Part 3: Photo card & discussion (AQA GCSE German): Revision Note

Photo card and discussion

• The photo card task and discussion are worth 25 marks

• It will last between 4 and 5 minutes at Foundation tier and between 6 and 7 minutes at Higher tier

• You will need to describe two photos in German from one of the three themes

• The photo description will last around 1 minute at Foundation tier and 1.5 minutes at Higher tier

• You will then have a discussion with your teacher covering any or all of the three topics within the theme

• The discussion will last between 3 and 4 minutes at Foundation tier and between 4.5 and 5.5 minutes at Higher tier

Tips for success - photo card

• You should describe both photos, but you do not need to spend exactly the same amount of time on each one

• This means that if you find one photo easier to talk about, you can focus on this one as long as you say something about the other

• Use the acronym PALM to help you structure your ideas - talk about People and objects, Action, Location and Mood

• Learn some key structures which can apply to any photo, e.g. es gibt, ich sehe, auf dem Foto

Tips for success - discussion

• A strong knowledge of question words is essential so that you know what your teacher is asking

• Listen carefully to your teacher's questions so you can respond appropriately, e.g. 'How often do you use your phone?' would require a different answer to 'What do you use your phone for?'

• To achieve the highest marks, focus on:

  • including a variety of vocabulary and structures (e.g. using and combining different tenses)

  • developing your answers (e.g. explaining your opinions, using connectives to link ideas)

  • including a good amount of information (e.g. narrating events by adding more detail, talking about others rather than just yourself)