GCSE English Language Paper 2 Question 4 Scaffolded Exercises

 

GCSE English Paper 2, Question 4 presents several challenges for students. Firstly, it is the only instance where Assessment Objective 3 is explicitly taught (comparing writers’ ideas and perspectives, and how these are conveyed, across two or more texts). Additionally, the question can be overwhelming due to the large volume of instructions, not to mention its placement within the exam. There are more details about this resource here.

I have carefully considered how best to engage students with this question and how to structure their responses. These scaffolds are particularly useful for lower ability sets, though they can be effective for any level. They serve as an excellent starting point for tackling the question. When I initially created this resource, I essentially started from scratch, resetting my approach to the question. The results have been very positive, with noticeable improvements in the marks my students achieve on this particular question in the exams.

I have also produced a supplementary “answer” document that explains the expected responses to the multiple-choice questions on Scaffold 1, along with example answers for all three scaffolds included in the set.

The scaffold helps students to:

• Write a thesis statement (also known as an introduction) that highlights the differing perspectives of the writers.
• Create two paragraphs discussing the tone of the texts (Source A and Source B), with evidence, explanation, and the effect on the reader.
• Write two further paragraphs encouraging students to identify common features between the texts (e.g. both texts describing a boxing match) and explore differences in perspective.

By following this structure, students should be able to produce a strong response to the exam question. I found that after completing two scaffolded exercises, my students found the "real thing" much more accessible.

These scaffolded exercises are intended to be done in the classroom and act as an introduction to approaching the question in a logical and effective way that maximises the marks awarded. It’s not meant to be a rigid approach, and the Word documents can easily be adapted if you wish to make changes.

The source texts are slightly shorter than those in the actual exams, averaging around 250 words each. This encourages students to identify differences (where one text shares a similar perspective) and engage more actively with the text.

The three topics covered are:

• Boxing (19th Century text, 20th Century text)
• Fashion (19th Century, 21st Century)
• Visiting the Natural History Museum (19th Century, 21st Century)

I don’t believe these topics have appeared in exams before. I’ve compiled them into a single booklet (which is how I use them), but I’ve also provided individual files for each question.