LINEAR A-LEVEL COURSE CONTENT

The topics we will cover are:

Social issues and trends: diverse society; life for the marginalised; how criminals are treated.
Political and artistic culture: teenagers today; political commitment; demonstrations and strikes – who holds the power? Politics and immigration.

  • Grammar
  • Literary texts and films: You will study either one text and one film or two texts from a list prescribed by AQA

l Individual research project: You will choose a subject which interests you relating to France or the French speaking world. You will research this independently and present your findings in your oral exam.

WHERE DO I GO TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION?

Visit the AQA website: www.aqa.org.uk
Faculty Leader: Mrs J Darby (j.darby@finhampark.co.uk)

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO THIS COURSE?

5 grade 9-5 at GCSE including English and Mathematics. Grade 5 or above in GCSE French.

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS SUBJECT?

Can’t quite decide? Do you want a qualification to make you stand out from the crowd? Would you like to work abroad one day? What about taking an A-Level qualification in French?

Our course is wide ranging, covering literature, artistic culture, media, social and political issues. The independent project allows you to research any topic that interests you.

French is one of very few languages that is spoken all over the world, with over 200 million speakers across all continents. French is Europe’s second most widely spoken language and is one of the official languages of the  United Nations and the European Union.

We offer all our students the chance to participate in our long running annual exchange to Coventry’s twin city, St Etienne in France. Students will undertake a week of work experience in a French primary school whilst  staying with a family. This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in French culture and further broaden your horizons and knowledge.

Class sizes are generally small enabling lots of one to one teaching and support and personalised learning. Our course will inspire, challenge and motivate you to take your language skills to the next level.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP?

You will continue to develop the four key skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. You will learn translation skills and enhance your communication skills with the ability to debate and discuss current issues. Our course will greatly deepen your understanding of France and the French speaking world. You will work increasingly independently particularly when researching your chosen topic as part of the A-Level course.

HOW MANY EXAMS DO I HAVE TO TAKE AND WHEN DO I TAKE THEM?

3 papers at the end of Year 13:

Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Translating (40%): Listening to and reading texts from authentic sources about the topics covered during the course; translation into English; translation into French. Questions and answers in French.

Paper 2: Writing (30%) Questions about the literary texts or films that you have been studying. Answers to be written in French (about 300 words each)

Paper 3: Speaking (30%): Discuss one of the topic areas you have covered during your course (5 minutes) and then present and discuss a topic of your choice that you have researched (11 – 12 minutes)

IS THERE ANY COURSEWORK OR CONTROLLED ASSESSMENTS?

During the course you will research a topic relating to France or a French speaking country which interests you. You will present and discuss your findings as part of your speaking exam at the end of Y13.

WHAT MIGHT STUDYING THIS COURSE LEAD TO?

Studying French as a Single Honours or Joint Honours degree at university including a year of study in a French speaking country. Beginning to study another language at university. The opportunity to work or study overseas as part of your university course. French is also a useful entry requirement for a range of higher education courses such as translation, education, business, law and hospitality. Being able to speak French gives you an advantage on the international employment market. Previous students have gone on to study French and English and French with Hispanic Studies at university.