Standard Grade Course                                           French and Spanish

 

 

The course is spread over third and fourth years. In each year we will practise the skills of reading, listening, writing and speaking.

 

S3

In third year we work our way through a course book, studying various texts, noting and learning vocabulary, and listening to associated materials. You will also be asked to produce pieces of writing, and do speaking tests on the topics studied.

 

To help achieve a good standard in writing, we have recently introduced Extended Viewing and Writing to the third year course (and perhaps to S4 as well).

 

 

S4

In the course of S4, you will be asked to produce three pieces of writing, which together will form your folio of written work. This folio is sent to SQA for marking as part of your overall grade at Standard Grade.

 

You will also be asked to do three speaking assessments, one solo talk, one discussion, and one role-play. These assessments will all go towards your final overall grade.

 

Preparation for the writing and speaking assessments will occupy a large portion of S4, but we will also practise reading and listening comprehension, using a variety of materials, including past papers.

 

Extended Viewing and Writing may be an option, but this will depend on time constraints.

 

 

Exam

You will always be presented for Standard Grade at two levels. The final exam will consist of assessments in reading and listening at Foundation and General levels, or General and Credit levels.

 

 

 

Intermediate 2 Course                                        French and Spanish

 

 

The course is divided into two units - Language, and Personal Communication or Extended Reading/Viewing.

 

 

In the Language Unit we look at topics related to three main themes:

 

Lifestyles                    }

Education and Work     }          Booklets to be issued

Wider World                }

 

 

In the course of the year you will be asked to complete 3 NAB tests related to this unit:

 

Listening         only one test need be successfully completed

Reading           only one test need be successfully completed

Speaking         presentation of a chosen topic followed by broader discussion

 

Personal Communication

 

You will be asked to complete one NAB test within this unit:

Writing            personal response to stimulus – written in French or Spanish

 

OR

 

Extended Reading/Viewing

 

You will be asked to study a film and texts about the film. You will be asked to complete one NAB within this unit:

Writing            summary and personal response to material studied (100 – 120 words)

 

 

Course work will largely consist of reading texts and extracting useful vocabulary and structures, listening to tapes for comprehension practice, preparing written personal accounts of past events, and of course the preparation of an oral presentation on a topic of your choice.

 

There will also be practice letter/fax/e-mail writing in French or Spanish.

 

On top of this, you may be asked to participate in the study of a film or text in French or Spanish. You may even have the opportunity to take part in a trip to do with this element. This could contribute to the speaking element of the language unit.

 

Exam

 

The exam at the end of the year will consist of listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and usually a written application for a job in

France

or

Spain

. The speaking NAB will double as your final exam speaking assessment.

 

 

 

Higher Course                                               French and Spanish

 

 

The course is divided into two units - Language, and Extended Reading/Viewing.

 

 

In the Language Unit we look at topics related to three main themes:

 

Lifestyles                    }

Education and Work     }          Booklets to be issued

Wider World                }

 

 

In the course of the year you will be asked to complete 3 NAB tests related to this unit:

 

Listening         only one test need be successfully completed

Reading           only one test need be successfully completed

Speaking         presentation of a chosen topic followed by broader discussion

 

 

Extended Reading/Viewing

 

You will be asked to complete one NAB test within this unit:

 

Writing            response to film or text – written in French or Spanish, giving an outline of the plot, discussion of one aspect, and personal response to the material.

 

Exam

 

The speaking test done as part of the language unit will also be your final exam assessment. There will be listening comprehension followed by a short essay on the same topic as the listening test (c.120 words). There will also be a reading comprehension followed by a short translation of a brief extract of the reading passage. The writing element is Directed Writing, wherein you should write about 180 words in accordance with six bullet points set for your guidance.

 

Course work will largely consist of reading texts and extracting useful vocabulary and structures, listening to tapes for comprehension practice, preparing short essay topics and responses to practice Directed Writing bullet points, and of course the preparation of an oral presentation and discussion on topics of your choice.

 

You will be asked to participate in the study of a film or text in French or Spanish. You may even have the opportunity to take part in a trip to do with this element. This should contribute to the writing element, and perhaps the speaking element of the course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advanced Higher Course                                   French

 

 

The course is divided into two units - Language, and Extended Reading/Viewing (which includes two Folio pieces).

 

 

In the Language Unit we look at topics related to three main themes:

 

Personal, social and cultural issues (family, media, arts)       

Topical and cultural issues (European matters, immigration, education)

Environmental issues (pollution, urban development, energy)

 

In the course of the year you will be asked to complete three NAB tests related to this unit:

 

Listening         only one test need be successfully completed

Reading           only one test need be successfully completed

Speaking         presentation of a chosen topic followed by discussion

 

Extended Reading/Viewing

 

You will be asked to complete one NAB test within this unit:

 

Writing            response to text (or film) – written in French (300 – 400 words), on an aspect of your choosing.

 

Folio

 

You will be required to produce two essays (each of 750 words) in English. One must be on a literary text (with a subject of your choosing), and the other may be on a second literary text, on a set of linked written texts, or on a background topic.

 

Exam

 

The mark you receive for the folio will count toward your final grade. The exam itself will consist of one reading comprehension plus translation of a passage from the text, a listening comprehension followed by a discursive essay, and a twenty minute speaking test (on any aspect of work done in the course of the year), conducted by an external examiner.

 

Course work will largely consist of reading texts and extracting useful vocabulary and structures, listening to tapes for comprehension practice, preparing discursive essay topics, and of course the preparation of a discussion on topics of your choice.