by Katherine Parr,
Lead Teacher of Humanities
With the introduction of the new specification, which now has three exam papers rather than two, the subject of Geography focuses more on the skill side of education, rather than on the content. Students need the skills to answer 2-4 mark questions that present graphs, diagrams and data that needs interpreting. Alongside 6-9 mark questions that need specific structures to follow. Across the country acronyms are being used to help the students remember how to achieve and answer such questions, we have started using some of the ones below:
TEAM- This acronym is used when interpreting a graph (2-4 mark questions)
T- trend
E- Example
A- Anomaly
M-Manipulation
We start using this in year 9- if the students can get used to thinking of the term TEAM whilst completing a interpretation question at the start of the exam, it will help jog there memory of four points that they can write every time- even if the question is out of a lower mark, there is then more chance that they will achieve full marks.
The ideal analysis is a brilliant starter task that involves giving photos or scenarios that have been covered in the past. Here the students reflection on areas that they have studied and analyse them in detail to embed their previous knowledge.
BUG(4- 9 mark questions)-
B- Box the key word
U- Underline the content
G- Go back and re-read
S- Start
Now this is a much simpler idea- this idea goes back to the age old problem of students not reading the question. For any of the higher mark questions students must BUG the question. Essentially making them read the question, highlight the key terms, underline the content and then get on with the work after reading the question again. This is not a complex or a new idea, however some students are still not fully reading the questions.
There are many more but we do not want to over burden the students. We've found these acronyms the most useful in helping the students gain extra marks.
Lead Teacher of Humanities
With the introduction of the new specification, which now has three exam papers rather than two, the subject of Geography focuses more on the skill side of education, rather than on the content. Students need the skills to answer 2-4 mark questions that present graphs, diagrams and data that needs interpreting. Alongside 6-9 mark questions that need specific structures to follow. Across the country acronyms are being used to help the students remember how to achieve and answer such questions, we have started using some of the ones below:
TEAM- This acronym is used when interpreting a graph (2-4 mark questions)
T- trend
E- Example
A- Anomaly
M-Manipulation
IDEAL- (4 mark questions)
I- Identify
D- Describe
A- Analyse
L- Limitations
BUG(4- 9 mark questions)-
B- Box the key word
U- Underline the content
G- Go back and re-read
S- Start
Now this is a much simpler idea- this idea goes back to the age old problem of students not reading the question. For any of the higher mark questions students must BUG the question. Essentially making them read the question, highlight the key terms, underline the content and then get on with the work after reading the question again. This is not a complex or a new idea, however some students are still not fully reading the questions.
There are many more but we do not want to over burden the students. We've found these acronyms the most useful in helping the students gain extra marks.
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