GCSE Modern Foreign Languages

French, German & Spanish

‘If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart’

Nelson Mandela

Why study languages?

In a competitive age, learning a language gives you the edge over your peers, and the GCSE course content is relevant for future use in later life. The experience of learning a modern foreign language is a worthwhile and rewarding one.

French

German

Spanish

The aims of these qualifications are to:

provide a coherent, satisfying and worthwhile course of study.
develop confidence in, and a positive attitude towards, French, German and Spanish and to recognise the importance of languages.
provide a strong linguistic and cultural foundation for students who go on to study languages at a higher level post-16.
develop students’ ability and ambition to communicate independently in speech and writing with speakers of the language for authentic purposes.
develop students’ ability to communicate independently about subjects that are meaningful and interesting to them
build students’ confidence and broaden their horizons, enabling them to step beyond familiar cultural boundaries, develop new ways of seeing the world, and better understand relationships between the foreign language and the English language.
enable students to become familiar with aspects of the contexts and cultures of the countries and communities where the language is spoken.

Foundation / Higher

Paper 1: Speaking

task 1 – Reading aloud

task 2 role play

task 3 picture card and then conversation

15 minutes preparation time: examination time is Foundation : 7-9 minutes Higher: 10 – 12

Read aloud a short passage (8 marks) and answer two straightforward questions (4 marks) to elicit brief opinions based on the overall content of the passage, in a short interaction.

The read aloud task assesses clear and comprehensible pronunciation integrated with an understanding of phonics.

Paper 2: Listening and dictation

Paper 3: Reading and translation into English

Paper 4: Writing (2 tasks, i 80-90 words and ii 130-150 words) and translation into French, German or Spanish

Higher

Paper 1: Speaking in French/German/ Spanish ( task 1 – Reading aloud, task 2 role play, task 3 picture card and then conversation) examination time is 10 – 12 minutes with 15 minutes preparation.

Paper 2: Listening and dictation

Paper 3: Reading and translation into English

Paper 4: Writing (2 tasks, i 80-90 words and ii 130-150 words) and translation into French

Course Content

Languages are accessible to all and the new GCSE specifications have been developed to help all students benefit from learning a language and learning about the world around them. The GCSE Modern Language courses in French and German are a continuation of topics covered in KS3 and also provide a firm foundation for those students who want to continue at A level. The main aim of the courses is to allow you to develop your ability to use the language effectively in listening, speaking, reading and writing across a range of areas of experience and themes.

We are also pleased to offer Spanish as a beginners’ course leading to GCSE after two years of study. Due to the limited amount of time available you must be prepared to work at a fast pace so as to reach GCSE standard. You do not have to have studied any Spanish previously.

If you are bi-lingual French, German or Spanish with English then please speak with Mrs Waters before you make your GCSE choice to discuss different options available.

Theme content for Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing for French, German and Spanish:

Identity and culture
Local area, holiday and travel
School
Future aspirations and global dimension
International and global dimension

The work in class is topic-based and through the four skills you will learn to understand and respond to spoken language, to improve your grammar in writing, to widen your vocabulary in reading and to gain confidence in speaking spontaneously by taking an active part in pair/group work or with a conversation with your teacher and the Foreign Language Assistant.

Homework will continue to be set and assessed regularly.

How will it be assessed?

How will I be assessed?

All assessment will take place at the end of the course in year 11 and will be assessed via a final examination in each skill area.

Unit 1 – Listening: 25%

Unit 2 – Speaking: 25%

Unit 3 – Reading: 25%

Unit 4 – Writing: 25%

Further information:

For further information on the French Specification: Click here

For further information on the German Specification: Click here

For further information on the Spanish Specification: Click here