French (A Level)

The French A Level course enables you to build on previous GCSE knowledge in a logical and rewarding way, applying transferable skills in critical thinking and analysis. The course will provide you with inspiring and engaging themes and content which provide clear links to some of the most fundamental and richly diverse aspects of contemporary French culture and society. Popular literary texts and films are also studied during the course offering a further dimension of study into the wider French speaking world. This course rewards creativity and assessments place an emphasis on spontaneity and grammar as well as providing plenty of opportunities for students to apply their knowledge independently and creatively.

What you will learn:

• Listening: to understand spoken French that takes place in a range of different settings, listen to French news, films and Podcasts. Listen out for different accent variations and pronunciation of words.
• Reading: to understand the context of written pieces, read a wide range of authentic texts from the French media and French Speaking world. Read a novel in French and understand more traditional French vocabulary in an historical context.
• Writing: to apply grammar rules to write fluently and competently. Learn techniques to analyse characters studied in the novel and film and write about the key themes within these materials.
• Speaking: to become confident, sustaining long and detailed conversations about French traditions and customs. To be able to verbally summarise passages that you have read and to give presentations in the target language.

How you will lean

• Speaking in the target language
• Pair/group work
• Independent work
• Listening to authentic materials (watching films, French TV, listening to music)
• Researching, reading and keeping up to date with French current affairs
• Testing yourself on core vocabulary and application of grammar in written pieces
• Having an awareness of French society and the changes that have happened in France since the second world war and the social revolution of Mai 1968.

Year 1

The changes in French society

• The modern family
• The educational system
• The world of work

Political and artistic culture in the French speaking World

• Music
• Media

The role of festivals and traditions

• Literature and Film study
• La vie en rose (film)
• Le sac de billes (novel)

Year 2

Immigration and the multicultural French society

• Historic and contemporary immigration
• Integration and multiculturalism

The Occupation and Resistance

• The Occupation
• The Vichy government and Maréchal Pétain
• The Resistance

Speaking: Independent Research Presentation

Revision strategies, application and translation

Assessment 1: Listening, reading and transition, examination, 2 hours, 40% of the final grade.

Listening exam: Students will respond to comprehension questions based on a variety of contexts and sources.

Reading: A variety of text types and genres will be used to assess reading comprehension ability.

Translation: Students will be required to translate an unseen passage from French into English.

Assessment 2: Written response to works and translation, examination, 2 hours and 40 minutes, 30% of final grade

Written: This exam draws on the study of a French film and a literary text. Students write a 350 word essay to a question on a literary text and to a question based on a film.

Translation: Students will be required to translate an unseen passage from English into French.

Assessment 3: Speaking, exam 21-23 minutes, 30% of final grade.

Students have two tasks to complete within 21-23 minutes with 5 minutes preparation time. Students will discuss one theme from the specification based on a stimulus containing two different statements. The second task allows students to present a summary of the key findings of the written sources they have used for their independent research and answer questions on this followed by a wider discussion on their chosen area of research.

Students will be assessed on their ability to communicate and interact effectively, summarise and analyse findings, manipulate language and show knowledge and understanding about the culture and society where the language is spoken.

College basic entry requirements

• Grade 6 or above in GCSE French

What Next?

French A Level can lead to university study in modern foreign languages, either on its own or in combination with another language or subject, for example Law, Engineering, History, Geography, Art and Media.

A Level Language courses are highly respected by university admission tutors and potential employers, and may lead to overseas work and travel amongst other things.

Course Combinations

The course combines well with many A Level subjects, including English Literature and Language courses, History, Geography, Art, Mathematics, Biology, Music, Drama and many more subjects.