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These are really helpful common sense responses. The following is a 'repeat' (!) of what I have just written on mflresources, but may help .... It's worth reading the whole of the article carefully because within it are highlighted the many conflicting issues at stake here (which actually also affect most other subjects with coursework) around the precise boundaries / limits regarding what help / support / preparation is legitimate. It is significant that the spokesman for OCR said it was malpractice but couldn't point to any specific rule on this point. It certainly is not a question that 'we've been rumbled' .. it's that there is a grey, ill-defined area and teachers are left with an invidious responsibility in the absence of clear guidance And I am concerned that the same situation will continue for languages AND other subjects with the move to controlled assessment because of the inconsistencies and lack of clarity. The risk here is that it becomes a 'when did you stop beating your wife?' type of question which inherently implies you were doing something wrong in the first place. Cheating or malpractice would be where there is clear contravention of rules e.g. showing them the role play cards or opening a paper before the specified dates etc. I'd reiterate my point above that it is significant that they could not point to a specific rule. It is important that there is a positive response saying that pupils and parents would expect teachers to do their best to prepare pupils within the rules as set by QCA, Ofqual and the exam boards and nothing in this investigation contravenes the rules. There is a quite separate issues as to whether the rules should be different or more tightly framed - but that is a quite separate issue. The other point is to say that it is a similar situation in other subjects with coursework etc. as to how much do teachers help / give guidance etc.
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