SPANISH (AQA) FRENCH (AQA) GERMAN (AQA)
MR D WALKER (HEAD OF SPANISH / HEAD OF LANGUAGES) MS N TAÏBI (HEAD OF FRENCH) MISS C EVANS (HEAD OF GERMAN)
WHY LEARN A LANGUAGE? Should you wish to study two languages at GCSE, one of these will be an option and the other your core. Please circle your first language choice in the core section of the options form, then tick your second language option in the main part of the sheet.
WHICH SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE MUST I HAVE BEFORE EMBARKING ON A LANGUAGE GCSE COURSE? It is important to have displayed a good understanding of the grammar covered in Years 7, 8 and 9. You should continue learning Spanish, French or German if you enjoy the language and are motivated to deepen your understanding of the subject. If you are culturally curious you will gain much from the course. You should enjoy communicating and will gain greater confidence to articulate your ideas in the target language. Linguistic flair will be advantageous, but a disciplined approach to learning vocabulary and new grammatical structures is also a prerequisite for success.
With the UK’s planned withdrawal from the EU, it will be even more important for people in the UK to be able to communicate in another language. Knowledge of a foreign language is key to understanding how people think and not only plays a major role in social cohesion but also provides a skill for life. There are currently over 600 million speakers of either Spanish, French or German as a first language in the world. Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world after English, French is an official working language of the UN, the International Red Cross, and German is the language of the world's third most powerful economy and the most powerful in Europe. The European Economic Community, NATO, and the International Olympic Committee and German remains the UK’s most important European trade partner. Being able to communicate effectively in one or more of these languages is a portable skill that will open up opportunities in your future professional lives, as well as offering you greater freedom to travel and to forge social contacts with people across Europe and the World.
WHAT WILL I LEARN? You will acquire the ability to read and respond to texts in the target language, as well as listening to native
The GCSE Years 2021-2023 / 11
