GCSE EXAMINERS' REPORTS
GERMAN
SUMMER 2014
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GERMAN
General Certificate of Secondary Education
SUMMER 2014
UNIT 1: LISTENING
Principal Examiner:
Judith Roberts
General points
The following observations are for candidates, teachers and Examination Officers. It is
hoped they will prove of use to centres.
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Care should be taken when packing the parcels but over enthusiasm with packing
tape should be avoided.
Attendance registers should be completed and enclosed with the scripts.
Script envelopes should be completed and the number of scripts contained in each
envelope must be indicated.
Scripts should always be packed in candidate number order.
Scripts should be completed in black ink or ball point pen not pencil. This is
mentioned on the front of the candidate’s answer paper.
Candidates who tick too many boxes lose marks.
Extended answers often lead to negating the correct answer and losing the mark.
This is a listening examination and candidates who anticipate words instead of
answering the question asked lose marks.
The question words are vital.
Candidates who write a mixture of German and English fail to gain marks. Using the
rough notes page for German avoids this confusion.
Care should be taken with English words which are similar in spelling in German.
Not all candidates use the rough notes page making it difficult to decipher answers.
Candidates who do use this page must remember to transfer their answers carefully.
Candidates should try to avoid relying on personal experience and listen carefully for
detail.
The time at the end should give candidates an opportunity to read over their
answers.
Handwriting should be legible.
Candidates should make clear which answer is intended for marking. Redraw the
box if there is ambiguity.
Candidates who anticipate words used in the pictures may miss what is actually said.
Foundation Tier
Q.1
There was occasional confusion about Lieblingstier. The timescale was not always
secure.
Q.2
Most candidates completed this well. Some found difficulty with (iii), (vii) where
evening and afternoon were not known and (xii) where time issues continue.
Some candidates failed to tick 6 boxes as required.
Q.3
proved problematical for some.
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Q.4
Mostly correct but some candidates picked the first picture instead of the bank.
Q.5
Most candidates did well but (b) and (d) caused confusion for some. Party and
Grillparty needed distinguishing here and in (d) breakfast and evening meal suffered
a similar fate.
Q.6
(a)
Some candidates heard lieber auf dem Lande wohnen and wrongly went `for
box (iv).
Q.7
Q.8
(b)
A few candidates picked up on teuer but went for the opposite meaning.
(a)
Mostly correct.
(b)
Some selected the Leisure Centre - perhaps Spaziergang needs to be
learned.
(c)
keine Cola was sometimes overlooked.
(d)
was mostly correct.
(a)
bezahlen was a challenge for some.
(b)
was largely well tackled.
(c)
caused a little difficulty. The idea of speaking was rejected for that of
Hausaufgaben.
(d)
heiratet not always known.
Q.9
Part 1
Mostly well done but time continues to be an issue for some. ‘July’ was offered
instead of ‘June’. The number in the family was generally correct although some
added the two children to the total and got six. ‘Rugby stadium’ was generally
understood but a precise answer was required here: ‘ruby stadium’, ‘football stadium’
and ‘match’ were all rejected. There was a wide range of spelling for the word
‘concert’.
Part 2
Some confusion with numbers here and the full meaning of kinderfreudlich was not
always conveyed. Mieten proved widely unknown and the idea of Bahn produced
variable answers including ‘plane’, ‘tram’ and ‘a tube which runs from Cardiff to
Holyhead’.
Higher Tier
Questions 1, 2 and 3 as per the Foundation paper.
It is vital in this section of the paper that candidates listen carefully to the recording which
may not always be a reflection of their experience or ideas.
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Q.4
Q.5
Q.6
(a)
Very few candidates understood the idea of ich freue mich darauf.
(b)
Mostly correct.
(c)
Some candidates picked up on the ‘computer firm’.
(d)
Mostly correct but Ländern was sometimes heard as ‘London’.
(e)
Erfahrung was not universally recognised and Arbeitswelt caused some
difficulty.
(f)
Mostly correct.
(g)
A knowledge of Zeitverschwendung was critical here.
(a)
Mostly correct.
(b)
Common errors were ‘potatoes’ instead of ‘chips’, ‘pizza with chicken and ice
cream’. In some Welsh language papers ‘iâr’ and ‘iâ/ia’ were confused.
(c)
Some answered for the wrong person.
(d)
Some mistook schlimm for ‘slim’.
(e)
The idea of sitting in front of a TV/computer needed to be conveyed here.
(f)
Many understood this and provided the correct answer but some candidates
interpreted this as PE/fitness lessons.
This question was the one which produced creative but not always accurate
answers.
(a)
Often given as ‘boring’.
(b)
Some wild guesses.
(c)
‘Good public transport’ was often confused with ‘cycling’ and ‘walking’.
(d)
For many the idea of composting kitchen/food waste was not understood.
(e)
Mostly well answered.
(f)
To gain the mark a comparative was necessary.
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GERMAN
General Certificate of Secondary Education
SUMMER 2014
UNIT 2: CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT SPEAKING
Principal Examiner:
Judith Roberts
Administration
Most Centres met all requirements but it is hoped that the following updated checklist will
prove helpful.
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CDs/memory sticks should be with the moderator by the deadline.
CDs should be in slip cases.
Memory sticks should be carefully labelled.
Recordings should be checked before submission to avoid delay.
Forms should be submitted only for the candidates in the sample.
All forms must be authenticated and signed (not initialled) by the candidate and the
teacher.
Each recording should clearly state the centre name and number, the candidate
name and number and the task chosen.
Both Structured Conversations and Presentation and Discussions should be
recorded on one CD.
CDs should be clearly marked with the centre name and number. The paperwork
should mirror the tasks recorded.
CDs should be carefully packaged to avoid damage.
Care should be taken when inputting the marks online and these should match the
marks on the mark sheets.
Candidate names on paperwork and on the electronic system should match those on
the recording.
Recordings should be made away from intrusive background noise.
The 30 words should not be submitted to the moderator but should be retained by
the centre.
Annotation is not necessary, but those centres who used it benefited from this.
External noise distracts candidates.
Tasks
Timings for the Structured Conversation and the Presentation and Discussion are critical
and this has been mentioned and stressed previously. For the Structured Conversation, the
maximum time is five minutes and the minimum four. If conversations are too short, then
candidates may be prevented from gaining full marks. Any conversation which occurs after
the maximum time is not credited. The best Structured Conversations were natural and
allowed candidates the opportunity to access the full range of marks. If responses are
inappropriate and are ignored then the natural element of the conversation is ignored.
In the Presentation and Discussion, many interesting topics had been chosen by the
candidates from phobias to the World Cup tournament. Again this year, there was evidence
of enthusiasm and competence. The very best examples of this task showed evidence of
practice, particularly in getting the timing right, candidates had prepared well and also
responded appropriately to questioning which should be based on the Presentation. In this
task there are two timings to note. If the Presentation overruns, the time available for
questions should not be curtailed as this can adversely affect the mark. Similarly an overlong
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Presentation is not credited after three minutes. It may be worth noting that any candidate
who fails to produce a Presentation and then answers a series of questions will score 0 in all
categories of the mark scheme as the task has not been fulfilled.
Assessment
Most centres’ marks matched those of the moderators. Discrepancies arose when
candidates did not always meet the criteria of the top bands. Sometimes pronunciation
which was familiar to the centres and marked accordingly was not comprehensible to the
moderator. Centres which used the comment sheets to focus on the criteria were mutually
helpful. Candidates who were given the opportunity to produce longer sequences of speech
naturally generally performed well. It is important to note that where several teachers are
involved in preparing candidates that there is some form of internal moderation to ensure
consistency. This will also help when listening to tasks which have been recorded earlier in
the year to ensure consistency in the application of the marking criteria.
Many of these comments will have been made previously but will serve as an aide-memoire
to help centres in the future.
Grateful thanks to all centres who, once again, did everything asked of them. Thanks too, to
the candidates who gave of their best.
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GERMAN
General Certificate of Secondary Education
SUMMER 2014
UNIT 3: READING
Principal Examiner:
David Pendleton
General comments
It is requested again that WJEC sacks be used, requiring no extra tape for packaging. It is
also important to show the correct number of candidates in the box provided. Scripts should
be packed in the order of the attendance register.
Presentation was generally satisfactory. In a number of cases handwriting was poor and
difficult to decipher. The poor powers of expression in English displayed by some candidates
sometimes led to a loss of marks. Answers in German are unacceptable. However, many
candidates presented work that was clear, precise and accurate. Some candidates did not
enter the centre number or candidate number on the front of the script.
It is essential to adhere to the rubric and candidates should check how many answers are
required. This is always indicated clearly on the paper in bold type. When too many
alternative and incorrect answers are given, each extra incorrect answer is penalised.
Foundation Tier
Q.1
was generally answered well, with some confusion about Obst and Zeitschrift.
Q.2
was answered correctly by the majority of candidates.
Q.3
was generally correct, with statements by Karen and Vasilis being sometimes
confused.
Some candidates lost marks through ticking all boxes.
Q.4
was generally correct, although a number of candidates confused sechzehn and
siebzehn.
Foundation Tier Q.5 / Higher Tier Q.1
Many Foundation and some Higher candidates found this challenging.
In Section A (iii) (vi) and (viii) were often missed and a surprising number didn’t know
Geschwister.
In Section B many interpreted Wohnung as ‘house’. ‘Where they lived’ was accepted. Some
guessed the sister had broken the house. Kind was not known by many and answers
included ‘kind’, ‘loving’ and ‘tolerant’, showing they did not understand the latter two were
referring to the parents.
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Foundation Tier Q.6 / Higher Tier Q.2
Many candidates found this section more accessible and there were many good answers.
In Section A Bauernhof was either given as ‘barn(house)’ or ‘railway station house’ or there
were guesses with ‘bungalow’, or ‘semi/detached house’. There were interesting spellings of
‘terraced’, including ‘terest’ and ‘terrist’. (ii) and (iii) were often correct, but in (iv) answers
were vague, stating ‘she’ or ‘they’ wanted to stay in Bremen.
In Section B the negative answers required were mostly given correctly but some didn’t
notice the positive clues schön, ruhig and macht Spass.
Higher Tier Q.3
Performance varied in this question, but most candidates managed to get 2, 5, 7 and 8.
Kostenlos was often thought to be the opposite of what it actually meant. Although the vast
majority recognised Kunst, some translated Geschichte as ‘history’ and not ‘story’. In (4)
many thought the visitors came from ‘all over (the land)’ or gave ‘abroad’ which was too
vague. In (5) many did not include ‘wheel’ in their answers which was essential. Perhaps
surprisingly there were lots of guesses in (9), including ‘meal’, ‘cigarette’ and ‘cigar’. It
appears that many did not recognise Hauptstadt, giving ‘the town’, ‘the scenery’ or ‘a town’.
Correct interpretations included ‘London’, ‘the city’ and ‘the (British) capital’. Many
candidates understood Drittel but incorrect answers included 30% and 3 times the price.
Higher Tier Q.4
Performance was often pleasing in this section, with candidates showing they had
developed good reading skills. Although some candidates gave confusing answers, showing
poor expression in English, many were well expressed and concise.
1.
Many candidates were able to give correct reasons for Philip’s desired profession.
Some responses were imprecise, including ‘a year abroad’ and ‘he finds it
interesting’.
2.
Incorrect use of the present tense stating that Franziska ‘speaks Russian every day’
meant that the answer was incorrect. Many thought she had or hired a tutor, not
noticing the plural form and the true context.
3.
Many recognised that Kaan likes the work of an electrician, but few understood the
meaning of gesucht. Many seemed to think that he wanted to have his own business
and work for himself.
4.
Many understood that Tanja wants to travel (a lot) but there were a lot of vague or
guessed answers about how she would like to help. Medizin was recognised, but the
text does not state that she wants to be a doctor or a nurse.
5.
Fewer candidates managed to find relevant answers in this section. Although many
understood that Barbara thinks acting is not a well paid job, other reasons appeared
to be guesswork.
6.
Most candidates dealt well with this question. Setting up a website was the most
popular answer and many understood Paul’s aims to modernise the shop and sell
quality instruments.
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GERMAN
General Certificate of Secondary Education
SUMMER 2014
UNIT 4: CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT WRITING
Principal Examiner:
David Pendleton
Administration
Most centres had followed the correct procedures which meant that the whole marking
process progressed smoothly. Packages generally arrived on time. In a relatively small
number of cases there was incorrect practice which has been commented upon in previous
reports:
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Manila folders should be used, not plastic pockets or ‘treasury tags’.
Folders should be clearly labelled with centre number and candidate number.
Folders should be packed in attendance register order.
WJEC stationery should be used for all work, with all details entered clearly,
including signatures.
The sheet for 40 words should be included. If not used this should be indicated.
The title for each task should be shown clearly.
The word count should be shown for each piece.
Only WJEC sacks should be used, with the total number of candidates shown in the
relevant box.
Content and assessment
Teachers have responded positively to comments and advice in previous reports. Examiners
agree that there was a good standard of performance overall. Positive aspects include:
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Appropriate length of answers, with most being between 200 and 300 words.
Although some were very short, fewer candidates wrote unnecessarily long pieces.
Relevant material, with candidates focussing on the title. In some cases candidates
did stray away from the subject or seemed to be confused as to what was relevant.
This was apparent with ‘school’, ‘part time job’ and ‘work experience’. Some
candidates who had chosen to write about ‘media’ tended to concentrate too much
on ‘leisure’. This was therefore not in accordance with ‘organised fashion’ as stated
in the mark scheme.
Better use of paragraphs which tends to make the answer more organised.
Better use of a range of tenses.
There were still difficulties with auxiliary verbs and the correct use of haben and sein. Many
candidates coped well with the conditional but some still have problems with the correct use
of the Umlaut. The weakest grammatical aspect continues to be case endings, where
performance was very varied.
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Use of dictionaries was also very varied, but overall there was an improvement. It is vital to
check the correct spelling of common words. Key words on the 40 word sheet were not
always checked. Where candidates wrote about a holiday they sometimes simply gave the
English version of place names or an incorrect version of the German. Capitalisation of
nouns was sometimes erratic.
The comments made last year regarding presentation still apply in 2014. Unfortunately poor
handwriting still continues to be an issue. Some scripts were very difficult to read or virtually
illegible. Miniscule writing was a particular problem. Nevertheless, there was much evidence
of care, neatness and thoughtfully presented work.
GCSE German Examiner's Report-Summer 2014-TH
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