Languages
May 2024 Languages Update
Dear Colleagues,
I hope your summer term has got off to a smooth start. By now many of you will have conducted your speaking exams and will be looking ahead to the written exams and beyond.
Please remember you can get in contact with all of your questions about Pearson Edexcel Languages qualifications. My contact details are at the bottom of this page.
Best wishes,
Rebecca Waker
Subject Advisor for Languages
We recently published the findings of our research into the scheduling of the 2026 reading and listening exams for the 2024 GCSEs in French, German and Spanish.
We can confirm that these exams will be scheduled in separate sessions.
Languagenut and Pearson Edexcel are excited to present our first joint webinar miniseries!
This webinar is perfect for anyone looking to find out more about the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (2024) in French, Spanish and German, and how Languagenut can support teachers preparing their students for this qualification. This will help teachers develop their understanding of the specification content and requirements. It will also offer insight into the structure of question papers and mark criteria for all four papers.
For teachers preparing to deliver the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (2024) in French, German or Spanish from September 2024, these training sessions will support you in your planning for these new qualifications.
Delegates will:
- develop understanding of the specification content and requirements (e.g. thematic contexts, vocabulary and grammar)
- deep dive into the new elements of the qualification and better understand their mark schemes
- find out more about the support available
- have the opportunity to discuss best practice and share ideas with other teachers.
Dates for June onwards will be available for sign up soon.
We also have other training sessions dedicated to the new GCSEs:
Effective Phonics Teaching for the New 2024 MFL GCSE Read Aloud and Dictation Tasks
Our Spotlight on Writing session will also be repeated in the summer term, when it is available you will be able to sign up via our Professional Development Academy.
French Teachers Needed for Research
Pearson is looking for teachers with experience of teaching French as a foreign language to take part in a research project. This project will be fee-based and involve a calibration session as well as independent work. If you're interested, please complete the form and will contact you soon with more information. Please note that spaces are limited. The deadline for completion is May 17.
As part of the project, you will be invited to some training before completing the project task:
• 1.5 hrs introductory pre-read
• 3 hrs standard setting methodology meeting
• 6 hrs of rating over 7-10 days (project task)
• The project is planned to take in place in May/June 2024.
Facebook Languages Qualifications Support Group
In case you didn't know, we have a support group on Facebook. You can use this group to ask questions about our qualifications and network with other teachers.
Please be sure to answer the membership questions so we can keep this as a space for teachers to support one another.
In addition to any training mentioned above related to speaking and the 2024 GCSE we have the following training on offer:
I am also providing some sessions focused on the Paper 3 Independent Research Project for A Level (French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Italian and Russian). These are informal sessions where I will go over the requirements of this part of the exam and take your questions. Please join me if you're new to this exam, have questions you'd like answered or just want a refresher.
#Examsspelledout is a series of short videos that take a look at the assessment process to help students, parents, carers and teachers understand how the exam process works. Questions include: the creation of exam papers; how we support students with different needs; through to finding out what happens to your exam papers after they have left your school; who marks your papers; grade boundaries and post-results support.
In case you need a reminder of the exam dates for this series, you can take a look at the timetables.
Did you know that the most common form of candidate malpractice every exam series is the possession of a mobile phone?
According to data published by Ofqual, possession of a mobile phone accounted for 44.5% of all cases of student malpractice - 2,180 cases - in the summer 2023 series. This was an increase on the 1,825 cases seen in the summer 2022 series.
The JCQ awarding bodies have set out the agreed sanctions for the different types of candidate malpractice, including for possession of a mobile phone. These can be found in Appendix 6 of the JCQ Suspected Malpractice Policies and Procedures. You can see that the sanctions for possession of a mobile phone are severe, because we need to maintain the security and integrity of our exams:
- mobile phone in the candidate’s possession but no evidence of being used by the candidate – loss of marks
- mobile phone in the candidate’s possession and evidence of being used by the candidate – disqualification
We really want to see a reduction in this form of malpractice, which has such a significant impact on so many candidates. Please ensure that you’ve taken the following steps to help your learners avoid committing malpractice:
- clear communication to learners and their parents about items prohibited in exams, including mobile phones
- clear publication and display of the JCQ exam room posters
- sharing the JCQ Preparing to sit your exams infographic with learners and their parents
- having a member of your centre’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) deliver a pre-exam series assembly, to clearly explain the expectations of learners and the exam rules
- ensuring you have in place, and learners know about, a process for the safe collection and storage of their mobile phones during exams
Proactive Associate Modern Foreign Languages
For those of you who will be working with us on the 2024 GCSEs in 2026 and beyond we have something new for you.
More information on this digital credential provided by Credly will be coming soon. In short, it is a way of recognising the work you are doing to familiarise yourself with the 2024 specification and ensure you are prepared not only to teach it but to examine it too. Once you’ve earned this badge you could use it in job applications, performance reviews or as evidence of the professional development you have completed.
If you’re signed up with us then you will hear more information about this soon. Please feel free to reach out for more information. If you’re not yet signed up to work with us, take a look at our vacancies.
GCSE Spanish and French tutoring
Give your students a Spanish and French revision boost
Do your students want to challenge themselves or improve their listening comprehension? Are they struggling with grammar or simply want additional support to prepare for their exams? We can help!
As we approach exam season, give your students the boost they need with flexible, personalised tutoring designed to work at your students’ pace and prepare them for their future.
With the ability to schedule sessions to take place during students' free periods, or even in the evenings and at weekends, setting your students up for success has never been easier. That’s not all, you can use your National Tutoring Programme funding which covers up to 50% of the cost of your sessions.
Simply complete this form and a member of our team will guide you through your choices.
Why choose Pearson Tutoring?
Pearson Tutoring works with fully qualified UK tutors, skilled in meeting individual needs and learning styles whilst aligning with existing classroom plans and practices and helping students reach their full potential. Our tutors have flexibility to deliver the content that best suits your students’ needs.
Subject advisor
Rebecca Waker
Languages
Subject updates
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December 2024 Languages Update
Dear Colleagues,
As we approach the end of this term, I hope you find time to relax and recharge. In this update, I am pleased to share links to exemplars for the 2024 GCSE French, German, and Spanish exams, covering writing and speaking. This week we have added further examples of the Read Aloud and Role Play tasks which we hope you will find useful in supporting your understanding of our mark schemes.
Additionally, you'll find information on further training, resources, and exemplars for other Pearson Edexcel Languages qualifications. I am also excited to include links to principal examiner vacancies in two languages, a festive December resource for those celebrating, and new episodes of the "Speaking Your Language" podcast. I hope you find the range on offer in this update both interesting and useful for your teaching.
As always, if you need support with any of our languages qualifications, please feel free to reach out to me using the contact details at the bottom of this page or utilize our support portal.
Best wishes,
Rebecca Waker
Subject Advisor for Languages
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November 2024 Languages Update
Dear colleagues,
Welcome to the November 2024 Languages Update.
If you have a break at this time of year I hope it was a relaxing one and you are prepared for the half term ahead. There is a range of support for our GCSE qualifications (2016 and 2024 specifications) in this update as well as some links to our Insights and Research resources. Finally you can take a look at our new Qualifications Support Portal .
As usual, if you need support with any of our languages qualifications you can get in touch with me using the contact details at the bottom of this page.
Best wishes,
Rebecca
Subject Advisor for Languages