A Level - French

Course Summary

Subject: French

Course Title: A Level - French

Course Types: Sixth Form

Course Level: A-Level

Course Description

Introduction and Course Description

The study of French to Advanced Level is more than simply a question of academic study leading to a valued qualification, it also involves developing useful practical skills which can be applied in many situations in real life, whether at work or at leisure. The course aims to enable the students:

• to communicate easily and with confidence in a French-speaking environment
• to understand and appreciate spoken and written French from a variety of sources and in registers including colloquial, informative and literary
• to seek and convey information, report and express ideas and feelings in, for example, discussion, conversation, personal and analytical writing
• to form a sound base of language and learning skills for further study and continuing use in work and leisure.

An appreciation of the culture and civilisation of France and other French-speaking communities is fostered in the students and first hand contact is encouraged. Opportunities exist for students to travel abroad and they are encouraged to take advantage of these.

How will I be assessed?

This qualification is linear and students will sit all their exams at the end of the course in Upper Sixth.

Core content

1. Social issues and trends
2. Political and artistic culture
3. Grammar
4. Works: Literary texts and films

Assessments

Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing

What is assessed

• Aspects of French-speaking society
• Artistic culture in the French-speaking world
• Multiculturalism in French-speaking society
• Aspects of political life in French-speaking society
• Grammar

How it is assessed

• Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
• 160 marks in total
• 40% of A Level

Questions

• Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. Studio recordings in French will be used and students will have individual control of the recording.
• All questions are in French, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in French (60 marks).
• Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail.
• All questions are in French, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in French (60 marks).
• Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words (20 marks).
• Translation into French; a passage of minimum 100 words (20 marks).
• No access to a dictionary during the assessment.

Paper 2: Writing

What is assessed

• One text ( Un sac de billes) and one film (La Haine)
• Grammar

How it is assessed?

• Written exam: 2 hours
• 90 marks in total
• 30% of A Level

Questions

• Either one question in French on a set text from a choice of two questions and one question in French on a set film from a choice of two questions or two questions in French on set texts from a choice of two questions on each text.
• All questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation, as appropriate to the work studied (eg the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film).
• No access to texts or films during the assessment.
• No access to a dictionary during the assessment.
• Students are advised to write approximately 300 words per essay.

Paper 3: Speaking

What is assessed

• Individual research project
• One of four sub-themes i.e. Aspects of French-speaking society or Artistic culture in the French-speaking world or Multiculturalism in French-speaking society or Aspects of political life in French-speaking society.

How it is assessed

• Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time)
• 60 marks in total
• 30% of A Level

Questions

• Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5–6 minutes). The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test (25 marks).
• Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9–10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks).
• No access to a dictionary during the assessment (including 5 minutes preparation).
• Students may take the assessment only once before certification.
• Assessments will be conducted by either the centre or a visiting examiner and marked by an AQA examiner

In the classroom, emphasis is placed on the active use of the foreign language and on the exploitation of authentic material – websites, DVDs, newspaper articles, magazines etc. We also use Kerboodle within lessons to complement the interactive teaching style. Work is topic based and deals with many issues. We have also established an annual sixth form trip to Paris with Wirral Grammar School for Girls. There is also the opportunity to pursue work experience in France and get involved in international projects and language competitions

Future Opportunities

French is the second most commonly-taught second language in the world (after English), with 77 million first language speakers and 51 million second language speakers. It is the official language in 33 countries and, other than English, is the only language spoken as a native language in all 5 continents. French is one of the official working languages in dozens of international organizations, including: NATO, UN, Amnesty International and the Red Cross. Given the widespread usage and importance of French throughout the world the opportunities for those who study it are enormous.

Those with this qualification enhance their employment prospects, as more and more companies are now looking for a workforce which can communicate with partners in Europe and beyond. Students who do not envisage using French as an integral part of their career also benefit from the course as they experience the enjoyment and motivation of improving their linguistic level and find foreign travel easier.

The country’s economy and trade depend on the capacity to communicate with foreigners in their language. Ability in a foreign language gives access to many employment and promotion opportunities in a great number of areas and has an excellent reputation amongst universities. Many companies are multinational and almost all have dealings with other countries. A Level French will be a solid foundation for a degree course but, equally, it will provide a practical communication skill of appeal to many employers and would give graduates in many other disciplines an invaluable ancillary skill. A modern language is no longer the province of the ‘arts’ student and may be combined with many other subjects at sixth form level and beyond. Such subjects in Higher Education include Chemistry, Engineering, Law, Marketing, Business, and Computing.

You are demonstrating to potential employers your value of the international dimension, your ability to build relationships, your awareness of cultural differences and your presentation skills. The Russell Group of top university ranks French as a preferred A Level and the ratio of applicants to places across modern languages is better for the applicant than any other subject area. This is especially true for Oxford and Cambridge applicants. Graduates with language qualifications will earn, on average, 8-20% more than nonlinguists in comparable jobs. Only medicine, dentistry and veterinary science graduates have a better employment ratio than modern foreign language graduates.

"Employees with language skills are definitely more marketable and have more worth in the labour market." - Bob Sankley, HR Director, BMW

"The European Commission is desperate to employ more native English speakers fluent in another language." - Times Online

It is important to have people with language skills to maximise business opportunities and to assist our client in achieving their goals.  - Salim Sonjee, Partner, Wright and Jakes Solicitors

See what career this course can give you access

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