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GCSE Polish tips?

posts: 29

♂

Nov 5, 11, 23:35 #1

Hi folks.

I was thinking of attempting GCSE Polish next year (2012), and had a rather good native Polish work colleague to help me with grammar, vocabularly etc. He has unfortunately left the area and hence, have now been left to my own devices to carry on.

Just to ask out there if anyone has ever sat GCSE Polish, and what the experience was like?

I have moderate grasp of vocubulary and am learning the complex grammar(!). Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

ps In my area (of UK) there are Polish lessons, but just basic (which I have already completed).

I have bags of perseverence, but just wanted a little boost... I feel rather deflated...

Chrząszcz

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,395 Joined: May 30, 08 ♂	Edited by: pawian Nov 5, 11, 23:42 #2
Chrzaszcz: Just to ask out there if anyone has ever sat GCSE Polish, and what the experience was like? Take a look at a GSCE Polish exam paper, O level, from May 2011. http://pobieranie.dlastudenta.pl/matura/2011/polski/polski_2011.pdf Tell us if you have any idea what it is about.

♀

Nov 6, 11, 00:13 #3

pawian:

Take a look at a GSCE Polish exam paper, O level, from May 2011.

Now, Pawian, that's not fair. Even Poles living in Lithuania protested against taking the same GCSE as ethnic Lithuanians.
Chrząszcz, you need to find another Polish teacher - I can't imagine there are no Poles within a shouting distance in any corner of the UK.
Either this, or come here and ask. Somebody's bound to answer every time. It's nice to be The One Who Knows It All ;)
Or, PM Catsoldier and ask him for hints - he seems to be getting there.

ChrzaszczThreads: 19 Posts: 136 Joined: Jul 4, 11 ♂	Nov 6, 11, 00:13 #4
Hi Pawian Is this for Polish students doing Polish language exam? I've had a look at the AQA Examination Board (UK) syllabus, and specimen exam papers, and your attachment seems 10 times harder!!!! If your link is the standard required, I may have to reconsider? Have you done it?

WroclawThreads: 77 Posts: 7,404 Joined: Apr 1, 06 ♂ [Moderator]	Nov 6, 11, 00:24 #5
Chrzaszcz: If your link is the standard required, I may have to reconsider? it's not O level, it's A level equivalent. and it's for students who were born into the language. don't worry about it and continue with what u are doing.

♂

Edited by: Chrzaszcz Nov 6, 11, 00:30 #6

Hi strzyga

I do know perhaps 15 Poles (I go to the Polish Church), and do 'talk' to them in rather broken Polish - and rather brief conversations. They are more than willing to give me help, but one feels a little nuisance asking.

I'm afraid I may have to continue to ask questions here. It's my only lifeline!

Can I take this opportunity to save a big thanks for everyone who has given me a massive help already!

Watch this space....

♂

Nov 6, 11, 00:49 #7

Wroclaw:

it's not O level, it's A level equivalent.

By O level I meant the basic level of Polish matura exam, called podstawowy, taken at the age of 19, after finishing high school. I provided the link above.

The advanced level is here:
http://pobieranie.dlastudenta.pl/matura/2010/polski/polski_pr.pdf

Wroclaw:

t's for students who were born into the language.

Aaaargh! My mistake! It just dawned on me Chrząszcz wants to take a Polish language exam in the British educational system!

Funny misunderstanding! :):):):)

I am curious to see what it looks like.

WroclawThreads: 77 Posts: 7,404 Joined: Apr 1, 06 ♂ [Moderator]	Nov 6, 11, 01:02 #8
pawian: I am curious to see what it looks like. i usually explain to students here that the english matura exam would be easy enough for native english teenagers. i guess it works both ways. Chrząszcz will be taking an exam based on a particular reading age... maybe that of a 13 or 14yr old Pole. (whereas science subjects would require similar knowledge.)

♂

Nov 6, 11, 01:04 #9

pawian:

I am curious to see what it looks like.

Hi Pawian

Here are a few specimen examples from previous GCSE exams. I'm sure you think it's a walk in the park!

http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/newgcse/pdf/AQA-46852-W-SQP.PDF
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/newgcse/pdf/AQA-46851-W-SQP.PDF

This is an example of previous candidates' answers to the Writing part, giving exaiminers' comments.

http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/newgcse/pdf/AQA-4685-W-TRB-OG-EXEMPWRIT-S PR10.PDF

Have fun!

♂

Edited by: pawian Nov 6, 11, 01:47 #10

Wroclaw:

it's not O level, it's A level equivalent. and it's for students who were born into the language.

Revelation!

GSCE is taken by British 16 year olds, right?

I have always thought it is a counterpart of Polish matura exam (that is what they taught me once). But matura exams are taken at the age of 19 in Poland. So, indeed, they equal British A -levels. However, ours are still divided into basic and advanced level.

Shyt! Clarification of that kind at my age? Preposterous! :):):)

Chrzaszcz:

Here are a few specimen examples from previous GCSE exams. I'm sure you think it's a walk in the park!

http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/newgcse/pdf/AQA-46852-W-SQP.PDF

Thanks. Verily, a piece of cake.

But it seems more difficult than the Polish counterpart of GCSE, an exam called gimnazjalny, taken at 16, after finishing junior high school.

http://www.cke.edu.pl/images/stories/0001_Gimnazja_2011/jez/JA/angiels ki_a1.pdf

Chrzaszcz:

Have fun!

Thanks.
I did. It reads like the Polish language, but it is not natural. I mean, people speak differently here. :):):)

A few examples:

chociaż jazda na rowerze jest pozytywna dla zdrowia.

Tatuś nigdy nie pozwala mi chodzić na imprezy. [daddy is used several times in seperate statements, it is exaggeration, normally it is dad]

Myślę, że nie ma sensu starać się ochraniać środowisko,

“Miałem opory, aby Agnieszce dać telefon, ale myślałem o bezpieczeństwie córki, o sytuacjach-niespodziankach.

Nie kupiłem biletu autokarowego,

This text lacks some logic - the connection between tax rise, smuggling and fines is distorted in a way.

Polscy palacze po obu stronach kanału La Manche mają powody do obaw. Na skutek umów z Unią Europejską w roku 2008, od 14 stycznia wzrósł w kraju podatek na papierosy, i to aż o 23%. Tym razem podwyżka jest znaczna. Sytuacja ta sprawiła, że nielegalne ich przewożenie w 90% wypadkach już przestało się opłacać, nie tylko w celach zarobkowych, ale nawet na własne potrzeby. Jeśli ktoś posiada powyżej 800 sztuk, z pewnośćią dostanie karę 1000 funtów.

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,395 Joined: May 30, 08 ♂	Nov 6, 11, 02:26 #11
pawian: Thanks. Verily, a piece of cake. But it seems more difficult than the Polish counterpart of GCSE, an exam called gimnazjalny, taken at 16, after finishing junior high school. Major difference: Polish exam includes 4 listening tasks.

rybnikThreads: 29 Posts: 1,232 Joined: Jan 16, 11 ♂	Nov 6, 11, 02:28 #12
Chrzaszcz: Here are a few specimen examples from previous GCSE exams What is the purpose of this exam? does one take it in school? to qualify for a job/certificate? What does AQA stand for?

♂

Nov 6, 11, 16:11 #13

Hi Rybnik and Pawian

Yes, GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) are compulsory examinations taken by all 15/16 year olds in their final year at school. They take between 5 and 10 separate GCSE examinations usually studied over two years.

GCSE's can be taken in a myriad of subjects and for different purposes. To be able to sit Advanced Levels (A Levels), students generally have to obtain at least 5 GCSE passes at grades A-C. If students obtain these grades, they they enter Sixth Form (ages 16-18) and usually study 4 or 5 A Levels, studied over 2 years. Then after that off to University (ages 18-20/21).

AQA stands for Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (UK). This is the Examinations Board which sets out/marks students' GCSE/A level examination papers.

The attachements I pasted in were AQA samples of GCSE Polish examinations. It provides a glimpse of what the exam contains.

Cześć

♂

Nov 6, 11, 16:23 #14

Czesc Pawian

Thanks for the English GCSE counterpart... It looks slightly different.

The full GCSE award consists of 4 parts:

Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening

Must pass all four parts to be awarded the full qualification.

I think there's a difference between English and Polish education system. I am quite astonished though with the Polish people I meet here how fluent they are in English. I do wish I was better in Język Polskiego......

rybnikThreads: 29 Posts: 1,232 Joined: Jan 16, 11 ♂	Nov 6, 11, 18:08 #15
Chrzaszcz: I do wish I was better in Język Polskiego...... Thanks for the info. You'll get better, just stick with it. Polish, as you well know, is one tough language to master.

♂

Edited by: catsoldier Nov 6, 11, 22:16 #16

The Irish equivalent of the GCSEs, Polish exam, 2009, Higher level
http://www.examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2009/LC548ALP000EV.pdf

And this is the plan for correcting students papers which is in Polish interestingly, Poles must be correcting the papers:
http://www.examinations.ie/archive/markingschemes/2009/LC548ALP000EV.p df

It looks very hard to me, you have to write a 300 word essay for 40% of the marks(how many words do I have related to this topic?!: I can barely write whole sentances(gramatically correct) with 4 words related to what I already know.
Część III (40 / 100)
Napisz wypracowanie na jeden z poniższych tematów, używając około 300 słów:
1. Świat bez reklamy – nie do pomyślenia!
ALBO
2. Ciężkie czasy wyzwalają w nas to, co najlepsze?

This looks interesting:
2. Wyjaśnij znaczenie wyrażenia „złapać (chwycić) Pana Boga za nogi”. (akapit 4)
(5)

I think that this test is for Polish people but I could be wrong.

ChrzaszczThreads: 19 Posts: 136 Joined: Jul 4, 11 ♂	Nov 6, 11, 22:56 #17
Hi catsoldier Irish leavers have three years to study for their Leaving Certificates (16-19). Still, the level looks way higher than the English GCSE level. I think the ILC is for all students. Most Irish universities require a language as part of their studies.

♂

Edited by: catsoldier Nov 6, 11, 23:31 #18

Chrzaszcz:

I think the ILC is for all students.

I would imagine that the standard of the essay would have to be very good. If there are a lot of native Polish speakers taking the exam they would raise the standard. The exam would be marked harder accordingly because everyone cannot get an A.(I am not studying for any exam by the way)

Taking the GCSEs might be similiar, if you have a lot of Polish people taking the exam it could be marked harder making it more difficult for you. If you were taking an exam where the students are learning the language like you are you would probably do a lot better. There cannot be two many non native speakers taking the exam for Polish GCSEs.

I imagine that time will be a problem in the exam also, if it is timed to suit native speakers you would have to match them to do well. I know it takes me forever to work out the grammar rules.

Is there an exam that non native speakers take for levels A1, A2, B1 etc.?

♂

Nov 7, 11, 21:54 #19

Hi Catsoldier

Just had a quick look on language statistics webpage. Polish came 7th most popular out of 21 languages studied at GCSE level last year. Just over 4,000 entries were recieved. French (154,000 entries), followed by Spanish, German, Welsh, Italian, Urdu then Polish. Interestigly, in 1995 there were just 237 entries for Polish.

As far as any type of examination below GCSE level there aren't any (that I know of). Just out of interest, it took me weeks and weeks to find a centre that offer the Polish exam. There are only two centres here in UK - London and Oxford. Mam trzydześci dziewięć lat, and found it impossible to sit it at a school.

At least I found a couple of centres to do it!

catsoldierThreads: 90 Posts: 697 Joined: Sep 27, 09 ♂	Nov 7, 11, 22:42 #20
Chrzaszcz: At least I found a couple of centres to do it! Best of luck, be sure to let us know how you get on.

ChrzaszczThreads: 19 Posts: 136 Joined: Jul 4, 11 ♂	Nov 7, 11, 22:52 #21
catsoldier: Best of luck Thanks catsoldier. I will certainly be here posting my grammatical queries. I have no idea how I'll get on - I do have at the most 8 months to prepare. I think my main thing now is to learn adverbs, nouns and everything else! Czy jesteś polakiem? Czy pracujesz w Polsce? Jestem wścibski! :-)

kieThreads: 17 Posts: 28 Joined: Jun 4, 07 ♂	Edited by: Moderator Nov 8, 11, 22:45 #22
Hello. I too would like to take a test in Polish, but dont't mind taking it in Polska, preferably in Wroclaw. I found this website, which looks fairly official. What do you make of it and are there any other options? http://certyfikatpolski.pl/index.php?lang=en Thanks, Kieron.

♂

Nov 20, 11, 18:54 #23

kie:

are there any other options?

I've had a look Kieron at that website and it does look difficult. I note that the recommended books include Po Polsku 3 !!! It looks as if you have to be fairly good at Polish. How is your Polish?

I don't know if GCSE's can be taken in Poland - GCSE's are English based examinations. I don't really know what else to suggest. I would have a bash at the one you've mentioned.

Hope this helps?

catsoldierThreads: 90 Posts: 697 Joined: Sep 27, 09 ♂	Dec 27, 11, 22:53 #24
Hi Chrzaszcz! Did you have any Christmas test and how did it go? Would you post the test questions? Wesołych świąt

TanyaColeThreads: 1 Posts: 14 Joined: Feb 11, 12 ♀	Feb 16, 12, 19:16 #25
Where can you even sit accredited Polish courses in England? I have been trying to find one for a while!

ChrzaszczThreads: 19 Posts: 136 Joined: Jul 4, 11 ♂	Feb 22, 12, 22:44 #26
czesz catsoldier I am still waiting to do my GCSE. Doing it in May 2012 in London. I've been away from this forum for quite a while. Still got to learn loads and loads of vocabulary! Perhaps I'll get a grade C or D. Staram sie! Chrzaczcz

catsoldierThreads: 90 Posts: 697 Joined: Sep 27, 09 ♂	Feb 23, 12, 23:28 #27
Cześć Chrzaczcz Powodzenia, trzymam kciuki/Best of luck, fingers crossed or something like this. You should reply nie dziękuję to powodzenia so as not to hex yourself in the test :-)

Papug	Feb 24, 12, 21:16 #28
Essays. It is ridicules. I'd be unable to write an essay, especially on that stupid subiect, in my mother tongue. I am an engeener, not some essays writing humanist.

ChrzaszczThreads: 19 Posts: 136 Joined: Jul 4, 11 ♂	Feb 25, 12, 19:01 #29
catsoldier nie dziękuję to powodzenia!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

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