French
Members of Department
- Ms K Hamill (Head of Department)
- Ms C Crawley
- Mrs T Burns
- Mrs ME McCready
- Mrs D Royal
- Ms Yolaine Colin (French Assistant)
“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” (Flora Lewis)
KS3
At KS3, pupils have the opportunity to practise the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening within each unit. We have regular assessments on key vocabulary and grammar points to check comprehension and learning work. We have 3 ‘tracker’ assessments per term so we can monitor pupils’ progress in French. Pupils have the opportunity to evaluate their own progress and to set targets for themselves on a regular basis.
Marie-Claire, our French prefect, helps two Year 8 pupils prepare a role-play about hobbies.
Départ!
Pupils will learn…
-
About different languages
-
About France in Europe
-
To complete a quiz on France
-
Numbers 0-10
-
Classroom language/ commands
-
Pupils’ book instructions
Unit 1
- Greetings
- Their Name
- The alphabet
- The names of French towns/to talk about where they live
- Numbers 0-31
- Age, months
- Birthday
- Seasons
- About Pets
Unit 2
- How to talk about brothers and sisters
- Family
- Numbers 32-69
- To describe personality
- To give physical descriptions: height, build, hair and eye colour and hairstyle
Unit 3
- About pencil case and bag contents
- School subjects, likes/dislikes
- Days of the week
- How to tell the time
- About the school timetable
Unit 4
- About sports, likes and dislikes
- How to talk about hobbies and favourite pastimes
- About going to places
- How to describe weekend activities in the present
Unit 5
- Items of food and drink
- Food items with partitive
- How to order in the café
- Meals
- Quantities of food
- Numbers 70 – 100
- Prices
Unit 6
- About weather and climate
- Seasons
- Compass points
- Where you live
Book 2 Unit 1
- Countries and capital cities
- Means of transport
- Basic details of a holiday
- Describing a holiday in more detail
Unit 2
- Revision of self
- Clothes and colours
- Types and styles of clothes
- What you wear for different occasions / different weather
Unit 3
- Parts of the body
- To express how you feel and say what is wrong
- About healthy living
- What you have done to be healthy
Unit 4
- Daily routine
- Household chores
- Present tense time clauses
GCSE
The study of French at GCSE offers pupils the opportunity to develop their skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening and to extend their vocabulary through the study of a wide range of topics, many of which have been introduced at KS3.
The examination board is AQA. The latest version of their revised specification can be viewed on their website http://www.aqa.org.uk/
The course aims to allow pupils to maximise achievement through the provision of a flexible, unitised structure. It also aims to increase oral and written proficiency by offering a choice of contexts and purposes for writing and speaking units. The GCSE course builds on the KS3 study and prepares pupils for further study, for example AS and A2 French.
Assessment at GCSE
Speaking and Writing are each worth 30% of the final examination and are assessed by Controlled Assessment. Students prepare and complete two tasks for each assessment objective at a time designated by the teacher during the two year course.
Listening and Reading are each worth 20% and are externally assessed by terminal examination papers in May / June of Year 12.
Listening and Reading are each worth 20% and are externally assessed by terminal examination papers in May / June of Year 12.
GCE
The study of French to GCE A Level enables pupils to achieve oral and written proficiency in French. It also allows them to gain a cultural understanding of the countries and communities where French is spoken. There is a strong element of continuity that builds on the strength of the GCSE course and there is a focus on in-depth study over the AS and A2 course. The emphasis on the development of the linguistic skills will prepare students for the demands of higher education and employment.
Our AS and A2 pupils have a lesson each week with Yolaine, our French language assistant.
Our pupils are expected to be highly-motivated and must be prepared to do extensive independent reading (of newspaper and magazine articles for example) and to listen to French radio broadcasts. The interesting and relevant range of topics covered at AS and A2 level encourages a love for learning and those with a genuine interest in the French language and culture are encouraged to extend their vocabulary, practise their skills and strive for excellence in every endeavour.
The examining board is CCEA. The latest version of the revised specification can be viewed and downloaded from the CCEA website http://www.ccea.org.uk/
Assessment at A level
AS and A2 French Examinations take place in May / June.
Students are assessed in the four skill areas: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. There are two units at both AS and A2 level and the final mark for A2 is the total gained over all units.
Students are assessed in the four skill areas: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. There are two units at both AS and A2 level and the final mark for A2 is the total gained over all units.
CEIAG
“When we learn another language, we also learn about people and cultures. We gain an understanding of how our own language works, which can improve our communication skills.
As well as specialist roles for linguists (such as translating, interpreting and language teaching), you can uses language skills in finance, law, IT, media, marketing, tourism, catering and many more. There is a demand for language skills in many businesses to help build relations with contacts in other countries.
France is the largest country in the European Union and it attracts more than 79.5 million visitors each year. More than 220 million people speak French all over the world and knowing French can open doors in companies all over the world. French is an official language of the European Union, UNESCO, NATO and the International Red Cross.” (CCEA)
Events in the French department.
-
Breton ball for Year 8 pupils
-
Onatti Theatre group visits
-
French breakfasts
-
European day of Languages – A level pupils visit St Thérèse of Lisieux Primary school
View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://dominicancollege.org.uk/departments/french#sigFreeId0fd7c25ca0
https://dominicancollege.org.uk/departments/french#sigFreeId0fd7c25ca0
Educational Visits
Language and adventure trip to Bundoran, Co. Donegal in June for Y9 pupils
French trip to Paris
AS study day at QUB
View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://dominicancollege.org.uk/departments/french#sigFreeId5719d5df4e
https://dominicancollege.org.uk/departments/french#sigFreeId5719d5df4e