English as a Second Language
Why study the International GCSE in English as a second language?
The International GCSE in English as a second Language provides plenty of opportunities for students who do not have English as their first language to develop competence in English to equip them for further study and employment in England or in English speaking countries where English is used as the main medium of communication.
You will develop your reading, listening and speaking skills as you encounter a wide variety of reading texts and gain practice in understanding spoken language, both live and broadcast covering a range of topics normally encountered in personal, social, academic and vocational contexts. You will also develop the ability to write clear, well structured texts using an appropriate style, expanding and supporting opinions with appropriate arguments.
You will also develop your spoken language skills to enable you to express yourself fluently, spontaneously and appropriately in a range of contexts.
What will I study?
Topic 1: Myself & others • Hobbies & leisure time • Homes • Family, friends & relationships
Topic 2: Travel & tourism • Transport & accommodation • Tourist activities • Travel destinations & reasons for travelling
Topic 3: Education • School life • Future education plans • ICT (information and communication technology)
Topic 4: Employment • Part-time & voluntary work • Future employment plans • Job applications
Topic 5: Global Issues - choose one from the following sub-topics: • The Environment • Equality • The Media
Topics 1-4 are compulsory for all learners and may be assessed in any of the four papers.
Topic 5 is compulsory for all learners, but they are given a free choice to choose one from three subtopics. Topic 5 will be assessed only in the productive skills papers (Writing & Speaking). Learners are not assessed on Topic 5 in the receptive skills papers (Reading & Listening).
How will I be assessed?
The IGCSE will be assessed by means of external examinations. The first assessment for this specification will be in 2025.
Paper 1: Reading
1 hour (25%), 50 marks
The Reading paper consists of six reading texts of increasing length and challenge. Some texts are divided into two or more paragraphs followed by questions on the text. The Reading paper includes different types of text, e.g. factual texts, invitations, instructions and opinion pieces. Texts include both informal and professional writing styles.
Paper 2: Listening
45 Minutes (25%), 50 marks
The Listening paper consists of nine recordings of increasing length and challenge. Some recordings are divided into two or more audio clips followed by exam questions. Learners hear each recording twice. They are given time to read the questions before each part of the recording begins, and are expected to respond to the questions as they listen.
Paper 3: Writing
1 hour 15 Minutes (25%), 50 marks
This paper assesses writing skills, including spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG). Tasks will relate to all five Topics. There will be three tasks:
Task 1 - Informal writing (80 words)
Task 2 - Semi-formal writing (180 words)
Task 2 - Summary writing (180 words)
Paper 4: Speaking
22-23 minutes (25%), 50 marks
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Three tasks:
Task 1 - Role play (1-2 minutes)
Task 2 - Topic talk (5 minutes)
Two-minute presentation by student of a topic from Topic 5, prepared in advance. Three minutes of follow-up questions.Task 3 - Picture based conversation (5 minutes)
The examination board is Edexcel Pearson and the specification number is 4ES2. You can see the full specification here.
What else should I know?
You must study either English Language GCSE or the IGCSE in English as a Second Language.
A pass in one of these is essential to studying for an A level in any subject.
The IGCSE in English as a Second Language covers a range of abilities from A2 to B2 of the CEFR (Common European Framework).
The IGCSE builds the skills you will need to prepare you for IELTS English examinations, which are needed for university entrance if you are an international student.
If you have any queries about this curriculum, please contact: Mrs Gill Beckett, Head of English as an Additional Language, on gjb@farlingtonschool.com