French

Course summary

The candidates who usually make the best linguists are those who can work independently and embrace the prospect of background reading positively both in terms of building their range of expression (based on vocabulary and grammatical variety) but also to gain a deeper understanding of the topics which are assessed orally and in writing. Therefore, a solid track record in languages throughout the school is key but also complimented by an affinity for the more literary subjects and those where debating or analytical evaluation is required. By choosing French at A Level students will be able to study in more depth the language, life and culture of France and will develop a positive attitude towards French life and people. Students will find that the A-level course covers more stimulating and varied topic areas compared to the GCSE course. With Emanuel situated in the heart of London, we are very lucky to have a wide French community on our doorstep. The Institut Francais is only 20 minutes away by public transport; this is an ideal resource for accessing French culture with cinema trips, the French film festival, book reading events and other designated workshops. We also look to involve students in other language-orientated events such as French debating competitions where students can voice their opinions on a variety of different topics. However, the most authentic manner in which to excel in French is through language immersion. Besides making the most of having all classes conducted in French, students should also look to take advantage of any opportunities to travel to France. This has been done in the past through work experience programmes where students can tailor their experience to gain valuable skills for future employment. Students studying French will broaden their linguistic knowledge, and by the end of the course, they will be able to understand authentic spoken and written French from a variety of sources e.g. TV, radio, talks, newspapers, books and magazines. They will be able to communicate confidently in French in a variety of everyday situations, both orally and in writing, and will also gain intellectual, personal and social skills which can be used in their future career, whether or not it will be based on languages. The course is topic-based, with three broad areas being examined: social issues and trends, political and artistic culture and literary texts and films. There will be a logical progression through the themes from lower sixth to upper sixth and one book/film will be studied in each of the 2 years, allowing for very in-depth treatment. The work will consist of discussions, watching DVDs, listening to texts, reading and writing. Spoken and written sources will include material that relates to the contemporary society, cultural background and heritage of the countries where French is spoken. Grammar is an important part of the course and complements language topics. We will revise the grammatical system and structures of the language taught at GCSE and cover further grammatical topics over the two years. In the examinations, students will be expected to use grammar and structures appropriate to the tasks set, actively and accurately