Course Content: AQA GCSE French and Spanish
These courses have been designed by AQA to inspire and motivate students, providing appropriate stretch and challenge whilst ensuring, as far as possible, that the assessment and texts are accessible to the full range of students.
Students will spend equal amounts of time on the four language skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing.
Students will sit either the foundation or the higher papers.
Course Content Year 9
Term | Year 9 Topics French | Assessment | Year 9 Topics Spanish | Assessment |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Qui suis-je? | Email writing and translations | ¡Desconéctate! | Email writing and translation into English |
2 | Qui suis-je? Le temps de loisirs | ¡Desconéctate! | ||
3 | Le temps de loisirs | Reading and Writing | Review of all topics | Reading and Writing |
4 | Jours ordinaires, jours de fête | Listening and Speaking (Describing a photo) | Mi vida en el insti | Listening and Speaking (describing a photo) |
5 | Jours ordinaires, jours de fête | Year 9 exam All skills | Mi vida en el insti | Year 9 exams All skills |
6 | Jours ordinaires, jours de fête | Mi gente |
Course Content Year 10
Term | Year 10 Topics French | Assessment | Year 10 Topics Spanish | Assessment |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | De la ville à la campagne | Intereses e influencias | ||
2 | De la ville à la campagne Le grand Large | Writing and Reading | Intereses e influencias | Writing and Reading |
3 | Le grand large | Ciudades | ||
4 | Le grand large Au collège | Writing and Reading | Ciudades | Writing and Reading |
5 | Au collège | Listening and Speaking | De costumbre | Listening and Speaking |
6 | Au collège | Year 10 exams All skills | De costumbre | Year 10 exams All skils |
Course Content Year 11
Term | Year 11 Topics French | Assessment | Year 11 Topics Spanish | Assessment |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bon travail | Persuasive writing | ¡A currar! | Persuasive writing |
2 | Bon travail Un oeil sur le monde | Mock exams | ¡A currar! | Mock exams |
3 | Revision | Mock orals | Hacia un mundo mejor | Mock orals |
4 | Revision | GCSE Oral exam | Revision | GCSE Oral exam |
5 | Revision | GCSE exams | Revision | GCSE exams |
Assessment in French and Spanish
Assessment in GCSE is by 100% exam at the end of Year 11.
Details of examination weightings are set out below:
Paper 1 – Listening:
35minutes (foundation) or 45 minutes (higher)
Paper 2 – Speaking (Role play, picture description and conversation):
7-9 minutes (foundation) or 10-12 minutes (higher)
Paper 3 – Reading and translating into English:
45 minutes (foundation) or 1 hour (higher)
Paper 4 – Writing and translating into Spanish or French:
1 hour 10 minutes (foundation) or 1 hour 15 minutes (higher)
Marking of Student Work and Feedback
Student books are taken in by the class teacher at least three times per term (based on a standard 6 week term). Teachers will specifically indicate what work will and will not be marked in order to give our students a clear idea of what is expected from them and so they can always present their best work. Students are encouraged to self and peer-assess their work through the use of our Green and Purple pens.
Assessment feedforward sheets are used as part of the assessment marking process at the end of each unit, which usually marries up to each term. Staff comments provide guidance on how students can improve their level of understanding. Staff are expected to review all peer assessed and self-assessed work and provide guidance when necessary.
Homework
- Homework is set in line with the School Homework Policy. At GCSE the intended length of homework should normally be 1 hour per week for written or speaking preparation and 30 minutes for listening and reading (set on Active Learn)
- Students will record homework in their planners and teachers will share via SIMS Learning Gateway the details of what has been set and when it is due to be handed in
- Due to the nature of language learning students are expected to log in and make use of their Memrise account to help them learn the GCSE vocabulary
Supporting Your Daughter in GCSE languages
- Make sure that your daughter has used her Memrise account every week (at least 1 hour or 40,000 points)
- Help her prepare for the speaking exam by testing her and timing her
- Purchase the revision guide and workbook
- Encourage attendance to the language clinics
- Encourage her to do well – a good languages GCSE grade will open many doors in the future!
Revision and Support Materials
- GCSE Bitesize
- Memrise.com
- Quizlet
- https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658
- https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/spanish-8698
- SAM Learning
- GCSE Pod
World Language Resources
- AQA French GCSE PLC [PDF]
- AQA Spanish GCSE PLC [PDF]