Lessons
What is French?
It's very likely that you studied French at GCSE, indeed many colleges will require it for you to study the A-level so I'm sure you think you know what studying A-Level languages is like. However, A-Level languages are interesting as you get to study not only the language, but the culture, history and current affairs of the French speaking world.
Over the course of your French A-level you'll enhance your linguistic skills and promote and develop your capacity for critical thinking on the basis of their knowledge and understanding of the language, culture and society of the country or countries where the language is spoken; develop control of the language to convey meaning, and extend your range of vocabulary; interact effectively with users of the language in speech and in writing, including through online media; engage critically with intellectually stimulating texts, films and other materials in the language, developing an appreciation of sophisticated and creative uses of the language and understanding them within their cultural and social context; and develop knowledge about matters central to the society and culture, past and present, of the country or countries where the language is spoken.
Expect lessons to revolve around:
- Listening - interviews, conversations, radio broadcasts, videos, video clips on the internet
- Speaking - role-plays, dialogues, pronunciation practice, short presentations and regular conversation classes
- Reading - articles, magazines, books, newspapers, and internet sources
- Writing - short articles, letters, reports, projects, poems, descriptions
- Grammar - games, revision and practice in class and using the internet
In second year you'll also have the chance to work on your individual project where you can identify a subject or a key question which is interesting to you and which relates to a country or countries where French is spoken. You'll use a range of sources, develop your research skills, analyse and summarise your findings, and present and discuss them in the speaking assessment.
Furthermore, if you are likely you could find yourself on a trip to France. You might have the opportunity to stay with families to experience the language and culture, and explore the country.
Year 1
Studying & Assessment - AS Level
AQA
During your AS year you'll learn under four themes:
- Social issues and trends (in relation to any French or French-speaking country)
- The changing nature of family
- The 'cyber-society'
- The place of voluntary work
- Artistic culture (in relation to any French or French-speaking country)
- A culture proud of its heritage
- Contemporary francophone music
- Cinema: the 7th art form
- Grammar
- Literary texts and films - where you will study either one film or one literary text
At the end of the year you'll be required to take three exams:
- Listening, reading and writing, where you'll be assessed in:
- Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends
- Artistic culture in the French-speaking world
- Grammar
- Writing, where you'll be assessed in:
- Your literary text or film
- Grammar
- Speaking, where you'll be assessed in:
- Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends
- Artistic culture in the French-speaking world
You'll be assessed via:
- Listening, reading and writing
- Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary.
- Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources.
- Translation into English.
- Writing
- Translation into French.
- Critical responses to the literary tests and films studied.
- Speaking
- Discussion of two sub-themes based on a stimulus card for each sub-theme given to you 15 minutes before the test begins.
Edexcel
In the Edexcel French AS Level you'll learn via two themes:
- Changes in French Society - in the context of France only
- Changes in family structures
- Education
- The world of work
- Political and artistic culture in French countries
- Music
- Media
- Festivals and traditions
You'll also be required to undertake grammar, and study either one film or one literary text.
At the end of the year you'll be required to take three exams:
- Listening, reading and translation into English
- Written - responding to the literary text or film and translation into French
- Speaking - you'll be provided with two texts and respond to questions on them, followed by a wider discussion on the theme. You will also choose to discuss one sub-theme from above.
Year 2
Studying & Assessment - A Level
AQA
During your two years of A-Level you'll learn under five themes:
- Social issues and trends (in relation to any French or French-speaking country)
- The changing nature of family
- The 'cyber-society'
- The place of voluntary work
- Positive features of a diverse society
- Life for the marginalised
- How criminals are treated
- Political and artistic culture (in relation to any French or French-speaking country)
- A culture proud of its heritage
- Contemporary francophone music
- Cinema: the 7th art form
- Teenagers, the right to vote and political commitment
- Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
- Politics and immigration
- Grammar
- Literary texts and films - where you will study either one film and one literary text or two literary texts
- Individual Research Project - you'll also have to identify a subject or a key question which is of interest to you and which relates to a country or countries where French is spoken. You'll select relevant information in French from a range of sources, analyse and summarise your findings, and present and discuss them in the speaking assessment.
At the end of the year you'll be required to take three exams:
- Listening, reading and writing, where you'll be assessed in:
- Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends and issues
- Artistic culture and political life in the French-speaking world
- Grammar
- Writing, where you'll be assessed in:
- Your literary text(s) or film
- Grammar
- Speaking, where you'll be assessed in:
- Your individual research project
- One of either social issues, social trends, political culture and artistic culture
You'll be assessed via:
- Listening, reading and writing
- Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary.
- Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources.
- Translation into English.
- Translation into French.
- Writing
- Critical responses to the literary tests and films studied.
- Speaking
- Discussion of a sub-theme based on a stimulus card for each sub-theme given to you 5 minutes before the test begins.
- Presentation and discussion of your individual research project.
Edexcel
In the Edexcel French AS Level you'll learn via four themes:
- Changes in French Society - in the context of France only
- Changes in family structures
- Education
- The world of work
- Political and artistic culture in French countries
- Music
- Media
- Festivals and traditions
- Immigration and the French multicultural society - in the context of France only
- The positive impact of immigration on French society
- Responding to the challenges of immigration and integration in France
- The extreme right
- The occupation and the resistance
- The French occupation
- The Vichy regime
- The resistance
You'll also be required to undertake grammar, and study either one film and one literary text or two literary texts. Additionally you'll undertake an individual research project where you'll have to identify a subject or a key question which is of interest to you and which relates to a country or countries where French is spoken. You'll select relevant information in French from a range of sources, analyse and summarise your findings, and present and discuss them in the speaking assessment.
At the end of the year you'll be required to take three exams:
- Listening, reading and translation into English
- Written - responding to the literary text(s) and/or film and translation into French
- Speaking - a discussion of a sub-theme based on a stimulus card for each sub-theme given to you 5 minutes before the test begins alongside the presentation and discussion of your individual research project.
Assessment
As you can see you'll have listening, reading, writing and speaking elements to your exams. You'll have translations both into English and French and comprehension questions for your listening and reading elements. You'll have to discuss topics in your speaking exam, whilst you'll also have to undertake essays in response to your set texts and films.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
The grades that you'll need to get onto the course will depend on your college, however it's likely that you'll need at least a grade B at GCSE in French with ideally a grade 5 in English language.
What's Next
Next Steps
If you want to go to university after college languages are a great choice. You can study them independently, whilst you may also want to study them in combination with a subject such as business and management, engineering, law or a science. Studying French also means that you'll have the opportunity to study or work abroad for a year.
Language skills are an invaluable asset and highly prized by employers, so regardless of what you want to do next they will stand you in good stead for your career.
Skills
Skills
- Research - especially through your individual research project
- Presentation
- Verbal communication - in both French and English
- Written communication - in both French and English
- Problem solving
- Adaptability and the understanding of cultural differences
Resources
Resources
Online Courses
Revision
Websites and Blogs
Podcasts
Other Subjects
What should I study French alongside?
Anything goes with French. You might be a linguistic genius and choose to combine it with other languages, whilst you can also take science subjects, social science subjects, humanities or arts.
Suggested Reading
Suggested Reading
There are loads of great French novels out there, both modern and classic, and France has won the most Nobel prizes in literature by country. You might choose to challenge yourself and try to read some of them in French, while reading them in English will still give you an understanding of French culture and history. You
Some of the more modern novels, memoirs and non-fiction books you might like to consider include:
- The Discovery of France - Graham Robb
- All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
- French Lessons: A Memoir - Alice Kaplan
- A Moveable Feast - Ernest Hemmingway
- My Life in France - Julia Child
- A Year in Provence - Peter Mayle
- The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barbery
The French are also produce great films which you might like to watch before starting your A-levels. Some great suggestions include Amélie, Intouchables, Coco avant Chanel, Amour and La Vie En Rose.
