The course provides a foundation for the further study of languages in the sixth form. The Modern Foreign Languages Department has a proven track-record of achieving excellent GCSE results with pupils of all abilities.

Studying French  to GCSE level will increase the pupils’ awareness of Europe and their skills will enable them to contribute to the world-wide economy.

By following a GCSE course in French it is envisaged that:

• the pupils enjoy the positive experience of learning a foreign language

• the development of the pupils’ interpersonal skills will continue as the pupils benefit from the department’s interactive learning and teaching styles established contacts between the department and pupils in French speaking countries will be further developed

• the pupils will be able to use French  naturally in practical situations

• an insight will be given into the culture and civilisations of countries where French  are spoken, by means of class-work and educational visits

• a positive attitude towards learning foreign languages and towards foreign language speakers will be encouraged

• the pupils’ awareness of the nature of language learning and various study skills will be developed

• the pupils’ information technology and communication skills will be developed as use is made during the GCSE courses of the internet, e-mail, web cam, specific software packages, video and satellite television.

Content of the GCSE French Course

The pupils will learn how to discuss various aspects of their daily lives through the medium of French . They will be trained to cope in tourist situations and in the world of work abroad. It is also expected that they will learn about world-wide issues.

The thematic units of the GCSE course in French are as follows:

• IDENTITY AND CULTURE

• WALES AND THE WORLD

• CURRENT AND FUTURE STUDY AND EMPLOYMENT

Within the department, a wide range of teaching and learning strategies are implemented in order to nurture the pupils’ enjoyment and confidence in the foreign language.

Assessment

The four language skills will be examined in French. The weighting for each skill is as follows:

UNIT 1 – SPEAKING 25%

UNIT 2 – LISTENING 25%

UNIT 3 – READING 25%

UNIT 4 – WRITING 25%

The nature of assessment within MFL has changed since September 2016. There are no longer any Controlled Assessment tasks to be completed. All skills are assessed in a final examination in year 11. The speaking component will be examined by the classroom teacher and will be marked externally by a WJEC marker.

Pupil who show promise in Modern Foreign Languages during year 9 should seriously consider studying both French and Spanish at GCSE. This will enable pupils to continue with language study further and studying two languages should no way be thought of as narrowing options.

Learning a language means acquiring a new skill which will stay with them for life, far beyond their GCSE examination study.

Entry Requirements:

You should achieve at least grade B across all units of the GCSE French course. You need to have sat the higher tier papers.

What is French?

The French A level course is aimed at students who have a passion for languages and have an interest in French culture and French-speaking countries. A-level French will give you the opportunity to gain a wide range of linguistic skills including an extensive vocabulary and a range of grammatical structures.

During the AS and A Level course, students will have the opportunity to explore social issues as well as political, intellectual and artistic culture in the French-speaking world. French is a well-recognised and academic subject that opens the doors to the world around you. It is a subject that will aid you in developing a wide range of skills ranging from communication, understanding difference and diversity through to citizenship and problem solving.

What will I learn whilst studying French?

The lessons will include whole class topic studies and discussions to improve written work and oral skills. Grammatical work will be woven through all the lessons in order to improve the accuracy and understanding of the structure of the language. Pupils will be encouraged to use a wide range of resources including school units as well as sites such as Quizlet and Memrise. Oral, written and grammar tests will be carried out throughout the two years. During the course you will also broaden your awareness of French speaking countries by taking a closer look at the culture of these countries including studying French literature and films in their contexts.

Course Content:

Theme 1: (AS) Being a young person in French-speaking society

Theme 2: (AS) Understanding the French-speaking world

Theme 3: (A level) Diversity and difference

Theme 4: (A-level) France 1940- 1950: The Occupation and the post-war years

Possible careers:

Languages open doors to a wide range of careers within a variety of different fields such as law, education, publishing, recruitment and many more. There is a desperate shortage of people in the UK who can speak foreign languages, consequently studying a modern language at A level is a relevant skill which prepares students for a wide variety of careers; it is also a skill that is seen as very attractive by universities and employers. French is one of the most prominent languages of Europe and is also spoken in Québec, Canada. If you choose to continue to study French at university, you will be able to visit one of these countries during your year abroad.

Pupil Comment: “I decided to study French at A level as it expands global links and opens the doors to various jobs in the future.” Alys Evans

Link to the website of the course:

https://www.cbac.co.uk/qualifications/french/r-french-gce-asa-from-2016/