French
GCSE
What will I study?
French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the European Union, and, in Europe and Africa taken together, more people speak it than speak English. There is a shortage of French speakers in the UK and people who can speak French are in high demand by employers.
By learning a language, you develop awareness of another culture and customs; you learn to think on your feet; you find out more about your own language by comparing it with French; and you improve your communication strategies and skills in French and English.
You will learn :
- a wide range of grammar and vocabulary to allow you to communicate facts, opinions and beliefs;
- about people and their lifestyles;
- about popular culture;
- about communication and the world around us
How will I be assessed?
There are four exams taken at the end of Year 11.
- In the listening exam you will hear short passages of spoken French and you will answer a range of questions in English.
- In the reading exam, you will have a range of written French texts to read and you will show your understanding of them by carrying out varied tasks including true/false questions and you will translate sentences from French to English.
- The speaking exam includes a discussion in French about a range of topics that you have studied at GCSE. You will discuss a text you read out loud, a picture and take part in a role play conversation.
- In the writing exam you will write texts on topics you have studied and translate a sentences from English into English.
Teaching and learning approaches
All French lessons will blend the four skills areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing. This means that there will be regular opportunities to discuss and collaborate with other students in games, challenges and role-plays.
If you choose French, you will be encouraged to develop your own strategy for independent learning, through tasks matched to your own abilities, using dictionaries, reference materials and the internet.
You will be taught about the best techniques for obtaining good exam marks and how to match your skills to the exam questions you will meet at the end of the course.
Enrichment opportunities
We will bring Francophone culture to your classroom through music, video, food and topical cultural events.
You will also get information about how to access French television, websites and music so you can explore your
interests.
Homework
Homework is set weekly and is a very important part of the course. Regular revision of vocabulary will be at the core of your homework. In addition, you will have a range of listening, reading and writing tasks to complete.
The Future
A GCSE in French, combined with other subjects, will open doors that you never dreamt possible.
You will have a wider outlook on the range of subjects you could take at A Level. You can combine your language studies with many other subjects to qualify for better jobs in business, the law and commercial careers, academic jobs, and the tourism and hospitality industries.
You can combine your language knowledge with science subjects to pursue qualifications in environmental sciences, biology, physics and engineering, and be certain that a much wider range of career options will be available to candidates who can work in more than one language. If you want to move straight to work, your options for getting employment are wider because you have some French.
A minority of people in England can speak more than one language. Many British companies survive and thrive by exploiting foreign markets and need foreign language speaking workers, and, of course, you can also use your English in a foreign company, especially if you speak their language, because they won't have to speak yours.
