The Example Model Below Is Based on the Following Principles

Introduction

This course planner provides one possible model for teaching A level French. This model is a suggestion only and there are a number of valid ways of structuring courses. The model should be adapted by centres to work for their individual timetables and is not prescriptive. This course planner is provided in editable Word format to make adaptation as easy as possible.

The example model below is based on the following principles:

● The number of hours allocated to A level French each week will depend on the individual centre’s timetable, but here an average of 5 hours a week or 9-10 hours over two weeks has been assumed.

● There are two teachers with responsibility for different areas of the course.

● One literary work/film is studied in Year 1 and one in Year 2.

● The independent research project is introduced prior to the summer break to students, to allow them the opportunity to review material available around their areas of interest during the summer break.

● A focussed revision period at the end of each year in the summer term for examination preparation.

Note that the number of guided learning hours for A level is 360.

The time allocated to each of the elements of the specification reflects the weighting of that element, as shown in the table below.

Assessment objectives / Students must… / Weighting
AO1 / Understand and respond:
-in speech to spoken language including face-to-face interaction
-in writing to spoken language drawn from a variety of sources / 20%
AO2 / Understand and respond:
-in speech to written language drawn from a variety of sources
-in writing to written language drawn from a variety of sources / 30%
AO3 / Manipulate the language accurately, in spoken and written forms, using a range of lexis and structure / 30%
AO4 / Show knowledge and understanding of, and respond critically and analytically, to different aspects of the culture and society of countries/communities where the language is spoken / 20%
Total / 100%

Breakdown of Assessment Objectives

Paper / Assessment Objectives / Total for all Assessment Objectives
AO1% / AO2% / AO3% / AO4%
Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation / 15 / 25 / - / - / 40%
Paper 2: Written response to works and translation / - / - / 20 / 10 / 30%
Paper 3: Speaking / 5 / 5 / 10 / 10 / 30%
Total for GCE A Level / 20 / 30 / 30 / 20 / 100%

The themes are:

Theme 1: Les changements dans la société française

Theme 1 is set in the context of France only. This theme covers social issues and trends.

• Les changements dans les structures familiales

Les changements dans les attitudes envers le mariage, les couples et la famille.

• L’éducation

Le système éducatif et les questions estudiantines.

• Le monde du travail

La vie active en France et les attitudes envers le travail; le droit à la grève; l’égalité des sexes.

Theme 2: La culture politique et artistique dans les pays francophones

Theme 2 is set in the context of francophone countries and communities. This theme covers artistic culture (through music and festivals and traditions) and political and artistic culture (through media).

• La musique

Les changements et les développements; l’impact de la musique sur la culture populaire.

• Les médias

La liberté d’expression; la presse écrite et en ligne; l’impact sur la société et la politique.

• Les festivals et les traditions

Les festivals, fêtes, coutumes et traditions.

Theme 3: L’immigration et la société multiculturelle française

Theme 3 is set in the context of France only. This theme covers social issues and trends.

• L’impact positif de l’immigration sur la société française

Les contributions des immigrés à l’économie et à la culture.

• Répondre aux défis de l’immigration et l’intégration en France

Les activités des communautés; la marginalisation et l’aliénation du point de vue des immigrés.

• L’extrême droite

La montée du Front National; les leaders du Front National; l’opinion publique.

Theme 4: L’Occupation et la Résistance

Theme 4 is set in the context of France only. This theme covers political culture.

• La France occupée

La collaboration; l’antisémitisme.

• Le régime de Vichy

Maréchal Pétain et la Révolution nationale.

• La Résistance

Jean Moulin, Charles de Gaulle et les femmes de la Résistance; la résistance des français.

Grammar

The A level specification builds on the work completed at GCSE but requires students to develop a greater working knowledge of the grammatical structure of the language. Many of the grammatical points required will have already been met during Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 teaching but will need to be revisited and reinforced during the course. The grammar requirements are outlined in the grammar list in the specification.

Teachers co-teaching AS and A level groups together may wish to cover all the AS grammar in the first year but engage in more thorough practice, particularly of the new more advanced grammatical structures not covered at GCSE, in year 2. Teachers may also wish to use the literature and film element of the course to illustrate certain grammatical points (see the free support guides on approaches to teaching film and literature).

A level skills – themes

Students are required to develop the following skills:

• Responding to spoken text in writing, showing understanding of the main points, gist and detail
• Responding to written text in writing and speaking, showing understanding of the main points, gist and detail
• Summarising a written text in speaking (Theme 1)
• Summarising a spoken text in writing
• Translating into and from French
• Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the social and cultural context of the target language through discussion of a theme
• Expressing viewpoints and justifying opinions
• Developing an argument and reaching a logical conclusion.

In addition, students need to be able to analyse aspects of culture and present their independent research project in the speaking examination.

A level skills – literature/film

In the study of the literary text/film students also need to develop the following skills:

• Critically analysing the work
• Evaluating the form and techniques used in the work
• Presenting and justifying viewpoints
• Developing logical arguments to persuade
• Relating the work to key concepts, issues and the social context
• Writing a critical response.

Teachers will need to consider these key skills in the light of the work studied.

This scheme of work proposes that teacher 2 commences the study of the second work at the end of Year 12 which will allow students to undertake some independent work during the summer break.

Independent research project

This scheme of work suggests that teacher 1 introduces the research project to students prior to the summer break. This will enable students to review material available around their areas of interest during the summer break. The project is then revisited during weeks 7 and 15 in Year 13 to enable the teacher to review the work in progress. Further time is allocated to the project in the revision period at the end of Year 13. Details about permissible teacher input are in the specification.

YEAR 12 FRENCH – HALF TERM 1
w/c / BI – Topic Area / BI – Grammar/Skills / AH – Topic Area / AH –
Grammar/Skills
12/09/16 / Introduction to the course and assessment of students’ knowledge through bridging material / H1 Present tense (Les verbes au présent)
H8 Future tense (Le futur simple; Le futur proche)
H4 Perfect tense (Le passé composé; Avoir ou être au passé composé; Les accords au passé)
H6 Imperfect tense (L'imparfait)
A3/A4 Nouns ‒ articles (Les articles définis et indéfinis)
B3 Adjectives (La place des adjectifs)
G Connectives / Introduction to the course and assessment of students’ knowledge through bridging material / H11 Conditional tense (6.2) (Le conditionnel)
A1 Nouns ‒ gender pattern (Le genre des noms)
B6 Possessive adjectives (Les adjectifs possessifs)
J Negatives (Les formes négatives; Les formes négatives 2)
D Adverbs (Les adverbes; Les comparatifs adverbiaux)
A5 Expression of quantity (Les expressions de quantité)
H17 Two verbs together (L'infinitif; Les constructions infinitives)
Theme 1: Les changements dans la société française / Theme 2: La culture politique et artistique dans les pays francophones
19/09/16 / Unit 1 / 1.1. La structure de la famille en France / Grammar:
Present tense – regular and common irregular verbs (H1) / Unit 4 / 4.1.La musique francophone / Grammar:
Reflexives (common tenses) (H2)
26/09/16 / 1.2. L’institution du
mariage / Grammar:
Future tense ‒ immediate future (H8)
(Le futur simple; Le futur proche) / 4.2. Les tendances musicales / Grammar:
Past historic (recognition) – regular verbs (H10)
03/10/16 / 1.3. Les relations en famille / Grammar:
Interrogatives (E) (L’Interrogatif) / 4.3. L’influence de la musique / Grammar:
Word order, inversion of subject and verb after adverbs (H19)
10/10/16 / Recap of Unit 1 / Skills focus:
Summarising a written text in speaking
Summarising a spoken text in writing / Recap of Unit 4 / Skills focus:
Listening and responding
Reading and responding
17/10/16 / PAPER 3 – ExplanatioN/practice (only on Unit 1 – task 1) / PAPER 1 (only on Unit 4 – one lesson for writing; one lesson for feedback)`
YEAR 12 FRENCH – HALF TERM 2
w/c / BI – Topic Area / BI – Grammar/Skills / AH – Topic Area / AH –
Grammar/Skills
Theme 1: Les changements dans la société français / Theme 2: La culture politique et artistique dans les pays francophones
31/10/16 / PAPER 3 – SPEAKING/FEEDBACK / Unit 5 / 5.1. Peut-on tout dire? / Grammar:
Present and past participles (H3/H4)
07/11/16 / Unit 2 / 2.1. L’enseignement en France / Grammar:
Definite and indefinite articles(A3/A4)
(Les articles définis et indéfinis) / 5.2. La presse écrite en voie de disparition? / Grammar:
Negatives (J)
14/11/16 / 2.2. Aïe! L’école me stresse / Grammar:
Perfect tense – regular and common irregular verbs (H4) / 5.3. L’influence des médias et des nouvelles technologies / Grammar:
Past historic* (recognition) – common irregular verbs (H10)
21/11/16 / 2.3. Je m’oriente vers l’enseignement supérieur / Grammar:
Position and agreement of adjectives
(B3/B1)
(La place des adjectifs; L'accord des adjectifs) / Recap Unit 5 / RECAP ON GRAMMAR SO FAR
28/11/16 / 2.4. De l’enseignement au boulot / Grammar:
Pronouns, including direct and indirect objects (C1.1) / PAPER 3 – Explanation/practice (only on Unit 1 – task 1)
05/12/16 / Recap of Unit 2 / RECAP ON GRAMMAR SO FAR / PAPER 3 – SPEAKING/FEEDBACK
12/12/16 / PAPER 1 (only on Unit 2 – one lesson for writing; one lesson for feedback)` / Recap Units 4 & 5 / LISTENING AND READING
YEAR 12 FRENCH – HALF TERM 3
w/c / BI – Topic Area / BI – Grammar/Skills / AH – Topic Area / AH – Grammar/Skills
Theme 1: Les changements dans la société française / Theme 2: La culture politique et artistique dans les pays francophones
05/01/17 / Units 1 & 2 TRANSLATIONS / Skills focus:
Translation from French into English / Units 4 & 5 / Skills focus:
Summarising a written text in speaking
Summarising a spoken text in writing
09/01/17 / EXAM WEEK PAPERS 1 & 3 (task 1) ON UNITS 1, 2, 4 & 5
16/01/17
23/01/17 / Unit 3 / 3.1. L’équilibre travail-vie personelle: ça marche? / Grammar:
Comparative and superlative adjectives (B8/B9)
(Les adjectifs comparatifs; Le superlatif) / Unit 6 / 6.1. Les célébrations francophones / Grammar:
Imperatives (H14)
30/01/17 / 3.2. Les grèves et les Français: un droit national? / Grammar:
Imperfect tense (H6) (L'imparfait) Pluperfect tense (H7)
(Le plus-que-parfait) / 6.2. Les festivals francophones / Grammar:
quand + future and conditional tense (H8/H11)
06/02/17
CAG DUE 08/02/17 / 3.3. L’égalité homme-femme au travail: un mythe ou une réalité? / Grammar:
Passive voice and use of on (H16) / 6.3. Les coutumes et traditions en France / Grammar:
Present subjunctive – common forms (H15)
YEAR 12 FRENCH – HALF TERM 4
w/c / BI – Topic Area / BI – Grammar/Skills / AH – Topic Area / AH – Grammar/Skills
Theme 1: Les changements dans la société française / Theme 2: La culture politique et artistique dans les pays francophones
20/02/17 / Unit 3 / Recap of Unit 3 / RECAP ON GRAMMAR SO FAR / Unit 6 / 6.4. Les coutumes du monde francophone / Grammar:
Adverbs (D)
27/02/17 / PAPER 3 – Explanation/practice (only on Unit 3 – task 1) / Recap Unit 6 / RECAP ON GRAMMAR SO FAR
06/03/17 / PAPER 3 – SPEAKING/FEEDBACK / PAPER 1 (only on Unit6 – one lesson for writing; one lesson for feedback)`
13/03/17 / Research project
Introduction, expectations
How to choose a topic
Developing content / Skills:
Conducting, organising and using research
Planning, project management and time management

• Collecting data and evidence

/ Literary text/film
Character portrayal, relationships between characters, comparison and contrast of characters
Historical background, realism / Skills focus:
Critically analysing the work
20/03/17
27/03/17
YEAR 12 FRENCH – HALF TERM 5
w/c / BI – Topic Area / BI – Grammar/Skills / AH – Topic Area / AH – Grammar/Skills
18/04/17 / Research project
Individual research and writing up of project
Extra questions for each project
Practise, anticipate questions and prepare possible responses / Skills:
Conducting, organising and using research
Planning, project management and time management
Collecting data and evidence / Literary text/film
Themes, symbols, ideas, metaphors
Style, techniques, structure, narration
Essay planning and writing
Essay structure
How to refer to texts / Skills focus:
Evaluating the form and techniques used in the work
24/04/17
CAG DUE 26/04/17
02/05/17 / PAPER 1 (only on Units 1,2 & 3) & FEEDBACK / PAPER 2 & FEEDBACK
08/05/17
Theme 4: L’Occupation et la Résistance / Theme 3: L’immigration et la société multiculturelle française
15/05/17 / Unit 10 / 10.1 La France sous l’Occupation et la collaboration / Grammar:
Infinitive constructions (H17) / Unit 7 / 7.1 Les immigrés en France: d’où viennent-ils et pourquoi sont-ils venus? / Grammar:
Expressions of time, depuis and venir de (H13
22/05/17 / 10.2 L’antisémitisme et l’Occupation / Grammar:
Mixed tense sentences (2) (H22) / 7.2 L’immigration – une nécessité pour l’économie française / Grammar:
Mixed tense sentences (1) (H22)
YEAR 12 FRENCH – HALF TERM 6
w/c / BI – Topic Area / BI – Grammar/Skills / AH – Topic Area / AH – Grammar/Skills
Theme 4: L’Occupation et la Résistance / Theme 3: L’immigration et la société multiculturelle française
05/06/17 / Unit 10 / 10.3 La vie sous l’Occupation: les représailles d’après-guerre / Grammar:
Subjunctive – less common uses, present and perfect (H15) / Unit 7 / 7.3 L’immigration et l’enrichissement culturel de la France / Grammar:
Direct and indirect speech (H18)
12/06/17 / Recap Unit 10 / RECAP ON GRAMMAR SO FAR / Recap of Unit 7 / RECAP ON GRAMMAR SO FAR
19/06/17 / Practice speaking and writing ready for exam week
26/06/17 / EXAM WEEK PAPERS 1,2 & 3 ON UNITS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 10
03/07/17
10/07/17
CAG DUE 12/07/17 / REVISIONS
17/07/17