What can I study?

Pupils in Key Stage 4 wanting to study a Modern Foreign Language have the following choices:

• GCSE Spanish – you can study Spanish from beginner level
• GCSE French – for those pupils who want to study French, whether or not they have done GCSE in Y9.

Spanish

Why study GCSE Spanish?

• Britain is a member of the European Union and needs foreign language speakers in its job market.
• People who speak a foreign language earn 20% more on average than those who don’t.
• Spanish is a world language with over 400 million speakers worldwide.
• Tourism, ICT, Marketing, Banking, Business and engineering are just a few areas where you can use your language.

What will I study?

• Language skills that will enable you to survive on your own for a short time.
• Skills enabling you to cope in everyday situations.
• A number of themes including Media, Youth Culture and Employment.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment is a mixture of examinations (40%) and controlled assessment (60%)

You will be assessed on the four language skills:

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing

What skills will I need?

To achieve in GCSE Spanish you will need:

• An interest in developing your own communication skills
• An interest in developing knowledge of grammar
• An enthusiastic approach to trying out new language skills
• An ability to listen and read for detail
• A desire to learn about life in Spain
• A small dictionary for homework

What happens in lessons?

Lessons usually contain:

• A mixture of listening, speaking, reading and writing activities linked to various topics
• Information about life in Spain
• You will sometimes work in pairs or groups and also independently

French

Why Study French?

• Studying this course will build upon any existing language skills to develop a more detailed understanding of French language and culture.
• You will gain a wider appreciation of cultural aspects of the country
• You will enhance your language skills.
• As a competent linguist you will be in great demand in the job market

To gain a clear advantage when applying to University for any kind of course

What will I study?

• Language skills that will enable you to survive on your own for a short time.
• Skills enabling you to cope in everyday situations.
• A number of themes including Media, Youth Culture and Employment.

We will focus on topics from a French perspective, studying aspects of French culture, including:

• French film(s)
• Famous French people (singers, sports people, celebrities)
• French poetry
• Fashion

How will I be assessed?

For GCSE, assessment is a mixture of examinations (40%) and controlled assessment (60%).

You will be assessed on the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Those who have already sat GCSE French will re-sit all coursework and exam elements unless they have already achieved an A*.

What skills will I need?

In order to be successful you will need:

• A willingness  to learn and re-use new grammatical structures
• An interest in developing your own communication skills
• An enthusiastic approach to trying out new language skills
• An ability to listen and read for detail
• An interest in French culture and society (i.e. food, drink, people, places)

What happens in lessons?

The majority of lessons are conducted in French and you will:

• Be expected to participate fully and speak as much as possible
• Watch videos, listen to songs and study articles from the French press
• Study video clips from television
• Join in games and role plays to practise speaking
• Produce work of a high standard
• Be expected to practise grammar online
• Do regular grammar exercises and tests