a level french - Trinity School

Trinity School
FRENCH DEPARTMENT
A LEVEL FRENCH (NEW SPECIFICATIONS)
•
280 million speakers •
2nd most learned language •
Official language of 32 states •
Spoken in 50 countries over 5 continents
•
Soon‐to develop French speaking Africa is an area bigger than the USA (over 700 millions speakers forecast by 2050)
•
3rd most used language on the Internet
FACTS AND FIGURES
6th largest GDP
(France)
UN, EU and Red Cross
SO, WHY LEARN FRENCH?
“Facilitating Subject”
(Russell Group)
i.e. on which increases students’ chances of gaining a place on the most competitive courses
THE NEW SPECIFICATIONS (2 YEARS COURSE)
❶ ASPECTS OF FRENCH-SPEAKING SOCIETY: CURRENT
TRENDS
• La famillle en voie de changement
• La « cyber-société »
• Le rôle du bénévolat
❷ ASPECTS OF THE FRENCH SPEAKING SOCIETY: CURRENT ISSUES:
• Les aspects positifs d'une société diverse
• Quelle vie pour les marginalisés ?
• Comment on traite les criminels
❸ ARTISTIC CULTURE IN THE FRENCH-SPEAKING WORLD
• Une culture fière de son patrimoine culturel
• La musique francophone contemporaine
• Cinéma – le septième art
❹ ASPECTS OF POLITICAL LIFE IN THE FRENCH-SPEAKING WORLD
• Les ados, le droit de vote et l'engagement politique
• Manifestations, grèves – à qui le pouvoir ?
• La politique et l'immigration
Grammar
In the exam students will be required to use, actively and
accurately, grammar and structures appropriate to the tasks set.
Additionnally, there will be two translation tasks.
• Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words (20
marks)
• Translation into French; a passage of minimum 100 words (20
marks)
No access to a dictionary during the assessment.
WORK STUDIED:
 UN FILM….
François est un jeune professeur de
français dans un collège difficile. Il
n'hésite pas à affronter ses élèves
dans de stimulantes joutes verbales,
comme si la langue elle-même était
un véritable enjeu. Mais
l'apprentissage de la démocratie peut
parfois comporter de vrais risques.
 UN LIVRE…
Lou Bertignac a 13 ans, un QI de 160
et des questions plein la tête. Les
yeux grand ouverts, elle observe les
gens, collectionne les mots, se livre
à des expériences domestiques et
dévore les encyclopédies…
INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECT
• Students must identify a subject or a key question relating to a country or countries where French is spoken. Students will demonstrate their ability to initiate and conduct individual research by analysing and summarising their findings, in order to present and discuss them in the speaking exam.
• Students may choose a subject linked to one of the themes or sub‐themes or to one of the works. However, students must not base their research on the same literary text or film that they refer to in their written assessment.
ASSESSMENT:
(AT THE END OF THE UPPER SIXTH)
❶ Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing : assessment of themes & sub-themes
• Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes ► 50% of A-level
❷ Paper 2: Writing: assessment of one text and one film & Grammar
• Written exam: 2 hours ► 20% of A-level
❸ Paper 3: Speaking: Individual research project (2mn + 10mn) + One the
themes / sub-themes
• Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time) ► 30%
of A-level
IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE NEW
SYLLABUS
WHAT’S CHANGED?
❶ More focus on the culture and society of the
countries where the language is spoken.
❷ Greater emphasis on the culture and society of
the language of study; students can no longer
write/talk about themes in a general way, they
have to show their knowledge about the French
speaking countries studied.
TEACHING AT AS AND A2
• 8 periods a week
• 3 teachers (VCS, SXK, TJD)
• Plus 1 period a week conversation lesson
• 1 timetabled DLL slot a fortnight (often more)
• 15 departmental iPads installed with a range of language learning and AV software • Plus Senior French Society (film club, lectures, guest speakers, visits, etc…)
• Plus FIREFLY (full of useful resources, links, worksheets, audio/video material etc…)
TO MAKE IT EASIER…
Read all the articles, watch
videos, do quizes etc… related to
the topics of studies on Scoop.it !
•
Follow us on Twitter
•

@French_Trinity
http://www.scoop.it/t/frenchlanguage-and-french-speakingcountries
(download the App on your mobile!)
FIFEFLY:
https://trinity.fireflycloud.net/french-1
BEYOND A LEVEL
• Most students follow on some aspect of their language learning into Higher Education
• Language courses
• Joint honours courses
• Many students also choose to keep their language while studying another subject as their main (i.e: Economics with French, International Relations with French, Law with French etc…
• Years abroad, Erasmus exchanges, semester overseas…
Business Services
Banking / Finance
Wholesale / Retail
Manufacturing
Public Administration
Community / Social Services
Education
Transport / Communications
Hotels & Restaurants
Other Areas
26.9%
13.1%
11.8%
10.1%
7.9%
7.7%
6.5%
5.7%
3.7%
2.7%
LANGUAGE GRADUATE DESTINATIONS
LANGUAGE GRADUATES SALARY
CBI SURVEY 2015