Question:
One of the questions in the 2008 English paper was this:
Write a letter to a Minister for Education informing him or her of the things you think should be done to improve education for teenagers.
How do I go about answering it?
Answer:
The first thing to do is plan your answer. You don’t get extra marks for planning, but you do get extra grades for using the plan properly. If you do this, your answer will be coherent and well developed. Here’s how you start:
Well, think about the answer. How can education be improved?
I would say something like:
- More practical-subjects in school
- Smaller classes
- Shorter summer holiday and longer end of term breaks
- Fewer GCSEs – we only need 5
Make your own list of 4 ways to improve education.
Leave 4 or 5 lines between each item.
Then put them in order.
I’d probably put smaller classes first. My list would look like this:
1) Smaller classes
2) Fewer GCSEs – we only need 5.
3) Shorter summer holiday and longer end of term breaks
4) more practical-subjects in school
Then give reasons – still in your plan – for each point.
For smaller classes I’d say:
- more attention per student so easier to identify strengths and weaknesses
- easier to address weaknesses
- easier to manage behaviour
Fewer GCSEs – we only need 5.
- Other subjects waste time
- Time spent on subjects you don’t like and won’t use can be spent on subjects you do need
- Instead of extra lessons, have work experience
And so on. Then put your reasons in order by category, most important one first.
Look for links between reasons and bullet points.
When your answers are in order, and you know how to link them, start writing formally, remembering to develop and link your points and a range of punctuation. Remember to proofread your work when you’ve finished.
Remember to set your answer out as a letter, with the date of the Minister for Education at the top right (make it up!), and your address under it at the top left. Put the date under one of the addresses and start your letter with ‘Dear Sir or Madam’. You could even make up a name for the Minister if you like. Make sure you end it appropriately.
About Sara Connerton