French

Course Specification

What will you study?

You will study a number of topics that are increasingly relevant to the world we live in.

• Artistic Culture in the French-speaking world
• Aspects of Political Life in the French-speaking world
• Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends & current issues
• Film: La Haine (Mathieu Kassovitz)
• Literary Text: Un Sac De Billes (Joseph Joffo)
• Grammar

What skills will you develop?

A level French builds upon your existing knowledge gained at GCSE, giving you a sound understanding of using French in a variety of contexts and situations. The emphasis of the A level French course focuses on improving communication through different means as well as being able to use it in a variety of situations.

The broad range of skills that you gain from studying French at A level are incredibly important tools to have, complementing a whole variety of other subjects. This includes:

• Increased fluency, accuracy and precision in French
• Using a range of key expressions and structures
• Using language spontaneously; asking and answering questions
• Presenting viewpoints and developing arguments
• Analysing, evaluating and pursuading
• Using a range of expression – including the list of grammar
• Using self-correction and repair strategies
• Reading and responding to a variety of texts
• Understanding the main points, gist and inferring
• Researching and using case studies/evidence to justify arguments
• Summarising information
• Translating from French to English and English to French

How will you be assessed?

Paper 1 - Listening, reading and writing

• Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes - 50% of A-level

Paper 2 - Writing

• Written exam: 2 hours - 20% of A-level

Paper 3 - Speaking

• Speaking exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time) - 30% of A-level