Current and future study and employment — WJEC GCSE French

This topic, 'Current and future study and employment' (Les études et le travail), is a core part of the WJEC GCSE French specification. It covers vocabulary and structures for discussing your education, career aspirations, and the world of work. You'll learn to describe your school subjects, talk about your future plans, and discuss the importance of languages and skills for employment. This topic is essential because it appears in all four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and it's a common theme in the speaking and writing exams.

Mastering this topic allows you to express personal opinions, justify choices, and discuss real-world issues like work-life balance and the changing job market. You'll need to use a range of tenses (present, past, future) and conditional phrases to talk about what you would like to do. The vocabulary here is highly transferable, helping you in other topics like 'My studies' and 'Life at school/college'. Understanding this area also prepares you for the 'Role play' and 'Photo card' tasks in the speaking exam, where you might discuss work experience or future plans.

In the wider context, this topic connects to cultural understanding of the French-speaking world, such as the importance of the 'baccalauréat' and the structure of higher education in France. You'll also explore the value of bilingualism in the global job market. By the end of this topic, you should be able to write a paragraph about your dream job, discuss the pros and cons of different careers, and understand job advertisements in French.

• →Vocabulary for school subjects (e.g., les maths, l'histoire-géo) and opinions (e.g., j'adore, je déteste, c'est intéressant).
• →Using the future tense (le futur proche: je vais + infinitive; le futur simple: je travaillerai) to discuss plans and aspirations.
• →Conditional phrases (je voudrais, j'aimerais, si j'étais...) to express wishes and hypothetical situations.
• →Key phrases for job descriptions (e.g., travailler dans, s'occuper de, être responsable de) and qualities (e.g., être organisé, avoir de l'expérience).
• →The importance of languages for careers (e.g., parler anglais est un atout, les langues sont utiles pour le commerce international).

• Ability to communicate and interact effectively in speech and writing regarding school life.
• Accurate application of grammar and structures relevant to school and study contexts.
• Ability to express and justify opinions about school subjects and experiences.
• Use of vocabulary related to school life, subjects, and daily routines.
• Ability to narrate events or describe experiences related to school/college.

• 💡Familiarize yourself with the specific vocabulary list provided in Appendix A for school and study.
• 💡Practice using different tenses (past, present, future) to describe school experiences and future aspirations.
• 💡Ensure you can express and justify opinions about subjects, as this is a key requirement for higher marks.
• 💡Use the 12-minute preparation time in the speaking assessment to organize your thoughts and bullet points effectively.
• 💡Focus on using repair strategies if you get stuck during the speaking conversation.
• 💡To score high marks in writing and speaking, give extended answers with opinions and justifications. For example, instead of saying 'Je veux être médecin', say 'Je voudrais être médecin parce que j'aime aider les gens et c'est un métier passionnant.'
• 💡Use a variety of tenses to show off your grammar. In the same paragraph, mix present (je travaille), past (j'ai travaillé), and future (je travaillerai) to demonstrate range.
• 💡Learn specific vocabulary for your chosen career path. If you want to be a teacher, know words like 'enseigner', 'les élèves', 'l'éducation'. This shows examiner you have tailored your knowledge.

• Failure to use appropriate register for the task.
• Inaccurate use of tenses when narrating past school experiences or future study plans.
• Limited range of vocabulary beyond basic school subjects.
• Inability to justify opinions or provide extended responses in speaking and writing tasks.
• Mistake: Using the present tense to talk about future plans. Correction: Always use the future tense (e.g., 'je vais étudier' or 'j'étudierai') when referring to future actions, not 'j'étudie'.
• Mistake: Confusing 'le travail' (work) with 'le trajet' (journey). Correction: 'Le travail' refers to employment or work, while 'le trajet' is the commute. Practice these similar-sounding words.
• Mistake: Forgetting to use 'de' after quantities or negatives (e.g., 'j'ai beaucoup de devoirs' not 'j'ai beaucoup devoirs'). Correction: Remember the rule: 'beaucoup de', 'peu de', 'pas de'.