GCSE 2009- Delivering the new specification in September 2009Unit 8. Religion and Society

Sally Hunter

During the course of this INSET delegates will:

• understand the assessment implications of the new specification

• be taken through the impact of the changes to the new specification

• have the opportunity to think about delivery strategies applicable to the new specification.

• learn about the total package and how it will help you achieve better results

How the changes effect you. Overview.

Each Section consists of

1. 12 key words – Glossary Pages 119/120.2. 11 bullet points that define the content.

How the changes effect you.

8.1 Religion: Rights and responsibilities. This section is only based on Christianity.

New content

• Importance of human rights for Christians• Importance of democratic and electoral processes• Genetic engineering including cloning• Human rights in the U.K.• Christian attitudes to genetic engineering and cloning

Five of the 11 bullet points now involve moral decision making.

8.1 Religion: Rights and responsibilities.

Deleted content

• The electoral system in the U.K.• Responsibilities of local and national government• Christianity and politics• The welfare state

8.2 Religion: Environmental and medical issues.Based on Christianity and one other religion.

New content

• The nature and importance of treatments for infertility with Christian and another religions attitudes

• The nature and importance of transplant surgery with Christian and another religions attitudes

8.2. Religion: Environmental and medical issues.

Deleted content

• Non-religious arguments about the environment• The work of a religious environmental group• Animal rights with Christian and another religions

attitudes

Religion: Peace and conflict.

New content

• The United Nations and world peace• One example of their work for peace• Why wars occur linked to current conflicts• The nature and importance of the theory of just war• Attitudes to bullying with Christian and another religions

attitudes• Religious conflicts in families

Religion: Peace and conflict.

Deleted content

• Causes of conflict between families and friends – no longer requires non-religious conflicts or conflicts between friends

Religion: Crime and punishment.

New content

• Laws on drugs and alcohol and the reasons for them• Social and health problems caused by drugs and alcohol• Different attitudes to drugs and alcohol in Christianity

and one other religion

Religion: Crime and punishment.

Deleted content

• Christianity and punishment• Another religion and punishment• Prisoners of conscience

Additional Deleted content

• There is no coursework option• Section 6 Religion and Science has disappeared

Do you have any questions about the content?

The assessment implications of the new specification.

The specification which will be examined for the first time in 2010 has new assessment objectives. GCSE RS now has to assess 50% of AO1 and 50% of AO2.

This means: AO1 = Describe, explain and analyse using knowledge and understanding

AO2 = Use evidence and reasoned argument to express and evaluate personal responses, informed insights and differing viewpoints

How are these assessed?

• AO1 – Will be assessed in the a) and c) questions

• AO2 – Will be assessed in the b ) and d) questions

a) Type questions.

As before these will be a keyword glossary definition.

Usually they will take one of two forms Either asking for a definition of the word.e.g. what is the Golden Rule?

Or asking for two examples of the word.e.g. Give two types of weapons of mass destruction.

2 marks are available.

2 marks are awarded for a fully correct answer. This is normally the glossary definition though it may be in the candidates own words.

e.g. The teaching of Jesus that you should treat others as you would like them to treat you.

Or two examples.e.g. Biological weapons and nuclear weapons.

1 mark is awarded for a partially correct answer.

e.g. Being nice to everyone.

OR

e.g. Biological weapons and bombs.

Something to think about. The keywords have changed make sure your teaching tools change to match! We may need to redesign the dominoes, the crosswords, the matching pairs etc!

b) Questions – significantly changed from the old specification.

These questions now assess AO2 not AO1 so they are asking for evaluation of issues, beliefs and teachings

Candidates must ensure that they indicate their personal view To gain maximum marks they must develop two reasons for holding this view

Answering b)-type questions.

The b questions ask candidates to provide 2 reasons for their own point of view.

e.g. Do you think it is important to take part in democratic processes?Give two reasons for your point of view.

This view can be: two reasons agreeing with the statement two reasons disagreeing with the statement or if the candidate states they are unsure they can give two opposing reasons.

Marking b) questions.

1 mark awarded for : a personal response with a brief reason

2 marks awarded for : EITHER a personal response with two brief reasons OR a personal response with one developed reason

3 marks awarded for : a personal response with two reasons one of which is developed

4 marks awarded for : a personal response with two developed reasons

Developing your answers.

• I think it is important to take part in democratic processes because voting in elections gives you a chance to be heard. (1)

• For example if you are interested in “green” issues you can vote for a “green” candidate and they will represent you. (2)

• Also if I didn’t vote I could not complain if the Government did something I didn’t like. (3)

• So if my MP supported building a new runway at Leeds airport and I disagreed I should have used my vote to elect somebody who agreed with me. (4)

Secular responses?

As demonstrated by this example it is perfectly possible for candidates to score full marks for a b) type answer without any kind of religious perspective. However they will also be credited for religious perspectives as long as they are personalised.

e.g. “A Christian would agree with this because” would not be creditworthy as it isn’t shown to be the candidates opinion.

But “As a Christian I would agree with this because” would be creditworthy.

As would “I agree with the Christian view on this because”

Teaching idea! Stick-it starter.

Do you think global warming is a big problem?

• Give each pupil a stick-it note and ask them to write a basic response to this stimulus

• Pupils stick the responses on the white board and collect a different one

• They then improve the first answer to make it a developed response

• Pupils join with a partner with a different response• Finally select pairs of pupils to read out their responses

to be marked by the class

One for you to mark.

Do you think global warming is a big problem?

I think it is because the icebergs are melting and all the polar bears will die. As well as that the melting ice will increase the sea level and a lot of land will get flooded so there will be nowhere to grow food.

How many marks would you give this?

Do you have any questions about b type responses?

c) type questions. Mostly unchanged from the old specification.

The format of these questions as far as students are concerned is unchanged.

However the way that marks are awarded has changed because the c questions will now assess quality of written communication.

Marks will be awarded singly

i.e. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 or 8 marksrather than in pairs 2,4,6 or 8 as they are now.

QWC

In this sub-question marks will be awarded for Quality of Written Communication (QWC)

This means students must try to answer the c) questions in clear English:spelling words correctly, using sentences and paragraphsmaking use of specialist vocabulary

C-type marks

In c sub-questions the level will be awarded according to the Religious Studies content, the mark within the level will then be decided by the QWC

The levels are essentially

Level 1 – Little understanding of the issue Level 2 - Basic understanding of the issue Level 3 – A more developed understanding of the issueLevel 4 – A clear understanding of the issue

C-type marks - QWC

The levels are essentially

Level 1 – Basic English with lots of spelling errors.Level 2 – Limited English, with spelling errors.Level 3 – Clear English, occasional spelling errors. Some specialist vocabulary.Level 4 – A clear and correct style of English using specialist vocabulary and very few spelling errors.

Levelling the RS content.

C type answers

• In general it is easier for candidates to gain full marks by using four brief reasons or two brief reasons for each of two attitudes

• In c answers one developed reason is equivalent to two brief reasons

• Full marks can be gained with two developed explanations where only one attitude is required

• Full marks can be gained with one developed reason for each of two attitudes where the question asks why some agree and some do not

4 simple reasons.

C) Explain why some Christians agree with capital punishment and some do not.Christians have different opinions on capital punishment because they interpret the Bible differently. (1)Some use the Old Testament where the death penalty is given as a punishment for some offences and they are in favour of the death penalty. (2)Others look at the New Testament where Jesus refused to stone the woman caught in adultery. (3)They would say that Jesus showed it is important to give people a chance to reform and you cannot reform a dead person. (4)This response will reach level 4 for RS content. So earns a minimum of 7 marks. It uses English well, has some specialist vocabulary and spells well so it also gets a mark for QWC scoring the maximum 8 marks.

C) Explain why some Christians agree with capital punishment and some do not.

Christeans don’t go for capiatal punishing because they say you hav to tret people how you want to be tretted and it’s cruel. (1)

This reaches level 1 for RS content but because it uses poor English it will not be awarded the QWC mark. It therefore scores 1 mark.

A total of 4 QWC marks are available on the paper.

Teaching idea!

C) Happy Families Plenary

•Ask every pupil to write a brief response to a c question•Ask them to find full mark families •Swap the brief reason with another pupil and improve it to a developed reason •Ask them to find full mark families•Swap their full mark answers with another family and mark the responses

This gives you the opportunity to assess their understanding of both content and assessment. It also develops the skills required to write a developed response.

One for you to mark.

Explain why some Christians are pacifists.

Some Christians are pacifists because of the Golden rule that says we should treat people how we would like to be treated. No-one wants to die in a war. As well as this the commandments ban murder and people get killed in wars. Jesus also said that he who lives by the sword will die by the sword and people take that to mean that all Christians should be pacifists.

Hoe many marks would you give this?

Do you have any questions about c-type questions or QWC?

D- type questions – some minor changes.

These sub-questions start with a stimulus quote which intended to be controversial and elicit arguments in favour and against the point of view stated in the quote, it does not matter which view the candidate holds about the quote.

The sub-questions are now out of 6 marks, rather then 4 as in the old specification.

This reflects the increased weighting on AO2.

d) -type answers

The d) sub-question is now divided into two parts to help candidates focus on the stimulus. AND to ensure that the candidates are guided so that they fully answer the question.

After each stimulus candidates are askedi) Do you agree give reasons for your answer ii) Give reasons why some people may disagree with you.

These are answered separately and have their own space in the answer booklet

Marking d responses.

In d questions each sub-question will be marked completely separately.

Each part (i and ii) will have 3 marks and will be marked1 mark = a simple reason2 marks = a developed reason OR two simple reasons3 marks = a fully developed reason OR two developed

reasons OR three simple reasons.

Developing your answers.

D type answers

• d type answers must include a religious perspective in either (i) or (ii). All the reasons given do not need to have a religious perspective.

• In general it is easier to gain full marks by giving three simple reasons for each point of view.

• To get three marks for developed answers the candidate will need to give two developed reasons.

Marking the d questions.

e.g. “Religious people should never break the law.”

(i) I disagree. Sometimes it is important to break the law. Christian would agree with me because they believe in Situation Ethics which means doing the most loving thing. So if there was a mad man with a nuclear weapon it would be fine to steal it! Rosa Parks broke the law when she fought for civil rights but the law was unjust.

(ii) Other people would disagree. They would say the law is there to protect society so you should never break it. The Church tells people to obey the law.

How many marks would you give this?

Marking d) type answers.

In the example given the i) half of the answer did included a religious view.

If a religious perspective is not given on either side the answer is limited to a maximum of 3 out of 6 marks.

In the d parts it is not possible for candidates to give a ‘not sure’ response they must give alternative reasons

One for you to mark.

“Christians should always follow their conscience”.

(i) I disagree because sometimes people can get it wrong. The Yorkshire Ripper believed God was telling him to kill prostitutes and he thought he was following his conscience.

(ii) Some Christians would agree because they believe it is the voice of god speaking inside of you and God can never be wrong. They would say that sometimes situation ethics means our conscience can sometimes allow us to do things like break the law if it’s for the greater good like stealing a nuclear bomb from a madman.

How many marks would you give this?

Any questions concerning the d-questions?

Challenges and changes.

Using expertise

• Significant parts of Unit 8 replicate information students will also be learning in other subjects most notably Science.

• This applies to the work on pollution and resources which are taught in Science. If we work with colleagues across the curriculum it should be possible not to replicate the teaching and devote more time to the implications.

• Cloning is also covered in the early GCSE modules this would give time to consider the moral and social benefits and risks of genetic engineering and cloning.

Thinking about your school.

• We need to give students more opportunity to reflect on fundamental questions. How can we encourage this in the classroom?

• We need to work together as Departments to engage our students and support non-specialist staff.

• We need to be aware of the issues we teach when they become “News” for example barely a day goes by without some news item involving genetic engineering.

• How can we bring the real world into our classrooms?

Opening the classroom.

• The new specification gives us the opportunity to have people come into our classrooms to provide the stimuli for our students.

• For example the community policeman could have some input into the laws on drugs and alcohol and the reasons for them.

• Someone with cystic fibrosis or sickle cell would give excellent input into advantages of genetic engineering.

The Debating School

• We intend to have interclass debates on things like “This house believes that no-one should clone a human”.

• I also hope to have some input into our “Thought for the week” as it would be relatively straightforward to put in a stimulus question when we cover issues like drugs. If our students start discussing topis in year 7 they should be brilliant by year 11

Any questions?

Contact Details

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