may be working on.
Encouraging independent study
If students are to achieve their full potential at AS and be more likely to continue to A2, it is important that they understand the importance of study outside of lesson times. This is especially the case if the lessons are being delivered in less time than would be desirable as sometimes happens. Staff need to be aware of the range of resources that exist to help students towards independence. These include websites featuring current news items and materials specifically aimed at independent learning for students of this level. Such independent materials need to be carefully selected by the teacher to ensure that they are not too complex for the students particularly at the beginning of the course. Students should also be encouraged to watch TV broadcasts and films in the foreign language and to read newspapers, magazines and books if possible. The teacher may need to guide students to help them to select appropriate materials.
Building grammar knowledge
It is a good idea for students to purchase a grammar book at this point in their study of the language if they do not already own one. Guidance may be required from the teacher in the selection of an appropriate one and it may be desirable for all students to have the same one so this can be referred to in class. Some grammar books also contain exercises to practise the different grammar points. Textbooks usually contain a grammar section also and if this is the case, students should be taught how to use it effectively when working on their own written pieces. A larger dictionary may also be required than students may have used for GCSE and again help may be required in the selection of a dictionary.
For further tips on teaching from a Grade 1 provider, visit the City and Islington Sixth Form case study.
