Modern Foreign Languages (French Page

 Exam Board – AQA

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

(French)

A GCSE in a Modern Foreign Language is an invaluable skill, and many of our pupils choose to take a language at GCSE.

For 2023-2024 we will be offering French as our main language, as our current pupils are studying this at Form 3 (Year 9). Pupils are also encouraged to take a GCSE in their native language whether this is Chinese, Italian, German, Spanish or something else.

By studying a Modern Foreign Language, you will not only add an international dimension to your GCSE subjects and learn more about the countries where the language is spoken, but you will also create greater opportunities to work abroad, or in UK companies with international links. Many employers look for people who speak a foreign language.

Course Content:

You will study all of the following themes on which the assessments are based.

Ī Theme 1: Identity and culture Ī Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest Ī Theme 3: Current and future study and employment

This qualification is linear: pupils will sit all their examinations at the end of the course. GCSE French has a Foundation Tier (grades 1–5) and a Higher Tier (grades 4–9). Pupils must be entered for a single tier across all papers and this will be determined after the mock exams in Form 5 (Year 11).

 Paper 1: Listening and understanding

(25% of the total qualification)  Paper 2: Speaking

(internally conducted, externally assessed – 25% of the total qualification) Includes Role Play, Photocard and Conversation sections.

 Paper 3: Reading and understanding

(25% of the total qualification) Includes questions in English, questions in French and translation from French.

 Paper 4: Writing

(25% of the total qualification) Foundation Tier: Includes a list task, a message task, a translation from English to French and a structured writing task.

Higher Tier: Includes a structured writing task, an open-ended writing task and a translation from English to French.

Tips for success

Ī Learn vocabulary on a weekly basis in order to build up your knowledge. There is too much to learn if you leave it until a week before the exam! Ī Read/listen as much in French as you can online – your teacher will give you some good websites. Ī Practise your pronunciation and accent whenever you can (no-one can hear you in the shower!). Ī Record yourself and listen over and over again. Ī Practise with someone else and make sure you test yourself. Ī Know all your key past/present/future verbs and structures off by heart so that you feel confident. Ī Be able to give a variety of opinions and reasons.