Excellence for all and excellence from all

GCSE Welsh

Year 10 students in Wales, studying for the GCSE second language course are following a new course where the content and examination format have been revamped.

The course is structured into four examinable units and each account for 25% of the final marks.

  • Unit 1 - a final written and reading examination (2 written questions and two reading questions and one hour in length) which will be taken in year 10
  • Unit 2 - three controlled assessment tasks to be undertaken in year 10:
    • An individual oral presentation
    • A pair / group discussion
    • A written piece of work based on the topic discussed in the pair / group discussion
  • Unit 3 - a pair / group discussion at the end of April in year 11
  • Unit 4 - a final reading and writing examination (2 written questions and two reading questions and one hour in length) which will be taken in year 11

An Outline of the Welsh Department’s Scheme of Work for Year 10

Term 1/1

Unit 1- developing key skills related to the exemplar controlled assessment task questions

Writing Tasks - developing general writing skills relevant to the writing question of Unit 2 Question 3 (the course work element)

Language skills lessons and tasks to develop and practise oral skills (much of the work based on revision material created in the department)

Term 1/2
  • Course work Unit 2 Question 2 - initial preparation for the Pair / Group Oral Exam - Situation Conversation
  • Course Work Unit 2 Question 2 - 4 weeks to prepare having received the discussion topics for the Pair / Group Oral Exam - Situation Conversation
  • Course Work Unit 2 Question3 - Writing Examination (based on the work for Unit 2 Question 2)
Term 2/1

Course Work Unit 2 Question 1 - prepare for and complete the speaking exam, Oral Presentation - before Christmas

Language lessons Activities related to Unit 2

Term 2/2

Activities related to preparing for the External Unit 1 examination including revisiting exemplar questions

Language activities / revising and learning language and language patterns related to the External Examination (Unit 1)

Term 3/1

Revising for the Unit 1 external examination with a focus on the more challenging questions and final learning activities to master extended vocabulary and language patterns

Term 3/2
  • Developing oral skills related to Year 11’s Unit 3 examination (Discussing in a pair / group)
  • Developing writing / reading skills related to Year 11’s Unit 4 examination