my son'sschool will not give children in set 3 and below the chance to sit english literature which i feel is a great shame due to the beauty and knowledge that literature when taught well can give- so can i enter him and tutor and help hi mthru it- i am a writer so very frustrated at the school's thick attitide
2007-02-20 09:51:27 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Home Schooling
I would leave well alone. It is more important that he gets a good grade in English Language and this will be supported and helped by wide reading. The titles studied for English Lit are never the best or most interesting and your insistence on this could sour the relationship at this crucial age. Far better that he chooses his own reading material. You can offer to share your love of literature by taking him to films etc and regularly browsing the bookshops.
2007-02-20 16:48:45 · answer #1 · answered by Tertia 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just to let you know that schools are not required to make a child sit English Language and English Literature - they just have to sit English. You have had wrong advice there!
You do not have to do the exam through your son's school - there must be a local college where he could sit the exam (although you will have to pay). However, you must make sure it will not coincide with any other exams he is sitting!
You could go to the school and ask them if he can sit the exams there if you home tutor him for the subject if they are not prepared to teach it. However, I would be a little worried about doing this if he is in set three. If he is having problems with English and his studies in general, then he may struggle to sit Eng Lit.
(I love reading and thoroughly enjoy books, but absolutely hated Eng Lit. What annoys me is when you have to say what the author was thinking about when they wrote. It made me laugh reading about JRR Tolkein complaining when one of his books was an O-Level text that everyone said it was about his WWII experiences - as it had nothing whatsoever to do with that!)
Just make sure your son loves books - that is the best education you can give him!
Good luck with it!
2007-02-23 12:59:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi :-)
I'm in Sixth Form College and did my GCSE exams last year. Although not every school does the same syllabus, from my experiance the teaching of literature in year 11 was not as well thought out as it could have been- it was too well structered as if read from a teachers guide and not very interesting! My advice would be for your son to just do English Language at GCSE and get a good grade, then in sixth form do an A Level in English Literature instead- you cover poetry, drama and prose in more detail and actually discuss it! :-)
Hope this helps,
Amy
2007-02-24 09:45:08 · answer #3 · answered by Snugbug90 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't enter him yourself as he will have to be entered through a centre such as a school or college. It should be quite straightforward to do a private entry through another centre. I suggest you write to the chair of governors at your son's school and say you want him entered and are prepared to pay. Send a copy to the Chair of Education at your local authority and ask for their support in having your son entered. If you have no success through this route, contact your local FE College or consider a correspondence course.
I am presuming you have discussed this with your son and that he is sufficiently interested and enthusiastic to put in the necessary work to pass the exam. If he is really going to struggle, it may be more productive to let him concentrate on the English GCSE and enjoy reading for pleasure.
2007-02-20 10:25:09 · answer #4 · answered by julie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The school is LEGALLY required to enter EVERY student for English Literature and English Language GCSEs. Report the school to the Education Department of the Local Council.
2007-02-20 19:49:36 · answer #5 · answered by k 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Why does your son have to sit an English lit exam to appreciate the beauty?
You are a writer, talk to your son, see where his interests lie.
Then show him the beauty and knowledge yourself.
It may not be in literature: could be comics, pulp paperbacks etc.
There is beauty and learning to be had there too!
2007-02-20 10:06:43 · answer #6 · answered by Ilkie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would leave well alone. It dosn't prevent him learning to enjoy books/creative writing. Because you enjoy it does not mean he is at your stage.........perhaps he will take a few more years to appreciate good writing. He will be loaded down with work for his exams as it is, and you and he could find yourseves seriously falling out. You may be better putting your energies into helping him with the other work set by the school that he has to do.
Don't get bogged down by this. GCSE's do tend to cause some irritation. One of my children loved history and was thinking of studying it at uni, but on the other hand she came top in the mock geography exam........This meant we wanted her to study both, but schools only allow them to study either /or...
You can't win and its no good putting extra stress on the child with a battle or extra work. Support him in his present work. Realise that its no big deal...he can study it at college if HE wants to, and there are plenty of enjoyable books permanently out there (and more enjoyable for not having to "study" them probably...but thats just my opinion!).
2007-02-22 09:53:55 · answer #7 · answered by xyz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not sure exactly but if he gets the grades up then he should be allowed to. i thought every child was entitled to try but i do know it costs £20 if u miss a gsce because of illness for example,, so u may have to pay that for him to do it as that is suppoesed to be the price it costs, but if worst comes to worst and he is going on to further education then he could retake Eng lit
2007-02-20 09:56:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I THINK EXTRA TUITION WOULD HELP?
2007-02-23 08:48:50 · answer #9 · answered by Miss J 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋