French

Course Content

There are 4 core topic areas at A-level.

1. Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends
2. Artistic culture in the French-speaking world
3. Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues
4. Aspects of political life in the French-speaking world

In addition, you will study two literary texts, Kiffe Kiffe Demain (Faïza Guène) and Un sac de billes (Joseph Joffo).

Within Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends you will look at:

• La famille en voie de changement
• La cyber-société
• Le rôle du bénévolat

Within Artistic culture in the French-speaking world you will study:

• Une culture fière de son patrimoine
• La musique francophone contemporaine
• Cinéma : le septième art

Within Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues you will look at:

• Les aspects positifs d’une société diverse
• Quelle vie pour les marginalisés?
• Comment on traite les criminels

And within Aspects of political life in the French-speaking world life you will study:

• Les ados, le droit de vote et l’engagement politique
• Manifestations, grèves – à qui le pouvoir ?
• La politique et l’immigration

There are 3 exams:

• Paper 1: listening, reading & translation into both English & French (2 hr 30 mins, 100 marks) 50% Students will have individual control of the listening recording. Questions in French to be answered with non- verbal responses or in French for both reading (50 marks) & listening (30 marks).
• Paper 2: writing - literature essays (2 hrs, 80 marks) 20% Two essays to be written from choice of 2 possible titles on Kiffe Kiffe Demain and Un sac de billes (Joseph Joffo) of approximately 300 words. These require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation, as appropriate to the works studied.
• Paper 3: speaking (16-18 minutes + 5 minutes preparation time, 60 marks) 30% Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5 – 6 minutes, 25 marks), followed by a presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9 – 10 minutes) of an individual research project (35 marks).