Dear Julie

I have some ideas that may be of use to you but they take time to set up but
once they are in place it is worth it. I have tried these on AS students so
some of them may not be on the GCSE Syllabus (It is a while since I taught
GCSE)

P&L account - once they have grasped the P&L Account structure I get
laminated cards made up of the differing parts of the account and shuffle
them up. I put blue tack on them and get  the students into teams they come
to the front of the class and the first team to get the P&L account into the
correct order on the board wins.

I also do this with the Balance sheet too.

I make up laminated cards depicting cards with differing businesses it
explains the business its markets the current cash position and overdraft
facility. They then have several cards that they turn over that puts varying
levels of strain on their cash position for example they may have to pay a
VAT bill or Business Rates final reminder or they may have an order come in
for which they have to work out cash receipts once discount is given. After
each card is turned over and worked out they have to keep a record of their
'new' cash position until the end of the game.We then go round asking for
the cash position of each company and ask them to explain how they got into
that situation and the implications for the business. Some businesses should
be in a deficit and some in surplus.
Phillip Allan do some good flash revision cards for As but they may do them
for A2 too these work quite well if you get the class into teams and do a
quiz with the questions.


I hope these give you a little help


Mandy


----- Original Message -----
From: "STAFF010" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 3:56 PM
Subject: Teaching GCSE finance and accounts in a practical way - help
needed!


> Hi All
>
> Somebody save my sanity please.
>
> I have a "delightful" group of Year 10's who are driving me nuts!
>
> As is usual in Business Studies they are VERY mixed ability. I also have
the
> misfortune to have 6 of the naughtiest boys in the year, a group of 27,
only
> 3 girls, ability from predicted A/A* to U, but only 7 are C to A*. The
> three-quarters who are D and below are all male,  hate videos, have an
> attention span measured in seconds and I dare not turn my back on them
> because of the behaviour problems!
>
> The Head's suggestion is more pace and more practical activities! I'm in
> desperate need of some games, simulations, activities which are going to
> enable me to make some progress with them. I'm teaching Finance and
Accounts
> at the moment ... how much they are learning is highly debatable!
>
> I need some sanity savers, not just for myself but the handful who
actually
> want to be there (as opposed to the majority who were hopeless at French
and
> Art so had to do Business Studies!!!!)
>
> All contributions gratefully received (before I end up in the funny farm!)
>
> Julie
>