Anal yr 7 revising for end of year french exam (lighthearted!)

[bizzey]

Ds has his exam tomorrow ...We were practising and I asked him "What do you have in your pencil case ?"

He was struggling so I asked him if he had forgotten the word or something .....

No he could not remember if he had 3 or 4 pencils actually in his pencil case !!!!!

I have explained the teacher will not check to see if he is telling the truth....just to write what he is comfortable with

Or is it just my child !!

[monikar]

This has made me laugh and taken me back to testing DD for her year 7 French exam!

I was just testing basic vocabulary where I said the French word and she said the English word. I said 'une regle', to which DD responded 'it's not pronounced 'ooon reglay' it is pronounced 'une rrrregler' ' which she said with a strong French accent. I said 'ok, but what is it in English?' and she said 'Oh I don't know that one'.

[Lottie4]

You have to try and see the funny side of this. Obviously all the tutor wants is that they can right something which makes sense.

My daughter had to described a picture of a girl for her Year 7 end of year test and then was asked to say were she could be going, or something about family she could have, or anything else they could think the write. At least it was clear they could make up something.

[BooksandaCuppa]

Ds does this too. Will only tell the absolute truth even if it's either boring or too difficult to remember the vocab.

He does have an excuse, though, having Asperger's...

[bizzey]

Thank you for your lovely replies

[creamteas]

My two ASD DC are just like this as well. Has to be correct, no lies can be told.

[Clary]

LOL I always tell my students they are very very welcome to lie as long as it is in good German or French!

They sometimes write things (if we are doing school subjects) like "I hate French, the teacher is very boring" so I mark it super well done with a smiley face

Hope he did OK today OP.

[Iamnotminterested]

Well I'm feeling a bit guilty and a tiny bit surprised that you all help the DC with their revision! DD won't let me, goes off to her room 'to revise' and comes out again ten minutes later apparantly done!

Just out of interest and I ask this in a non-competitive way what kind of levels are yours getting for MFL at this stage of year 7? DD is doing French and Spanish btw.

[bizzey]

Iamnot Don't feel guilty!! If she didn't want help there is not alot you can do ..I helped/guided my ds with revision only because he did not know "how to do it" I showed him different ways of revising which he asked for.

With regards to the levels...his class and home work is getting marked at 5B ..though I think this is reflective of his good memory rather than a natural flair for French !!...as according to MN that seems high for yr7 MFL ?

He is only doing French,which must be easier than having to learn 2 new languages together like your dd is doing.

I think his report and exam marks will give a truer mark...ie remembering it under pressure sort of thing ....but I have to wait till the last day of term for that !!!!!

[BooksandaCuppa]

Ds's school doesn't give nc levels (independent school - although they do give them for some pieces of work and in some subjects) but he's working at a similar level to the average year 7 kid at my grammar school which I believe is a low to middle level 5.

He's doing French and Spanish too although we're about to ask for him to drop Spanish next year and have a free period instead because although he's doing well in languages, he does muddle them up a lot and prefers French. I think he'll get on better with just one language to learn for now (can always pick the other up again later) and I can support far better in French (mostly correcting pronunciation - can't do that at all in Spanish!).

I've had quite a lot of input in year 7 revision because it's the first time he's had to 'revise' and he just didn't have any natural skill. He'll be much more independent next year, I'm sure (and hopefully will write down instructions such as they're allowed to take twenty words into their written language exams with them to help...he had no idea so I'm quite pleased with his end of year result in the 70%s!!)

[Clary]

Yes a L5 is amazingly high for MFL at the end of yr 7.

Basically to get a good level 5 you need to be able to use and understand either past or future tense as well as present. Most schools IME don't teach it.

Iamnot not sure if yr child is in a regular state school but any level 4 would be excellent at this stage; I teach 4 yr 7 classes and about 10 of the students have achieved a L4c or 4b in one or sometimes 2 pieces of work this term.

3c/3b is pretty good; 2a/3c is high average IMO.

[Clary]

Sorry my post isn't clear - most schools don't teach past and future tenses in yr 7! We don teach it in the end of course!!

[bizzey]

clary..I agree with you. I don't think he could have possibly covered enough verbs and grammar and stuff in 1 year to be a "true" L5b...which is why I am sceptical and not boasting/bragging !!....but maybe I am under estimating what he actually does in class ???

Or maybe his school is using a different marking system ??

Are you a teacher then ,,,because I do have another question to ask about (his) levels that really would come across as a stealth boast/brag..if it wasn't for the fact I have just said I am not sure how much face value these level marks have ...

His class work,homework,assigments and project stuff is all getting marked between 6A-7B....Depending on the subject...science,goegraphy and R.E (!!) coming out the best !

6B-6A were his target grades...when he started.

His target grades were generated by computer with SATS and own school tests results.

Wow I have just realized I have hi-jacked my own thread ....by diverting the subject !!!!

[agreenmouse]

I have just read this thread and enjoyed the fun tone at the beginning! There is no getting away from having to learn the words somehow, but I am trying to produce ways of engaging children. By chance I have produced two topics which are pertinent to the comments above!

What's in your pencil case?

Je m'appelle Billy

A bit too late for your exams this year by the sound of it, but some of you might like them!

[Picturepuncture]

IME Bizzey those marks would indicate two things.

Very good attainment.

Poor use of assessment data by staff.

In a nutshell I don't think you should be worried, nor would I be convinced exactly what level DC is working at.

[Iamnotminterested]

At my DDs very comprehensive school a level 4a puts them in the exceptional bracket.

[Clary]

Bizzey those marks would indicate to me that he was top of the class but yes, they are possible. Very high attainment for Yr 7.

L5 is impossible without a second tense, those levels are used across the country AFAIK.

[BooksandaCuppa]

I was looking at the grids earlier and ds has only been using future tense for a few weeks so I expect he's more a level 4 than a 5.

[bizzey]

Thanks ..

clary..Yes he is in a "special "top set separate from the other settings.The top 25/27 children with the high marks of the year sort of thing.

Maybe I am under estimating his abilities !!

On his 1/2 term report card he was a 4B for P.E so I know that one is spot on !!

Will be interesting to see his end of year report.

agreenmouse Those links are really good.!!

[perplexedpirate]

My friend got the word for hair and horse mixed up in her French oral (cheval and chavaeu - maybe???) and had to improvise a whole story about her ginger horse that she brushed every night.
I worked at a shooting ground and we bought our clays from a French company so when I was asked if I had a job I was able to say 'oui, je travialle dons le balltrap'.
Examiner: le balltrap?
Me (15, cocky), Oui, le balltrap!
I got a C!