French

Assessment

Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing (50% of A-Level grade) For this paper students will study current issues and trends in the French-speaking society, artistic culture in the French-speaking world, aspects of political life in the French-speaking world and grammar. The listening component of the exam will require students to listen and respond to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources. Students will also be required to read and respond 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 and are to be answered with non-verbal responses or in French. Paper 2: Writing (20% of A-Level grade) For this paper students will study either a text and a film or two texts from a set list. There will be no access to the texts, film or a dictionary in the exam. Students will be required to offer 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 (e.g. the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film). Paper 3: Speaking (30% of A-Level grade) For this unit students will be required to carry out a presentation and answer a series of questions on an individual research project. Students will also be required to discuss one of four sub-themes e.g. current issues and trends in the French-speaking society, artistic culture in the French-speaking world or aspects of political life in the French-speaking world. Students learn a range of language skills: the ability to communicate confidently in French, to understand and respond to written French and to translate coherently from French into English and from English into French at A-Level. They also learn to structure essays using increasingly accurate, complex and varied language and to display critical thinking and analytical skills. Most lessons are conducted in French to maximise the development of students' language skills.