should I continue or drop english adv? (yr 11) (1 Viewer)

[smiskis]

I'm currently doing English Advanced in Year 11 and I just sat my prelim exam a few days ago
and I know for sure that I didn't do as well as I could've.

My ranks and marks so far this year have just been about average, but I'm stressed that my prelim results will make my rank worse lol
I used to do really well in English, and I've received some good feedback about my writing in general,
however this year I've been especially struggling to finish my essays under timed conditions and this has caused me to lose a lot of marks.
The only thing I've been told to improve on by my teachers is my handwriting speed...
I've done timed practices, but on the day of the exam my mind just blanks and I can't write as much.

I'm really enthusiastic about English and would much prefer to study the texts in Advanced rather than Standard,
but I'm just stressed about not improving and getting the marks I want in year 12.

I would really appreciate any advice or tips for year 12 english, particularly from people doing well or having similar experiences!
(like general tips on how I can write faster in exams and improve the quality of my writing etc...)
also is moving to standard worth it?

 

[spiderfan44]

i think with getting better at handwriting speed you need to expose yourself to more realistic exam conditions so you can get yourself over that 'blanking' that happens during exams. do timed exams in places you arent as familar with, such as libraries, during frees maybe a spare classroom, at the dinner table instead of the desk, etc. when youre at your usual desk you feel more comfortable bcuz its a familiar space, but if you do it somewhere else that may help mimic the discomfort of the exam. trying doing mock exams with friends or classmates. you should also look into ways of dealing with stress bcuz that stress of doing an exam is probably causing you to blank, and learning how to cope with that could help.

 

[liamkk112]

i think its best to stay in advanced in your case, you clearly are willing to improve in the subject and im pretty sure that if you put in the effort to fix up your exam technique and speed you'll do well

switching to standard is moreso a good idea if you are taking on time intensive subjects (eg ext 2 math), are doing poorly due to the difficulty of the texts in advanced, or just aren't willing to put in the effort to write the amount that your school expects you to compared to in standard; in your case its much better to stay in advanced since you're pretty capable of doing well if you push yourself a bit more imo

 

[gilmoregirls13]

i felt the exact same as you in yr 11. i got 70s + a dodgy ranking and wasn't happy at all and badly wanted to drop to standard. as the others have said, if you put your mind to it you can do really well in yr 12! right now i have gotten 80s and 90s in year 12 and have ranked 1st overall by keeping a good mindset and working hard. you got this!