Non-verbal strategies - Pointing and demonstration — AQA GCSE French
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Non-verbal strategies - Pointing and demonstration explained
When using non-verbal strategies like pointing or demonstration during a speaking assessment, candidates should accompany their actions with appropriate spoken language to maintain communication.
Read the full explanation
For example, a student might point to an object and ask "Qu'est-ce que c'est ?" (What is this?), demonstrate an action while saying "Comme ça…" (Like this...), or indicate a physical ailment by pointing and stating "Ça fait mal ici" (It hurts here). This combination of physical gesture and simple, relevant French phrases ensures that the interaction remains natural and target-language focused, allowing the candidate to successfully convey meaning even when specific vocabulary is temporarily forgotten.
Your focus
- Combine non-verbal gestures with appropriate French phrases to convey meaning.
- Formulate questions in French to ask for unknown vocabulary.
- Express physical discomfort accurately using the phrase "Ça fait mal ici".
Non-verbal strategies - Pointing and demonstration exam tips
Marking Points
- Use of appropriate filler or demonstrative phrases in French to accompany gestures.
- Accurate pronunciation and intonation of phrases like "Comme ça…" or "Qu'est-ce que c'est ?".
- Successful communication of the intended meaning through a combination of words and actions.
- Maintenance of the target language even when specific vocabulary is lacking.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Memorise key demonstrative phrases like "Comme ça…" to use alongside gestures in the speaking exam.
- 💡If you need to ask the examiner a question, always use French phrases like "Qu'est-ce que c'est ?".
- 💡Practice role-playing medical scenarios using "Ça fait mal ici" while pointing to different body parts.
Common Mistakes
- Pointing in silence without using any French; correction: always accompany pointing with a relevant phrase like "Comme ça…".
- Asking the examiner for the word in English; correction: use a French phrase such as "Qu'est-ce que c'est ?" to ask for vocabulary.
- Using incorrect grammar when indicating pain, such as saying "Je suis mal ici"; correction: use the correct expression "Ça fait mal ici".