AQA Level 3 Advanced GCE in French

In addition to the vocabulary listed in the AS grammar list, students of A-level will also be expected to study the following:

Agreement Position Comparative and superlative Use of adjectives as nouns (eg le vieux, les Anglais) Demonstrative (ce, cet, cette, ces) Indefinite (including autre, chaque, même, quelque) Possessive (mon, ma, mes, etc) Interrogative and exclamatory (quel, quelle, quels, quelles)

Formation of adverbs ending in -ment Comparative and superlative Interrogative (including combien (de), comment, où, pourquoi, quand)

Definite, indefinite and partitive

A culture proud of its heritage (Une culture fière de son patrimoine)

Cinema: the 7th art form (Cinéma : le septième art)

Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture

Comment sauvegarder cette musique ?

Contemporary francophone music (La musique francophone contemporaine)

Evolution du cinéma – les grandes lignes

La diversité de la musique francophone contemporaine

Le cinéma – une passion nationale ?

Le patrimoine et le tourisme

Le patrimoine sur le plan national, régional et local

Pourquoi le septième art ?

Qui écoute et apprécie cette musique ?

Students may study all sub-themes in relation to any French-speaking country or countries.

D’autres sanctions

Diversité – un apprentissage pour la vie

Diversité, tolérance et respect

How criminals are treated (Comment on traite les criminels)

L’enrichissement dû à la mixité ethnique

La prison – échec ou succès ?

Life for the marginalised (Quelle vie pour les marginalisés ? )

Positive features of a diverse society (Les aspects positifs d’une société diverse)

Quelle aide pour les marginalisés ?

Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?

Quelles attitudes envers les marginalisés ?

Qui sont les marginalisés ?

Students may study all sub-themes in relation to any French-speaking country or countries.

Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne

Grands-parents, parents et enfants – soucis et problèmes

La vie de couple – nouvelles tendances The ‘cyber-society’ (La « cyber-société »)

Le bénévolat – quelle valeur pour ceux qui aident ?

Le bénévolat – quelle valeur pour ceux qui sont aidés ?

Monoparentalité, homoparentalité, familles recomposées

Quels dangers la « cyber-société » pose-t-elle ?

Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?

Qui sont les cybernautes ?

Students may study all sub-themes in relation to any French-speaking country or countries.

The changing nature of family (La famille en voie de changement)

The place of voluntary work (Le rôle du bénévolat)

Attitudes différentes envers ces tensions politiques

Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power? (manifestations, grèves – à qui le pouvoir ? )

L’engagement politique chez les immigrés

L’immigration et les partis politiques

Le pouvoir des syndicats

Les ados et l’engagement politique – motivés ou démotivés ?

Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?

Politics and immigration (La politique et l’immigration)

Pour ou contre le droit de vote ?

Quel avenir pour la politique ?

Solutions politiques à la question de l’immigration

Students may study all sub-themes in relation to any French-speaking country or countries.

Teenagers, the right to vote and political commitment (Les ados, le droit de vote et l’engagement politique)

Coordinating conjunctions (eg et, ou, mais) Subordinating conjunctions

(eg au contraire, en fait)

(eg alors, bon)

Au revoir les enfants Louis Malle (1987)

Entre les murs Laurent Cantet (2008)

L’auberge espagnole Cédric Klapisch (2002)

La Haine Mathieu Kassovitz (1995)

Les 400 coups François Truffaut (1959)

Un long dimanche de fiançailles Jean-Pierre Jeunet (2004)

A-level grammar

A-level students will be expected to have studied all grammar and structures that appear in the lists for both AS and A-level.

AS and A-level students will be expected to have studied the grammatical system and structures of the language during their course. Knowledge of the grammar and structures specified for GCSE is assumed.

AS grammar

In the exam students will be required to use, actively and accurately, grammar and structures appropriate to the tasks set, drawn from the following lists. The mention of an item in these lists implies knowledge of both its forms and its functions at an appropriate level of accuracy and complexity.

The lists are divided into AS and A-level. The examples in italics in parentheses are indicative; they serve to illustrate the part of speech or structure that the student must know and do not represent an exhaustive specification of the required grammatical knowledge. For items marked (R), receptive knowledge only is required.

4.1 Aims Courses based on this specification should encourage students to:

A-level exams and certification for this specification are available for the first time in May/June 2018 and then every May/June for the life of the specification.

develop as independent researchers through the language of study.

develop control of the language system to convey meaning, using spoken and written skills, including an extended range of vocabulary, for both practical and intellectual purposes as increasingly confident, accurate and independent users of the language

develop knowledge about matters central to the society and culture, past and present, of the country or countries where the language is spoken

develop language learning skills and strategies, including communication strategies to sustain communication and build fluency and confidence

develop their ability to interact effectively with users of the language in speech and in writing, including through online media

develop their capacity for critical and analytical thinking through the language of study

draw together their knowledge, skills and understanding from across the full course of study

engage critically with intellectually stimulating texts, films and other materials in the original language, developing an appreciation of sophisticated and creative uses of the language and understanding them within their cultural and social context

enhance their linguistic skills and promote and develop their capacity for critical thinking on the basis of their knowledge and understanding of the language, culture and society of the country or countries where the language is spoken

equip themselves with transferable skills such as autonomy, resourcefulness, creativity, critical thinking, and linguistic, cultural and cognitive flexibility that will enable them to proceed to further study or to employment

foster their ability to learn other languages

However, students must not base their research on the same literary text or film that they refer to in their written assessment.

mediate between cultures and between speakers of the language and speakers of English

Our A-level exams in French include questions that allow students to demonstrate their ability to:

Students may choose a subject linked to one of the themes or sub-themes or to one of the works.

Students must identify a subject or a key question which is of interest to them and which relates to a country or countries where French is spoken. They must select relevant information in French from a range of sources including the internet. The aim of the research project is to develop research skills.

Students will demonstrate their ability to initiate and conduct individual research by analysing and summarising their findings, in order to present and discuss them in the speaking assessment.

Students within a school or college should each choose a different subject for their research. However, if more than one student selects the same general subject area, the title of their research and their approach must be different.

The A-level Content Advisory Board (ALCAB) has published illustrative examples of individual research topics at alcab.org.uk

Students must study either one text and one film or two texts from the list below. Abridged editions should not be used.

Use of negative particles (eg ne...pas, ne...personne, ne...que) Use of ne with negative subjects (eg Personne n’est venu)

Gender Singular and plural forms

Cardinal (eg un, deux) Ordinal (eg premier, deuxième) Expression of time and date

Time expressions with depuis and il y a Comparative constructions Indirect speech

Artistic culture in the French-speaking world

Aspects of political life in the French-speaking world

Students must study the themes and sub-themes below in relation to at least one French-speaking country.

All prepositions, both simple (eg sous) and complex (eg au-delà de)

Personal: subject, including on Object: direct and indirect Disjunctive/emphatic personal, as subject and object: moi/moi-même, etc Position and order Reflexive Relative (including qui, que, dont, lequel etc, auquel etc, ce qui, ce que) Demonstrative (celui, celle, ceux, celles; and celui-ci/celui-là etc) Indefinite (including quelqu’un, quelque chose) Possessive (le mien etc) Interrogative (including qui, que, quoi) Use of y, en

(including assez, beaucoup, moins, plus, la plupart, plusieurs, presque, tant, très, trop)

Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues

Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends

Students must study the following themes and sub-themes in relation to at least one French-speaking country. Students must study the themes and sub-themes using a range of sources, including material from online media.

analyse and summarise research findings, elaborating on key points of interest, as appropriate, through oral presentation and discussion.

applying knowledge of pronunciation, morphology and syntax, vocabulary and idiom to communicate accurately and coherently, using a range of expression – including the list of grammar in this specification

assimilating and using information from spoken and written sources, including material from online media

develop research skills in French, demonstrating the ability to initiate and conduct individual research on a subject of personal interest, relating to the country or countries where French is spoken

identify a key question or subject of interest and select relevant information in French from a range of authentic sources, including the internet

In addition, students following this specification will:

inferring meaning from complex spoken and written material, including factual and abstract content

listening and responding to spoken passages including some extended passages from a range of different contexts and sources, adapted as necessary, covering different registers and types, including authentic communication involving one or more speakers

reading and responding to a variety of texts including some extended texts written for different purposes and audiences drawn from a range of authentic sources, including contemporary, historical and literary, fiction and non-fiction texts, adapted as necessary

Students following this specification will develop their language knowledge, understanding and skills through:

Students must also study either one book and one film or two books from the lists in this specification.

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of themes relating to the culture and society of countries where French is spoken, and their language skills. They will do this by using authentic spoken and written sources in French.

summarising information from spoken and written sources, reporting key points and subject matter in speech and writing

The A-level specification builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. It constitutes an integrated study with a focus on language, culture and society. It fosters a range of transferable skills including communication, critical thinking, research skills and creativity, which are valuable to the individual and society. The content is suitable for students who wish to progress to employment or further study, including a modern languages degree.

The approach is a focus on how French-speaking society has been shaped, socially and culturally, and how it continues to change. In the first year, aspects of the social context are studied, together with aspects of the artistic life of French-speaking countries. In the second year further aspects of the social background are covered, this time focusing on issues such as life for those on the margins of French-speaking society as well as looking at the positive influences that diversity brings. Students also study aspects of the political landscape in a French-speaking country, looking at immigration from the political perspective and at the way in which political power is expressed through action such as strikes and demonstrations. Teenagers and the extent to which they are politically engaged looks towards the future of political life in French-speaking society.

The choice of works (literary texts and films) offers opportunities to link with the themes so that for example Life for the marginalised could be studied in conjunction with the book No et moi whilst aspects of Politics and immigration are reflected in the book Kiffe kiffe demain and in the films La Haine and Entre les murs.

The specification has been designed to be studied over two years. The suggestions below relating to content for year one and content for year two are based on the knowledge that the course will generally be taken over two years. Schools and colleges are free to choose how and when to cover the content.

They must appreciate, analyse and be able to respond critically in writing in French to the work they have studied. Their understanding of the work must include a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation as appropriate to the work studied (eg the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera-work in a film).

translating an unseen passage from English into French.

translating an unseen passage from French into English

understanding the main points, gist and detail from spoken and written material

use information to illustrate knowledge and understanding of the research subject

using language spontaneously to initiate communication; ask and answer questions; express thoughts and feelings; present viewpoints; develop arguments; persuade; analyse and evaluate in speech and writing, including interaction with speakers of French

using language-learning skills and strategies, including communication strategies such as adjusting the message, circumlocution, self-correction and repair strategies

Albert Camus L’étranger

Claire Etcherelli Elise ou la vraie vie

Delphine de Vigan No et moi

Faïza Guène Kiffe kiffe demain

Françoise Sagan Bonjour tristesse

Guy de Maupassant Boule de Suif et autres contes de la guerre

Joseph Joffo Un sac de billes

Molière Le Tartuffe

Philippe Grimbert Un secret

Voltaire Candide

conditional

conditional perfect

Conjugation of regular -er, -ir, -re verbs, modal verbs, principal irregular verbs, including reflexive verbs Agreement of verb and subject Use of il y a Modes of address (tu, vous) Impersonal verbs Constructions with verbs Verbs followed by an infinitive (with or without a preposition) Dependent infinitives (faire réparer) (R) Perfect infinitive Negative forms Interrogative forms Use of tenses:

Dependent infinitives (faire réparer) Passive voice: all tenses Subjunctive mood:

future

future perfect

imperfect

imperfect tense (R).

other tenses (R).

past historic (R).

perfect (including agreement of past participle)

perfect tense

pluperfect

present

present tense

Subjunctive mood: present (common uses, for example, after expressions of possibility, necessity, obligation and after conjunctions such as bien que)

Use of the infinitive, present participle (eg en arrivant) and past participle Verbal paraphrases and their uses (including aller + infinitive, venir de + infinitive) Passive voice:

Inversion after adverbs

Inversion after speech

Literary texts and films