This sheet gives students suggestions about how to include ambitious sentences in a GCSE essay about jobs. In preparation for the essay, students translate 9 sentences (page 1) that would fit the essay bullet points. They use the grammar notes (page 2) to help them. Answers are on page 3. Once complete students should write their own essay. This task has produced some excellent essays for me in the past, and has helped those who frequently complain that they ‘don’t know what to write’.

Help sheet explaining how subordinating conjunctions work in German, with examples and a follow up task.

When marking German essays, teachers only need to number any grammar errors and students than then refer to the related notes to help them self correct. This sheet contains common errors made by my KS4 students over several years. It has developed their ability to discuss and ‘fix’ errors independently.

Monopoly-style game on the topic of holidays. Students start on ‘Los!’ with 3 points. If they land on a picture they have to say what they did on holiday (pictures are a just a guide). 1pt for a short answer e.g. ich bin nach Italien gefahren. 2pts if extended e.g. Letztes Jahr bin ich nach Italien mit meiner Familie gefahren und wir haben Rom besucht. 3pts if an opinion is added to an extended answer. If a player lands on a question mark square, they pick up a (chance) card from the middle, work out what it means using help sheet and win or lose points. Great for practising past tenses, encouraging extension and ambition and allowing for peer evaluation.

4 paragraphs covering all aspects of the environment, and a range of group activities to consolidate the language. POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES: Students get 4 paragraphs in German, each in a different colour: a) match up each English sentence with a coloured paragraph. b) students read each paragraph with a partner, taking turns to read 1, 2, or 3 words at a time before their partner takes over. They alternate who reads. Person who reads the last word in the paragraph loses. c) In pairs, students are given 4 small bits of scrap paper which they label gelb / gruen / rosa blau. Teacher reads a few words from one paragraph and students have to grab the correct colour before their partner. d) in groups of 4 (ideally) with one captain - captain is given page 2 and calls out a short phrase in English. The student who gives the EXACT translation in German gets a point. Continue with a time limit. Great activity for engaging and broadening vocabulary. Could be followed by students writing their own paragraphs, which they could then write questions about for others to answer.

Model dialogue in which 2 people arrange to go to the cinema. Students fill in the gaps by finding missing words in the word puzzle. As an extension task, they can complete the film programme information and devise their own conversation based on it.

Suggested phrases for a) summarising information in a stimulus b) giving opinions about a related issue c) giving factual information. Proven to help students structure their thoughts and express them more clearly. Promotes use of ambitious language.

Reading comprehension in which Philipp and Gabi explain about their school. Questions are in English and there is a follow up writing task.

In small groups, students take turns to throw a dice twice which determines a question. They then have 30 seconds to answer it. Students could peer assess answers using exam criteria or WWW / EBI. This grid focuses on GCSE topic questions relating to school and free time, and covers a range of tenses.

Sheet showing the 3 connective types in German with examples of how to use them. Useful for adding variety to students’ writing and speaking, and for encouraging ambition.

Useful shopping phrases to match up. This can then lead on to students devising their own shopping dialogues. They could read / act out their dialogues to others and ask questions about it. Good practice for GCSE role-play.

Useful sheet with vocabulary for different clothes and adjectives to describe them. The sheet also shows the gender of each item of clothing and indicates what adjective ending to use. Proven to broaden students’ descriptive vocabulary.

4 German role-plays to practise on a theme of holidays and tourism. Students take turns to be the ‘examiner’. Can be repeated until students can do all 4 from memory. Proven to boost performance on role-play tasks in GCSE exams.

Students listen to the descriptions of a dream holiday and spot / correct the errors on the transcript. They can then use language from the task to write their own answer to the question ‘Wie waere dein Traumurlaub?’ Good activity for developing use of the conditional.

German listening activity with questions to answer on 6 audio recordings of a hotel guest making complaints. Links in well with the Holidays topic at GCSE and is a good vocab booster. Proven to help with role-play tasks too.

This help sheet, with examples and exercises, looks at how to translate the verb ‘get’. Students often confuse ‘bekommen’ and ‘werden’. This sheet is proven to help students choose the correct verb.

Useful phrases for students to promote a tourist attraction, giving key details (price, facilities, location etc). Could be used for a written task, such as a flier to promote an attraction, or for a speaking activity during which students argue about whose attraction is best and why. Proven to engage and expand vocab.

Give the students the version of the poem with the ends of each line missing. They must choose the correct endings of lines (rhyme scheme AABB) from the options on the board (Powerpoint). What can they tell you in English about the writer’s best friend? Great activity for Y9 or 10. Proven to challenge and engage, and students like the surprising twist at the end.

Ideal for topics relating to friends and going out, these ‘chat up’ phrases encourage interaction and develop students’ skill in choosing specific phrase types for different purposes. Works well with Year 9. Get students asking each other out and encourage them to play ‘hard to get’ so that the ‘asker’ has to try a bit harder and the conversations are more extended. Give it a go!

One page reference sheet for determining different cases and adjective endings. It also addresses pronouns and case-specific prepositions. Ideal for 6th formers working independently. Proven to improve accuracy.