AS Level FRENCH (EDEXCEL) Courses

1 and 2 year courses

AS Course Outline

What Does Studying French Involve?
French at AS level requires previous GCSE experience of the subject. Throughout the course, students will develop the ability to use French effectively for the purposes of practical communication and they will attain sufficient command of language skills to understand and appreciate spoken and written French from a variety of sources. Students will learn to communicate confidently through both the spoken and written word and they will be expected to have studied closely the grammatical system and structures of the French language. To achieve the aims outlined above, great emphasis will be placed on French culture. This will involve learning about films, fiction, history, politics, social problems and education. Students should read as many French magazines and newspapers as possible and listen to French radio and television. The internet can be accessed for information on French websites relating to French culture.

In the first unit, students will converse on one of a range of topics. These include youth culture and concerns, health and fitness, travel, tourism, environmental issues, education and employment. In the second unit, students will be expected to listen to and read about these same topics as well as write a short report or letter.

What Skills Will Students Develop When Studying French?

  • Speaking French fluently and being able to express their point of view will be a great asset to students in their future career.
  • If students wish to live in Frenchy later in their lives, they will have knowledge of French culture and will understand the issues that the French are faced with on a daily basis.
  • Students will be able to write letters in French, answer the phone, take part in meetings where only French is spoken and deal with French customers or companies.
  • Students will develop their essay writing skills during the course and will have to assimilate information and present it in a clear and concise way.

FRENCH (EDEXCEL Board) AS Specification

Unit One
8-10 minutes
50 marks
30% of AS Exam

Spoken Expression and Response in French
This unit rewards students for their ability to converse in French on a general topic area that they have chosen in advance. Students will need to demonstrate that they can engage in a discussion in French that relates to a chosen general topic area and allied subtopics. They must choose one of the following general topic areas:

Youth culture and concerns
Lifestyle: health and fitness
The world around us: travel, tourism, environmental issues and the French-speaking world
Education and employment

Unit Two
150 minutes
70 marks
70% of AS Exam

Understanding and Written Response in French
This unit requires students to understand and convey their understanding of French language texts and recordings. In addition, students will need to produce an essay to demonstrate an ability to manipulate the French language in continuous writing. The unit draws upon four general topic areas:
Youth culture and concerns
Lifestyle: health and fitness
The world around us: travel, tourism, environmental issues and the French-speaking world
Education and employment.

Structure of the Course
This course will be taught for 6 lessons per week. Homework will be set on a regular basis. Students will receive class notes and we will be working from a textbook as well as from a variety of authentic French language materials. Lessons will be conducted mostly in French.

Fees and Dates