If you’ve ever wondered about teaching English IGCSE in your homeschool, I’ve got you. I’ve done this multiple times over the years and thought it might be helpful to share exactly what I do. All my children have passed with good grades (with a couple of A*’s thrown in for good measure!). This year, I shall be teaching Abigail and will share each step with you along the way. My plan is that this page will be the main English IGCSE page from which all others will link. I intend to write a little bit each Tuesday. My goal is that this will become a large, comprehensive post containing all you need for teaching English IGCSE in your own homeschool.
This post will begin with the importance the specification plays in ensuring your children learn what is needed. As I add more and more, I am hoping it will end with final exam prep and tips and hints for taking the exam. But I’m getting ahead of myself! Today is all about the specification.
Do check out my Homeschool Page which contains many interesting and helpful posts if you are just starting out your homeschool journey in the UK and beyond. There is also a huge collection of homeschool activities which have spanned over two decades of homeschooling my five children.
Why English IGCSE? Why not English GCSE?
The main reason I choose IGCSE over GCSE is that IGCSE are usually 100% exam and require no course work. They are identical to GCSE in terms of how they are viewed academically and are accepted as alternatives to GCSE by all of the top universities. IGCSE’s have the advantage of being available all over the world and are therefore world-wide recognised. They are also the choice of many private schools and lend themselves well to the homeschool environment. There are a few providers of IGCSEs. The two I have experience with are Pearson (EdExcel) and Cambridge. There is a handy dandy guide which is a useful place to start.
Choosing an English IGCSE Specification
I have always chosen Pearson (EdExcel) exam boards for English Language and English Literature because they are very well laid out and easy to understand. Everything is provided for you, without the need of any text book. However, if you feel the need to be guided by a textbook, they have one they recommend.
Pearson offer an assortment of English IGCSEs which gives you some choice. The two worth looking at if you are in the UK are Specification A and Specification B. There are two options in Specification A: a 100% exam route and a modular route which allows a child to carry out course work. The modular route does not work if you are teaching English IGCSE in your homeschool. This is because finding a tutor to modulate the coursework element can be tricky.
The difference between Specification A (exam route) and B is that Specification B uses unseen texts and has only one three hour exam. Specification A contains both seen and unseen texts and is examined across two shorter exams. We have always chosen Specification A for our homeschool.
Familiarising Yourself with the Specification
This is the single most important thing you can do. In order to not just teach the course but also to be able to assess how well your student is doing on the course, you need to know the specification like the back of your hand…or at least have easy access to it.
I always print out a copy of the specification and keep it in a large lever arch folder. I like to have a physical copy because I highlight and make notes regarding what my child has learnt and what they might struggle with. It may be that you do not feel the need to do this physically, in which case a simple download may suffice. English Specification A can be found here and Specification B can be found here.
Next week, I will be going through the specification with you and highlighting the important bits. For now though, read through it and familiarise yourself with it all. I promise, you’ll thank me later!
The Anthology
The Pearson anthology holds all the seen texts that your child can be examined on. Again, if you are teaching English IGCSE in your homeschool, you will need to know these texts well and be able to take your child through each in the specific section linked to the exam/specification you have chosen. I do not print the entire booklet out as only a small part of it is required for Specification A. I actually tend to print out each of the texts twice so that both I and my child has a copy. Again, I prefer a physical copy because I can mark it and write notes on it. And yes, I do know I can do this on my tablet. But I am old-school so still prefer a pen and a highlighter! You can find the anthology here.
Other Downloads
Pearson create a lot of helpful downloads which offer help to all teachers, homeschool or school. Having been down this route many times, I now do not feel the need for the extra help and as it is directed mainly at school teachers you may or may not find them that helpful to you teaching one child at home. However, I have left a list for you to take a look at as you may get some use out of them:
Next week, I will go through the expectation of the exam papers. I have always found it useful to really deep dive into what is expected of the student before I start teaching the contents of the specification. It is helpful because there are no surprises. You are also able to streamline your teaching. This is helpful because there is no point in teaching your child what they already know. It is a far more profitable use of your time to focus on the parts of the specification your child is weaker in. And you can only do that by familiarising yourself with the specification alongside the actual exam papers.
If you have any questions so far, ask away in the comments!
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