French / Spanish

Examination Board: AQA

Year 12 and 13 A LEVEL SPECIFICATION:

At Sacred Heart, French and Spanish are offered as FULL A-LEVEL qualifications studied over two years. The AS level course is NOT offered.

Throughout the two years, students study topics specific to the language and culture that they are studying:

French

3.1.1 Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends

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

• The 'cyber-society' (La « cyber-société »)

• The place of voluntary work (Le rôle du bénévolat)

3.1.2 Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues

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

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

• How criminals are treated (Comment on traite les criminels)

3.2.1 Artistic culture in the French-speaking world

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

• Contemporary francophone music (La musique francophone contemporaine)

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

3.2.2 Aspects of political life in the French-speaking world

• Teenagers, the right to vote and political commitment (Les ados, le droit de vote et

• l'engagement politique)

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

• Politics and immigration (La politique et l'immigration)

Spanish

3.1.1 Aspects of Hispanic society

• Modern and traditional values (Los valores tradicionales y modernos)

• Cyberspace (El ciberespacio)

• Equal rights (La igualdad de los sexos)

3.1.2 Multiculturalism in Hispanic society

• Immigration (La Inmigración)

• Racism (El Racismo)

• Integration (La Convivencia)

3.2.1 Artistic culture in the Hispanic world

• Modern day idols (La influencia de los ídolos)

• Spanish regional identity (La identidad regional en España)

• Cultural heritage or cultural landscape (El patrimonio cultural)

3.2.2 Aspects of political life in the Hispanic world

• Today's youth, tomorrow's citizens (Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos de mañana)

• Monarchies, republics and dictatorships (Monarquías, repúblicas y dictaduras)

• Popular movements (Movimientos populares)

At A-level students will also study One text and one film from a prescribed list specific to the language

The assessment format is as follows:

A-Level Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing

What's assessed:

• Aspects of TL-speaking society: current trends/ current issues/Artistic culture in the TL-speaking world

• Aspects of political life in the TL-speaking world

• Grammar

How it's assessed:

• Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes

• 100 marks in total

• 50% of A-level

Questions:

• Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. Studio recordings will be used and students will have individual control of the recording.

• All questions are in TL, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in TL.

• Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail.

• All questions are in TL, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in TL.

• Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words.

• Translation into TL; a passage of minimum 100 words. There is no access to a dictionary during the assessment.

A-Level Paper 2: Writing

What's assessed:

• One text and one film from a prescribed list appropriate to the language

• Grammar

How it's assessed:

• Written exam: 2 hours

• 80 marks in total

• 20% of A-level

Questions:

• Two essays in the target language: one question on a set text from a choice of two questions and one question on a set film from a choice of two questions

• All questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work 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)

• No access to texts or films during the assessment

• No access to a dictionary during the assessment

• Students are advised to write approximately 300 words per essay

A-Level Paper 3: Speaking

What's assessed:

• Individual research project

• One of four sub-themes: Aspects of TL-speaking society: current trends, Aspects of TL-speaking society: current issues, Artistic culture in the TL-speaking world, Aspects of political life in the TL-speaking world

How it's assessed:

• Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time)

• 60 marks in total

• 30% of A-level

Questions:

• Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5–6 minutes). The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test (25 marks).

• Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9–10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks).

• No access to a dictionary during the assessment (including 5 minutes preparation).

• Students may take the assessment only once before certification.

• Assessments will be conducted by either the centre or a visiting examiner and marked by an AQA examiner.