Aims of the Course

GCSE French

Aims of the Course

The French GCSE course aims to develop students’ ability to understand spoken and written language in a range of contexts. It will enable students to communicate in French using a range of vocabulary and develop their understanding of French grammar. Students will learn about the people whose language you are studying and also their way of life. Students will improve their key skills, e.g. communication, working with others, problem-solving, improve their own learning and performance and will use Information Technology. By the end of the course, students will be able to express themselves in a variety of everyday situations you might need on a visit to a French speaking country and have developed a positive attitude to French. Students will have a sound base for further study, work and leisure.

Course Content

The language taught and used in the course will include the following topics:

• Lifestyle (Health, Relationships and Choices)
• Leisure (Free Time, the Media and Holidays)
• Home and Environment (Home, Local Area and Environmental Issues)
• Work and Education (School/ Future Plans/ Jobs)

Some of these may be familiar to students as they build on and develop further core skills such as talking about themselves, their interests, daily routine and school life.

Method of Study

Students will:

• Listen to recordings of French speakers and have the opportunity to talk with the French Assistant
• Understand and cope with a wider range of vocabulary, including some unfamiliar language
• Understand and discuss issues and opinions
• Be able to understand authentic French materials such as hotel brochures, travel information, pen friend letters and ICT-based sources
• Write descriptions, accounts and narratives

Method of Assessment

Students are assessed in the four skills; Listening, Speaking, Reading & Writing.

There are 2 writing controlled assessments (worth 30% of the final GCSE grade) of roughly 200 words each (previously referred to as coursework); and 2 speaking assessments (worth 30% of the final GCSE grade) of 4-6 minutes each. The controlled assessment is continuous throughout Year 10 and 11.

There are also 2tiered (Foundation/Higher) listening and reading papers that students will sit at the end of Year 11 (worth 40% of the final GCSE grade).In addition to this, teachers set frequent end of unit assessments to track students progress during the course.